1. Dream Schemes for Students
Getting Ready for College Early

2. Dream Scheme for students Presented by the
Getting Ready for College Early
Presented by the
Michigan Student Financial Aid Association
Revised 8/2003

3. What is “College”?
Public and private four-year colleges and universities
Two-year community or junior colleges
Business schools
Proprietary schools (programs such as truck driving or cosmetology)
Vocational-technical schools

4. Keep Your Options Open NO!
Do you need to know what you want to do “when you grow up”?
NO!

5. Then, why think about college now?
College can be the key to the kind of life you want.
It gives you choices in:
Kinds of jobs.
How much money you make.
Ways to help others.
TIP - Remember, money isn’t everything when you consider a career! You need to think about your skills, likes and dislikes, and abilities. If they don’t match your job, money alone won’t make you happy.

6. US Bureau of Labor and Statistics

7. There’s money if you need it
You can afford to go to college.
You will be eligible for some kind of financial aid.

8. Steps for you to get ready for college

9. Step 1: Making the Decision
Research career interests
Choose several - changing your mind is okay but failing to plan ahead is NOT okay
Talk with people about your interests
Read about careers
On the internet
At the library
In magazines and newspapers
Refer to “Think College, Me?,Now?” handbook about careers available by number of years in college.

10. Step 1: Making the Decision
Importance of college
You can choose careers based on your interests
You may increase the amount of money you earn
You’ll have more career options
You may make better decisions
You’ll be able to use technology better
Because the world is changing rapidly, and many jobs rely on new technology, more and more jobs require education beyond high school.
On the average, persons with a degree earn more than those without a degree by about 50%.
Critical thinking skills learned in college will help you make better decisions in all aspects of your life. It also helps you to express thoughts clearly and to make informed decisions.
On average, over a lifetime, someone who spends two year in college earns $250,000 more than someone who doesn’t - that’s right - a quarter of a million dollars more over a lifetime.

11. Step 1: Making the Decision
Choose the type of “college”
4-year college (university or college offering a bachelor’s degree or above)
2-year college (community or junior college offering a training program, certificate, or associates degree to include transfer options)
Technical Schools (skill centers and other schools offering entry level occupational programs)
Give examples of each type such as:
“4-year” college - U of M, Ferris State U or Kendall School of Design
“2-year” - Montcalm Community College or Great Lakes College
Technical schools - Montcalm Area Career Center or Focus Hope.

12. Changing your mind about a career choice is okay,
Dream Scheme #1
Changing your mind about a career choice is okay,
Failing to dream is not.

13. Step 2: Getting Ready
You, your parents and your school are working together to prepare you for a good life after graduation
Exploring skills and classes for your future starts NOW
Get the most out of high school - take challenging courses
Ask your counselor to help you plan
College probably seems a long way off. But you can get on the road toward college.
This is particularly true as you select your classes and start planning the courses you’ll take in high school.
Get ready by planning to take college-prep or tech-prep courses in high school. Now is the time to plan how to meet requirements to get into college.

14. Step 2: Getting Ready Consider this:
Studies show that if students take challenging courses that make them think, they are more likely to go on to college
These courses can also help students get into college

15. Step 2: Getting Ready
Recommended high school curriculum for a four-year college:
English 4 years
Mathematics years
Social studies 3-4 years
Science years
Just as employers want workers who have certain skills, most colleges want students who have taken certain courses.
English, science and social studies should be taken EVERY YEAR. These courses along with math, should make up the “core” for you each year.

16. Step 2: Getting Ready
Recommended high school courses for a community college or vocational/trade school:
English grammar and composition
Keyboarding or typing
Business math, accounting, marketing
Basic science
You might decide to go to a community college, or a vocational or trade school. At these schools you can train for many careers such as cosmetologist, builder, computer-aided designer, nurse, or office assistant.
To be successful in these jobs, you will need strong communication, math and science skills. In addition, classes like keyboarding will prepare you for any job where you have to use a computer. Classes such as basic chemistry will prepare you cosmetology school.

17. Step 2: Getting Ready Many colleges require additional courses in
Foreign Language
Fine & Performing Arts
Computer Science
We live in an age of technology which includes the world wide web, cell phones and satellite communications. Our global economy and international business makes foreign language skills essential. Many colleges require them.
It’s a well known fact that the arts contribute significantly to children's intellectual development.
Computer science knowledge is now essential to most careers and much of life in general. Take advantage of technological opportunities in middle school and high school that are offered to you.

18. Step 2: Getting Ready
Take your MEAP exams seriously! With a qualifying score, you can receive a Michigan Merit Award
Up to $500 earned in the 7th and 8th grade
$2500 earned in high school
Briefly explain the MEAP test and the Merit Award.

19. Taking some challenging classes may help your dreams come true!
Dream Scheme #2
Taking some challenging classes may help your dreams come true!

20. Step 3: Planning Ahead What does college cost?
College is probably not as expensive as you think it is
However, you and your parents need to begin preparing NOW
Tuition, fees and books are only part of the cost. You will need money for housing, transportation, food, clothes, entertainment, etc.
________

21. Dream Scheme #3
Challenging yourself to think about your future may help your dreams come true!

22. Step 4: Paying for college$
What you and your parents can do
Save
Use federal income-tax credits
Use student financial aid
Gift aid - grants and scholarships that do not have to be paid back
Work - a job during college to earn money
Loans - money for college that must be paid back
Saving money is the best way to prepare for meeting the costs of college.
Set aside money each week (maybe from your allowance,summer or after-school earnings), starting now, to build a college fund. The earlier you begin saving, the smaller the amount you will have to set aside each month.
Exercise: Ask the audience “How many of you drink two bottles/cans of pop, bottled water or juice a day?” If you cut your drinking to one bottle/can a day and put the money saved in an investment account, buy age 50 you would have saved over a million dollars!

23. Step 4: Paying for college
Other sources
Military service scholarships (full-time and part-time service)
Americorps, community service program
Civic groups and organizations, foundations and businesses
Web resources
Give examples of scholarships available
Examples: ROTC (up to full tuition and fees)
Military Academies (full tuition, fees, room and board)
National Guard (50% tuition reimbursement + GI bill + NG scholarships to certain universities)
Give local examples such as Rotary, Kiwanis, etc.
Refer to Internet Resources handout.

24. Don’t let the cost stop you from dreaming about college!
Dream Scheme #4
Don’t let the cost stop you from dreaming about college!
It can work out!

25. It’s not too early to begin creating
Dream Scheme - Final
It’s not too early to begin creating
the life you want,
So…
Change college from.
A dream into a reality.
Think college NOW.
College education is a major ingredient for success in the world - and by taking the right courses and working hard you can be prepared to go to college.
Building a strong foundation of high level classes, starting with algebra and geometry, taking rigorous courses through middle and high school you will be better prepared for college tests and college course work.
By saving for college and taking advantage of financial aid, you can change college from a dream into a reality.