Money for College

Money often plays a big factor in the pursuit of a college degree. Yes, college is expensive, but there is aid available to help you and your family pay for college.  Major sources of financial aid for college include:

Grants – Grants are “gifts” from the government and individual colleges that reduce the cost of college. Grants are awarded based on your family’s financial situation. Colleges are the largest source of grants for higher education. The Federal Government and some state governments also offer grants to help students from lower income families pay for college costs. Grants do not have to be paid back or earned. Grants may be renewed every year you attend college, although if your family’s financial situation changes, the amount you receive may also change.

Merit scholarships – Merit scholarships are offered by many colleges and private organizations. Scholarships are similar to grants in that they are a gift; you don’t have to repay them. Merit scholarships can be awarded for many reasons, including your grades, test scores, extracurricular activities, intended career or college major, and in some cases, your family’s financial situation. Some merit scholarships are only good for your first year of college; others may be renewed every year you attend college.

Federal work study – Work study is a program that allows students to earn money for college expenses by working in an on-campus job while they attend school. Usually, a work study job will help you pay for books and other personal expenses, but not tuition or living expenses. Work study jobs often have flexible hours and can be a great way to start building a resume. Work study does not have to be paid back, and is earned over time as you perform your work-study job.

Federal student loans – The Federal government offers low-cost student loans to help students and parents pay for college. When used wisely, Federal student loans can be a good way to finance some college costs.  They have low interest rates and in most cases you won’t have to start paying them back until after you graduate. If you leave college without graduating, you will still be required to pay the loans back.

Important tip: Every college is required to provide families with an estimate of the amount of financial aid they may be eligible to receive. This estimate is not a guarantee but can help you compare the cost of colleges you are considering. To get the estimate, go to each college’s website and look for the Net Price Calculator, usually located in the financial aid section of college websites. To use the Net Price Calculator, you’ll need a copy of your family’s last tax return. Note that families earning income from self employment will have a harder time determining their eligibility for aid using this tool.

Diving Deep into a College Website

Pandemic or no pandemic, researching colleges is an imperative for high school students. Typically, it involves many modes of research, including in-person campus visits and tours by students and families, and attending college representatives’ public information sessions and their visits to high schools. Gathering up all this information guides a student towards their short list of colleges, ranked in order of preference. Now, in the age of COVID, everything about college research has changed and teens must focus their efforts on online resources, the college website being the primary focus of that research. Fortunately, colleges have been enriching their websites and can provide students with a vast amount of information. Now, let’s dive!

Home Page Always start with the college’s home page. Make sure you are not falling down a rabbit hole by entering sites without the .edu domain name. Typically, the header bar’s navigation menu will quickly link you to About Us, Academics/Undergraduate/Graduate, Admission/Visit & Financial Aid, Research, Student Life and maybe Careers and/or Alumni, but let’s be methodical. 

Mission Statement Read the mission statement. It can tell you a lot about the history and ethos of each college. You can often jump from this page to Fast Facts – read about class sizes, student/faculty ratios, graduation and retention rates. Explore the total number of undergraduate versus graduate students on campus and within your major, as this can impact your ease of access to faculty-led research.

Academics Are you passionate about a particular major? Click on the Academics link and learn about undergraduate schools and colleges and whether your chosen major is available. Dive deeper into your major’s department - check out research options for first-year students; look at laboratory/computer/studio space; check in on what is the research focus within that department, and what minors are available? And if we assume that you may need extra academic support sometime, check out subject tutoring, writing support, and if you need it, LD support.

Admission The Admission pages will probably become the link you frequent more than any other. It is from here that you’ll be able to start putting yourself into the culture of each institution. Look for admissions requirements such as testing, average GPA (if provided), minimum entry requirements (foreign language required?), and the admit rate. How do you fit? You will find a link to the application whether Common Application, Coalition Application or the college’s own application. Read the application checklist so you are aware of dates and deadlines, required supplements, auditions, essays, recommendations, interviews and maybe a resume. It is important to know all this well in advance, so you have time to prepare yourself properly, and avoid last minute surprises. Before you leave, join the mailing list. You’ll start to receive targeted communications to which you should respond. Sign up for a virtual visit and tour and register for any online information sessions or open houses. ‘Like’ their social media pages and connect there with current students. 

Connections While you are on the Admission pages, seek out the counselor responsible for your high school. If this college is a top choice for you, send that representative an introductory email. Comment on something you have learned, ask a question that isn’t easily answered by spending a minute or two on the website and ask to speak with a student in your preferred major. Build on this connection. As you deepen your interests, ask that counselor for a video chat, or the email address of a professor who may be able to respond to some specific academic questions. 

Student Life Remember that you are exploring your new ‘home’ away from home, so dive into student life. Look for links to Study Abroad options, Student Clubs and Organizations, your personal faith community, Greek Life options, on-campus work and volunteer opportunities. Whatever matters to you now needs to be found on your new college campus; the college must fit you and not the other way around.

Housing and Dining If you will be living on campus, check out all available options. Would you be able to have a single room (doubt it)?, how many typically share a first-year dorm room (2-4)?, do they offer the special needs housing you require?, are there suites with shared facilities? Can you live with people who share your academic or personal interests in a living/learning type of environment? And where are the dining halls? Are there meal plans to suit your dietary requirements? Are vegan, kosher and halal dining options available? What about grabbing a quick sandwich and coffee in the morning? Can you get a pizza at midnight?

Health and Safety Take a look at the location and ease of access to the Student Health Center. Can they support your special health needs? What about a counseling center, addiction support groups, and is there a hospital close by, just in case? Is there a campus police force and how do they protect students on campus? Look for locked dorms and a blue light system or something similar. Ask about escorts for single students walking back to their dorms very late at night. 

Transportation If a vehicle is an imperative for you, make sure you look into whether first-year students are even allowed to bring a car to campus and if so, where it can be parked. If you can’t or don’t want the liability of a car on campus, look into campus transport. Are there buses that circle campus day and night? Do they offer ease of movement between the dorms and the bulk of the classrooms? How early/late do they run? And can you use that campus bus to get off campus? Can it take you to the airport, the local mall or a dentist appointment downtown? Know before you go.

Money Spend time researching the Financial Aid pages and use the online calculator to be sure that this college is a viable option for you and your family. Connect with a financial aid officer to ask your specific questions and keep your eyes open to scholarships and total costs.

Career Finally, explore the Career Center and look for both internship and employment opportunities. It is always exciting to connect with alumni in the field of your interest. Does this college support students before graduation with job fairs, resume building workshops, and meetings with alumni?

Making the Most of Virtual College Tours

A recent survey shows that only 40% of California students have started applying to college for Fall 2021 admission, as of today. If you are one of the students that is still looking at colleges, check out this advice on how to get to know colleges that interest you.

One of the many rites of passage for college-bound high school students is the college tour. Although the COVID pandemic has brought most options for on-campus tours to a grinding halt, this should not prevent high school students from continuing to ‘visit’ their many colleges of interest in ways that have been second-nature to them for most of their lives – by doing research online. Students can examine far more colleges online than they ever could in person and should take advantage of this time to examine colleges that were not even on their radar. Here are some ways to maximize your online college tour experience.

Take some time for self-reflection Just as with any other application season, the first step on your college tour is to look inside and consider who you are and what you want from your college experience. This important self-reflection will also help you in completing your applications, making your essays resonate with authenticity and your personal truth.

Go wide and deep Tour a wide variety of colleges but stay focused on what you want from your campus. Look at a range of private, public, large, small, urban and rural campuses that seem attractive but then, dive deeply into what they offer and how you might see yourself fitting into their ethos and character. Don’t allow yourself to become overwhelmed, be thoughtful as you wander.

Start with the college website Go to the Admission Office first. Learn more about admission requirements, major offerings, testing updates, and statistics – admit rate, class sizes, and student/faculty ratio as examples. Always sign up for their mailing list. You’ll start to receive specific communications that are timely and relevant to you.

Embark on a virtual campus tour As you watch, have a notebook handy, a blank Google doc open or a form to complete as you ‘wander’ around the campus.  

Sign up for virtual information sessions and open houses You’ll receive invitations to attend online sessions during which you will learn a lot more about what each individual college has to offer. These may include even more specific virtual tour options. As you make notes during your tours, list questions you can send to the admission office afterwards.

Use other online campus tour programs There are hundreds of campus tours available on YouVisit, Campus Reel and YouTube. Many of these are student generated and present a different outlook. Compare and contrast. Use these as a stepping-stone to narrowing down your college list, but always go back to Admission for up-to-date facts.

Target specific areas of interest to you If you are going to be living on campus, check out housing and dining options, on-campus transportation and student security. If you have an idea of your major, examine classrooms, laboratories, research facilities, libraries, and computer access. If you know you’ll need some support — and almost every student does at some point during their college career — check out the Writing Center, learning disability support services, counseling and health centers, tutoring and preprofessional advising. And, of course, check out the gym, sports facilities, theaters, and Greek Life options.

Go macro  After you’ve done a thorough tour around the campus and checked out all the aspects of interest to you, spread out. Use Google Maps to examine both distances around the campus and outside the campus. How far is it to an off-campus bus stop, shopping area, clubs and restaurants, airport, hospital, parks, hiking trails and other outdoor recreation areas? Is the area safe?

Now start talking When you have a clear idea of both what you want from a college and find colleges with majors of interest, reach out directly to Admission Officers, faculty and students. Identify your high school/regional representative and connect with that person. Email interesting questions based upon your interests and research. Ask about speaking with an alum in your area, and request an introduction to students in your major and faculty in that department. Read about and then speak to a financial aid representative so you have a clear idea of the cost of attendance and possible scholarship options. Use the online calculator. 

Use social media: The use of social media as part of your virtual tour is essential. Check out Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and even Twitter to see what’s available to support your visits, your research and your connection with students. Social media is also a great place to explore students’ clubs and organizations.

The CSS Profile

The bulk of college financial aid money comes from the federal government. This aid is distributed by colleges using information supplied by families when they complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), available on October 1 each year. 

About 400 colleges, universities and scholarship programs, however, use an additional form, the CSS Profile, to gather more information in order to award their own institutional funds to deserving students.  Students applying to college should check to see if this form is required by schools on their list. Some scholarship programs also utilize the CSS Profile.  It also becomes available on October 1 each year. 

The Profile provides a more complete picture of your family’s finances; it also provides a way for you to describe special circumstances right on your application. Begin by logging on to the College Board website.

Use your College Board student account and password to begin the Profile process. Alternatively, parents can create a separate account, since sensitive financial information will be collected. The first step after logging in to your account is to register for the correct year (2021-2022 for this year’s senior class). Now, complete the application. As you answer questions, the application will be tailored to your family’s financial situation.   

The application may be completed in one sitting or you can save information and come back to complete. You will need a number of financial documents, so get these ready before beginning the application. You will find a list of the needed documents once you sign in. Answer all questions carefully; answers are saved as you change screens. 

Unlike the FAFSA, there is a processing and reporting fee for this application. After an initial $25 registration fee (includes one school report), you will be charged $16 for each report required. After submitting, you will receive an acknowledgement and instructions for making any needed revisions or adding additional colleges.  Submit your Profile no later than two weeks before the earliest priority filing date for your college.

How Will Colleges Make Admissions Decisions this Year?

There have been so many challenges and disruptions to our everyday lives since the COVID pandemic started its deadly march across the world. This article addresses the special circumstances for students who are engaged in their high school academics and extracurricular activities, college-bound juniors and seniors in particular. For this group of young people, it’s important to remain optimistic that the crisis will, in fact, bring about a sea change in the world of college admissions, leading to changes for the better in a system that for many with limited resources, simply doesn’t work.

Admission officers review applicants’ academic records with a focused eye on both 11th grade results and coursework rigor. This is also the time for many students to start their standardized testing and build up a healthy resume of extracurricular activities. But in the spring of 2020, most schools closed, and students were suddenly required to complete their spring semester online, within a system that was unplanned and with teachers unprepared to switch over to an online format. Both parties struggled and for many students, this important academic year was suddenly thrown into chaos. Testing dates were cancelled, AP tests were abbreviated and went online, and many schools chose to switch from traditional grading to Pass/Fail results, thus creating havoc with a student’s transcript and grade point average. Sports were cancelled, jobs were lost, community service options fell apart, summer programs were cancelled, making many college-bound students deeply worried that their dreams of gaining entry to their top colleges/universities might become a distant memory. 

It is important to note that colleges were going through the same crises as everyone else. They lost all their in-person visitors as well as the students they met as admission officers traveled to visit schools, and confronted a potential drop in enrollment from both in- and out-of-state students, and international students.

This pandemic has demanded that colleges and universities take a completely different direction for the students applying for fall 2021 admission. To alleviate the anxiety of so many, a group of over 300 institutions issued a reassuring statement, letting students know that the negative impact of COVID would not, in any way, be held against them in the admission process. Colleges will now need to do things differently. For this year’s seniors, there will be a heavier focus on fall junior grades, rather than spring junior grades, and trends up to that time will get a second look. It is also possible that colleges are now investing in new ways of evaluating students – examples might include more informational video interviews, or questions to be answered online or in a short video.

It has long been known that grades and rigor of courses are the best predictor of a student’s college readiness and subsequent  success in college. This means that it is an imperative for fall 2021 applicants to work hard in the new world of high school and/or virtual learning. Many colleges are test-optional or test-blind for the Fall 2021 admissions season. Most students’ normal extracurricular activities have ground to a halt, but try your best to select some options you can explore at home – practice your singing, musical skills, art; create interesting videos; take new courses; interview experts in your fields of interest; explore nature in your backyard; build robots or computers; and create face masks and/or food parcels for donation to a local charity. Find ways of shining while maintaining good self-care Just do the best you can without putting undue expectations on yourself.

Colleges like to connect with prospective students and visits both on-campus and at your high school are off the table for now. But there are still so many ways to connect – attend virtual tours, virtual information sessions and open houses, connect with your admissions representative by email and ask your many questions.

The fall 2021 Common Application and Coalition app offer a new Covid-19 question to give applicants the chance to share their personal experiences with the pandemic; counselors also have a new form to share more about the impact on their school. So, don’t worry, work hard, make the best of the situation and connect, connect, connect – with your colleges, your counselors and your teachers. You will be at the forefront of change and that’s a pretty exciting place to be.

Majoring in Business/Entrepreneurial Studies

Business is the most popular major on American college campuses, with about a quarter of all bachelor’s degrees awarded in this area. Business studies can be divided into specific areas such as accounting, finance, marketing and management.Many business majors are interdisciplinary, drawing upon each of these areas. Entrepreneurial studies is one of the most practical of the business majors; it focuses on the skills needed to set up and run your own small business. 

Because most new businesses fail within their first five years of operation, budding entrepreneurs need to learn how to maximize their chances for success. Learning to write a business plan, discovering ways of funding a business, understanding sales and marketing, getting a handle on business accounting and developing strategies to provide leadership for a team are all much-needed skills. The entrepreneurial studies major must learn to do strategic planning, become grounded in business law and ethics, develop management skills, and understand business communications and networking. This is the major of choice for individuals who want to learn how to recognize and respond to new business opportunities.  It’s also an excellent choice if you wish to use your energy and creativity to enhance and grow a family-owned business.  Successful entrepreneurs need to communicate well and be both well-organized and persuasive. You’ll need to convince others that your ideas have merit and that you have a concrete plan to reach your goals. The entrepreneurial studies major is ideal for creative, energetic types who want to chart their own course, and who are comfortable taking risks.

Although courses required for this major vary from college to college, nearly all schools require students to first take a core of general business courses. Classes in accounting, finance, economics, management and marketing provide a financial and managerial knowledge base. Additional courses in the major generally focus on developing and writing business plans, financing a business, sales and marketing, taxation and new product development. Elective courses look to the individual interests of emerging entrepreneurs, with classes in family business, mergers and acquisitions, franchising, managerial law, organizational effectiveness, solving business problems, and launching a company.  

A major difference between entrepreneurial studies at different colleges is the variety of courses available. While the coursework can provide the theoretical and practical information needed to  start, operate and manage a small business, the best programs have a strong experiential component, providing students with opportunities to practice what they’ve learned. Some offer courses such as Student Venture Experience and New Venture Planning (Rider University) in which students choose a hypothetical business that they are interested in starting, complete a business plan involving market research and marketing strategy, and look at business locations and staffing issues. Rider even encourages students to apply for a $5,000 grant as seed money to help launch their new business after graduation.

When considering programs, look for faculty who have strong academic credentials coupled with real-world experience as entrepreneurs or as consultants to small businesses. Classes should be project-oriented and provide opportunities to interact with local companies. The availability of internships that allow students to work with real-world issues is invaluable. Look for other program enhancements such as incubator space to launch your own company, business plan competitions, access to experts in the industry, and access to venture capital and seed financing.

Career Paths for Business Majors

ï Accountant

ï Advertising Executive

ï Appraiser

ï Auditor

ï Banker

ï Bookkeeper

ï Claims Adjuster

ï Consultant

ï Credit Manager

ï Economist

ï Educator

ï Entrepreneur

ï Finance Writer

ï Financial Planner

ï Foreign Exchange Trader

ï Fundraiser

ï Government Official

ï Hedge Fund Investor

ï Insurance Agent/ Broker

ï Investment Broker

ï Loan Officer

ï Mutual Fund Manager

ï Non-Profit Administrator

ï Property Developer

ï Real Estate Developer

ï Small Business Owner

ï Stock Broker

ï Venture Capitalist

 An interesting website for prospective business majors is called Poets and Quants.

https://poetsandquantsforundergrads.com/ 

Demonstrating Interest - Covid Edition

Demonstrated interest is a term used by colleges as a way of measuring an individual student’s level of interest in their institution. Traditionally, students have been able to show their interest through personal contact as a way of telling a college – hey, I like you! That involved campus tours, classroom visits, and meetings with faculty and admission representatives.  Now, most of those options are off the table. If you are interested in a college that considers demonstrated interest as part of their application process, meaning that if you show your interest, it gives you an edge in your application, how do you maximize during Covid?

Mailing list:  Go to your college’s website and sign up on their mailing list. While there, go to the Admission page and research the name and contact information for the representative responsible for your geographic area and high school. Send an introductory email to that individual expressing your interest and ask a question. You will build upon this relationship over time, so make it count. When your application comes across their computer screen, make sure they remember you.

Communications:  Once you have signed up for the mailing list, you will start getting messages. Almost all colleges keep track of those ‘clicks’, so open the links and read the information they share. If you have thoughtful questions, send them to your admission contact. 

Social media:  All colleges and universities have increased their online presence. Seek out their Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube pages. Like! Follow! Respond to interesting posts with eloquence and interest.

Virtual visits and tours:  With in-person visits largely impossible, take advantage of virtual college tours that can be found on the college’s website, as well as on youniversitytv.com, campustours.com, and ecampustours.com. Most colleges have created a plethora of exciting virtual visit options that take on the content and flavor of a campus information session but are provided virtually – so you can ‘visit’ your colleges, ask questions, and connect with the admission office without changing out of your pajamas! One huge benefit of such a visit is the chance to connect with students in your particular area of academic interest. 

Campus tours: Some of you may be lucky enough to live near colleges of interest. You may even be able to wander around the campus, wearing your mask and keeping socially distant, to get a feel for the location, size and overall campus layout. If you do this, make sure you send a follow up email to admission sharing your thoughts and positive impressions.

Informational interviews:  It may be possible to speak with an alum from your colleges of interest, safely of course, to present a few more questions and hear about their experiences at that particular college or university. They’ll report the conversation back to the admission office which will again show your sustained interest. Contact the admission office to find out if this is an option for you.

In conclusion, a strong way to show interest in the era of Covid, is to consider applying early. During such uncertain times, it may be harder than ever to make that decision but talk with your parents, ask more questions about the timing of deadlines and decisions, be aware of new testing requirements, online coursework, and residential options. Above all, as you navigate these challenging times, be honest and authentic. Don’t try to second guess how a college will utilize your expressions of interest, ask.