The Cost of College and How to Pay For It

The “cost of college” is the total cost of attending a particular college each semester. So how much money are we talking about? This figure includes: tuition books fees on-campus housing meal plans

Let’s Start With NWCC: General Tuition 2, Base Room Rent* 1, Board 2, Books Total $6, Total allowable cost of education for a standard two semester school year.

Let’s take a look at Ole Miss: Tuition & Fees $6, Books $1, Housing/Food $9, Personal/Misc./Travel $4, Total for Mississippi Residents $22, Additional Fee for Nonresidents $12, Total for Nonresidents $34, Per 9 month school year. Thinking about 4 or 5 years? That adds up to $91,000 to $115,000 for a Bachelor’s degree School Year

What about MSU? Tuition & Fees $7, Books $1, Housing/Food $8, Personal/Misc./Travel $5, Total for Mississippi Residents $22, Additional Fee for Nonresidents $11, Total for Nonresidents $33, Per 9 month school year. This still adds up to $90,000 to $112,000 for a Bachelor’s degree School Year

Money? Huh? What? Grants and scholarships do NOT have to be paid back… Grants – the most important grant you will hear about is the PELL Grant. This is funded by the U.S. government and is need based. Pell Grant awards range from $500 to $5,730 per year. DATE: You need to fill the fafsa out as soon as possible after January 1, Of extreme importance is the fafsa. This stands for the free application for federal student aid. ***You MUST fill out a fafsa to be considered for any financial assistance, including scholarships.***

There are more grants than just PELL grants! Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) award will usually range from $100 to $4,000 per year. Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Grant (LEAP) award can range from $400 to $1,200 per year Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) awards provide up to a maximum of $750 per year And that’s just the beginning!

State Student Financial Aid (Mississippi Residents Only) Higher Education Legislative Plan (HELP) Award Amount - Tuition and required fees at a public institution Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG) Awards may be up to $2, per academic year Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG) MTAG awards may be up to $ per academic year

Academic Excellence Awards for Mississippi Residents (Univ. of MS) ACT SAT GPA Academic Excellence Award $1, $1, $1, $2, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $6,996

STUDENT LOANS: Usually must be paid back, but not always. Get all the information and be careful about getting into debt.

Did we mention institutional grants and scholarships? University Of Mississippi Foundation Scholarships: W. R. Newman Scholarship Award Amount: $24,000-$40,000 ($6,000-$10,000 per year) Robert M. Carrier Scholarship Award Amount: $24,000-$40,000 ($6,000-$10,000 per year) Luckyday Scholarship Award Amount: $8,000-$20,000 ($2,000-$5,000 per year) Lott Leadership Scholarship Award Amount: $40,000 ($10,000 per year) Christine and Clarence Day Business Scholarship Award Amount: $40,000 ($10,000 per year) Roger and Susie Friou and McCarthy Accountancy Scholarship Award Amount: $12,000 ($3,000 per year) SMBHC Honors Scholarship Award Amount: $32,000 ($8,000 per year) McDonnell Barksdale Scholarship Award Amount: $32,000 ($8,000 per year) priority deadline of December 1 And yet there’s more! Each institution has its own scholarships and deadlines!

Scholarships - are competitive but do NOT have to be paid back. The criteria for winning a scholarship is as varied as you can imagine. They can be for athletics, band, music, academic achievement, or winning may be just a matter of writing a winning essay! Essay Theme, “Why I'm Optimistic About our Nation’s Future” Entry deadline November 1, 2013 Awards up to $30,000 1st place VFW (1).pdf Voice of Democracy Profile in Courage Essay Read last year’s winning essay

START NOW! Get organized Watch dates and deadlines Get help from school counselors, teachers, and the financial aid office at the institution you wish to attend. double check everything you do keep copies of everything you send or complete A four year college degree is worth more than $1,000, in earnings over your lifetime. Is it worth your time?

DO THIS: Apply with Mississippi at Apply to your college and apply for THEIR financial awards and Foundation Grants Apply with and Watch/listen at school. Counselors will announce new scholarship opportunities. Local businesses will offer scholarships as well As soon as possible after January 1, fill out your fafsa!