1. College Planning for the College Bound Student

2. Think about it. Why should I go to college? How do I prepare?
How will I pay for it?

3. Why go to college?
The more education you have, the more likely you are to:
Be healthier.
Live longer.
Enjoy your job.
Stay employed.

4. And…
Continuing your education beyond high school leads to higher earnings.
Full-time workers with four-year college degrees typically earn 60% more than those with high school diplomas.
People with Master’s degrees can earn almost twice as much per year as high school graduates.
People with professional degrees earn about three times as much as high school graduates over their working lives.

5. So where do I begin?

6. Start with a plan.
Making good choices now will help you do well in high school and get ready for college.
Start thinking about your future today.
Learn about careers that sound interesting.
Set high standards for yourself.
Make goals and stick to them.
Use the tools and resources on to help you.

7. Build a support system.
Find an adult (or adults) who can support and guide you on your journey.
Family member
Neighbor
Coach
Church member
Counselor
College student
Don’t stop until you find someone who will help you reach your goals!

8. Consider your interests.
With hard work and planning, it’s possible to earn a living doing something you love.
Someone has to create video games, design Nikes, or become the president. Why not you?

9. Think about your… Your Interests What are your hobbies? Your Abilities
What are your talents?
Your Values
What is important to you?
Your Goals
Who do you want to be?

10. Explore careers.
Find out more about jobs & careers by taking an interest inventory survey.
Some good ones to check out:
nterestSurvey.aspx
Explain: Even if you think you know what you want to do during and after high school, it’s still a good idea to do some of these activities and think about your interests in more detail. You might find several new careers that interest you.

11. Think about where you want to be in ten years.
Plan for Success.
Will you be a doctor? A mechanic? A teacher?
What type of education do you need to get there?
Think about where you want to be in ten years.

12. The choice is yours.
There are many different ways to continue your education after high school. What you want to be will help determine what kind of education you’ll need.
You don’t have to decide on a specific job or career path now. The following slides outline what degrees or certificates are needed for common career choices.

13. Technical, certificate, or Associate degree programs.
What do I need to get in?
High school diploma or GED.
How long will it take to graduate?
6 months to 2 years, depending on the program.
What kind of job can I get?
Chef
Fire fighter
Childcare provider
Carpenter
Truck driver
Hair stylist
Game designer
Where can I go?
A community or technical college, or a private career school. Find one near you at
Trainer Note: Feel free to change the examples of colleges and trade schools to region-appropriate schools that the kids might recognize by name.

14. Bachelor’s degree. What do I need to get in?
Earn a high school diploma & meet college admission requirements, or transfer with credits from a community college.
How long will it take to graduate?
4 to 6 years.
What kind of job can I get?
Registered nurse (RN)
Architect
Forensic anthropologist
Teacher
Electrical engineer
Computer programmer
Public relations specialist
Where can I go?
A public or private college or university that offers baccalaureate degrees. Find a list at

15. Graduate & professional degrees.
What do I need to get in?
Earn a four-year degree (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Sciences)
How long will it take to graduate?
1 to 7 years, or more.
What kind of job can I get?
Physicist
Veterinarian
Lawyer
Chemical engineer
Software developer
Social worker
Physician assistant
Where can I go?
Advanced degree programs are offered at hundreds of universities nationwide and abroad.

16. So what are you waiting for?
Get ahead by earning college credit in high school.
Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB): Offered at many high schools.
Running Start: Allows you to take college courses and meet your high school requirements at the same time.
Tech Prep: Allows you to begin to train for a selected career, starting in 11th grade. You’ll receive high school and college credit.

17. Set yourself up for success.
Get organized.
Practice good study habits.
Volunteer for community service.
Participate in extracurricular activities.
Take tough classes to academically prepare for college.
Strive to be better than average. You want to stand out when it comes time to apply to college.

18.
Use the checklists and timelines on our website to help you get organized and plan for your future, one grade at a time.

19. Apply yourself.
Middle school is the right time to start planning the classes you need to take in high school to be ready for college. Ask your counselor about your school district’s high school graduation requirements to make sure you’re on-track.
Take the most challenging classes you can.
Take pre-Algebra and Algebra I in middle school.
Take English, science, math, and social studies every year.
Take electives, like world languages, music, and art, whenever possible.

20. But how will I pay for college?

21. If you want to go to college, you can do it.
Money does not have to be an obstacle.

22. Remember…
First, college may not be as expensive as you think, and there are many ways to reduce the costs. Talk to people who have completed their degree and ask them how they paid for school.
Second, scholarships are available for students. You don’t have to be the smartest, fastest, or most talented student, either. Scholarships are awarded for all sorts of reasons.
Third, financial aid is available to help students and families pay for college.

23. Financial aid basics. Types of financial aid: Sources of aid: Grants
Work Study
Scholarships
Student loans
Sources of aid:
Federal government
State of Washington
Colleges & universities
Business & civic organizations

24. Grants
Grants are free money for college that you do not have to repay.
Grants generally come from one of three main sources:
Federal government
State government
Institutions (your college or university)

25. Scholarships
Like grants, scholarships do not need to be repaid after graduation.
Scholarships are awarded for:
Academic achievement
Specific skills or talents (music, art, sports, etc.)
Community service
Financial need

26. Work Study
Work Study programs provide part-time jobs to undergraduate and graduate students with financial need.
There are two types of Work Study:
Federal Work Study
State Work Study

27. Student Loans Loans are borrowed money that you must pay back.
There are several sources of student loans:
Washington State
Federal government
Private entities (banks)

28. What can financial aid pay for?
Tuition & Fees
Books & Supplies
Room & Board (includes food)
Transportation
Personal Expenses

29. How do I get financial aid?
Financial aid is awarded by the college you attend. In January of your senior year of high school, you will complete a form called the FAFSA—Free Application for Federal Student Aid—and your college will use that form to create a package of financial aid specific to you and your family.

30. That sounds complicated.
And most importantly, if you’re eligible, you need to sign up for the College Bound Scholarship now!
Don’t worry—when it’s time to apply for college and files your FAFSA there will be lots of resources available to help you. To get a jump start on the process, visit

31. What is the College Bound Scholarship?

32. The College Bound Scholarship…
Is a promise of college tuition and books to qualifying 7th and 8th grade students in Washington.
Covers the average cost of tuition (at comparable college rates), some fees, and a small book allowance.
Can be used at two- or four-year public and private colleges and universities. 

33. Am I eligible?
If you meet ONE of these requirements, you are eligible to apply:
Your family’s income meets the requirements on the chart.
You are a foster youth.
Your family receives TANF benefits.
Note: Family income from the student’s senior year (submitted on your FAFSA) will be used to verify financial eligibility for the scholarship.

34. How do I sign-up?
Complete the application online at
Sign-up in 7th or 8th grade.
The deadline is June 30 of your 8th grade year.
You only need to sign-up once!
You can also download the paper application, available in 11 languages, and mail to the College Bound office in Olympia.

35. The student pledge & certificate.
By signing up for College Bound, you promise to:
Do well in middle school and high school, and graduate with a cumulative high school grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
Be a good citizen and not be convicted of a felony.
Apply for financial aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) during your senior year of high school.
Once your application is complete, you will receive a College Bound Scholar certificate in the mail.

36. Remember… Apply for College Bound in 7th or 8th grade.
Take challenging classes & keep your grades up.
During your senior year in high school, apply for college.
In January of your senior year, file your FAFSA.

37. Want to know more? College Bound Scholarship 888-535-0747
Want to know more?