NEWS TO USE: How to get dollars for college (Detroit Free Press)

This article, which talks about college tuition help, makes a short reference to two points I always harp on with my students. The adage in real estate is location, location, location. Free grant money for college can depend on Position, Position, Position. Al Hermsen, the director of Financial Aid at Wayne state was quoted in the article, "If the school wants you, the job of the financial aid office is to make it work." Here is where positioning comes in. Each school has a model student. It might be based just on grades and ACT but it will more likely also be based on leadership, where you grew up, race, first child to go to college. You see there are more things that a university looks at! The author also writes that it is important for the student to "nail the essay." Let's face it, your children are much much more than the application and the college can only see that through a good college essay. Grammar and structure will be important but more important will be the content! Many kids loose it here. It's OK to stand out! If they don't, how do you think the college will see their value to the university. Remember Hermsen's quote...."It's the job of the Financial aid office to make it work"....if they want your son or daughter. The author of the newspaper article should have put more emphasis on this....but don't worry, you can always come back here for more information. College scholarship dollars run out fast. Here are tips for upping your chances of nabbing that money: