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GEAR UP REMINDERS FINAL CAREER CONNECTIONS – Human Resources/Public Relations Thursday, April 30 at lunch Room 105 FREE PIZZA

GEAR UP REMINDERS

Talking with your parents about how to pay for life after high school…

Interesting facts for those of you headed to SOME kind of college:

Once upon a time…

Some students prepared to go to college… They worked hard in school They got good grades They participated in extra-curricular activities They researched colleges They dreamed of their future

But, they forgot to have a very important conversation…

AND they and their parents had different ideas about how to pay for life after high school…

Don’t be caught by surprise! Here’s what one recent LC Grad had to say: “I wish I would have explored more schools and made a chart of how much I would be paying per school, then calculate the debt I would have going out of school. …I wish my parents would have sat down with me and done my financial aid with me, instead of them mostly doing it. This way I would have been more conscientious of how much I was really going to be paying for my education.”

The consequences of not having the money conversation… The student just quoted has chosen to leave her “dream” school because she’s realized she cannot handle the debt load, especially since she doesn’t know what she wants to major in. This student asked that we create a Seminar lesson to help others avoid what she is now experiencing.

So, we’d like to help Before you start researching your plans for life after high school – Have a conversation!

Three main topics to cover: Living arrangements: At home or away from home? Cost of Living expenses Parent support of any kind or are you on your own? Educational Costs How much are your adults willing to pay?

If your plan is to work after high school: Ask your adults: Are you willing to help with my living expenses and if so, how much? For example, will they expect you to pay rent or contribute to the household?

If your plans involve attending college after high school: Ask your adults: Are you willing to pay for any of my living expenses? For example, if you go away to college, are they budgeting for an “allowance” of any kind?

Regarding education costs: Ask your adults: What educational costs are you willing/able to cover? For example, if you are living at home and entering a Trade school, would they be willing to split the costs of that schooling?

“ ” [Having the money talk with your parents is important] so that [you] don’t waste time looking at colleges that have no shot of giving [you] the money you’ll need. Why waste time and create a lot of stress and frustration by looking at schools, falling in love and then finding out there’s just no way it’s ever going to happen due to financial constraints? Scott Weingold, cofounder of College Planning Network

No matter your plan, it’s not too early to start talking to your family