Benchmark Associates

Update on Washington Colleges and Universities

I recently attended The Washington Council Fall Counselor Workshop which included presentations from representatives of many of Washington State’s private and public colleges. The following is a brief summary of some of the key points addressed at the workshop:

WSU has posted the Fall 2010 application and for the first time this year will not require [...]

Rethinking the Cost of College

While the data is not yet available to assess the impact of the economy on returning college students, this article highlights a trend that many counselors are hearing anecdotally.

Paying for College: Archives

Use this valuable tool to compare your financial aid awards
Financial aid and scholarship applications are due soon, and you should check the financial aid websites for each of your colleges to see which forms are required. Access to scholarship applications are available online, and spending some time researching these can be invaluable.
This is a good [...]

The Project on Student Debt Highlights Specific University Programs

The Project on Student Debt offers an excellent listing of colleges that are committed to limiting or eliminating student loans from financial aid packages, reducing costs for students and families. The site includes an analysis of each of these programs and information for the programs that meet their guidelines.

Update on Admissions

Many private colleges continue to offer excellent financial and merit aid for students, often making the private school choice a good alternative to the public schools which are facing cutbacks. Business Week has recently published an article that highlights various schools and their approaches to recent economic pressures. Representatives for the Washington State System have [...]