Lynell Engelmyer, Author at College Raptor Blog - Page 2 of 4College Raptor

Lynell Engelmyer is a nationally-recognized expert in college planning, admissions and financial aid. She has more than 20 years of experience, working as an admissions officer, financial aid director and also for the College Board. She has been published and quoted in hundreds of books and articles and serves as a professional college counselor for students from around the country.

What Extracurricular Activities You Do Matters

college applications

Better Ways to Show Extracurricular Activities on College Applications

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

You know well that what you do outside of the classroom is important to colleges, but are all extracurricular activities created equal? Do colleges care what you do? Are some activities better than others? It matters more how you do it. I would argue that more than colleges care WHAT you do, they will care …

questions & answers

#CollegeAnswered Q&A – November 13, 2015

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 19, 2023

This installment of #CollegeAnswered tackles a number of questions from our community. We have topics related to international students, as well as navigating the FAFSA after a divorce, and a question about the culture of college “fit”. Students and parents submitted all these questions either via CollegeRaptor.com, Facebook, Twitter, or email. If you have a …

There are some must-ask questions to ask on a college visit.

college search

7 Must-Ask Questions for Every College Visit

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

Campus tours are sometimes referred to as “the golden mile” and tour guides have been called a campus’ most important employee. Both the tour guide and the campus tour are tools for the college to reel you in, educate you about the school, and entice you to apply and perhaps enroll. The college visit is, …

After all those applications, there's still one thing you must do afterwards

college applications

The One Thing You MUST Do After Applying Early Decision or Early Action

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

Congratulations! As November 1 has now come and gone, many of you must have filed your first college application(s), applying either early decision or early action. Others of you will join this club on November 15th. If you’re like most high school seniors, you will hit send on that first college application(s) and breathe a …

college applications

Understanding Prior-Prior Year FAFSA Filing and What It Means for Students and Parents

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

The federal government has come up with a wonderfully confusing new name for something that actually simplifies the financial aid process. Let me try to make it easier to understand. Historically, students and parents have used income information from the last full calendar year on financial aid applications (FAFSA). In other words, you used the …

questions & answers

Should I Hire a College Essay Coach?

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

There aren’t many rising high school seniors who enjoy the process of writing the college essay, but, let’s face it, it is a necessary evil. Happily, you don’t need to go it alone on the journey to write your college essay. But how much help should you have? How much is too much? Should you …

questions & answers

#CollegeAnswered Q&A – October 21, 2015

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

In the first installment of our #CollegeAnswered Q&A series, I’ll be answering questions on a range of topics related to financial aid, college costs, and identifying college options. All of these questions were submitted by students and parents either via CollegeRaptor.com, Facebook, Twitter, or email. If you have a question you’d like me to answer, …

How does early decision and financial aid interact with each other?

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Should You Apply Early Decision or Early Action When Financial Aid Matters?

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

Many students and families make difficult decisions when choosing whether to apply Early Decision or Early Action. Particularly, what kind of financial commitment are you making by applying during one of these windows? What if the college doesn’t offer you enough financial aid to make it an affordable option? How does the relationship between early …

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Get Answers to Your College Admissions and Financial Aid Questions with #CollegeAnswered

By Lynell EngelmyerLast updated on December 22, 2022

For answers to the first set of questions published Oct 21), please click here. For nearly 20 years, I have been working with students of different backgrounds, academic abilities, and socioeconomic groups, helping to guide them through the college process. Over this time, I’ve answered some very interesting questions. I’ve helped students with a variety …