Don't Break the Bank

Don't Break the Bank: 4 College Application and Financial Aid Mistakes to Avoid

Hi, I’m Caitlin Harper, a Collegewise College Admissions Counselor since 2022. I’m proud of and grateful for the life-changing experience I had at a liberal arts and sciences college. I loved my alma mater, Lewis & Clark College, so much that I decided not to leave after graduation, spending the next ten years working my way up to Senior Associate Director of Admission. I went on to spend two years as the Director of Admission Marketing and Events at Willamette University before realizing that I wanted to bring my work and impact back down to the individual level. 

When I was a kid, I went grocery shopping with my dad every Sunday. It was our thing. I escaped the chaos of having two brothers at home and my dad had a sidekick who could reach the mac 'n cheese box at the back of the shelf. He taught me how to pick the perfect produce and, most importantly, how to identify the best deals.

By the time I was in high school, the grocery store clerks knew me as the girl who could guess the total cost of that day's purchase within a few dollars. I became an expert bargain shopper.

A college education is one of the most significant investments a student and their family will make. It makes sense that there would be a lot of worry around finding the best "bargain," the college with the greatest potential return on investment. After over a decade working in admissions for private colleges, I know finances are a determining factor when it comes to where a student ultimately enrolls.

And while this blog is not going to tackle the behemoth topic of financing a college education, it will cover four mistakes students and families make that are entirely within their control and could lead to missing out on cost-saving opportunities.

Costly Error #1: Neglecting Essential Context

These are some of the questions I ask my students when we’re discussing which teachers they might ask for a recommendation. Invariably, there are two or three classes in which their teachers have seen them at their best, and those are usually the ones my students focus on.

A college is only going to know what you tell them. They won't assume, read between the lines, or turn into investigative journalists when reviewing your application.  

Maybe you had to work a full-time job to support your family through a hard time, and that's why you didn't participate in that many school-sanctioned extracurriculars. You may have been planning to take Mandarin senior year, but the only class time offered conflicted with Calculus, so you decided to self-study Mandarin instead.

You need to take control of your story and tell it confidently in your application to avoid being overlooked for admission and potential scholarships.  

Use every opportunity to give context and explanation that could benefit you. List every meaningful thing you spend time doing, even if you don't think it fits as an "activity." Use Additional Information sections strategically and concisely. And don’t solely rely on your school counselor or teachers to address everything in their letters of recommendation.

Costly Error #2: Letting Deadlines Slip By

Not all deadlines are created equal. Most students already have college application deadlines on their radar - Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Decision, and others. But there are also priority deadlines for specific majors, programs, and scholarships.

Here are some examples:

If you intend to pursue a visual or performing art in college, the application requirements may include auditions or portfolio reviews and the deadlines may be earlier than the admission deadline. Interested in studying drama at Syracuse University? Your application and audition pre-screen materials need to be prepared and submitted by December 1, which is about one month earlier than their standard Regular Decision deadline.

To be considered for merit scholarships at Vanderbilt University, you must apply for admission and submit the additional scholarship application(s) by December 1. If you wait to apply for admission under their Early Decision II or Regular Decision deadlines or fail to submit the additional scholarship application(s), you could miss out on being considered for their merit scholarships.

This is one of the main reasons Collegewise advises students to start this process early. Explore college options and build a college list before your senior year of high school. This generous onramp will allow you to uncover any priority deadlines and give you ample time to prepare for them.

Costly Error #3: Failing to Monitor Email and College Portals Consistently

Colleges send an overwhelming number of emails. I know. And for teenagers who are already email-averse, the thought of sifting through catchy, emoji-filled subject lines in search of the emails that could offer them amazing opportunities is akin to asking them to clean their room to find that one lost sock. Once I tell my students what could be in those emails though, their attitude tends to shift.

Colleges will email students with invitations to campus visit programs that may include sizable travel vouchers and grants. An email could hold an invitation to apply for a specific scholarship based on a student’s chosen academic program or intended major. And most commonly, a college's financial aid office could reach out to request additional information and documents to verify and complete your financial aid package.

I advise students to create an email address that they use specifically for the college application process. Ideally, you make it early and use it on your ACT registration and at any college fairs or campus visits you do early in high school. Commit to an organizational system to keep your inbox clear and a routine for checking it, like every morning while you eat breakfast.

Once you apply to a college, they will likely send you login credentials for their online portal. Don't wait to set up that account! This is another crucial communication hub that will tell you not only if your admission application is complete but also, in most cases, your ultimate admission decision and potential scholarship award. The portal may also be where you find out about additional financial aid you're eligible to apply for and receive important reminders about deadlines and requirements.

Costly Error #4: Overlooking FAFSA

I'm going to be blunt. Unless you're prepared to pay the full cost of attendance for any of the schools where you're applying, there's no reason you shouldn't submit the FAFSA. Don't assume you won't qualify for need-based financial aid unless you've completed the FAFSA recently (like in the past year) or done the Net Price Calculator and/or MyIntuition Calculator for all the schools on your list.

Even if you use the calculators and learn that you do not qualify for federal need-based aid, there are still reasons to submit the FAFSA. For instance, some colleges require the FAFSA for a student to be considered for and awarded certain university merit scholarships. You also never know what is on the horizon for you and your family.

Suppose circumstances change, and you find yourself in a position where you need more financial assistance to attend your dream college. In that case, the reconsideration process will likely be faster and more efficient if you already have a FAFSA and financial documentation on file.

"Check the expiration date, Caitlin. Details are important!" "Grab that coupon! Might as well get the 50 cents off!" I still hear my dad's voice ring through my head when I go grocery shopping. I love the lessons he taught me, and I hope you see how many of them can help you during your college search, too.

Remember, you have control in this process. You can tell your entire story, pay attention to the details, do the research, fill out the forms, and ask questions when you have them.