Selecting a College or University

1
Selecting a College or University Getting
Accepted

• There are many fine colleges, junior colleges,
  and universities that can provide you with an
  excellent education and prepare you for your
  career. It will be up to you to look for the
  best fit for you. You must decide how
  important location, cost, prestige, and size are
  to you. Attention to these factors will help you
  form a realistic pool of resources from which you
  can begin a scholarship search however, your
  final selection should not be based solely on
  receiving a scholarship.
• You should be familiar with general admission
  requirements as well as specific requirements for
  qualifying for scholarships at each school you
  are considering. It is your responsibility to
  make sure you are taking the courses needed for
  your selected major and/or college.
• Talk to people who are attending or who have
  attended the schools that you might be interested
  in attending. Be sure to ask pertinent questions
• Most colleges allow you to apply for admission
  and institutional scholarships on line. SEARCH
  THE WEB!
• Visits to college campuses are crucial to your
  decision-making process. You may want to visit
  several campuses. An on-campus visit will
  provide invaluable information to you. Many
  colleges have Open House during the year, and
  most will have tours that can be arranged through
  their admissions office.

2
Selecting a College or University Getting
Accepted

• Application Tips
• Prepare the application for admission as early as
  possible in your senior year.
• Register well in advance of the dates you plan to
  take the college admissions tests (ACT or SAT).
  Friday, September 22, 2006 is the registration
  deadline for the ACT given on Saturday, October
  28, 2006
• Have ACT or SAT scores sent directly to the
  institution you plan to attend by completing the
  proper code on the test applications.
• If financial aid is needed, some institutions
  require a separate application in addition to the
  FAFSA.
• Be courteous. Answer all correspondence. If
  accepted, acknowledge the letter of acceptance.
  If accepted by several institutions, inform those
  that you will not attend.
• All colleges require a final transcript. File
  requests for transcripts with Mrs. Harper before
  you graduate.
• Please make requests for transcripts and other
  reference information about yourself prior to the
  deadline dates.
• When you receive the application materials from
  the institution, read the directions carefully
  before completing the forms. It is to your
  advantage to return neat and accurate application
  papers. Before mailing the application or
  submitting it on line, check for the following
• Have you completed all information requested?
• Have you signed the application using your legal
  name? If you submitted the application on line,
  did you print and mail the signature page if one
  is required?
• Is your check, money order, or credit card
  information enclosed?
• Have you completed your medical form (if
  required)?
• Have you obtained all required signatures?
• Make sure your application is complete.
• Your application should be neat. It is the first
  impression that the institution will receive of
  you.

3
Sources for Financing a College Education

• Types of Financial Aid
• Grants
• Scholarships
• Work-Study
• Student Loans
• Conversion Scholarships
• Waivers
• Military Benefits
• Prepaid Tuition
• National Service Award

4
Sources for Financing a College Education - FAFSA

• To apply for financial aid
• Go online or write each college you are
  interested in attending and ask for an
  application form and financial aid form.
• Two steps to online financial aid
• Register for your PIN at www.pin.ed.gov
• Apply for aid at www.fafsa.ed.gov This is the
  web address for a free federal financial aid
  application form (FAFSA)
• Additional information log on to
  www.studentaid.ed.gov or call 1-800-4-FED-AID
  (1-800-433-3243)
• You should receive one financial aid form that
  will determine your eligibility for all types of
  financial aid, including
• Pell Grant (federal) Awards based on need that
  dont have to be repaid
• Student Loans Money borrowed, either from a
  bank, the government or a school. A student loan
  must be repaid. However, low interest rates are
  available, and repayment doesnt start until
  youve either left school or graduated.
• Institution-based Aid
• State Grants
• Work-Study Part-time employment (either on or
  off campus) that lets a student earn money toward
  a college education

5
Sources for Financing a College Education-FAFSA

• FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
  forms cannot be completed until after December 31
  because the information pertains to income from
  the previous year.
• Applying online is easy once you have family
  income information available.
• It is strongly recommended to complete your
  federal tax returns early so that you can meet
  financial aid deadlines
• Completing the return early does not mean that
  you must file your taxes early.
• You will be notified of your eligibility by means
  of a Student Eligibility Report (SER) sent to you
  by the U.S. Office of Education. The institution
  you coded on the financial aid form will also
  receive your eligibility status.
• You should receive a letter from the institution
  listing the types and amounts of aid that will be
  available to you.
• If you qualify for a loan, the institution will
  certify it and return it to you in turn, you
  must find a lending institution (bank, credit
  union, savings and loan association, etc.)
  willing to make the loan submit your certified
  application and negotiate the loan.

6
Sources for Financing a College Education-FAFSA

• If you do not qualify for financial aid for the
  first year in college, reapply each year. Things
  can change programs, your familys financial
  conditions lots of things.
• Financial aid must be used to pay the costs of
  education, which may include
• Tuition/fees
• Books/Supplies
• Transportation/Housing/Food
• Personal
• Log on to www.alstudentaid.com and use the
  interactive College Aid Calculator, developed by
  Think Ahead, Inc., to get an estimate of how much
  financial aid you can receive. You dont need to
  use your Social Security number, and the
  information is deleted as soon as the estimated
  family contribution (EFC) is calculated.
  Remember, this is only an estimate. Your actual
  EFC will be determined from the information on
  your FAFSA.
• You will probably need financial aid to help pay
  for college. The money is out there, but make
  sure your sources are reliable or you could find
  out the hard way that not everyone is honest!
• Be wary of any company that offers to do the work
  for you at a price, of course. Again, you may
  not get what you think you will! To learn about
  scholarship scams, visit the Federal Trade
  Commission for the Consumer website
  www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/scholarship

7
Sources for Financing a College
Education-Scholarships

• You may qualify for a scholarship if you have
  talent in
• Academics
• Leadership
• Athletics
• Arts
• There are many free websites you may visit to
  seek information concerning scholarships. Some
  of the sites allow you to access the actual
  scholarship applications. Check these out
• www.fastweb.com
• www.WiredScholar.com
• www.collegeboard.org
• www.college-scholarships.com
• www.scholaraid.com
• www.pellgrantsonline.ed.gov
• www.ed.gov/Programs/easistate.html
• www.scholarships.com
• www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/Students
• www.freschinfo.com
• www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/Students
• www.jobcorps.org

8
Sources for Financing a College
Education-Scholarships

• Most scholarships are institution-based. This
  means that the college decides who will be
  selected to receive the scholarship, and the
  scholarship must be used at that institution.
• Scholarship guides published by individual
  institutions list the various scholarship titles,
  requirements, deadlines for application, and
  contact persons. These guides are usually
  available online and in the guidance office.
• Keep in mind that many institutions require a
  separate application for each scholarship. (The
  financial aid office at the institution can be
  contacted for information on need-based
  scholarships.)
• You must apply in a timely fashion. Deadlines
  for scholarships may be as early as late October
  or mid-November.
• Special scholarships distributed by college
  departments may be available in your area of
  interest. Check with the department of your
  proposed major to see if such scholarships exist.
• Sometimes alumni groups award scholarships that
  are not disseminated by the university. Check
  with the local alumni chapter office.
• Many companies have scholarship programs for
  children and/or grandchildren. The employees
  should check on this with the personnel director.

9
Sources for Financing a College
Education-Scholarships

• Community scholarships
• Andrew Buck Bowman Scholarship
• Bill Sudduth Memorial Scholarship
• Rotary Club Scholarship
• Joshua Bucky Skelton Memorial Scholarship
• FCCLA Scholarship
• Ken Jones Memorial Scholarship
• Northside High School Commitment to Character
  Alumni Scholarship
• Pittsburg and Midway Coal Mine Scholarship
• Sometimes jobs or volunteer activities you have
  been involved with may be keys to a scholarship.
• Jobs fast food worker, golf course caddie, etc.
• Clubs Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H Club, etc.
• Ancestry American Indian, Italian, DAR, etc.
• Religion Catholic, Baptists, Lutheran, etc.
• Community Activities volunteer programs at DCH,
  etc.
• Scholarships are offered in many career areas,
  especially those in health-related occupations.
  Some are available through the institution, while
  others are available from organizations and can
  be used at any institution.

10
Sources for Financing a College
Education-Scholarships

• ROTC (Reserved Officer Training Corps) Programs
  at colleges and universities offer scholarships.
  If you plan to apply for an ROTC scholarship, you
  must have your ACT scores sent to the program.
  College/Agency codes are
• 0548 Air Force ROTC Scholarships
• 1676 Army ROTC Scholarships
• 0656 NROTC Navy-Marine Scholarship Programs
• Look around you. You may have resources you have
  not thought about. Seniors - Remember it is your
  future. Therefore, it is YOUR responsibility to
  identify scholarships for which you qualify and
  request applications for scholarships for which
  you are eligible.
• Other forms of aid referenced earlier
• Conversion scholarships Scholarships that
  require you to provide certain services for a
  period of time. If you dont, you have to pay
  back the money with interest.
• Waivers An arrangement offered by some schools
  to eliminate certain costs for students who meet
  certain qualifications.
• Military benefits Financial aid offered to
  individuals (or their dependents) who were, are
  or will be in the U.S. armed forces.
• Prepaid tuition A contract guaranteeing
  fully-paid tuition for a fixed number of credit
  hours at a participating school. You have to pay
  a certain amount up front.
• National service award An award received for
  education expenses in return for national or
  community service.

11
Sources for Financing a College
Education-Scholarships

• Most scholarship applications will include at
  least the following four items
• Completed application form
• Letters of recommendation
• Your resume
• An official transcript
• Colleges are looking for the best candidates to
  receive scholarships. To be competitive for a
  scholarship, you may have to excel in many areas.
  The following are important to scholarship
  selection committees
• Scholastic Record
• High Grade Point Average (the higher, the better)
• Strong Academic Curriculum (AP courses and
  advanced academic courses are helpful)
• Test Scores
• Your college entrance exam (ACT or SAT) will
  probably need to be above the 95th percentile for
  the more prestigious scholarships.
• Class Rank
• At or near the top of your class (graduating
  class size is considered.)
• Special Talents, Interests, Skills, Honors, and
  Experiences
• Participation in school clubs and organizations,
  particularly those of an academic nature
• Participation in community activities such as
  volunteer and other public service work
• Special talent in art, music, athletics,
  cheerleading, dance, etc.
• Leadership in organizations

12
Sources for Financing a College
Education-Scholarships

• Frequently there are many good candidates
  applying for the same scholarship. Scholarship
  committees judge you by what you submit in an
  application and how good it looks.
• The Essay
• Many organizations awarding scholarships require
  an essay as part of the application process.
• Make sure your essay is neatly typed, well
  written, and does not contain grammatical errors
  or misspelled words.
• Ask a friend or teacher to help you proof your
  essay. Sometimes it is easier to spot
  grammatical errors made by someone else.
• Common Application Mistakes
• If an essay question has more than one section,
  provide an answer for every part.
• Compute the grade point average according to
  instructions. Different schools use different
  methods for computing grade point averages.
• Before you seal the envelope or click Send on
  your computer, double and triple check that you
  have included all required parts essays,
  application signatures, recommendation letter(s),
  and any other necessary materials.
• Print any online forms and keep copies of all
  paperwork.
• Dont count on your computers spell-check tool.
• If you are confused by a question or any part of
  the application, ask someone. A quick call to
  the admissions office can save you from making an
  embarrassing error.

13
More Resources Available

• Northside High Schools Website
  http//northside.tcs.schoolinsites.com
• Calendar
• Forms
• News
• Links
• Quest for Excellence Striving for Academic
  Success one copy provided to each senior by the
  Tuscaloosa County School System
• Getting In Answers to Questions Alabama High
  School Seniors Ask About College one copy
  provided to each senior by the Alabama Student
  Loan Program KHEAA and The Student Loan People
• Affording Higher Education Financial Aid
  Programs for Alabama Students one copy in
  guidance office provided by the Alabama Student
  Loan Program KHEAA and The Student Loan People