Here is a list of colleges that require the SAT Writing Essay and or the ACT Writing Essay portion of these tests.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8T7VG8uKGE0d0RObExTZ0FDNlU/view

AZ College Planning's suggestion is to always take the test with  the writing until you know 100% if the college(s) that you will apply to require it or not.

New FAFSA changes for October 2016 will impact the 2017-2018 school year.

There are two exciting changes coming to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA®) process this year.

1. The 2017–18 FAFSA will be available earlier.

You can file your 2017–18 FAFSA as early as Oct. 1, 2016, rather than beginning on Jan. 1, 2017. The earlier submission date will be a permanent change, enabling you to complete and submit a FAFSA as early as October 1 every year.

2. You’ll use earlier income and tax information.

Beginning with the 2017–18 FAFSA, you’ll be required to report income and tax info from an earlier tax year. For example, on the 2017–18 FAFSA, you—and your parent(s), as appropriate—will report your 2015 income and tax info, rather than your 2016 income and tax info.

We understand that some families’ income may have changed significantly since the 2015 tax year. If this is the case for you, you must complete the FAFSA with the info it asks for (2015). Then, after filing your FAFSA, contact the financial aid office at your school to explain your situation. The school has the ability to assess your situation and make adjustments to your FAFSA.

The following table provides a summary of key dates as we transition to using the early FAFSA submission timeframe and earlier tax information.

We know you probably have some questions. Here are some we’ve been hearing from students:

How will the changes benefit me?

You might find that the FAFSA process is easier than you expected.

• From now on, the FAFSA will ask for older income and tax information that you will already have. This change means you won’t have to use estimates anymore, or log in later to update your FAFSA after you file taxes!
• Because you’ll already have done your 2015 taxes by the time you fill out your 2017–18 FAFSA, you may be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) to automatically import your tax information into your FAFSA.
• Having the FAFSA available three months earlier will give you more time to meet most deadlines (although some will be early, so fill out the FAFSA right away just in case) and to explore and understand your financial aid options.

Since the 2017–18 FAFSA asks for the same tax and income information as the 2016–17 FAFSA, will my 2016–17 FAFSA info automatically be carried over into my 2017–18 renewal FAFSA?

No. Too much could have changed since you filed your last FAFSA, and there’s no way to predict what might be different, so you’ll need to enter the information again. However, keep in mind that many people are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to automatically import their 2015 tax information into the FAFSA, making the process of reporting tax info quick and easy.

Do I have to update my 2017–18 FAFSA with my 2016 tax information after I file my 2016 taxes?

No. The 2017–18 FAFSA asks for 2015 tax info, and only 2015. Beginning October 1, you can fully submit the FAFSA in one sitting using your 2015 tax info. No updating necessary. (Hooray!)

But what if my family’s financial situation has changed since our 2015 taxes were filed? Can we report our 2016 tax information instead?

No. You must report your 2015 tax info on the 2017–18 FAFSA. You do not have the option to report your 2016 tax info. If your family has experienced a loss of income since the 2015 tax year, talk to the financial aid office at your school. They have the ability to assess your situation and make adjustments.

Note: The FAFSA asks for marital status as of the day you fill it out. So if you’re married now but weren’t in 2015 (and therefore didn’t file taxes as married), you’ll need to add your spouse’s income to your FAFSA.

Similarly, if you filed your 2015 taxes as married but you’re no longer married when you fill out the FAFSA, you’ll need to subtract your spouse’s income.

Since I’m required to report my 2015 tax information, do I also answer all the other questions on the FAFSA using information from 2015?

No. Here’s a guide for which year’s info you should use to answer the different types of questions on the FAFSA.

Will FAFSA deadlines be earlier since the application is launching earlier?

We expect that most state and school deadlines will remain approximately the same as in 2016–17. However, several states that offer first come, first served financial aid will change their deadlines from “as soon as possible after January 1” to “as soon as possible after October 1.” So, as always, it’s important that you check your state and school deadlines so that you don’t miss out on any aid. State deadlines are on fafsa.gov; school deadlines are on schools’ websites.

Can I fill out the FAFSA before I submit my college applications?

Yes, you can fill out the FAFSA even before you’ve submitted your college applications. Add every school you’re considering to your FAFSA, even if you haven’t applied or been accepted yet. Even if you’re on the fence about applying to a particular school, add it. It will hold your place in line for financial aid in case you end up applying for admission at that school. You can always remove schools later if you decide not to apply (but you don’t have to).

Will I receive aid offers earlier if I apply earlier?

Not necessarily; some schools will make offers earlier while others won’t. If you’re applying to multiple schools or thinking of transferring to another school, you might want to look at the College Scorecard to compare costs at different schools while you wait for your aid offers to arrive. Note: You should be aware that the maximum Federal Pell Grant for 2017–18 might not be known until early 2017, so keep in mind that even if you do receive an aid offer early, it could change due to various factors.

Where can I get more information about—and help with—the FAFSA?

Visit StudentAid.gov/fafsa/filling-out; and remember, as you fill out your FAFSA atfafsa.gov, you can refer to help text for every question and (during certain times of day) chat online with a customer service representative.

Also get professional help with these financail aid forms at AZCollegePlanning.com, give us a call.

Anticipated SAT dates for 2017-2018, note the new August date and removed January date.

The proposed anticipated SAT test dates for the 2017 – 2018 school year are:

1. August 26, 2017
2. October 7, 2017
3. November 4, 2017
4. December 2, 2017
5. March 10, 2018, no subjects tests
6. May 5, 2018
7. June 2, 2018

Phoenix College Fair 2016

the BIG ONE! Go, meet recruiters, schmooze, gather information on the colleges and Demonstrate Interest!

The Phoenix College Fair for 2016 is October 23 Sunday 11AM-3PM.

Imagine filling out 100 plus+ forms. I’ve got writers cramps just thinking about it. At the upcoming Phoenix College Fair, almost 200 schools will be represented.

Working on your “College Touch Points” is now easier than ever. It used to be that when a student went to a college fair they would take 5 minutes or more filling out contact forms for each college they were interested in. Now a quick scan from a prefilled out form handles all of it electronically.

No need to fill out all the registration cards for dozens of colleges by hand!

Pre-registration is available online at the  following link:

https://www.gotomyncf.com/ <-- Click here to register

Phoenix Convention Center
100 N Third Street
Phoenix, AZ 85004

Fair Hours: Sunday, 11-3PM

• The following colleges will be represented. <Phoenix College Fair List for 2016>

Flinn Scholarship October 2016 for the 2017-2018 school year.

The due date for the Flinn Scholarship application is Sunday, October 23, 2016, before the clock strikes midnight.

for more info click this link http://www.flinn.org/flinn-scholars/the-scholarship/apply/

APPLICATION AT A GLANCE

• Forms that collect biographical and family data; information about current studies, extracurricular activities, honors and awards, and employment;
• Three essay questions and five short-answer questions;
• Two teacher recommendations, submitted separately by your teachers;
• A report and recommendation from your high school’s academic counselor, submitted separately by your counselor;
• A copy of your transcript, uploaded by your counselor in conjunction with your counselor recommendation;
• Copies of your SAT and/or ACT score reports, sent directly to the Flinn Scholars Program by ACT/College Board (enter Code 2175).

The essay prompts for the Flinn Scholarship are:

Here are the 2017 Flinn Scholarship essay questions:

Short?Answer Questions

Please answer each question with no more than 80 characters.

1. Beyond your achievements, what defines you?
2. What is more important: kindness or intelligence?
3. Who is your hero (living or dead), and what do you admire most about them?
4. What personality trait do you value most in others?
5. Of what in your non-academic profile are you most proud?

A. What book should all high school students be required to read and why? 200-word maximum

B. Tell us about a project or initiative you worked on that did not go as you planned or hoped. What did you learn? 300-word maximum

C. Lincoln University recently suspended its major in history. The president of the university explained the decision saying, “We must make decisions like these as we look toward the future and the needs of the changing workforce.” Do you believe job preparation should be a university’s main priority? Defend your answer. 500-word maximum

It is your responsibility to ensure that all application components are submitted and received by the Flinn Scholars Program by the deadline. The deadline for applicants, as well as teachers and counselors, is Sunday, October 23, 2016 at 11:59 p.m.

Need help with your essay? We can help!

How to Apply for a PLUS Loan

PLUS loans, PLUS loan repayment,

If you’re a parent of a dependent undergraduate student or if you’re someone planning to attend graduate school, you’ve probably heard of the PLUS loan. The Direct PLUS Loanis a federal loan program that’s available specifically for these two groups of people to help cover the remaining cost of attending school after all other financial aid has been applied. Below we’ll explain the requirements, application process, and some tips if you’re considering getting a PLUS loan.

Requirements to Receive a PLUS Loan

No Adverse Credit History
A credit history is a summary of your financial strength, including your history of paying bills and your ability to repay future loans. To qualify for a PLUS loan, you cannot have an adverse credit history.

FAFSA Completion and PLUS loan Application
The student going to college (the child of the parent requesting the loan or the graduate/professional student) has to submit a FAFSA before beginning the PLUS loan application process.

Requirements for Parents:
You must be the biological, adoptive, or in some cases, stepparent of the dependent undergraduate student going to college. Your child must also be enrolled at least half-time at a school that participates in the Direct Loan Program. Unlike Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans; you, the parent, are responsible for repaying the PLUS loan.

Requirements for Graduate or Professional Students:
You must be enrolled at least half-time at a school that participates in the Direct Loan Program.

TIP for graduate and professional students:
If you’re eligible for Direct Unsubsidized Loans, you should borrow those loans before applying for PLUS. The interest rate is lower for Direct Loans.

How Much Money Can I Borrow?

The maximum PLUS loan amount is the cost of attendance (determined by the school) minus any other financial aid received. If you aren’t sure what your school’s cost of attendance is, contact your school’s financial aid office. If you want to see the average annual cost of a school, look it up on our College Scorecard.

How to Apply for a PLUS Loan

In most cases, you’ll apply for a PLUS loan on StudentLoans.gov.

Some schools have a different application process, so check with your financial aid office to make sure you’re going to the right place.

1. Go to StudentLoans.gov
2. Log in using your FSA ID.
3. Select the type of PLUS loan you’re requesting, graduate student or parent.

Before making your selection, you should know the following:

• The award year the PLUS loan is for.
• Parents should have the student’s information, including their date of birth and Social Security number.

4. Fill out the “School & Loan Info” fields.
5. In the section that reads “Loan Amount Requested” you will have a few options.

• Selecting “I want to borrow the maximum amount for which I am eligible” will require you to select the loan period to which you’d like to apply the PLUS loan. This field may be different for each school.
• Selecting “I would like to specify a loan amount” will require you to type in the amount and the loan period start/end dates.  If your request exceeds the amount you’re eligible for, the school will contact you.
• If you select “I do not know the amount I want to borrow. I will contact the school” then you should contact the school after your application has been approved, or the school may contact you.

6. Information about the PLUS loan borrower (the borrower is the parent of the undergraduate dependent student or the graduate/professional student):

• Permanent address.
• Mailing address.
• Employer information if the borrower is employed.

7. Credit Check and Adverse Credit History
   PLUS loans are the only type of federal student loan that require a credit check. If you are found to have adverse credit history during the application process, you still have options.

Note: If you’re a parent applicant with adverse credit history and you’re unable to get a PLUS loan, your child may be eligible for additional unsubsidized student loans. Check with the financial aid office at your child’s school for details.

Even with adverse credit history, there are two ways you may still be able to quality for a PLUS loan:

• Obtain an eligible endorser and complete PLUS credit counseling.
• Document extenuating circumstances relating to your credit history and complete PLUS credit counseling.

8. Sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN)
   After finding out that you’re eligible for the PLUS loan, you’ll be required to sign an MPN and agree to the terms of the loan. Make sure you read your MPN carefully because it’s a binding legal document that lists all the conditions of your loan.

Graduate students: If it’s your first time receiving a PLUS loan, you’ll be required to complete entrance counseling. Confirm with your school to make sure.

Note: If you have previously received a PLUS loan you may not have to complete another MPN. Check with your school to confirm.

How do I find out how much I can borrow?

After your PLUS loan request is complete, the school will inform you of how much you’re eligible to receive.

How and when will I get my loan?

The school will apply funds to the student’s school account to cover tuition, fees, room and board, and other school charges. If there is a remaining balance, the school will give it to the student to help pay for other education expenses. Parents who have been approved for a PLUS loan have the option of asking the school to pay the remaining funds directly to the student.

Each school has a different schedule for disbursing PLUS loans, so check with the school to find out when you should expect the funds.

The 10 best sites to look for scholarships

orignial article here http://www.hercampus.com/career/money/10-best-sites-look-scholarships

With a new semester upon us and our bank accounts drained from holiday shopping and much-needed nights out, scholarships of any amounts can certainly come in handy.

Here are the 10 best sites for searching for scholarship cash — along with one scholarship from each to get you started!

1. Zinch.com

Zinch is a college students one-stop-shop for scholarships that are creative, easy and fun to apply for and win. To apply for scholarships via Zinch, you’ll have to create a username and profile that will help the site find scholarships that are specifically relevant to you! One of Zinch’s most popular awards is the Weekly , where applicants must generate a 280-character essay (that’s only two tweets!) while vying for $1,000 of cold, hard cash.

Visit Zinch.com for more scholarships.

2. Fastweb.com

Fastweb is another terrific, free resource where you’ll find thousands of scholarships at your fingertips. Not only does Fastweb offer a massive database of monetary awards, but it also features helpful career planning services and learning tools for its registered users! One of Fastweb’s most recently featured scholarships is the “Natural Disaster” PSA Video Contest, a $3,000 scholarship offered to creative undergrads with an eye for cinematography and knowledge of the consequences of natural disasters.

Visit Fastweb.com for more scholarships.

3. ScholarshipPoints.com

You know how you always seem to receive a new, complimentary gift after so many purchases at that favorite beauty counter of yours? ScholarshipPoints works the same way! Well, kind of. The site’s users rack up points through a rewards system, making them eligible for different scholarships according to how many points they have earned. Members can earn points through fun, day-to-day activities like reading blogs, taking quizzes and playing online games. ScholarshipPoints offers a rolling, monthly $1,000 for its members and a quarterly $10,000 scholarship . Join today and start earning your points!

Visit ScholarshipPoints.com for more scholarships.

4. Cappex.com

You may remember being advised by your high school guidance counselor to make a Cappex account to help narrow down your college search, but don’t delete that online profile just yet! The site is still helpful during our undergrad years, offering ample scholarship opportunities and financial advice. Once we’re undergrads, Cappex graciously bumps us up to “College Pro” status, where we’ll be eligible to apply for a $2,500 College Pro exclusive scholarship! Don’t wait, and check out all of the fine print of the Cappex College Pro scholarship today.

Visit Cappex for more scholarships.

5. Scholarships.com

A no-brainer of a URL, are we right? Scholarships.com is a wonderful resource for college students who aspire to kill two birds with one stone—the site finds both scholarships and colleges that are perfect for you! If you’re looking to transfer to a school that is dying to recruit you and offer you scholarships, this is the site to visit. The site allows you to pinpoint specific scholarships by your major, year in school and location, increasing your chances for receiving awards and saving you tons of time. For meticulous proofreaders and aspiring editors, you may want to check out theProof-Reading.com Scholarship Program featured on Scholarships.com! Although an essay is required, the $1,500 you could earn is definitely worth the time spent behind the keyboard.

6. College Board's Scholarship Search
   Offering 2,300 sources of financial aid and over $3 billion in scholarship awards, the College Board's scholarship search resource could put you on the right track to financing your education—and fast! To start your search, be sure to fill out the detailed questionnaire on the site to narrow down specific awards that satisfy your financial needs. While you're browsing the College Board's scholarship selection, see if you're eligible to apply for theCoca-Cola Community Colleges Academic Scholarship! If you're at a small, local school this $1,000-$2,000 award could be right up your alley.

Visit the College Board for more scholarships.

7. NextStudent.com
   Formerly known as Scholarships101.com, NextStudent is an online leader in helping undergrads pay for college tuition, books and more. Like most of the aforementioned sites, NextStudent requires its students to set up a user account complete with details like school year, location and major to pinpoint scholarships for you! One of the scholarship matches that NextStudent found for me? The Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholarship, a $5,000 award available to any undergrad who has performed community service in the last 12 months, namely in the areas of food service.

Visit NextStudent.com for more scholarships.

8. StudentScholarships.org
   StudentScholarships.org is much like NextStudent.com, serving as a powerful search engine for finding relevant scholarships for undergrads. This site is also helpful because it features career profiles for many fields of study, giving its users a good idea of expected salary and job opportunities after graduation. Check out the Dr. Aura-Lee A. and James Hobbs Pittenger American History Scholarship, a $8,000 scholarship (with $2,000 paid annually through a four year college career) if you're a collegiette™ interested in American History and Government!

Visit StudentScholarships.org for more scholarships.

9. ScholarshipExperts.com
   This site boasts that it is "fast, easy and free" which is certainly true! ScholarshipExperts.com is yet another great resource for scouring the Internet for great monetary awards during your undergrad years. Check out the "Courage To Grow" scholarshipon the site, which awards eligible undergrads one $500 scholarship every month.

Visit ScholarshipExperts.com for more scholarships.

10. SuperCollege.com
    Last, but not least, we have SuperCollege.com! This site is an online database of scholarships, grants and fun contests for undergrads to enter and (hopefully) win. On top of offering great scholarships, SuperCollege also offers no-nonsense guides for collegiettes™ like "How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay" and "More Easy Ways to Save Money in College." For creative collegiettes™ who are savvy with videography and have a way with flashcards, be sure to check out SuperCollege's Flashcard Scholarship worth $500!

Visit SuperCollege.com for more scholarships.

While many students and families go after these private scholarships the BIG Dollar Scholarships are from the college’s endowments. Discover who and how to maximize these scholarships at the workshop hosted by AZCollegePlanning - “How to Not Go Broke Paying for College”.

Preferential Student Packaging is a term you must know so you can get all the aid you can get.

Colleges use financial aid to recruit and attract the students they want. This is called preferential packaging, offering more scholarships/grants to the students they want and “gapping” or under-awarding (offering more loans) to the students they really don’t want or don’t care. Read this as a college playing favorites over one student vs. another.  (I’ll show you how to be a favorite!)

Depending on if the student is highly desirable at college A verses college B will determine what type of scholarship package the student is offered.

Too many times students apply to a “reach” college and maybe they get admitted but will most likely not be offered a great scholarship package. This data can be found on the college's common data set.

The key to preferential packaging and getting a great scholarship is properly positioning and marketing the student to the college(s).

It might mean joining an extra club and getting a leadership position in the club. It might translate to taking the SAT or ACT one more time to bump up the score. It certainly means writing a stand out essay and properly demonstrating interest at the college(s).

Get in, get big scholarships. We’ll show you how! We can help. Give us a call now.

Don’t have a college yet?

Here is a list of college that still have open seats for next fall 2016.

http://www.nacacnet.org/research/research-data/College-Openings/Pages/College-Openings-Results.aspx

Top 10 Do's and Don'ts of Private Scholarships

Private scholarships are more readily available for you than you may think, especially in your local community. This is the first of a three-part series on Private Scholarships which includes many of the tips I used to give to my own clients to help them win thousands of dollars in local private scholarship contests. Maybe these tips can help your clients too!

Most college scholarships and grants are available through the Federal and State governments, which are ultimately controlled by the colleges themselves.

However, there are a few Private scholarships that are available through outside, private sources. These private scholarships are very competitive, and scholarship judges may spend just a few precious minutes or even seconds reviewing the scholarship application.

With such a finite amount of time to make a lasting impression on these important decision makers, it's crucial that the student makes the most of this opportunity. If not, the application may be on the fast track to the circular file.

Here are the Top 10 Scholarship Do's & Don’ts that you must know to increase your chances of winning a private scholarship:

The Do's

• Search in your own community first. Your community is one of the biggest sources of scholarships. Find out about these kinds of awards by contacting your local chamber of commerce, community chest, Rotary, etc. and by reading your community newspaper, or searching the Yellow Pages under Foundations.
• Choose quality over quantity. You'll need to prioritize which scholarships to apply for. Instead of trying to apply to as many scholarships as possible, try to apply to the scholarships that best fit your strengths, interests, and qualifications.
• Understand the purpose of the scholarship. Scholarships may be designed to encourage students to enter a specific career field, to reward students who contribute to their communities or to help underserved students enter higher education. Use this information to guide how you write your scholarship application.
• Follow the directions. Make sure you take the time to ensure every “i” is dotted and “t” is crossed. Include all the information and forms requested and answer every question.
• Write an essay that demonstrates why you should win. The scholarship application gives the scholarship judges a sense of who you are and what's important to you. Think about what skills and qualities the scholarship judges seek and then describe how you match them.
• Proofread. No matter how strong of an applicant you are, it would be difficult for a scholarship judge to overlook spelling or grammatical errors. Proofread your application and essays carefully, and have your editors do the same.
  Practice for interviews. Ask a friend or parent to do a mock interview with you to prepare for the real thing.
• Ask your parents for help. Mom and Dad are capable of doing more than writing the tuition check. They can help you find scholarships, keep track of deadlines and give you feedback on your applications and essays.
• Brag a little about yourself. You need to let your best self-shine through in your scholarship applications – don't be bashful about discussing your accomplishments.

The Don'ts

• Don't overlook your high school guidance counselor. Helping students pay for college is not their job, but you can take advantage of the knowledge they've accumulated over the years.
• Don't ignore the Internet. Use the many FREE scholarship searches available on the Internet to find more scholarships.
• Don't ignore small awards. When there are scholarships worth tens of thousands of dollars, you might think you shouldn't bother with the “small potato” awards. The truth is that a $1,000 scholarship is $1,000 less that you will need to come up with for college.
• Don't think that you have to be an academic or athletic superstar to win. There are scholarships based on leadership, art, music, theatre, community service and more.
• Don't be a victim of a scholarship scam. Never pay for an online private scholarship search. You can find private scholarships on your own, and applying for these private scholarships should always be free.
• Don't use the shotgun approach. Remember that all organizations that award scholarships have different selection criteria. This means that the same application won't work for all of them.
• Don't forget to answer the question in your essay. There's a reason why the scholarship organizations provide the essay questions. They want to know your answer. An essay can be very well written, but if it doesn't answer the question asked, then it's not going to win.
• Don't wait until the last minute. You may think that you do your best work on the day before the deadline at 3 a.m., but if you review your work you'll probably see that you don't. Take the pressure off, and allow yourself more time to complete an application.
• Don't turn in an application that is incomplete. Scholarship organizations receive far more applicants than they can support. Don't give them a reason to take you out of the running for not having a complete application.
• Don't think that it's impossible for you to win. Every student who has won a scholarship has thought this. And guess what? They won, and you can, too!