Countdown to College

1
Countdown to College

• Doug Wiegand
• Rising Sun High School

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Why go to College?

• Better Paying Jobs
• Access to Wider Range of Career Choices
• Exposure to variety of people and cultures
• Supposed to make you worldly
• Avoid becoming an Adult

3
College Facts

• College Graduates earn more Money
• Most students switch majors
• 25 do not return for their Sophomore year
• 50 of those who start college will not graduate
• Involvement increases graduation chances

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College Drop-outs

• 50 are Drug and Alcohol Related
• Other Reasons
• Relationships
• Im taking a year off
• Financial Issues
• Depression
• Homesick

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College Graduates

• 23 of US Population has a Bachelors Degree
• 20 have an Associates Degree
• 6 have a Masters Degree
• 1 have a Doctorate
• 2 have a MBA, JD or MD
• Average starting salary Bachelors in 2012 will
  be 68,000

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Top Ten College Myths

• 10. Grades are more important than challenging
  classes
• 9. SAT tests are more important than grades
• 8. I need to decide on my career prior to college
• 7. A difficult 9th or 10th grade year will doom
  you.

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College Myths (continued)

• 6. I need to be in many activities to be
  considered
• 5. College is 4 years
• 4. My life is ruined if I dont get into _____
  college/university
• 3. Liberal Arts colleges lack Science and
  Engineering Programs
• The Federal Government gives the most Financial
  Aid

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College Myths

• 1. There is no way I can afford this

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Paying for College

• Cash
• Credit Cards
• Payment Plans
• Parents work at college that offers free tuition
  to dependents
• Utilize Financial Aid Options like 75 of College
  Students Nationwide

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Financial Aid

• Merit-Based
• Scholarships (Public and Private)
• Institutional Aid (from the college)
• Grants (State Residents)
• Awards (Local Groups, Civic organizations etc.)

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Financial Aid

• Need-Based Aid
• Cost of attendance EFC Financial Aid
• CA EFC FA
• Starts with The FAFSA

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Examples of Financial Aid

• 4-year State University
• 17,000 cost (Tuition, Room, Board, Fees, Books,
  Supplies, incidentals)
• FAFSA says you have an EFC of 10,000
• The remaining 7,000 is Financial Aid
• This is called a Financial Aid Package through
  the Institution

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Another Example

• Community College
• 5,000 cost (Tuition, Fees, Books, Supplies)
• EFC is 10,000
• You can still receive Merit-Based scholarships
  from the school or other sources

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Last Example

• Harvard University 50,000/year
• EFC is 30,000
• You qualify for 20,000 in Financial Aid
• Do the FAFSA no matter what you think your EFC
  might be

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Federal Loans

• Perkins Loan
• 4,000 maximum per year
• 5 fixed rate

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Federal Loans

• Stafford Loans (subsidized)
• Government pays the interest
• 3,500 Freshman Year
• 4,500 Sophomore Year
• 5,500 each for Junior/Senior Year
• 8,500 for Graduate School

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Federal Loans

• Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
• 6.8 Fixed
• 3,500 Freshman
• 4,500 Sophomore
• 5,500 Junior and Senior
• 8,500 Graduate School

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Key Points

• Most Federal Programs are need-based
• You EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) is the
  most important factor in receiving financial aid.
• Scholarships are mostly merit-based and
  competitive.
• Scholarship

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College Admission Process

• Important Factors
• Transcript
• GPA/Class Rank
• Strong Senior Year
• SAT/ACT Scores
• Recommendations
• Extracurriculars

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Whats a parent to do?

• Be Involved in the process
• Counselor/Student/Parent meetings
• Visit Colleges with your child
• Help organize the paperwork, but let your child
  do the majority
• peeking over their shoulder

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College Shopping

• Take your own tour after the admissions office
  tour
• Acknowledge your reactions to a campus visit
• Process these reactions with your child
• Think of this process as the same as buying a
  house
• In reality, your child is moving there

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Important Dates

• Early November- Early Decision/Action Deadlines
• November/December- Filling out Applications
  (mostly online)
• December- Last time to take the SATs for 4 year
  college purposes
• Financial Aid/FAFSA Workshop

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Important Dates

• February- Mid-Year Transcripts sent to College
  Admission offices
• March- Student Aid Report (SAR)
• March/April- Acceptance Letters
• April- Decisions and Deposits
• May- Avoid Senioritis
• Graduate

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Goodbye!