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Today’s economy is making it hard for many kids and even more so for those parent’s who have students that want to go to college. Many students and parents have actually given up on their dreams of higher education, believing there is no way they can finance college. However, there are many ways to help your child get the education they deserve. The following are some tips on helping your student to secure college financial aid so they can attend the college of their choice:

First of all, encourage your child to be well-rounded in high school. Their grades should be the best they can be and they should also make sure they have a wide array of activities to put on their college applications.

Apply for a Federal college financial aid program by filing out the Free Application Form Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA. This is a program to help those who need an education, but don’t have the finances they need.

Encourage your student to apply for as many scholarships they qualify for. Many students often do not apply to many of them due to their fear of failure. Let your child know that the best way to secure scholarships for themselves is to apply for more.

Througout the process be sure to keep in contact with your child’s high school guidance counselor. They can help to keep you updated on any new programs or scholarships that may become available.

Research college scholarships online. Many scholarships and programs can be applied for online. Along with these, you and your child can also research the various schools your child may be interested in attending.

Lastly, know the deadlines and process for each application being filled out. The best way to keep of all of the paperwork organized is to keep a notebook and calendar specifically for the task of securing college financial aid.

To find out exactly how I can help you with College Financial Aid visit my website http://www.CollegePlanningIllinois.com and get a FREE Report: How to Pay For College Without Going Broke.

Get Your Copy of the 2010 Free Education Guide Here

College Admissions Officers review letters of recommendation carefully and what those letters contain will impact their decisions.

These letters must tell about you as a person, not just your performance as a student or athlete. They cannot be written by someone who is a casual acquaintance. A superficial, perfunctory or insincere letter will do more harm than good.

Your GPA, SAT scores and other test scores are impartial measures of your performance. The letters of recommendation you obtain help give the admissions reviewer a better picture of your character and your potential at their institution. The people who write these letters need to know you well enough to give the officials an idea of your intrinsic nature and values. If they have only known you a short time, even a glowing letter will not impress.

Yet, those who recommend you must also have recent, current knowledge of who you are and what you are doing. So, if all of your letters of recommendation come from teachers you had in ninth grade, then you might have a problem.

This is the plan of action I advise you to follow. Prepare a portfolio for each person who you are asking to write a letter. The portfolio needs to contain the information they need to conveniently submit their letter. A letter of request from you to them would be helpful.

Don’t call them on the phone or drop it in the mail. Meet them face to face and hand them the portfolio. This emphasizes how important it is to you, and they are more likely to take their letter seriously.

Reconnect with any potential letter writer that you have not been in contact with recently. Make sure they know what your current plans are and what you have been doing to achieve your goals. If you reach out to them, they are going to have a more favorable attitude toward you.

You need to be aware of how people perceive you in order to get the best letters of recommendation. Unfortunately, not everyone will view you favorably. As you ask people for recommendations, keep alert for any signs of reticence or discomfort. They may be signs that the person you are asking does not feel comfortable writing a letter for you. If they’re not comfortable with the request, the letter will probably not be flattering and you are better off without it. Don’t pressure them to write a letter of recommendation just so that you have another one. Hopefully their approach will be “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

That doesn’t always happen in real life. Since your recommendations are an extremely important component of the college admissions process, you have to be wise enough to only ask the people who know you and like you well enough to write a great letter of recommendation for you.

Angela Arnold, a college counselor who has helped many students get into college, has published 7 free videos about the college application process Grab your copies today.

Get Your Copy of the 2010 Free Education Guide Here