1. My Kid Is Going to College In A Few Months… And I’m Really Nervous!!! Tips for Understanding and Enjoying the College Admission and Scholarship Search Process ------- Presented by: DeeDee Barnes Bruns, AVP for Enrollment Management THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM 09/09

2. Research College Choices… Ask some questions…   Does the college offer the major(s) your student is considering?   What size institution would be the best fit?   What type of environment? Region of the country, city size, weather, convenience of travel?   What about costs? And scholarships? AND… CAN THEY GAIN ADMISSION??

3. Do Your College Homework…  Magazine rankings  College guidebooks and surveys  Web search engines -Yahoo!, Webcrawler, etc.  College publications & web pages  College video and DVD visits  Admission rep visits, area college fairs Try to narrow the list to 3-6 colleges by the beginning of the student’s senior year. Try to visit MOST if not ALL of those colleges! BUDGET for visiting!!

4. Make Every Campus Visit Minute Count…  Make appointments BEFORE visiting!!  Have questions ready  Ask to speak to faculty/staff in area(s) of interest  Check security reports and job/graduate school placement info  Eat on campus & ask to see residence halls  Talk to/observe currently enrolled students  Take a tour (preferably w/ a student guide)  Help your student prepare for an interview and determine chances for admission Thank You notes after a visit earn big points!

5. What Things Do Colleges Consider? Test Scores (ACT and/or SAT…take both!) Grades (in appropriately challenging college-prep courses) Strength of curriculum (AP, IB, Honors, Dual Enr., etc.) And sometimes… Essays (Follow directions and proof, proof, proof!) Recommendation Letters (Don’t wait till the last minute and expect a great letter. Plan ahead for who and when!) Extracurricular Interests/Community Service (Laundry list resumes’ are easy to spot and not very credible. So is “service for resume’ building. Focus on 3-5 things.)

6. Making the Application Stand Out…  What is an appropriate number of schools for your student to apply to? Think about application fees!  Be mindful of deadlines. (The College Calendar)  Have the student treat this as a homework project. Care should be given to the appearance and accuracy of the application, but PLEASE….no DDI !!!  Determine whether to complete the on-line application form (Always make 2 hard copies - 1 for *your*records and another for your guidance counselor!)  Essay required? Give it proper attention!  Understand various kinds of admission decisions, what they mean AND require, i.e. Early Decision, Early Action, Deferral, Wait List, etc.

7. Competitive Schools and/or Competitive Scholarships = Interviews and Essays… Many selective schools require an admission essay. Do’s and Don’ts… The more selective the school, the more likely a student will benefit by scheduling an interview IF they are well-prepared and polished! Occasionally, admission will be influenced by the quality of your interview and/or essay. BUT… the quality of an interview and/or an essay will nearly ALWAYS affect scholarship amounts —positively or negatively, it’s up to the student!!! the quality of an interview and/or an essay will nearly ALWAYS affect scholarship amounts —positively or negatively, it’s up to the student!!!

8. A Big Question… How Will We PAY for College?  What is the difference between scholarships and financial aid?  What is the FAFSA and what does it do?  Will financial aid pay for my education?  File ALL the required forms and adhere to ALL the deadlines ( back to the College Calendar! )  Research the options, apply early & expect higher education will be costly!  Types of aid Grants/Scholarships OR Loans… OR Work

9. What is a Grant? Grants are “free money” that you qualify for because of demonstrated financial need. Remember …… Grants are Great! – –PELL Grant does not have to be re-paid Hard to qualify for; few do, so don’t panic! Maximum PELL Grant award for the fall 09 year is $5230. Minimum is $400 – –SEOG Grant also does not have to be re-paid Preference goes to PELL recipients Sign Letter “G”

10. What About Loans? – –Federal Perkins Student Loan (5%) – – Stafford Student Loans (2 types) * Subsidized (5.6% interest) is need-based and the government pays the interest while the student is enrolled at least ½ time * Unsubsidized (6.8%) is not need-based, but interest is not deferred; interest must be paid quarterly while in school – – PLUS (Parent) Loans 7.9 -8.5% depends on college Loans that make your “1st choice” college a viable option are an excellent investment. Be prudent and take out only what you need.

11. Loans, continued… Eligibility and Loan Limits (by class) for Subsidized Stafford Loans Regular student enrolled at least 1/2 time Dependent undergraduates can borrow through the Stafford Student Loan: $3500 - first year maximum $4500 - second year maximum $5500 - junior and senior year maximum Loan eligibility amounts increase as you demonstrate your ability to progress successfully through college.

12. Federally Funded Work-Study… – –Federal Work Study Program provides jobs for students with financial need. Considered financial aid because the government pays 75% of the student’s salary and the college pays 25%. – –Encourages community service work and work related to course of study – –Jobs pay at least minimum wage – – Paid by the hour in regular pay period – –Jobs available both on- and off-campus Studies show college students who work 10-14 hours per week have higher GPA’s and are more likely to graduate.

13. How the Government Determines Financial Need Is NOT Magic…  Government-funded financial aid is awarded on the basis of something called “Demonstrated Financial Need”  A formula from the Federal Government determines your financial need, NOT the individual college!  Your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) is used as part of the calculation for financial aid A simplified version of the formula is this: Cost of the College - minus EFC (Expected Family Contribution) = Demonstrated Financial Need

14. Parents of Juniors… Curious to know your approximate EFC? The Federal Government has a form you can complete that gives you an “early estimate” of your EFC based on the current year’s income and assets to help you make projections for NEXT year. Go to… http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/ http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/

15. Web Sites to Help in the Search for Scholarships www.fastweb.com www.collegetoolkit.com www.collegetoolkit.comwww.collegetoolkit.com www.collegeboard.com www.collegeboard.comwww.collegeboard.com AND my favorite internet source for information on all things college: GOOGLE! Google the scholarship phrase or phrases that are most specific to you and to your interests, i.e. “college scholarships male nursing”

16. Staying organized is KEY! The value of “THE COLLEGE CALENDAR” Log of info sent Photocopies/hardcopy List of key contact people w/ phone numbers and/or e-mail addresses Final decision “etiquette” Know Your Rights … AND Know Your Responsibilities! www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/AboutNACAC/Policies/ …then scroll to “Students Rights and Responsibilities”

17. QUESTIONS?