Rajal (‘Raj’) lives in Orange County with her husband and daughter who studies pre-med at California State University, San Diego. She will finish her undergraduate studies this year (as a junior!) and go on to a post-baccalaureate before medical school.
Raj’s biggest ‘Ah-ha’ moment was when she realized the level of planning needed to prepare for costs associated with her daughter’s education. While her parents were able to pay out of pocket for her degrees, Raj wanted to be well prepared in order to cover costs. She is happy to report that undergrad at San Diego State, a post-bac and medical school are all covered!
When asked what worked for her family in terms of preparing for her daughter’s higher education experience, Raj reported having success with a private college counselor though she is aware of peers who have had negative experiences. The key was in the selection process. She reached out to 3 counselors and set meetings for her daughter to determine who she felt most comfortable with. Her daughter’s pick offered extensive experience as a school guidance counselor and was very helpful in narrowing down the list of colleges she ultimately applied to.A word of advice on ACT/SAT preparation and private tutors, Raj suggests parents reconsider. “Don’t go paying a ton of money. Repetition is what most kids need. My daughter attended two Saturday sessions with a local test prep company which was much more helpful than the private tutor.”