1. Financial Aid 101: Update from State Education Assistance Authority Davidson College - NCSEAA Counselor Workshops Fall 2014

2. Education Pays 2013For detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. Expected Full-Time Lifetime Earnings Relative to High School Graduates, by Education Level Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012, Table PINC-03; calculations by the authors.

3. Not only is income higher, job security is also enhanced by education.

4. Student aid is good public policy.

5. Education Pays 2013For detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. Median Earnings and Tax Payments of Full-Time Year-Round Workers Ages 25 and Older, by Education Level, 2011 SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012, Table PINC-03; Internal Revenue Service, 2010; Davis et al., 2013; calculations by the authors.

6. And college education brings much more than just jobs...

7. For each of the Five Ways ED Pays... College works.

8. Cfnc.org/collegeworks

9. 9 Not only is college worthwhile... College costs do not have to be paid all at once! There are four ways to pay for this investment Saving in advance Paying from current income Borrowing – pay with future income Scholarships and Grants

10. 10 Observation on the Four Ways to Pay It is less expensive to save than to borrow Those who do not save have to borrow more Current income can cut borrowing costs as well Some level of sacrifice – at some point – will have to be made (sooner, now, or later) Need-based grants and scholarships are designed to provide the amount that the family and student cannot reasonably afford over time Most families use a combination of all saving, borrowing and current income to pay their share of college expenses.

11. 11 Paying for College: Saving, Borrowing, or Current Income Borrowing instead of saving costs almost $30,000!

12. 12 Saving for College - 529 Plans Save and pay for qualified higher education expenses Your assets grow free of federal and state income taxes Qualified withdrawals also free of federal & state income taxes Give up to $14,000 annually without gift tax (hint to grandparents!) Still have control of your money, even after you give it away, by changing beneficiary and/or investment choices Evaluate plans on web site savingforcollege.comsavingforcollege.com Learn about North Carolina’s plan on CFNC.orgCFNC.org

13. $1.58 Billion Saved 128,236 Accounts Average account $12,148 $1.58 Billion Saved 128,236 Accounts Average account $12,148 Data as of 8/26/15

14. 14 Paying from Current Income Student work – 12 hours a week during school at $7.25 per hour = $2,610 – 40 hours a week in summer for 10 weeks = $2,900 – pay over $5,000 of college costsafter taxes Parental monthly allowance – for meals, personal expenses, and transportation – expenses already in the family budget and also in total college costs Monthly payment plans offered by the college – Divide total bill by 10 or 12 – Make installment payments with no interest – Usually offer term life insurance on parent – Consider using a 529 account as a personal monthly payment plan!

15. Borrowing Options – Federal Direct Student Loan Program Stafford Loans for undergraduate students – Current interest rate for 2014-15 is fixed at 4.66% – Each year’s rate will be fixed, based on 10-Year Treasury + 2.05% – Dependent student can borrow $5,500 freshman year; $6,500 sophomore year $7,500 each for junior and senior years – Nearly all students can borrow … Income-based repayment is available – 2 “flavors” – subsidized and unsubsidized – who pays in-school interest? PLUS Loans for parents – Current interest rate is fixed 7.21% – Each year’s rate will be fixed, based on 10-Year Treasury + 4.6% – Borrow full cost of attendance minus other financial aid 15

16. Other Borrowing Options You may want to explore alternatives to federal loans “Alternative” or “private” education loans Check interest rates Check origination fees Check terms and conditions and compare with federal ‒Deferments and Forbearances ‒Death and Disability ‒Repayment Options such as Income Based Repayment Home equity loans and other loans Be wary when looking at non-federal loans. 16

17. What we constantly hear about college... College costs too much, delivers too little [Orange County Register] College Costs Out Of Control [Forbes] America’s Trillion Dollar Student Loan Train Wreck [Sense on ¢ents] Student Loan Debt: $1 Trillion and Counting [Forbes] Student loan debt nearing $1 trillion threatens recovery [NY Daily News]

18. Real Questions: – Lots of students with debts of $75,000? Really? – Are students borrowing more or are more students borrowing? Or both? – What are average debt levels and how are they changing? – What is really happening regarding college costs and financial aid in North Carolina?

19. Education Pays 2013For detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. Average Total Debt Levels of Bachelor’s Degree Recipients, Public Four-Year Colleges and Universities in 2012 Dollars SOURCE: The College Board, Trends in Student Aid 2013, Figure 10A.

20. Education Pays 2013For detailed data, see: trends.collegeboard.org. Average Total Debt Levels of Bachelor’s Degree Recipients, Private Nonprofit Four-Year Colleges and Universities in 2012 Dollars SOURCE: The College Board, Trends in Student Aid 2013, Figure 10B.

21. Student Debt in North Carolina, 2010 Graduates Source: Project on Student Debt, Fall, 2011 Default rates for College Foundation loans are about 1/3 of the national average!

22. So, what should the headlines actually say? Student loans should be approached cautiously, but for the vast majority they provide access to higher education. College costs a lot, but it is worth it, and financial aid lowers the cost for those who need help. College Works! Issue of borrowing for graduate school may be much more serious!

23. 23 The fourth way to pay

24. Centralized State Grants Education Lottery Scholarship (UNC + Community Colleges) Community College Grant (Community Colleges) UNC Need Based Grant (UNC) NC Need Based Scholarship (Independent Colleges) To apply, file FAFSA and list a participating college. Consideration is automatic.

25. Numbers and Changes in NC FAFSA Filings Academic YearFAFSAs Filed% ChangeCumulative 2005-2006312,6324.33% 2007-2008338,9195.93% 2008-2009397,23117.21% 2009-2010499,80025.82% 2010-2011553,39010.72% 2011-2012581,3025.04% 2012-2013592,7891.97% 2013-2014580,932-2.00% +86% All NC resident undergraduate filers w/o prior degree

26. Who Applies for Financial Aid? Who applies for aid?

27. Distribution of Centralized State Grants by Income Dependent Students 2013-2014

28. 28 Advise your students: 1.Pay attention to deadlines 2.Consider the new IRS data match with FAFSA – May pay to wait a couple of weeks after filing taxes to file FAFSA – But do not miss college deadlines! 3.“Net Price Calculators” can be helpful tools – Only as good as the data put into them Access all North Carolina colleges via www. CFNC.org Access out of state colleges via www.collegeboard.orgwww.collegeboard.org How to learn more about financial aid in North Carolina

29. “What order should I do all of this?” 1.Complete PROFILE if required by earliest deadline 2.Apply for merit aid by appropriate deadlines 3.File federal taxes as early as feasible in 2015 so you can get accurate data and use IRS Data Retrieval Tool 4.File FAFSA by earliest deadline of your colleges 5.Notify colleges of any special conditions 6.Hear from colleges and evaluate offers of aid 7.Notify colleges of outside scholarships 8.Apply for federal loans per directions of your colleges 9.Apply for non-federal loans if preferred 10.Do not forget federal tax benefits the next year 29

30. 30 PLEASE BE ALERT TO SCHOLARSHIP SCAMS!

31. Contact information Questions and Comments? Steven E. Brooks Executive Director State Education Assistance Authority P.O. Box 14103 Research Triangle Park, NC 27109 919.248.4642 sbrooks@ncseaa.edu