1. College

2. Undecided if you want to go to college or not? Think about the following factors 1) Your brain is it’s prime for learning and retaining knowledge between the ages of 18 -25 – Going to college would allow you to retain and learn a substantial amount of information – The amount you have potential to learn in college can change who you are, beliefs, career and outlook on life.

3. College 2) Personal Experience. College is the opportunity to grow, and be independent Professors push you – You learn more than you thought imaginable – You’re all smarter than you think Find many new life long friends

4. College 3) On average, college graduates earn $800,000 - $1,000,000 more than non college grads over their life That’s an average of $25,000 more every year Or, an extra $2100 in your pocket at the end of each month Or… an extra $70/day

5. How many College Applications? Some students send 15, some send 1 To ensure a successful application process, apply to a diverse group of colleges Be realistic about the strength of your application – Harvard is harder to get in to than CSU

6. How Many College Applications? You should send out around 5-8 applications 1-2 where you feel 90-100% sure you’d get in 2-4 to overall good matches. 75% sure you’d get in – This section is the colleges that fit academically and socially 1-2 “reach” colleges – 25% chance or less of getting in. – Don’t get upset if you don’t get accepted to these

7. How Many College Applications? Apply to only those colleges you’re interested Application fee is $50 for most colleges – Applying to a large number can be expensive

8. Application Calendar Filling out college applications can be very stressful and time consuming This is a calendar of when you should start doing certain things First things first… Make folders for each college – Organization is very important during this time – It will save you time and energy

9. Application Calendar September – October Update your resume Get to know your counselor – Mrs. Duzik Ask for Letters of Recommendations – Teachers, Counselors, Coaches, Employers…

10. Application Calendar November Work hard at completing college essays – Proofread them rigorously Take SAT/ACT tests – Make sure your scores are sent to each one of your colleges Mail Applications – – Admission decisions are made as applications are received

11. Application Calendar December Try to finish and wrap up applications before Winter Break – Just like a job application, make sure you make copies of your applications before you send them Take SAT/ACT if you have yet done so

12. Application Calendar January and February Some colleges will ask for your first semester grades – Why? If they ask, make sure you have your counselor send these out Feb. – Contact your college to make sure everything they need is turned in DON’T GET SENIORITIS – COLLEGES WANT TO SEE STRONG SECOND HALF GRADES

13. Application Calendar March --Some admissions decisions arrive! April -- Most admission decisions and financial aid award letters arrive this month – Read these VERY carefully as they may require action on your part Make Final Decision!!! – Mail the enrollment form and deposit check to the school before MAY 1 st – GOOD HABIT – notify, in writing, the other schools you were accepted that you will not be attending. This way they have room for more students

14. Application Calendar Summer Make travel/moving plans Finalize your housing plans – Most colleges require you to stay in a dorm the first year or two – Why? Shop for items you’ll need for college Plan first semester courses with an eye on eventually selecting your major

15. Letters of Recommendation Who should you ask? Read the application carefully, some colleges will explain in detail who they would like it from – If they do not, ask a teacher that knows how you are academically and outside the school When should you ask? At least 1 month before you need them Last step – Write a thank-you letter to everyone who helped write you a letter

16. Tips for Finding Your College Match First Identify your priorities Second Research the characteristics of a range of schools Last Match the two

17. Finding Your College SIZE OF THE STUDENT BODY This will affect many of your opportunities and experiences, including: Range of academic majors offered Extracurricular possibilities Amount of personal attention you’ll receive

18. Finding Your College SIZE OF STUDENT BODY… Look beyond the # of students Perhaps your considering a small department within a large school Research the # of faculty members and how accessible they are to students Write down what you prefer.

19. Finding Your College LOCATION Do you want to visit home frequently? Or do you want to see this as a time to experience life away and on your own?

20. Finding Your College LOCATION Perhaps you like an urban environment with access to museums, ethnic food, major league ballgames OR … maybe you like easy access to outdoors to go camp, fish, hunt.

21. Finding Your College ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Research reputations of academic departments Is the school known for their business program, nursing school, or other majors?

22. Finding Your College CAMPUS LIFE What will your college life be outside of the classroom? Do your research – Extracurricular activities – Community – Fraternities and Sororities – Dorms

23. Finding Your College COST The price to attend college is on the rise Bad thing, college is expensive Good thing, virtually all colleges work to ensure that academically qualified students from every economic circumstance can find financial aid

24. Finding Your College DIVERSITY Explore what you might gain from a diverse student body Diversity includes… – Ethnic – Geographic – Racial – Religious

25. Finding Your College RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES One of the best ways to measure a school’s quality and the satisfaction of its students is to…? Learn the % of students who return after the first year Also learn the % of entering students who remain to graduate

26. Finding Your College RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES Usually, good retention and graduation rates are good indicators of… Responsible academically Social And Financial support systems exist for most students

27. ASSIGNMENT Take out a sheet of paper, brainstorm and write down your ideal college. Things to consider: Size Location Campus Life Academic Programs Diversity Extracurricular Activities Etc…

28. How Financial Aid Works What is financial aid for? It is intended to make up the difference between what your family can afford to pay and what college costs.

29. Financial Aid More than 50% of students in college have help with financial aid.

30. Financial Aid Based on the goal of equal access What does this mean? Anyone should be able to attend college, regardless of their financial circumstances.

31. Financial Aid How does this work? You and your family are expected to contribute to the cost of college to the extent that they’re able to pay. This means… If a family is unable to contribute the entire cost, financial aid is available to bridge the gap.

32. You Your family Amount you can Pay College College Cost Financial Aid Aid Help

34. Who Decides How Much You Can Contribute? Usually the federal government or individual colleges and universities This is frequently referred to as the EFC Expected Family Contribution

35. This is determined by a formula that analyzes your family’s financial circumstances They include things like… Income Assets Family Size Then they compare these with other families’ circumstances.

36. EFC Most families cannot to pay the EFC out of their current income Why do they do EFC if most families can’t afford to pay out of their income? They base the EFC on the fact that they assume families will meet their contribution through a combination of things…. 1) Savings 2) Current Income 3) Borrowing

37. EFC Remember…Financial Aid is limited It is COMPARING a particular family’s ability to pay against other families’ ability to pay. What does this mean? Most aid goes towards those with the most needs Does this mean you won’t get any? NO!!! There is over $143 billion dollars for college aid and millions of it goes unspent every year.

38. EFC Example Your family’s EFC (Expected Family Contribution) is $5,000 At a college with a total cost of $8,000, your family would be expected to pay $5,000. This means you would be eligible for $3,000 in financial aid At a college with a total cost of $25,000, your family would be expected to pay… $5,000 This means you would be eligible for $20,000 in financial aid

39. Financial Aid isn’t free Financial aid is any type of assistance used to pay college costs that is based on financial need There are 3 main types of Financial Aid

40. 3 Types of Financial Aid 1) Grants and Scholarships Grants – Don’t have to be repaid. Don’t need to work to earn them They are gifts to you Scholarships Usually given based on merit (good grades, volunteer work, etc..) You must apply for these

41. 3 Types of Financial Aid 2) Loans Most financial aid comes in the form of loans You must pay these back How is this an “aid” if you have to pay it back? The interest on these loans are VERY low The government also allows these loans to go on until you graduate without accruing any interest.

42. 3 Types of Financial Aid 3) Work Work? Student employment and Work Study Programs These helps with education costs – Books, supplies, and personal expenses This is part-time employment where you work for the school This is good since you pretty much get paid to study

43. How do you get these aids? To receive federal and state student grants, work-study, and loans… YOU MUST APPLY FOR FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid

44. Where to get FAFSA There is a Paper version and an Electronic Version. First place to check, Guidance Office Second, Public library or the financial aid office at CNCC

45. FAFSA Easiest way…On the web Less chance of making an error – Data is checked Processed 1-2 weeks faster than paper app.

46. FAFSA Before you apply, you need to fill out your income tax returns YOU DO NOT have to fill out your income tax return with the IRS before you fill out the FAFSA. – You can use estimated tax returns and send them in. However, once you file your actual tax returns for the IRS, anything different must be notified and changed to your FAFSA account.

47. FAFSA After you apply, it is processed with about 9 million others. This is where your financial information is passed through the formula compared with others applying.

48. FAFSA Find all the information on FAFSA and apply online at… www.fafsa.ed.gov