Archive for category Educational Articles
Why Hiring a Private College Consultant Makes Sense… and Can Also Save Money
Posted by admin in Educational Articles on January 26th, 2010
Four years of college at many private colleges currently costs between $180,000 and $200,000. Next to a house, college is the most expensive purchase most people will make during their lifetime. Despite those costs, many students choose a college without adequate investigation into what would be the best college for that student. As a result one out of three college students leave the college where they started and five out of ten require five or more years to earn their degree. With thousands of choices, it can be difficult to find the right college for any student. Hiring a private college consultant can help students avoid these costly mistakes by finding the right college the first time.
For many students the work to find the right college often creates stress for both the student and their parents. The student is trying to balance the college search with homework, extracurricular activities, friendships and just being a teenager. Finding the right balance can be difficult. At the same time, parents worry about ensuring the best future for their child and put additional pressure on the student when they least need it.
Working with a consultant can take some of that pressure away. A good consultant can take a step back and help the student address those issues related to the college search process without being a nagging parent. Parents are left to provide the nurturing they can do best.
A private college consultant can also help to understand what is needed to gain admission to colleges as they have become more selective. Even those schools once considered safety schools by many students have gotten more selective in their admissions and can no longer be considered safety schools.
The days are gone when high grades and test scores alone could guarantee admission to many colleges. Colleges now look at the students extra curricular activities, their interests and their volunteer efforts. They evaluate how well the student communicates through their essays and often how the student presents themselves in the interview process. The college consultant knows how to help the student effectively communicate who they are to the college admissions office.
However, it is not just top students that need help finding the right college. Finding the right college for the less competitive student is just as important. Many less competitive colleges have higher drop out rates and lower graduation rates than some of the well known colleges. It is common to find colleges with four year graduation rates less than 50%. These students often need help to find a college that can help the student learn and yet graduate in a reasonable period of time.
Another group of students that often benefit from the help of a private college consultant are those with unusual circumstances. Students with special needs and learning disabilities need to find colleges that have certain resources not available at all colleges. Home schooled students can also benefit from an experienced private consultant. Many colleges are unsure how to evaluate a student without traditional grades and this can put home schooled students at a disadvantage. A college consultant can work with the student to communicate their strongest qualities in a way that the colleges will understand.
Many students rely on high school guidance counselors to help them in the search for the right college. Some students are fortunate to have an experienced college guidance counselor with whom to work. Even these hard working professionals, however, do not have the time to work one on one with those students who want such support.
More commonly, many guidance counselors just dont have the time to spend helping each student with the college search process. With an average ratio of almost 500 students for each counselor, many high school counselors cant take the time to help students with individualized college counseling. Because of time constraints it is not uncommon that many of these busy counselors only know about in state schools that they deal with on a regular basis. They often dont have the time to familiarize themselves with highly selective colleges or colleges for the student with particular needs.
Given the many issues that must be examined in finding the right college, and the costs involved, it is not surprising that it is common for students at top colleges to use a private consultant to help them find the right college.
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Should College Athletes be Paid?
Posted by admin in Educational Articles on January 26th, 2010
College sports bring in big dollars every year on the major college level. These programs bring $30 and sometimes $40 million dollars per year to the universities and colleges and the players get nothing. These are the same players who are breaking their backs for the university day in and day out and cant get a share of that money and, to me, that does not seem fair. I know what you may be thinking: that these student athletes are getting a free education or have gotten a scholarship to play ball at that university. To me, thats the least they could be doing.
When I look at college football on Saturdays and see packed stadiums with cheering fans paying big money for a ticket I say, what business out there could run a company and not pay its workers? You would think I was talking about some Third World country! Pay the players now, please!
Think about this one: most of the college coaches get six figure salaries– big college programs and small ones. Some of these college coaches get shoe contracts, some get T.V. and radio contracts and many other perks along the way. Also, if they are a good coach and win games they will be offered another coaching job somewhere else with bigger money and larger perks! The student athletes get nothing and, to me, something should be done about that. Please pay the players now!
They will keep telling you that the athletes are getting the free education, free books, free room and board and the chance at a good college education that will last a lifetime. So what! Pay the players! I see this whole college thing as slave-labor! Coaches make big money on the backs of these players. You hear stories about college athletes taking money or getting paid under the table. You hear these stories of players getting cars and lots of cash, you hear stories of players getting all of this and more on the side. You hear about the players families getting cars and houses to attend that college program. This goes on all the time in secret!
Why do the players take this money and cars and houses for their families and much more? Well one reason is recruiting; some college programs feel that in order to get a major college recruit they have to offer these things. Some college programs (not all) have to give something to get these kids. Some of these players come from poor backgrounds, so for these kids to get some money is a big deal especially if the players and their families dont have money anyway.
Being a college athlete is very hard. In the first placed the amount of hours that these players put in is a lot–every day of every week. They are in class all day then theres practice after practice, they go eat dinner if they can and then go study. Now all of this may sound simple to you but the amount of time these student athletes are putting in is huge. Then the coaches want more. There could be film to study and there could be times when they are being seen by the athletic trainer. As a student athlete, you have to focus on your studies and your athletic performance or they will try to get rid of you.
College athletics is hard. Sometimes at the end of the day you are exhausted and dont feel like studying or if they have some kind of study table for the players you may not be able to totally focus and, oftentimes, your attention is elsewhere. Just think about the millions of people who go to work every day. They work long hours and may have long commutes to and from home. Im sure the last thing working people want to do is spend extra hours doing more work. Most working people want to relax, maybe have a beer and watch some T.V. then call it a day. The big difference is they are getting paid for the service and time and college ball players are not.
Most of the college student athletes do not get their college degrees and one reason is the workouts and the games that they play. There is so much pressure to do well that something will fall off and that something is their education. College coaches have been known to look the other way as it relates to student athletes and their academics as long as that player can help win games.
For most college athletes, when their eligibility is used up the college programs have no more need for their services. Why would they? For 4 years these college programs have worked these young men and women to death every day. The college programs have gotten all that they could get out of these players and then some. At the college level or at any level its only about winning games and bringing in big money.
Take a look at baseball; if a high school baseball player is really good, he can be offered a contract to sign with a major league baseball team. Sometimes the offer is $200,000 and, Ive heard, as much as $2 million dollars. Now if that high school baseball player takes that money then they forfeit their college eligibility. Some high school baseball players pass on the money to attend college where they can get better, sharpen their baseball skills and be drafted again by a major league team. Many high school baseball players take the money and take the chance to try and make it in the major leagues. A great many players never make it to the majors. Some playing in the minor leagues for years until they realize that their dream of playing in the majors is not going to happen and they move on to something else.
Once you take that money you cant go back and try to play college baseball. The same is true for all the other sports. Youll have high school basketball players trying to make it to the NBA; youll have young men try out for the NFL. Many of these athletes never gave education a chance and many who are in college never got their degree.
College athletes struggle with their academics. Many do not graduate and some just quit altogether. College athletics is not for everyone and many student athletes cant cut it so pay the players! Pay them something for all their time and their efforts!
When these college programs are playing in bowl games and making millions on the backs of the players and the players get nothing still, thats wrong. When its March Madness time for college basketball and millions are glued to the T.V. every day for hours and the players are giving their all–they still get nothing!
Why would it be a problem to pay players? The schools are making millions of dollars any way. This is not Mexico or China where the workers are getting paid $1.00 per hour to make billions for some corporation–you know slave labor!
Why do you think players take money from many outside sources? Why do players get suspended from the team for breaking team rules? Why are college programs put on probation? Its all because of money. You have many players coming from disadvantaged backgrounds where there is no money in their families. If these disadvantaged young student athletes had to pay for college out of their own pockets, most would not be in a college at all.
Some student athletes come from backgrounds where the educational system is not that good. Their school districts are under-funded and mismanaged. For many student athletes, their way out is an education with the full athletic scholarships. Playing a sport is their future. Many student athletes only focus on athletics thinking that one day they will be good enough to play in the pros. So when money is dangled in front of the faces of some student athletes, the temptation has to be overwhelming!
For a great many years we have heard stories of players and coaches getting in trouble because of money. Weve heard of situations of entire college programs being killed off by the NCAA because of money being given to players. Why do they do it? Why is money a problem? One reason is because its easy to get certain types of players from certain kinds of backgrounds. Big-time college programs can only survive with big-time major college players so they pay them. We all know that paying college athletes is wrong (set by the guidelines of the NCAA). But this rule needs to change now.
If college athletes are getting scholarships then they can be paid. If players are getting paid, then I believe you would have more college athletes graduate from college because there would be a stronger incentive to work hard in the classroom. Larger universities pay college coaches more based on their performance and the players should get paid as well.
If the players are getting paid then this corruption would stop. No more booster paying players, no more college players selling their shoes, no more college players taking jobs that pay them big money just to work a few hours. Its hard out there for a student athlete! Did you know that a non-student athlete can get a job to earn extra money and can work around their schedules but a student athlete cant have a job until the school year is over and there are restrictions as to the type of job they can have.
In the game of college athletics, the rules are not fair for the college student athletes! The playing field is not equal. Pay the players!www.woodsrecruiting.com
2007 Al Woods
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DonâT Let The Economic Crisis Derail Your College Plans
Posted by admin in Educational Articles on January 25th, 2010
The current economic crisis may have students and families thinking that a college education is out of grasp. But before you give up on your plans to pursue a college education consider the following strategies: 1) Develop A College Funding Plan— College planning really is a family undertaking. Families should be having open and honest discussions about college plans, career interests, what the parents can reasonably contribute to college expenses and what contribution the child may be expected to make starting when their child is a high school junior. Make it clear if the child is expected to work during the summer and/or school year to pay for college or take out student loans. Will the parents be willing to assist in the repayment of those student loans? Revisit the plan annually or as circumstances change. This is particularly important in an economic environment such as we are experiencing now.2) Meet & Greet with the Financial Aid Director—When there is a sudden change in the familys financial situation, such as a loss of a job, foreclosure or bankruptcy, the family should make an appointment with the Financial Aid Director or Associate/Assistant Director ( the decision makers) at the college the child will be/is attending. Financial Aid Administrators have the ability to make professional judgment adjustments with documentation, which will take in to account these circumstances. Often this provides the student additional financial aid or makes a student eligible for aid who may not have originally qualified. I have many times used professional judgment for such circumstances, as a Director of Financial Aid. In the case of a job loss the family would need to provide a copy of the layoff letter and provide a copy of any anticipated unemployment benefits. When a family has experienced a foreclosure, the family would also need to provide documentation showing the foreclosure. 3) Consider Attending College In-State— Families struggling with finances whose child was planning to attend an out of- state college, may want to work with their child to find a college that is in -state and within commuting distance, thus saving on room and board costs. 4) Strike A Deal With Your Child— In cases where the child is really determined to attend his or her first choice college, I have known parents who have worked out agreements, where the parents will pay for the tuition and require the student to take on the responsibility of paying for room and board, through financial aid, scholarship and part-time jobs. Many colleges have student employment offices that assist students in finding on-campus and off-campus employment, in addition to work-study jobs that students may be awarded as part of their financial aid package.5) Go Public—Another option is attending a state college or university for the undergraduate degree. This is a particularly savvy financial move, when a student intends to pursue a graduate degree. Here again parents and the child may work out a plan where the parents pay for a bachelor’s degree at a state college and the child pays for the graduate degree. Keep in mind that community colleges are a great bargain and the credits are generally transferrable to a 4 year public or private college. 6) Adopt A State —Thinking of attending an out-of-state public college? If you establish legal residency in your “adopted” state by registering to vote or getting a driver’s license, you could qualify for in-state tuition. Find out from the financial aid office the in-state residency requirement to get the in-state tuition rates. Generally you need to live in the state for 6 or 12 months prior to qualifying for in-state rates. This requirement is differs in each state.7) Read Your Employee Handbook— If a student plans to pursue a graduate degree part-time while working fulltime, a good way to fund it would be through the students employer. Most employers will pay for courses that relate to the employee’s career. So if you work in accounting and want to earn an MBA or pursue CPA certification, the employer would generally assist with those courses. Some employers will pay for other courses, but at a reduced rate. Most employer education benefits are paid as reimbursements once you successfully complete the class. So you would need to come up with the tuition at the beginning of the semester. Applying for a Federal Stafford Loan would be the best choice, if you did not have the funds up front. You would be reimbursed once you submit an official copy of you course grade. Check with the HR department at your company for specifics on the company’s program. 
Make It a Family Affair— In some families, grandparents (or other relatives) have stepped up and assisted children with some of the college costs. I would counsel relatives in this situation to consult with their financial planner or tax consultant before pursuing this option to minimize tax liability.9) Go Virtual— Students may also be able to reduce college costs by taking some of their courses online. Many private and public colleges are offering online courses and degree programs. In Massachusetts, the state colleges offer a variety of courses through Massachusetts Colleges Online at www.mco.org. These courses can be used towards a degree not only at Massachusetts state colleges and universities, they may be transferrable to private colleges or out-of-state public colleges. As with any transfer courses, students should check with the Registrar at the college to which they would like to transfer the credit to ensure that it would be accepted, before signing up for the course.10) Search Out Discounted Tuition— New Englanders should look into the Tuition Break program through the New England Board of Higher Education. Through this program,for example, Massachusetts students are eligible for reduced tuition at out- of -state New England state colleges and universities in 250 approved programs. These are degree programs that are not available at Massachusetts public colleges. The NEBHE website, www.nebhe,org, has a FAQ page and a list of all programs that each New England states residents are eligible to attend at discounted rates at the other regional state colleges. These rates are discounts on the out- state- tuition rates that would otherwise be charged. The NEBHE site states that students who have used this program have saved on average $7,000 annually.11) Take A Sibling to College— If two or more family members attend the same college ( siblings, spouses, or parent & child) some private colleges offer family discounts for each additional family member that are enrolled in the college. Check the catalogue or with the Bursar’s Office on campus.12) Consider A Career (Or At Least A Job) In Education— One of the advantages of working for a college is that they provide educational benefits not only for employees but for employees dependents (spouses & children). So if you or your child is considering attending a local college, consider a job change.
Website: www.headforcollege.com
Blog: headforcollege-ne.blogspot.com
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Paying For College With College Scholarships and Student Loans
Posted by admin in Educational Articles on January 25th, 2010
It is getting harder to pay for a college education these days, but it is by no means impossible. Getting college scholarships is still the best way to go, and there are plenty of them still around – even though money may be getting tighter. Here are some tips about how to get money to pay for your college education with college scholarships and student loans.
GET AS MANY COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AS YOU CAN
The best way to go to college is to go free. College scholarships can enable a student to go to college without cost – if there are enough of them. In order to get as many as is needed to go without cost, you will need to apply to as many scholarships as possible. Of course, you want to only apply for those college scholarships that you have a good possibility of actually winning.
Finding the right college scholarships to apply to will require some work – and possibly some imagination, too. There are college scholarships for just about everything you can think of these days – and possibly some that are almost out of reach of the imagination, too. You can find them for academics, sports, hobbies, uniqueness – like a special last name or for left-handers, etc., your locale, and some that are just plain weird – like the duct tape prom college scholarship.
In order for you to learn about what college scholarships are available, you will need to do some homework. This includes researching them online, in the library, letting scholarship groups help you (be careful of these – some are scams), talking to your school counselors, and more. You can also look at the Web sites of the colleges that you are interested in, and they will show you what college scholarships are available there.
LOOK FOR COMPANY SCHOLARSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS
Many companies also offer college scholarships, too. They do this because they want to have a qualified and trained pool of potential employees available when they need them. They usually look for exceptionally bright prospects that can bring much to the table if they should hire them.
Getting a college scholarship or an internship with a great company can lead to a great job right out of college. Sometimes, you may even be able to find your needed college scholarship simply by looking at the various companies you would dream of working for after you get your college degree. Look at their Web sites for more information.
APPLY FOR COLLEGE STUDENT LOANS
Because college scholarships may not cover your entire school bill, you may also need some college financing. Direct loans are available from the government, which will also give you the lowest interest rate possible on education loans.
Direct student loans, which includes the Stafford loans and the PLUS loans, accumulate no interest while you are in school (because the government pays for it while you are in college), or drop to less than half-time. You will not need to make any payments on the loan until you have been out of school for 6 months.
Graduate students and families of college students have access to PLUS loans for education and they also have the same terms as the Stafford loans – but a little higher interest rate. All government loans can be consolidated after graduation for easy payments.
GET STARTED EARLY
If you want to get the most out of college scholarships and student loans, then you will need to get started early. In fact, you should get started earlier than was necessary in previous years. With less money going around and with some college scholarships going on a first-come, first-served basis – you have no time to lose.
Finding the right college scholarships takes a considerable amount of time, and so does filling out scholarship applications and writing scholarship essays. In addition, in order to get a Direct loan, you will need to have filled out the FAFSA form, which is required for all government student loans.
FILL OUT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS CAREFULLY
College scholarship applications require that they be filled out accurately and carefully. A little carelessness (or haste) in answering a question or two could needlessly cost you a college scholarship. This could mean that you may need to take much longer to pay off a college loan – when you didn’t have to.
Writing a quality college scholarship essay that will win a scholarship requires that you understand what the group offering it is looking for. Make yourself look like the person that they would like to represent and promote their company, college, etc., and you could walk away with the free college education you want. Be honest, though, in what you write – and you’ll be glad you did.
Quick Facts: College Essay Writing
Posted by admin in Educational Articles on January 25th, 2010
For college students, College Essay Writing is a requirement. Writing a college essay differs according to the topic, length, style and format. A student who would just enter in college world is also required to have a college essay writing during the application process at least one college essay paper before applying. Once the students enter, College Essay writing is often done depending on the professors or teachers requirements.
Moreover, the format style in college essay writing is like an opinion essay wherein the students need to put his opinion on some issues in certain topic. College essay writing has no limitations and there are no wrong or right answers in composing the essay, but it is graded on the completeness of the opinion throughout the essay and on how students deliver their message in writing college essay.
College Essay Writing also gives opportunity for the students to communicate in their school on personal level such as the grades, scores and their recommendations regarding the school. In this essay, students also reveal who they are. Like with the standard essay, the college essay writing is also composed of three parts which is the introduction, body and conclusion. To have an effective essay, these parts must be seen in the students college essay writing.
The most common types of college essay writing are the College Admission Essay and the College Application Essay. College Admission Essay is written and has a great influence in admitting into the school that students have chosen. Through College Admission Essay the students have given a chance to highlight all their accomplishments, true potentials, experiences and will serve as a tool to distinguish them among others. While College Application Essay, provides an information about the grades, scores and extra curricular activities of the students and based on the personal information of the students. In writing College Application Essay, the students may also tell about themselves that will capture the attention of the readers.
What’s more, College Essay Writing has been a screening factor of the college application. Moreover, it serves as a basis of many universities to know the student’s personalities and abilities. It also shows how students express their thoughts. In other words college essay writing became effective criteria in accepting students in a university.
These are the characteristic of an effective college essay.
Be Original, write a unique college essay. Think about it the College Admissions board reads thousands of college essay in a year so they would want an essay that will shine or differs from the rest
Tell An Interesting Story A student’s writing style tells us much about the student as the actual story itself.
Be Creative, I think that every student should use their creative juices to come up with an interesting way of talking about his family and personal experiences.
Be Concise and Clear, when writing a college essay the idea that you convey should be concise and clear.
Write Straight from the Heart. When you write a college essay always remember that it is very appealing to read if the applicant can show his/her emotion in the written essay.
Show Your Personality. The college essay youve written must show your personality it should not be a regurgitation of information that is already in your resume.
Summing up, College Essay Writing plays a vital role in our society most especially to students because College Essay Writing expresses students organization of ideas and it tells how student identify important things to be written and things which are less important and not to be written. There are times that College Essay Writing also shows student’s behavior: why or if he really fit at the school and university he wants to apply.
Andrei Lightfoot is a professional writer who specializes in writing essays, term papers, college papers, etc. If you need help with any writing projects, visit his site: college essay writing service.
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College Radio on the Internet Offers More Advantages for Listeners
Posted by admin in Educational Articles on January 25th, 2010
The future of radio is at stake. As we quickly move into the 21st Century, our consumers are changing their listening mediums and we must stay abreast of those listening needs and modes.
Traditional college radio broadcasts may be lost in translation if they cannot keep up with technological changes. Some radio broadcast owners are ignoring these trends, which may hurt their ratings if listeners increasingly move away from traditional college radio to college radio on the Internet. Still others perceive college radio on the Internet as a dead medium, however it can be revived if colleges continue to research listener audiences and trends.
Benefits of Having College Radio on the Internet
1. More formats are available than traditional FM college radio stations. Hundreds are available from jazz and blues to Broadway and opera, to Indie rock and adult alternative and many more.
2. Ability to listen while in multiple places such as home, work, college, library or wherever you have available broadband access.
3. With college radio on the Internet, there is no dead air. Some college and traditional radio stations have their last broadcast ending at midnight, and the next one starts between five and seven in the morning. However, utilizing college radio on the Internet and the growing demand from students and consumers, this has the potential to increase funding and the listening audience base.
4. Set and leave it on one station without having to remember station call letters or numbers. No longer do listeners have to remember where they heard their favorite tunes on the dial. Having a college radio on the Internet can be easily bookmarked in your Favorites list or even set as your homepage.
5. Colleges are able to increase their fan base among alumni and exchange students because with having college radio on the Internet, it can be accessed worldwide.
6. Many college radio stations on the Internet tout commercial-free listening or at least minimal interruptions. This is an important advantage for listeners who do not like all the interruptions between songs or song sets with station breaks and commercials which can last two minutes or longer.
7. Allows more opportunities for unsigned bands and musical talent to be heard on the radio. With additional opportunities for more format types, bands of all styles will have a medium in which to play their music for a specific audience. As with MySpace, unsigned or lesser known musicians and bands are trying to gain an audience base and frequently release a couple of their songs so members can upload them to their homepages. College radio on the Internet can increase that audience base by featuring the group or musician on its station and have listeners send their comments via email, blog, online poll or phone call.
8. Unlike a traditional radio station, college radio on the Internet enables listeners to skip a song. If the listener does not care for the song, he or she can merely select skip and move onto the next song. Only college radio on the Internet and satellite stations have this advantage.
There are many benefits to keeping college radio on the Internet. Although some college stations have abandoned this medium because it did not reap the rewards as quickly as was expected, now it has listeners ears and they have more invested interest with this medium.
The top online radio networks include Shoutcast, Radio@AOL, and MSN Music as reported by MeasureCast, a company which provides next day audience size and demographic reports for online media networks. Only the top college radio stations online have made the top 10 list, which include a few Ohio college radio station programs too.
The top college radio broadcasts include KALX, Berkeley, CA; WNYU, New York, NY; and KTRU, Houston, TX, which was reported by Radio-Locator.com. Furthermore, a notable Ohio college radio station has a list of eight college radio on the Internet stations that are broadcasted from various locations across the U.S., especially where a broadcasting school is located. Colleges and universities who have the ability and interest to support college radio on the Internet stations are able to employ its own students to undertake all tasks and responsibilities of running the online radio station. Student listeners create an instant audience base because their music interests vary and they are attracted by a variety of formats.
Because Internet based college radio stations can literally reach listeners from all corners of the world, we would think radio station owners would want to continue college radio on the Internet. Futhermore, college radio stations on the Internet, as well as traditional AM/FM formats, can run in tandem with one another without radio tower interference. However, many smaller universities and community colleges are not able to afford to keep such options on the Internet due to failing sponsorship, decreased student population, or fees required to both license music and the radio station.
Check with your local broadcasting school to find out if they continually accept students to become professional radio DJs. If you are interested in learning to become a radio DJ, video or audio producer, or in other radio and TV broadcast careers, then you will want a broadcasting school that is both credible and credentialed. Technology continues to grow and expand, so to keep up with the industry they should have the latest equipment for those wanting to learn how to become a radio DJ on a college radio station on the Internet and other radio broadcast careers.
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Save Thousands of Dollars by Choosing the Right College
Posted by admin in Educational Articles on January 25th, 2010
What you need to know about financial aid BEFORE choosing a college.
With the high cost of a college education, no one wants to pay more than they must. Yet thousands of families pay too much for college every year because they dont understand the basics of financial aid and dont know the right questions to ask. So lets learn what questions to ask. Basics Part I
There are three types of financial aid for college: grants or scholarships, loans and work-study.
Grants and scholarships are free money that you do not need to pay back.
Most grants and scholarships come from the federal and state government or from the individual college.
Loans need to be paid back after college.
There are many loan programs available from the federal and state government. Most of these loans have fairly low interest rates. There are also private loans available although these generally have a higher interest rate.
Work-study is a job offered on the campus of the college. Basics Part IINeed based aid vs Merit based aid
Need based aid is given by all colleges to students who have need. Anyone who cant pay the full cost of the college has need.
A form called the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA) determines the amount of need for federal grants and scholarships. Many highly selective colleges also require a form known as the Profile form The FAFSA form is filled out after January 1 of the year the student will first attend college.
The FAFSA and Profile forms ask questions about the income of the parents and student using information that you gave on your tax returns. These forms also ask questions about the amount of money you have in savings or investments. The Profile form is more detailed than the FAFSA form. Once these forms are completed the government uses the FAFSA form to determine how much your family can pay for college. This is your expected family contribution or your EFC. Your EFC is the same regardless of the cost of the college. Similarly the individual colleges who use the Profile use that form to determine what your family can pay for college.
Your need is the cost of the college you are looking at minus your EFC. For example, if you are looking at a college that costs $20,000 a year and your EFC is $5,000, your need at that college is $15,000. If you are looking at a college that costs $40,000 a year your EFC is still $5,000. Your need at this college is $35,000.
Merit-based aid includes scholarships typically for students who have good grades or have some other special talent such as athletic or musical talent. Most highly selective colleges offer little or no merit-based aid.
Finally, in looking at colleges you should ignore the cost of the college. Yes, you read that right. Ignore the stated cost of the college when you are first deciding which colleges to investigate further. You will see why later in this article.
So now you know the basics. Now comes the fun part: How to save money by asking the right questions.Questions to ask the collegesQuestion 1- What percent of my need do you meet?
Remember that EFC, or expected family contribution that the FAFSA determined? Some colleges will meet 100% of your need. Need again is defined as the cost of the college minus your EFC. So what does it mean if a college says they will meet 100% of your need? It means that once the FAFSA or Profile form has determined how much you can pay for college, the college will pay 100% of the rest of the bill.
Colleges will typically meet the need you have using a combination of grants, loans and work study. Most colleges will award work study and loans first and if there is a need after that, the remaining need will be supplied by grants. The colleges will typically have a standard loan and work study amount that they award and you should ask about what these numbers are when investigating the college.
Let’s see an example of a financial aid award from a college that provides 100% of need with a student who has an EFC of $5,000.
Total cost of college $40,000
Expected family contribution $ 5,000
Need $35,000
Financial aid award
Work study $ 2,000
Loans $ 4,000
Grants $ 29,000
At a college that meets 100% of your need you pay $5,000.
But what happens if the college doesnt meet 100% of need?
Many less selective colleges dont pay the total amount of need that their students have. Let’s use the example of our imaginary college from above only this time assume that the school only provides 90% of need.
Total cost of college $40,000
Families expected contribution $ 5,000
Need $35,000
This college only provides 90% of the $35,000 need or $31,500. Thus, your out of pocket expenses are the $5,000 EFC plus an additional $3,500 for a total cost of $8,500.
This example makes it easy to see why a school that meets 100% of need is often a better financial aid “deal” than a school who doesn’t meet all of the families need.
Many of the most expensive private colleges meet 100% of the students need while cheaper public colleges usually meet less than 100% of the need. This means that for many students it can be cheaper to go to an expensive private college than to attend a cheaper state school. Until you know what percent of need the college meets, dont eliminate a college from consideration just because it is expensive.Question 2- Do you have merit based aid?
Many colleges that dont meet 100% of a students need do offer scholarships for some students. If your student is near the top of the application pool for a less selective college they may get some money if they qualify for merit based aid. Thus, in some cases, if the student is willing to look at a less selective college, they may get a better financial aid package. Here are some questions you should ask if the college provides merit aid.
How many merit awards are available?
What is the value of the merit awards available?
What are the qualifications to receive one of these merit awards?
This works even for families that dont qualify for need based aid at all. If your student can qualify for a merit based award you wont need to pay the full stated cost of the college. Question 3- How is financial aid determined after the first year?
Some colleges have a policy of providing good financial aid for the first year and then substantially reducing the grant aid in the following years while increasing the loans. You should ask the college in which you are interested how they determine financial aid after the first year and what the average loan is after the first year. While it is typical that the amount of loans will increase each year if the increase is substantial you will want to take that into consideration. Question 4- What is the average loan amount at graduation of those students who have loans?
This question will give you the best indication of the amount of loans that this college requires compared to other colleges in which you may be interested. Although most students will have some loans when they graduate, you don’t want this amount to be any more than necessary. Question 5- What is your policy regarding outside scholarships?
Most colleges will subtract money earned in outside scholarships from your financial aid package. Some colleges will reduce the loan burden by the amount of the scholarship, but other colleges will reduce your grant money. If the college reduces the amount of loans you have to take out that is a benefit to you. There is no benefit to you if the college reduces the grant aid. Question 6- What is your packaging policy?
Most colleges give a financial aid package that includes grant money, loans and work study. But each college combines this money differently. Specifically you want to know:
What percentage of an aid package from your college is grant vs. self-help (loans, work study)?
The greater amount of grants versus loans and work study the better for the student.
Do you have a preferential packaging policy?
Preferential packaging occurs when a college gives a better financial aid package to a student with a stronger academic background than to another student with the same financial need but with a weaker academic background.. Question 7- What is your four year graduation rate?
What difference does a colleges four year graduation rate make? This is an important question that many people never consider. Another way to phrase this is, How many years of college am I going to have to pay for? If the college has a high four year graduation rate, you will most likely only have to pay for four years of college. However, if the college graduates most students in six years then you can plan on paying for six years of college, not four. Conclusion
Now that you know something about financial aid, including the questions to ask each college you are considering, you can make an informed decision in paying for a college education and hopefully also save some money.
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Top Academic and Admission Strategies for Colleges
Posted by admin in Educational Articles on January 25th, 2010
Copyright (c) 2008 Karen Bolton
With the rising cost of college, it is important to utilize as many cost cutting strategies as possible. Let’s explore some top academic and admission strategies to help reduce the cost of college.
1.Career Planning
Career planning is often overlooked during the college planning process. However, this is one of the most important decisions that students will make. Without proper career planning, many students take 5-6 years to complete a degree. Many students receive degrees in declining growth fields or fields with a surplus of applicants and cannot find employment after graduation.
However, this can play a critical role in reducing the overall cost of college. A contributing factor in the college dropout and transfer rates is a lack of career planning and a failure to make college decisions based on career goals. Research by the US Dept of Education and American College Testing show that each year, approximately 50% of college freshman leave the college in which they first enrolled. Of the dropouts, about 30% transfer to other colleges at least once, and 20% transfer twice and typically take 6 or more years to complete a 4-year program.
Students who receive career planning prior to college selection and attendance have few major changes and college transfers, graduate on time, and tend to be more goal- and academic-focused. You may want to check out web-based career planning services at www.careerdimension.com and www.myroad.com.
2. Use Smart Admission Strategies
Apply where the student is academically above the incoming freshman class profile. Private colleges place a premium on good students and will often use tuition discounts to attract them to their campuses.
Apply for admission early. The student should submit an application to the college as soon as possible in the senior year of high school (September through December). After a college begins to fill the upcoming year’s freshman class, the need for the college to offer a tuition discount diminishes. Colleges need to complete their enrollment quotas as early as possible, so they often offer scholarships (tuition discounts) to the students who apply early (even students who do not qualify for need-based aid).
Apply to schools that have a low enrollment yield factor. The lower a college’s enrollment yield (yield percentage), the higher the probability of the student receiving tuition discounts. The enrollment yield is calculated by dividing the number of students enrolled by the number of students admitted. Enrollment is key to a college’s survival. Many colleges select students for admission to their school, only to have them enroll in another school. The colleges have a constant battle to fill seats every year (lesser-known private colleges are even more challenged because they must compete with the low cost of public universities and the popularity of the elite private schools).
The student should also apply to private colleges. Many private colleges have declining enrollments due to their high cost and competition from low-cost universities and popular elite private colleges. These colleges often give a tuition discount to students to fill empty seats at the college. Private colleges must compete with less-expensive, state-subsidized public universities.
Many private colleges offer incredible financial award packages to attract good students. Plus they offer smaller class sizes, which increase the student’s chance of attaining a degree in four years. Be sure to include a few private colleges in your selection process. You might be surprised with the outcome.
The student should apply to six to eight colleges. Do not limit your ability to negotiate the price of college. Apply to several colleges to maximize your financial opportunities. By applying to several colleges, the student is given the opportunity to receive a tuition discount from one college and use that discount to ask for a comparative discount, or better, from the college the student prefers to attend. Try to pick at least several schools where your child lies in the top 25% of the incoming freshman class. This strategy is more applicable to students attending private colleges.
If the student is planning to attend a private college, the student should create competition between colleges. The following types of colleges will create competition for your child:
A college in the same athletic conference
The student should apply to colleges that are competitive in the same area or location, athletic conference, or intellectual fields. The most competition often occurs between colleges that are in the same athletic conference.
An in-state public university
Even though you plan to go to a private college, always apply to a good in-state public university. The public university’s low cost may force the private college to offer a tuition discount to make its cost competitive with the public university’s cost. Low-cost public universities are the private colleges’ main competition.
A similar college outside of the student’s region of residency
The student should apply to similar private colleges that are located outside of the student’s region of residency. Most private colleges try to achieve regional diversity in its student body. The college may offer tuition discounts to entice students who are located in a different region.
3. Use the CLEP Program and AP Tests to Reduce the Cost of College
College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a widely accepted credit-by-examination program in the United States today. Although Advanced Placement (AP) courses are usually taken by above-average students, CLEP exams seem to benefit the average student and also the non-traditional (adult ed) student. The CLEP examinations are a series of examinations in undergraduate college courses that provide the student with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement and achieve college credit. The examinations, which are sponsored by the College Board, are administered at colleges year-round. All CLEP exams are delivered on computer, providing test takers with instant score results. Be sure to check the college’s CLEP policy before taking any exam. The CLEP program can help students save time, save money, and advance to more specialized courses.
Perhaps the easiest and most effective way for a student to stand out academically for admissions is to score well on Advanced Placement (AP) tests offered by the College Board (www.collegeboard.com). While these studies are for the academically gifted student, they can represent real dollar reductions in the cost of college. The student can receive a full year’s credit and be granted sophomore standing from more than 1,400 higher education institutions by earning satisfactory grades on enough AP Examinations.
Affording College in a Difficult Economy
Posted by admin in Educational Articles on January 25th, 2010
If you are in college now or planning to attend college in the near future, the national recession is making the task of paying for a college education even more daunting. Perhaps you were counting on help from your parents, or as a parent, feel you should be providing the best education possible. Parents of students attending college or prospective college students have every right to be concerned. But you should also know that even with dire economic news, there are lots of ways to afford a college education.
As a father of five children I fully understand how difficult paying for college can be. My oldest son decided not to go to college and attended a police academy instead. The cost was modest compared to college, so it did allow me to devote more money to the other kids in the family. My second oldest son wanted to go to a small private college to learn a trade. While I was able to pay some of the costs from savings and current income, a parent Plus loan and student loans covered most of the cost. My daughter started at a private womans college with a scholarship for half the cost. She later transferred to a state university, and the cost of attending dropped by more than 50%. Again some savings, student loans, and paying for what we could from our current income has covered the costs.Not everyone can save money in advance and with todays economic uncertainty, most of us are on edge when it comes to affording college. I started saving in mutual funds for each child and learned to move money from growth funds to more conservative money market funds as it got closer to time to pay for college. This helps ensure that you are not taking too much risk with your money.My third son is 19 and will graduate next year from college with no debt. How is he doing it? First, he stayed home and saved on the cost of housing. Attending the local state college is much less expensive than the other six schools he considered. Getting excellent grades in high school allowed him to earn a scholarship for the first years coststhis was a big savings. He has since been able to get additional scholarships, but he also works 30 hours a week (while maintaining a 4.0 GPA). He is saving $100/week from his part-time job to pay for his senior year and has used the money we saved for him to pay the remaining costs. Avoiding student debt will really help him as he tries to pay for graduate school.My youngest son is still a few years away from college, so we put money aside in a state 529 fund to take advantage of the tax benefits for this type of investment. The market is down and it allows me to buy more shares in mutual funds at a lower cost. Over time (I still have more than five years), the stock market will recover and it is likely I will benefit from this fund. We also have money is a separate mutual fund account with an allocation between growth and more stable balanced funds. Additionally, I save all my lose change and have my wife deposit it in a bank savings account, where our youngest son also contributes a part of his weekly allowance. This gives him a stake in the plan to save for college and allows us to have discussions about the options for college costs and how to save for them.The most important thing is dont give up before you get started. MeritAid.com recently surveyed over 2,500 high schools. The results of the survey are tellingalmost fifty percent indicated affording college was an issue of concern. Fifty-seven percent are considering attending a less prestigious college due to cost and sixteen percent dont think they can attend college right now due to the cost.
Have a frank discussion as a family about what you can afford before you begin to search for colleges. But dont give up on college because you think you cant afford it. You may have to start at a community or junior college. In many states, you can get two years of college at the local level with smaller classes and save on the cost of going away to college. High school students can also take Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high school that often translate to college credit, thats a big savings right off the bat. I was the first person in my family to attend college. I started at a community college and later transferred to a state university. While on active duty with the US Air Force, I continued my education and was able to earn a graduate degree. There are lots of paths toward getting a college education. Explore all the options.Before you decide you cant afford college, calculate what you can afford onwww.fafsa4caster.ed.govand start searching for scholarships, grants, and loans at free web sites:
Do everything you can to maximize financial aid. Financial aid is actually on the increase. The College Board found that while tuition rose less than one percent over inflation in 2007-2008 for a four-year college, financial aid rose by more than 5.5 percent over the cost of inflation during the same period. College students received more than $143 billion in financial aid, including grants, loans, work-study programs, and tax credits.
If you need help to pay for college, federal loans are an increasingly attractive alternative to private student loans. While the credit crunch is limiting the availability of private loans, the access to federal loans is not affected by the economic downturn. A new benefit of federal loans begins in July 2009, when the payment that borrowers are expected to make will be calculated to be proportional to their income.
Private colleges can remain affordable when you compare value and cost together. Students who assume those institutions are out of their price range might be surprised to learn that private colleges are affordable because need-based and merit scholarships are still available.
If you are attending college in a state where the cost of tuition for a public university is close to the cost of a private college, those costs can be offset by financial aid packages that outpace what public universities can offer. With the additional advantage of getting the classes needed to graduate in four years (unlike many public universities where earning an undergraduate degree can take longer), private colleges can be affordable.
If you or your family is worried about paying for a college education keep in mind a few key must dos:
News reports about college financial aid may have you thinking that searching for financial aid will find the loan and grant pickings slim at best. But you should not disqualify yourself before investigating all options. In particular, I urge prospective first-generation college students and their families to explore financial aid options rather than concluding that higher education is out of reach in todays economy. I recommend:
With each day seemingly bringing more bad news on the economic front, it’s important to remember that the dream of a college education doesn’t have to be delayed or set aside altogether. Help is out there for students and their families.
Mr. Saunders professional experience includes assignments in the business lines of retail banking operations, investment banking, institutional trust and securities services, employee and management training, and systems engineering for banking, accounting, and tax preparation firms. He has worked for Bank of America, JP Morgan and JPMorgan Chase, and as a consultant in the financial services industry. He has prior experience as a registered representative and has published several articles on personal financial planning.
Mr. Saunders has authored four programs for the American Bankers Association, Banking on Mutual Funds and Annuities, Mutual Funds and Annuities, Introduction to Securities Markets and Investing in Securities.
Mr. Saunders earned a Master of Arts degree in Management from Central Michigan University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Diego State University.
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What to Consider to Find the Right College for you
Posted by admin in Educational Articles on January 25th, 2010
In trying to decide what type of college will best meet your wants and needs there are many things to consider. Listed below are some of the factors you will need to consider in deciding where you want to go to college. Type of institution- Private or Public. College or University. Church sponsored.
Colleges can be either public or private. Public colleges are those that are supported by the state in which they are located. Many highly ranked colleges in the United States are state-supported institutions. These colleges can often provide an excellent education at a price for an in-state resident that is much less than comparable private colleges. At the early stages of your investigation, I would encourage you to consider both private and public colleges.
While private colleges frequently cost more than comparable state institutions, they often have the financial means to offer generous need-based or scholarship-based financial aid. This aid can make the cost of a private college the same or less than attending your state college.
Many of the more selective private universities and colleges have a religious affiliation. The extent of spiritual influence varies. But at the beginning of your college search, we strongly encourage you to investigate all private colleges, regardless of religious affiliation. Academics- What courses and majors are you looking for
The most important reason for going to college is to get an education. The type of academic atmosphere and variety of courses studied is an important factor to be considered when choosing a college. Be careful, however, of choosing a college based solely on it having a particular major or field of study. Research shows that 90% of all college graduates do not major in the field of study they originally had intended. This happens for several reasons.
First, most colleges have majors in subjects you have never before studied such as political science or anthropology. Second, as you gain experience and maturity in college, your interests may change. Take time to explore your options and be realistic about your talents. Be sure to pursue a course of study that is of genuine interest to you, not just one you think might lead to a good career.
If you do have a strong interest in a particular area, such as science, it is important to evaluate a college’s facilities and offerings in those areas to make sure they have adequate resources. Remember that many smaller colleges may not offer majors in certain professional fields, such as engineering, business, or physical therapy. If you are certain of a specific field of study, be sure that the colleges and universities you are considering offer that major.
Don’t exclude a smaller college, however, simply because you think the resources may be inadequate. Remember that all of the resources of a college are available to its undergraduate students whereas at a large university, many of the specialized equipment might be reserved for graduate students only. Some of the largest producers of PhD’s in this country are small colleges. Atmosphere- Liberal, conservative or something in between
Each college has a particular atmosphere or environment that affects the “feel” of the college. Many factors go into creating a college’s atmosphere including such things as how the colleges handle student questions, concerns, and scheduling; whether there is an academic or less serious mood among the students and the level of campus activity regarding social issues.
Every campus will have a different feel. What is important is to determine if the campus atmosphere will be comfortable for you as a person. The best advice regarding student life is to look for an intellectual and social climate in which you will feel comfortable and challenged.
The type of atmosphere a college offers can best be discovered by visiting the campus and talking to as many people as you can. Until you have an opportunity to do that the next best option is to read everything you can find about the college in which you are interested. Student body and gender- Co-ed college or single sex
A student body can be comprised of all men, all women, or both men and women. Students who may worry about a single sex college should know that today virtually all colleges have exchange programs with other colleges whereby a student from one college may cross register at another college to take courses for credit. Also dorm privileges, social activities, and extracurricular opportunities will vary by the composition of the student body. Setting- Where do you want to live
The physical environment of the college may be very important to you. Some people prefer the social and cultural activities of a large city. A major metropolitan area can offer many benefits, but a student must adjust to the lifestyle of a big city. A college or university that is located in the heart of a city is often comprised of multi-storied classroom buildings and high-rise dormitories.
Others want to go to college in a more rural setting. There are many colleges and universities that are in rural settings with campuses located many miles from the nearest large city. Many institutions are located close to, but not in large cities. The decision of a location and campus setting should ultimately include those colleges where you will be most comfortable living the next four years of your life.
Other factors to consider are the expense of travel, the need for independence versus the desire to stay near your family, and the effects of living in a particular climate.Size- Large university or small college
The following are generalizations, so if some of these areas are of concern, ask questions at the colleges you are considering:
A large university (15,000-50,000+ students) may offer a variety of academic opportunities including elaborate facilities and large libraries, as well as the stimulation of a large faculty, graduate students and undergraduates. However, housing may be more difficult to obtain, more courses may be taught by graduate students, lecture sessions may be very large, and opportunities for leadership in campus organizations may be diminished.
A medium-sized university (5,000-15,000 students) may offer fewer majors and more modest facilities than a large university, but also may offer greater opportunities to participate in the activities of your choice.
Small colleges (under 5,000 students) usually offer smaller classes, earlier opportunities to take classes with well-known professors, and more chances for participation and leadership in campus activities. However, facilities and classes may be limited and options for activities and diversity reduced. Location- Where do you want to spend the next 4 years
When considering the possible locations of your future colleges, consider questions such as:
How important is it for me to attend college close to home?
How much do I value attending college with students of different geographic backgrounds?
How frequently do I anticipate going home during the academic year?
How extensively does the weather affect my studies or quality of life?
Consider whether you would prefer a geographically diverse student body, or a regional community of students from more homogeneous backgrounds.Campus life- What happens on campus when people aren’t in class
Whether you enjoy your college years will often depend on the experience of living on a college campus. Learning in college comes not only from your class work but also through interacting with your college friends, extracurricular activities, and just hanging out in the dorm. Here are some factors that can affect your college experience. Housing Living on-campus for the first few years of their college experience is important for many students. Dormitories can become a focus of college campus life and the easiest way to meet new friends. If it is an important consideration for you, remember to ask any college in which you are interested about the availability of on-campus housing for all four years. Some colleges only have enough housing for the first year or two of the college experience. Extracurricular activities The extracurricular activities you engage in are not only fun but can be part of your learning experience. Look at the view books of the colleges to see what activities are available. Talk to people at the colleges you are considering to find out what activities are popular on that campus. Many colleges have 100 or more groups for students with a variety of interests. Also ask about how easy it is to start a new group if you have a particular interest not currently represented on the campus. Fraternities and Sororities The presence of a Greek system can have a dramatic effect on campus life. Ask people on campus about how the fraternities and sororities affect the social life of any college in which you are interested. Do they dominate the social scene or is it spread between many different groups? Can anyone go to a Greek party or are the limited only to certain students? Campus Employment Many students will hold a part-time job on or off campus while enrolled full time in college. Talk to current students about the availability of jobs and what types of jobs students typically get. With budget cutbacks, some colleges are starting to limit the number of jobs available to students on campus. If you need to have a job but have to seek one off campus, think about the time involved in getting to such a job and the additional costs of transportation. Athletics- Are big time athletics important to you.
Many students who engage in high college athletics may want to continue to play that sport in college. College students participate at three levels: intramural, club, and intercollegiate. Intramural play is most common. Intramurals allow students to compete at a variety of different levels of competition with a primary emphasis on enjoying the sport for personal fitness, relaxation, and fun. Club sport teams are usually jointly sponsored by students and the college, and may compete against other colleges’ club teams.
Intercollegiate athletics is the university equivalent of varsity-level sports. These programs are categorized by the NCAA into three divisions of varying degrees of competition: Division I, Division II, and Division III. Selectivity- How hard is it to get into a college.
Your academic performance in a challenging, rigorous program of study is the most important factor in determining your admissibility to colleges. Admission committees value a consistent level of achievement over four years, but they also give strong weight to students who demonstrate significant improvement over the course of their academic career. While your grades are the most obvious indication of potential future success, colleges also want to see that students have challenged themselves in a competitive, demanding academic program throughout their entire high college career. The more honor and AP courses you are able to take successfully, the stronger candidate you will be. Does that mean that you should take AP courses even if the material if too difficult for you? No. But most admission committees will give more weight to a B in an AP course than an A in a much simpler course.
Standardized testing also plays a critical role in admissions. Virtually all colleges will accept either the SAT I or the ACT. Many of the highly selective colleges also require or recommend SAT II subject test. The most important thing to keep in mind for each of the colleges you are considering is their ‘middle 50%’ range of testing. While a quarter of admitted students have scores either above or below this test range, such a median range will give a general indication of the strength of the applicant pool and how you compare.
After looking at your academic performance and your test scores, most selective colleges will then look at subjective factors such as your recommendations, your essays and your extracurricular activities. The amount of weight given to these subjective factors varies from college to college. Financial aid- If I do get in, how am I going to pay for the college.
Financial aid may consist of grants or scholarships, loans and work study. Grants and scholarships are money that does not need to be repaid while loans need to be repaid. Work study is generally a job offered on the campus of the college offering the financial aid although it may also be a job off campus.
There are many forms of financial aid available. The most basic financial aid offered at all colleges is need-based. Need-based financial aid is given to families who demonstrate financial eligibility using nationally standardized needs-analysis forms, such as the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA) and the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile. Demonstration of financial eligibility is determined through detailed review of a family’s net assets, salary, investment income, liabilities, home equity, and other factors.
Some colleges also offer merit-based assistance. Such financial assistance comes in the form of scholarships for students who have achieved superior levels of academic excellence or offer some special talent in the performing arts or athletics.
While cost is undoubtedly very important, do not limit your choice of colleges to only those you can afford without financial assistance. Many of the more expensive private colleges have substantial financial aid programs, which may cover much of the cost, and ultimately result in a cost to you the same as a cheaper state college. A good plan would be to choose several colleges, including one you can afford and several for which you need aid. Although financial aid may seem uncertain at times, limiting prospective colleges on a cost basis alone may exclude some excellent colleges from your list.
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