The cost of a college education is one of the second largest financial investment next to purchasing a home. Currently, many private tuitions range between $180,000 and $250,000, and state governments have been decreasing their funding. Your financial decisions will benefit from our professional guidance.

As many students choose a college without adequate investigation and research regarding what the college has to offer them, research shows that one out of three college students leave or transfer to another college and five out of ten students require five or more years to earn a degree. Our objective assessment of the student’s needs at Lee Academia help us to use current research beyond website information to find the right “student-college fit”.

Many colleges have become more selective and Lee Academia's College Consultants understand what is needed for top students to gain admissions. However, finding the right college for the average or learning differences students is just as important. Many less competitive colleges have higher drop out rates and lower graduation rates, therefore it is essential we carefully place average students in appropriate educational settings.

High school counselors – both in public and private institutions – are so overwhelmed with student caseloads, federally mandated paperwork for special needs students, dealing with disciplinary situations, and scheduling courses. There is little time left for quality personal contact between counselor and the student applying to college. Guidance counselors will write a letter of recommendation, assemble a transcript, and include a student profile in the college packet – nothing more.

For more information and to contact us for a consultation: click here.

The U.S. News & World Report surveyed more than 1,300 graduate schools and programs and ranked them according to their methodology.

They offered a sneak peak of the 2015 Best Graduate Schools rankings. Surveying 453 accredited master's programs in business, the U.S. News & World Report listed in alphabetical order the top 10 highest-ranked business schools:

Columbia University (NY)
Dartmouth College (Tuck) (NH)
Harvard University (MA)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
New York University (Stern)
Northwestern University (Kellogg) (IL)
Stanford University (CA)
University of California—Berkeley (Haas)
University of Chicago (Booth)
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) 

The actual ranking and score of these and other graduate schools – including those offering full-time, part-time and executive MBA programs – will be available March 11, 2014, on usnews.com. Use #BestGradSchools.

Lee Academia's professional experts can help you with your graduate/professional school journey. Contact us for more information.

By 2018, 63% of all job openings will require a post-secondary education.

In other words, almost 2 in every 3 jobs will be COMPLETELY CLOSED to you if you don’t have a college degree.

And considering that those with a college education make an average of 64% more than those who don’t...This fact should really freak you out.

If you haven’t started earning college degree, or if you took classes but never finished, the time to take action is NOW.

Lee Academia experts can guide you through choosing degree programs available, and help you qualify for government grants or scholarships.

As the undergraduate and graduate school years are an intense period of study, healthy eating often takes the backseat to keep up with the daunting workload and schedule. Some students find that they put on extra pounds as they try to eat on the run. Others skip meals altogether and waste away. However, as we all know it, adequate nutrition is needed for optimum learning and creativity. Skipping meals or eating out daily can save time, but ultimately do more harm than good.

Creating nutritious meals takes time and money that students do not have. Or do they? Healthy eating is possible with limited time and it does require planning. Here are three tips to fueling your studies:

1. Buy in bulk: Stores like Costco and BJ's offer deals that can help you stretch your food budget but you need to buy in bulk.

2. Put leftovers to use: When you cook, make it count by making enough for leftovers. Break up leftovers into several different meals. For example, the turkey turns into sandwiches and then congee. Leftover chicken can be served over rice, over salad, or in soup. Plan how to use leftovers so that you cook fewer big meals each week.

3. Bring your lunch and snacks: Lunches don't have to be boring. Leftovers are a simple go-to, and consider snack-like lunches, such as veggies, a handful  nuts, some fruit, and slices of cheese. Use insulated lunch bag to carry snacks and food or any set of small containers. Keeping healthy (and inexpensive) alternative snacks in your bag or desk, such as granola bars, hand fruit, peanut butter, and pretzels can keep hunger at bay. Don't give yourself an excuse to eat from the vending machine.

Remember, healthy eating, college or graduate school can go hand-in-hand with a little planning. Your body and mind will thank you for the nutritious fuel.

Contributed by Joyce Mei, Hunter College HS (Class of 2015)  

    We’ve heard countless times that the early bird catches the worm, but what happened to slow and steady wins the race? So in terms of applying for college, is it better to rush to submit our applications early? Despite the common belief among teens and their parents, there is no need to submit an application in mid-August when the deadline is in early November or December. It is better to have a more thorough and complete application that handing in an early, rushed application.

    In addition, college admissions officers have admitted that they do not look at applications until they are “complete” with transcripts and recommendation letters from high school. Therefore, an application submitted in August will not be looked at for weeks until all the necessary paperwork is handed in as well.

    Submitting in applications early also gives more time for students to worry about if they will be accepted into the college of their choice. Students now also have to stress out about if they filled out the applications correctly, if they wrote their personal statements to express who they are in the best way, and if they change their minds about anything in the upcoming months.

    Once we hit “submit,” there is no going back. Therefore, take your time and make sure your applications are done right. For more information, contact Lee Academia experts.

Some grad-school hopefuls with stellar test scores and straight As might be disappointed to discover they aren't a shoo-in. Sure, schools want to see top-notch grades, but many also want to see a few years of work experience in the field and some meaningful volunteer work. You can have all the wonderful grades in the world, but if you don't make a commitment in a bigger way to being a leader, and do something in the community, you're not somebody great schools need to have in their class.

Having two to three years of professional experience will add to the richness of the discussion and having some work experience also "demonstrates a commitment to that field." In some cases, a summer internship or a recent community service project may be enough to help you stand out.

People considering a master's degree should take a year or two off to get work experience after they earn their bachelor's, especially if they don't have any professional experience. It can help you sort out what direction you'd like to go" with your degree. And maintaining professional connections while in school can also help increase a student's chances of landing a job once the program is over.

For more tips on what grad schools won't tell you, ask our experts here.