There is so much more I needed to know before sending my homeschool student off to college. The first thing I would do is download a PDF copy of 15 Secrets to FREE College. Then I would follow the links and instructions to sign up for the SAT, PSAT and other places listed, that are sources for college money.

By the time I got my hands on this book we were days from the late registration date for the fall SAT test. I signed up just in time. If only I had had Jean Burk and her great book at my side throughout the high school years. We would have had a clear view of what was up ahead of us. After all, she used her knowledge to help her kids earn incredible scholarships based on their SAT and PSAT scores. If free grad school and free law school pep up your ears, keep reading.

Burk breaks down the components of the SAT and who is looking for specific scores. My eyes were also opened to the highly valuable and often overlooked PSAT as a huge source for scholarship monies. I am not making the same mistakes with my younger students. They are already signed up for the tests this fall.

How are you going to pay for college?

In 15 Secrets to Free College there are several sources I had never heard about. You can check with the college your child is enrolled at to see if there is unclaimed scholarship money. Those funds need to be rewarded to another student and it could be yours.

There is also a list of the kinds of paperwork we should be gathering up and a warning to look for the big dates for filing paperwork. The first date is in November, when you should file FAFSA applications. This can tell you how much money your student could have available to them for college. January and March are peak times to be awarded scholarship funds so it pays to get the inside track on where you should be applying and when.

The book also includes tips about how to make your student stand out from the crowd. This is an area where having a fellow homeschooler as the author is a plus. She knows how homeschoolers can use this to their advantage. She adds a clear check list so you can create a transcript that looks professional and makes you student desirable to every school. I love how she says, “if Harvard accepts you-they will find you the money.” That is the kind of attitude I need to borrow.

Confused about AP, DUAL and CLEP?

15 Secrets to Free College breaks these down and explains how each can be earned and used when applying to the college of your dreams.  Use AP scores to show college readiness. Use dual credit to get a jump on college credits while in high school. Learn about the newest program that could have your student taking their freshman year for free. All they have to pay for is the end-of-course credit exam. If you need more information about how to earn these or transfer credits to your future school, the author makes it easy for you. There are plenty of links to give you deeper descriptions about each kind of credit and how you can use it.

There is a surprising amount of information for a book that is just 43 pages long. It is packed with plenty of useful information and actionable steps to help you feel prepared for college application season. It is closer than you think.

P.S. Don't read the glossary last like me. There is a lot of College lingo out there. Start there and you will already feel more prepared for the journey from high school to college applicant. 15 Secrets to Free College can help you get the most financial help for your student so they can take the education you gave them to the highest level possible.

-Product review by Amber Smith, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, November 2017