The College Connection is your guide to all things college.  It will provide parents and kids with useful tips, helpful insights and up-to-the-minute information about preparing for college, surviving the admissions process, as well as trends and life on campus.  Stick with me, and the transition from high school to college will be a breeze.

High School Seniors – Get a Head Start  

1. Get a jump on your college applications.  The 2009-2010 Common Application were released on July 1.  Start early, especially for colleges that have rolling admissions policies. Rolling admissions means that there’s no specific deadline for freshme applications, and that applications are reviewed as they’re received, and therefore, responses are sent out more quickly.  Begin writing your “basic” common application essay,” which I guarantee will satisfy many of your application essay needs. 

Score Choice is Back – SATs and SAT Subject Tests 

1. Once again, as of February of 2009, you were able to choose which SAT scores get sent to colleges. This doesn't change the college admissions process because most schools will only look at your highest combination of scores. You’ll need to send all scores from a single exam sitting; you can't, for example, send only May's math score and October's critical reading score. This change applies to both SAT and SAT Subject score reports. You can read about the new policy on the College Board site. Nevertheless, the new reporting policy should alleviate fears that a low score on an early attempt at the SAT will hurt your chances of getting into a college.

           
College Bound Freshmen – Insurance & Healthcare Waivers

1. Health - clarify your child's coverage while he/she is away at college, especially if they’re out-of-state.
2. Property - confirm whether your current homeowner's policy covers your child's property at school; many colleges will provide property insurance (for a nominal fee) up to a limited amount.
3. Computer - many schools offer four-year service contracts through their IT (Information Technology) department for computers that are purchased directly through the school.
4. Healthcare Waivers - Once your child turns 18, you’ll no longer be able to talk on their behalf to your regular healthcare insurance provider unless you submit a waiver form, which your child must sign, allowing you permission to discuss their health insurance issues.  This also applies to Health Services at their college or university.

Anita is a College Essay Consultant and Freelance Writer.  She can be contacted at stoa4@aol.com.