About College

Associate’s Degree: Completion of a program of at least 2 years, but less than 4 yrs. of college work. Bachelor’s Degree: Undergraduate degree offered by 4-yr colleges and universities. Tuition: The amount paid for each credit hour of enrollment. Room & Board: The cost of a place to stay with meals.

and Not Go Broke

Who could use free money?? Start your search your JUNIOR year. Check the following places: School (see your counselor) Church Workplace Scholarships are also offered based on community service.

Be prepared to invest time and effort. (Some will require essays.) Find information about scholarships Match scholarships to your qualities, activities, experiences, goals, etc. Send s to you about opportunities.

If you work part-time during the summer (or during the year), save as much as you can. Put it in a ‘college account’.

Take Advance Placement (AP) classes Look into taking college classes at institutions like Miami Middletown, Cincinnati State, etc. Look in to College Credit Plus (The high school will pay for the class. If you fail, you pay.) Find out more in the Guidance Office

Many school and community volunteer groups offer scholarships. Athletics Multi Cultural Workshop Honor Society PLUS this will look good on applications and resumes. Keep track of your activities (in your phone).

Important for scholarships. Take prep courses AND study. Re-take if necessary If you are on free and reduced lunch, you can obtain a fee waiver.

Federal Application for Student Aid Fill it out! January 31 of Senior year Opportunity to qualify for federal student aid. Will cover HALF of your schooling. 50% for each semester is covered.

Apply to more than 1 or 2 colleges. Gives you more flexible to choose from school and compare college costs and financial award packages. Fee waivers are available if you can not afford the application.

By April 1 st, you should receive an award letter from your school. It will detail your financial aid. After looking comparing letters, you can see how much money you will need. Look at community college to take some classes. Ex. At UC –Blue Ash some classes like Freshman English cost half than if you take the exact class at UC’s main campus.

If you really want to attend a certain school, but another school has offered you more money, see if they will be willing to match the other school’s award package.

You and your family need to prepare a college budget. See what they can contribute, and what you will be required to come up with.

Save your ‘gift’ money. Don’t blow it all on fun. Think about saving most of it for college expenses.

Federal work study is a way to earn money on or near campus. Earn money and develop skills that will help you secure future employment.

Try to save money from a part-time job. Or save money from summer job. Try to obtain a paid college internship. Great way to earn money, college credit and work experience at the same time!!

Maintaining good grades will save you money. Plenty of scholarships available while you’re in college.

Continue your search once you get to college. Check with your Financial Aid Office Use an Internet Scholarship search engine BEWARE of sites that charge money. Keep track of your activities over time (in your phone)

AFTER you have tried all of the previous options, apply for a private student loan.

Ask about student discounts such as… Travel Computers Food Entertainment Clothing Stores Others

Don’t forget your monthly spending habits. Don’t let spending get out of control! Track your money!!

Use your own resources. Borrow money. Tax reductions. The government offers tax breaks. Need-based financial aid. Merit-based financial aid. Look for ‘financially friendly’ colleges Enroll in service programs such as ROTC

How do I find the RIGHT school for me?

Just because it’s on the Internet doesn’t make it true. This may be true for COLLEGE-SEARCH sites. Information (i.e. list of majors, deadline) could be out of date. Don’t depend on just one site.

Don’t judge a school by its website. Many sites have virtual tours, faculty and student Web pages, and detailed info. about majors and programs. Some sites are very basic with good information, but doesn’t have the WOW factor. The best college is not always the one with the best website.

Go undercover…Don’t just look at the home page. Undercover information can you give you more of an in-depth view of the school. Look for: Student pages Faculty home pages Department home pages Student organizations Alumni Association pages

Everything You Need to Know

Usually $30-$60 Many schools offer fee waivers for applying online, by a certain date, or a student’s circumstances.

Be prepared to provide basic info. about… Social Security # Your school Counselor name and address Your family (parents’ names, parents DOB, parents’ level of education) GPA Standardized test scores Extracurricular activities Honors and awards

Most likely completed online. Common Application or on a school’s website Historically Black Colleges have a separate application. Ex. Alabama A&M, Clark Atlanta, Fisk, Hampton

You will need to request official transcripts from your high school.

You can request that a score be sent directly to your prospective colleges. Scores will be sent to 4 schools for FREE. Schedule your test with enough time to receive your scores. Check with your college about their testing policy. Some schools may require certain test. Some schools may not require a test score.

Most colleges require 2 or 3. Request your recommendations about two months prior to the application deadline. Give your recommenders all the information they need (i.e. resume, list of activities, awards, highlights, goals) DON’T FORGET TO SAY “THANK YOU”

Who would be a good choice to write a letter? Someone who knows you well Someone who can speak on your strengths. Pick someone who is not overwhelmed by writing lots of letters already. Choose someone who can give a different perspective on you. DON’T FORGET TO SAY “THANK YOU”

Start early! An opportunity for you to state your uniqueness and what you offer to a campus community. Ask a teacher or guidance counselor for feedback on your drafts. Revise, proofread, and repeat!

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