Fortunately, the best investments your family can make for college can be made in the few years before applying, and involve little or no money. Life is tough enough without feeling pressured to excel all of the time at everything you do. Growing up should and can be fun. That said, without putting your children under enough stress to drive them to the brink or beyond, instill an Invest in Yourself attitude in your high schoolers. After all, it's their future.
Increased scores are potential money-savers and therefore excellent investments for many families.
In addition to SAT scores, schools look for good grades in serious, academic subjects, a few advanced courses, leadership qualities, a record of community service, as well as skills on the ball field or in the orchestra. Top students get accepted to more schools, are offered more non-loan aid, and are in the best negotiating position for pitting one school's offer against another. Not surprisingly, students who merit them are the ones who get Merit Scholarships. Your Comments Related Articles Best Investments for College An overview of the main choices. By accessing and using this page you agree to these Terms and Conditions.