The College Solutions Blog

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

College blog
October 7, 2009

Generous Colleges for International Students

A high school counselor in Colombia asked me today how she could find American colleges that provide financial aid for international students who want to study in the United States. Actually, there are many schools that provide need-based aid to international students interested in American colleges and universities. Every year a member of the Overseas Association for College Admission Counseling...
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September 8, 2009

Writing Your Way Out of College

One of my most vivid memories at the University of Missouri was of the strange grade that I received on an honors term paper. The English professor gave me a  “B+ +” for the final paper in my existentialist literature course.  When I saw that grade I was ticked off. What the heck, I wondered, was a B + +?...
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September 2, 2009

A New College Blog Worth Reading

I wanted to let you know about a new college blog that you should check out. Washington Monthly just launched its own college blog, which I consider to be great news. While US News & World Report hogs most of the press attention when it comes to college coverage, I’ve always admired Washington Monthly’s thoughtful higher-ed pieces. Washington Monthly launched...
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August 4, 2009

How to Get Into the Ivy League: Be a Legacy

How do you get into the Ivy League?  Be a legacy applicant. A friend of my blog, Lee Bierer, an education columnist for the Charlotte Observer and an independent college counselor, writes about Ivy League legacy chances in her latest column. Here’s where you can check out her take on Ivy League admissions for legacies. It’s clear that legacies enjoy...
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July 11, 2009

College Blog Weeekend RoundUp: Harvard, Student Loans and SAT Tests

Here’s my weekend college blog roundup of the posts that I wrote during the past few days for CBSMoneyWatch.com. Hope you enjoy them. Is Harvard Going Broke? If you’ve been struggling to stay on a budget, you might appreciate what’s happening at Harvard, which is experiencing the worst financial crisis of its 373-year history. The Soaring Popularity of College Student...
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June 24, 2009

A New and Improved FAFSA

Hallelujah. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is getting simplified. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan  announced plans to make the FAFSA, which includes 135 questions on assets and income, more user friendly today. The news isn’t surprising. At his confirmation hearing, Duncan had this to say about the FAFSA form: “You basically have to have a Ph.D. to...
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April 6, 2009

New College Blog

If you enjoy reading The College Solution Blog, you’ve got another source now for learning the secrets of financial aid,  scholarships, admissions strategies and much more. I can now officially announce that I am the college blogger for CBSMoneyWatch.com. I will be posting on the television network’s blog at least three times a week. I am also writing articles for...
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September 25, 2008

The Student Debt Tipping Point

If a teenager plans to major in theater or social work should he or she assume more student debt than a kid who plans to become an engineer or an accountant? Most families aren’t concerned about the earnings potential of their children when exploring colleges. According to a recent commentary in The Christian Science Monitor, 70% of students and parents...
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