Getting Into College

Admissions guru Steve Cohen is out this week with his annual take on the good, the bad and the ugly of getting into college. For more than two decades now, Cohen has been breaking down the best strategies for picking the right campus, and with a week to go before deposits are due, his advice this spring centers on many families' primary concern: financial aid. If the numbers just aren't adding up to send your child to their first choice, Cohen says don't be afraid to renegotiate. It's never too late to ask for more money, and if another school gave you a more generous deal, let your desired institution's financial aid office know. Universities have a lot of discretion when it comes to aid packages, and admitted students have a surefire ace in their pockets—if a college lets you in, it definitely wants you to enroll.