1. Post Secondary and Gap Year Planning
Maximize Experience - Minimize Debt
Chris Brown
Post Secondary Planning Specialist

3. Beyond the Walls Education
Chris Brown
Long time resident of Minneapolis
32 Years in Education including administration, teaching
middle school, high school, and college
M. Ed. From Sydney University, Sydney Australia
12 years at Augsburg College
Peace Corps (1990 – 1992) – Pacific Island country of
Kiribati
Taught over 4000 students in 4 different countries
Advised over 400 undergraduate and graduate students
Extensive travel throughout the US and internationally
Crammed 4 years of college into 7 including the debt
that went with it.
Beyond the Walls Education

4. Presentation Objective: To understand the importance of Post Secondary Planning and how a Gap Year might fit into that plan.
Think about the following:
Parents – What do you want most for your child when they complete their college education?
Students – What do you want from your college education? Would you answer that question differently if your parents were not here?
Beyond the Walls Education

5. Beyond the Walls Education
Post Secondary Planning: Putting together a comprehensive education plan that addresses career ambitions, financial costs and needs, as well as a timeline for completion.
Gap Year: Taking time off from formal post secondary education to travel, volunteer, explore a particular vocation or a combination of all of these.
Beyond the Walls Education

6. Beyond the Walls Education
Gap Year is It is not - Going Away to Party!
It is - Gaining Advantage and Purpose.
Beyond the Walls Education

7. Beyond the Walls Education
Parents – Show of hands - Did you ever change majors (if yes how many times) or your career path?
Students – Show of hands - How many know exactly what you want to do as a career and how long have you known this?
Beyond the Walls Education

8. Beyond the Walls Education
Three Stories
Emma
Beyond the Walls Education

9. Beyond the Walls Education
Sam
Beyond the Walls Education

10. Beyond the Walls Education
Kia
Beyond the Walls Education

11. Why should you plan for Post Secondary like you plan for retirement?
College is the second biggest item you will spend money on.
Poor planning can waste thousands of dollars.
Proper planning may reduce student loan debt.
Proper planning can reduce family stress.
A well developed Post Secondary plan will enhance your resume and your future employment opportunities.
Beyond the Walls Education

12. Beyond the Walls Education
Did You Know?
The average cost of tuition & fees for the 2016–2017 school year was:
$33,480 at private colleges (In Minnesota that cost is about $50,000)
$9,650 for state residents at public colleges
$24,930 for out-of-state residents attending public universities.*
The average college graduate had $37,000 in debt.*
Average monthly student loan payment is $351.*
Only 19 percent of full-time students earn a bachelor’s degree in four years.**
On average, college students change their major three times during their college career. (About 80 percent of US students change their major at least once.)**
One-third of college freshmen don't return to the same institution for a second year.***
* College Board , ** National Center for Education Statistics-NCES, *** American College Testing - ACT
Beyond the Walls Education

13. Beyond the Walls Education
Students
What do you want to be when you “grow up”?
How far do you want to live from home?
What can your family afford for tuition?
What do you expect to get out of college?
Do you plan or would you like to take a Gap Year?
How soon after you graduate do you plan on getting a career job?
What do you want your college to offer? (i.e. sports, Greek organizations, urban or rural)
Beyond the Walls Education

14. Beyond the Walls Education
Parents
What do you want for your child when they complete their formal education?
Are you OK with your child living far away from home for college? How far?
What can you afford as a family? (tuition and housing per year)
What do you want your child to get out of college?
How do you or would you feel about your child taking a gap year?
Do you expect them to graduate in 4 years?
College preferences (i.e. sports, alumni institution, Urban or Rural)
Beyond the Walls Education

15. Considered/discussed a Gap Year?
Taking a Gap Year can have great advantages:
help affirm or re-direct your career ambitions
fulfill altruistic ambitions
learn another language and culture
learn to better manage finances and time – self sufficiency
enhance a resume (if well planned)
Increasing number of colleges are recognizing the positive impact of gap years
it may give you college credits
better academic performance
give well needed break from formal education
Beyond the Walls Education

16. Significant Gap Year Influences
2015 National Alumni Survey by Nina Hoe, PhD, along with the Institute for Survey Research, Temple University
Beyond the Walls Education

17. Self Reported Gap Year Impacts
Beyond the Walls Education

18. Beyond the Walls Education
How to Plan a Gap Year?
Think and talk ahead
Discuss together if a Gap Year works with your future ambitions.
What do you want to do? (volunteer, internship, travel, or combination)
Which colleges recognize and/or encourage Gap Years
When to do it? (Prior or during college years?)
Costs?
Where are best opportunities?
What will it require to plan and implement?
Who or what organizations can help plan?
Beyond the Walls Education

19. Beyond the Walls Education - Planning Process
Step 1 - Students and parent(s) fill out a 35 question survey.  They are separate for each but ask similar questions. Parents Students
Step 2 - After the survey is completed a two hour meeting is scheduled between the student, parents(s)/guardian and Chris Brown from BWE. The purpose of this meeting is to gather more detailed information from both the student and the parents.
Step 3. – Meet again and return with a plan that includes the following: 
Information and contact for five or six Post Secondary Institutions/ Colleges that fit the criteria of both student and parents. The pros and cons of each institution will be discussed between the family and the BWE consultant. 
potential organizations to volunteer, intern, or travel with. The Pros and cons of each will be discussed.
a  detailed plan that includes goals, objectives, resources, completion timeline checklist, resource directory and other important information.
Step 4 – four check in points during the first year. Two of these will be by internet and two will be face to face if possible.
Beyond the Walls Education

20. Maximize Experience - Minimize Debt
Plan ahead
Communicate
Know what you want
Know what you can afford
Plan with an expert
Beyond the Walls Education

21. Beyond the Walls Education

22. Beyond the Walls Education
Chris Brown
Beyond the Walls Education
beyondthewallseducation.com
(612)
Beyond the Walls Education

23. Beyond the Walls Education

24. Beyond the Walls Education
Step 1. - Students and parent(s) fill out a 35 question survey.  They are separate for each but ask similar questions. Parents Students
Step 2. - After the survey is completed a two hour meeting is scheduled between the student, parents(s)/guardian and Chris Brown from BWE. The meeting is broken down as follows:
Meet together with family to go over process and expectations. (15 minutes)
Meet with parent(s) alone and go over survey results for clarification and deeper input. (30 Minutes) 
Meet with student and go over survey results for clarification and deeper input (30 Minutes)
Meet with parents and student to discuss results and next steps.
Step 3. – Meet again and return with a packet that includes the following: 
Information and contact for five or six Post Secondary Institutions/ Colleges that fit the criteria of both student and parents. The pros and cons of each institution will be discussed between the family and the BWE consultant. 
potential organizations to volunteer, intern, or travel with. The Pros and cons of each will be discussed.
a  detailed plan that includes goals, objectives, resources, completion timeline checklist, resource directory and other important information.
Beyond the Walls Education