Private School College Education at Public School Rates
October 5, 2011
Three distinct phases exist in the world of college applications. First, taking the SAT or ACT. Second, filling out college applications. Third, submitting the FAFSA for financial aid. Then comes the hoping, dreaming, anxiety, stress while awaiting the colleges’ decisions. Denials, while bitterly disappointing, are swift. Acceptances, on the other hand, come in two-steps: the actual college acceptance and then the financial aid package. Many decisions about where to enroll hang in the balance of the latter.
In one brilliant move, Seton Hall University has removed a majority of the financial burden aspect of college acceptances for highly qualified applicants. In an unprecedented decision, Seton Hall is offering nearly a two-third discount off its tuition to members of the Class of 2012. The over $21,000 discount makes this private school education comparable in price to the public Rutgers University for New Jersey residents, and much cheaper than Rutgers for non-New Jersey residents.
Recognizing the current tough economic times, Seton Hall’s President, Dr. Gabriel Esteban, states: “This initiative reflects Seton Hall’s commitment to serving our community and putting a high quality, personalized education within reach of more students and their families. In this way we make a first-class, private Catholic college experience as affordable and accessible to students as a public university, with the added benefits of smaller classes, close mentoring faculty relationships and a 14:1 student-to-teacher ratio.”
The fine print? The discounted tuition will be available to applicants who either have a minimum of a 27 ACT composite score or a combined 1200 on the SAT (Critical Reading + Math), with not less than 550 on either SAT section. In addition, the applicant must be in the top 10% of his/her high school class. Applications must be received by Seton Hall by its December 15, 2011 Early Action deadline; however, no special application need be filed – if you meet the qualifications, you’re automatically eligible for the discounted tuition! In addition, still file your FAFSA, as you could qualify for financial aid. This tuition rate will apply for all four years of schooling.
Seton Hall also has some other terms and conditions that must be met in order to qualify for the discounted tuition. For much more information, click here to go to the website.
If you’re looking for help with the college application process, Top-Tier can help you! Just send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
March 30 – Free Workshop Offers the Complete College Planning Edge!
January 30, 2010
On March 30, 2010, Mike and Rhonda Rivera of Top-Tier Tutoring and A1 College Funding will present a free workshop, “Get the Complete College Planning Edge” at Verona High School.
Parents and students in high school are welcome to come and learn insider tips and strategies to being accepted into the college of their dreams - and how to pay for it!
The workshop will take place at Verona High School, 151 Fairview Avenue in Verona, NJ, starting at 7 pm. While the workshop is free, registration is a must – call 973.243.1212 to reserve your seat today!
Free Workshop Gives You the Complete College Edge!
January 30, 2010
On February 23, 2010, Mike and Rhonda Rivera of Top-Tier Tutoring are teaming up with A1 College Funding to give students and parents the Complete College Planning Edge!
This educational two-hour workshop will offer insights and insider tips on how to get into the college of your child’s dreams – AND how to pay for it. The workshop is free, but the information is invaluable! Registration required – call 973.243.1212 today to reserve your seat!
Ear on Careers – Sarah Ober, Accountant
October 15, 2009
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Sarah Ober, Accountant
In this episode of “Ear on Careers”, we are pleased to welcome Sarah Ober, an accountant with Tobia & Hillyer in Fairfield, New Jersey, www.tobiahillyer.com.
Sarah’s path to becoming an accountant is not at all what you would imagine. She never even took one accounting class in college! She graduated from Seton Hall with a degree in International Relations and a minor in business, and planned to work at the World Bank. A requirement before applying there, however, was having experience in the working world. It so happened that Sarah was hired by the accounting firm of Tobia & Hillyer as an Office Manager, and simply fell in love with tax returns!
Sarah has now worked at Tobia & Hillyer for seven years, and has earned two Master’s Degrees in Tax. In her position, she reviews bookkeeping and tax returns for small companies and individuals and says that there is no typical day. In fact, during tax season, Sarah logs 12 hour days, 7 days a week, and loves every minute of it. Sarah is very proud of her recent IRS win in tax court, as she is an enrolled agent with the IRS and was able to secure a sizeable victory for her client who had lost all receipts in a fire. She credits her win to her knowledge of tax law and her people skills, obviously an unstoppable combination.
Sarah offers the following advice for aspiring accountants – take advantage of any internships offered at your college. She also suggests taking accounting classes and learning how to multitask. We hope that Sarah’s story will inspire you to consider a career in accounting, a complex field that challenges you to provide answers to clients in all types of situations.
Top-Tier Tutoring is very excited to bring you the web’s first “career day” podcast series – what we call “Ear on Careers.” This series of podcasts is designed to introduce our listeners to successful leaders in a variety of different fields, including business, industry, medicine, the arts, and so much more.
We welcome your feedback. Send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.
College Financial Aid: How To Get Your Fair Share
July 13, 2009
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In this podcast, Mike introduces our listeners to the world of college financial aid in his interview with Marie Mayer of Garretson Financial. Whether you think your family “makes too much” to receive financial aid, your family consists of divorced and possibly remarried parents or you simply don’t know how to begin the process, this podcast addresses both the urban myths and stark realities of financial aid.
Marie holds a degree in accounting, and is a College Financial Aid Counselor with Garretson Financial, located in Cranford, New Jersey – www.garretsonfinancial.com. Marie’s interest in the field stemmed from very personal reasons – her children were of college age! Now she helps parents understand the process and receive the most aid for which they are eligible – and even illustrate how a private school could be less expensive than a public institution!
During the podcast, Marie discusses the FAFSA form – the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is through this application that the “expected family contribution,” or the minimum amount a family can pay, is calculated. All colleges receive this report and some also have their own separate supplements, which Marie also touches upon.
Marie’s advice is to plan early. The best time to meet with a financial aid counselor is when your child is in freshman or sophomore year; no later than junior year. Marie stresses the importance of the deadlines, noting that the system is based upon a first come, first served model. So, be quick to download this podcast and get all the information about this very important aspect of college selection!
