The College Solutions Blog

Valuable insights from Lynn O’Shaughnessy
a nationally recognized college expert.

Featured image for “Tuitionfit:  a tool to find better college deals now”
April 17, 2020

Tuitionfit: a tool to find better college deals now

In the midst of a pandemic,  finding a college that is the right financial fit has become even more important than it was just a few months ago. Before COVID-19 became a household word, you might have thought that you knew where your child would be attending college in the fall. What happens now if the colleges on your child’s...
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Featured image for “Researching Colleges During a Pandemic”
April 13, 2020

Researching Colleges During a Pandemic

I’ve gotten questions recently about how to research colleges during the COVID-19 pandemic when you can’t visit campuses. I talked to a mom from Seattle over the weekend, whose daughter was choosing between seven colleges that stretch from the state of Washington to New Jersey. With merit scholarships deducted, the cost of all these schools for the Seattle family were...
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Featured image for “Tackling common college questions during COVID-19”
April 8, 2020

Tackling common college questions during COVID-19

This is an incredibly stressful time for families who have to navigate college admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a practical matter, this (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime experience has generated a great deal of college questions from anxious students, parents, educational consultants and high school counselors. Some answers are known. We know, for instance, that the Advanced Placement tests, with a radically...
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Featured image for “2020 Advanced Placement tests – 8 tips to succeed”
April 5, 2020

2020 Advanced Placement tests – 8 tips to succeed

If you have teenagers who expected to take Advanced Placement tests this year, the College Board recently released detailed information about this year’s unusual roll out of AP exams. How the College Board is dealing with AP tests during the COVID-19 pandemic was bound to be controversial and it is. Some people wanted the College Board to cancel the AP...
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Featured image for “U of California and other colleges rush to dump SAT and ACT tests during COVID-19”
April 1, 2020

U of California and other colleges rush to dump SAT and ACT tests during COVID-19

High school students are stressed about when they will be able to take the SAT and/or ACT test again, but there is some good news during the COVID-19 pandemic . A steady stream of colleges and universities have been announcing that they will not require SAT or ACT test scores for the 2021-2022 school year and possibly beyond that admission...
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Featured image for “When should you appeal a financial aid letter?”
March 30, 2020

When should you appeal a financial aid letter?

When should you appeal a financial aid letter? I wanted to answer this question from a mother in Seattle because during this coronavirus pandemic, it’s relevant to many more families. If you haven’t received enough help to pay for college, please keep reading and good luck! Lynn O’Shaughnessy Question: If you’ve had one financial setback and you think more are...
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Featured image for “Fearing the worst:  college closings”
March 27, 2020

Fearing the worst: college closings

The COVID-19 pandemic is hitting the higher-ed world hard. Colleges across the country shut down during a crucial time in the college admission season. It’s the spring when colleges heavily court high school seniors as they urge them to attend their schools in the fall. But this year’s accepted student days were cancelled. Campus visits dried up. Previous freshmen enrollment...
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Featured image for “Should you make a college deposit during the coronavirus pandemic?”
March 26, 2020

Should you make a college deposit during the coronavirus pandemic?

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, I decided to answer a college question a day for stressed out parents and students. In today’s question, I am tackling the question of a dad from Los Angeles regarding making a college deposit during the coronavirus pandemic. I hope you find it helpful! Lynn O’Shaughnessy Question: Our original plan was to visit colleges after...
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Featured image for “Paying $184,000 more for a college near the beach???”
March 25, 2020

Paying $184,000 more for a college near the beach???

During the coronavirus crisis, I am answering a question every weekend day posed by parents on my newsletter list. You’ll find the latest Q&A below. I hope you can benefit from it! Lynn O’Shaughnessy Question from an Indiana mom: Our senior has been accepted to University of California, San Diego, which is her top choice as an out-of-state public university....
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Featured image for “Appealing a Financial Aid Award During COVID-19”
March 24, 2020

Appealing a Financial Aid Award During COVID-19

COVID-19 has made the college admission and financial aid process unbearably stressful and scary. As my small way of helping, as I remain holed up in my house in San Diego, I decided to start answering your college questions beginning today. Via my blog – The College Solution – I will tackle at least one question on most week days....
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