Design Your Own Life From High School to Career

Design Your Own Life American Indian Education Foundation, note scholarship application closing date is in early April. Student Responsibility Some of the best things in life may be free...College is not one of them. But don’t decide you cannot attend a special college or enter a program of real interest to you because of cost. However, when it comes down to the bottom line of who pays what, each plan must be suited to the particular circumstances of the family. The responsibility of the student should always be discussed before applying to school. For some families linking student responsibility to grades and behavior are critical points of discussion. A growing response by parents is “I don’t pay to play”. This is a confirmation that the student must take on a defined set of responsibilities. Hence, some parents require their children to take out student loans, and parents agree to pay all or a portion of the loans subject to maintaining a certain grade point average and a level of behavior expectation. Having this type of discussion early will reduce future conflict. 188 Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs

Design Your Own Life Study the Opportunities The key is to STUDY THE OPPORTUNITIES, PLAN AHEAD, and APPLY EARLY! The following are resources open to almost everyone. High school guidance counselors have access to numerous resources. Colleges will go out of their way to provide support services. Never pay for financial aid services, most are scams. Federal and state education agencies, colleges and local high schools will go out of their way to help a student find the resources they need to move beyond high school. The following are examples where you can find assistance. 1. Scholarships – Assistance based on academic performance and/or financial need. This money does not have to be repaid. The National Merit Scholarship is one of the best known. 2. Grants – Financial aid that does not have to be repaid. The grant amount is based on need, cost of attendance, and enrollment status. The Pell Grant is well known. 3. Loans – A low interest loan that does not accrue interest or require payment until after the student leaves school, for example: Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), Federal Consolidated Loan. The Teacher Loan Forgiveness (TLC) Program encourages students to enter a teaching career. Within the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, Congress created the loan Forgiveness for Public Service Employees Program. 4. Work-study – Money earned through part-time employment while attending a post-secondary school. Students work up to 20 hours a week during the academic year. Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs 189

Design Your Own Life 5. Private Aid – Financial assistance from a private business, organizations, and friends and family. Many Fortune 500 companies provide aid to students. 6. Special Aid – Aid for special groups of students, such as veterans, minorities, handicapped, etc. The Federal Department of Veteran’s Affairs provides funds for training veterans. 190 Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs

Design Your Own Life Consumer Financial Protection Bureau The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is an official government program. It provides consumers with information they need to understand the terms and agreements of financial companies and situations. They help consumers to navigate the noise associated with paying for college. Go directly to their webpage entitled: Paying for College. As part of Know Before You Owe: Student Loan project, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Education developed a financial aid shopping sheet to improve the way schools communicate financial aid offers. Starting in 2013-2014, more than 500 colleges have agreed to use the shopping sheet. This is a valuable information sheet. Request a copy from each school you are seriously considering. The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) holds free college fairs in many cities throughout the country. In addition to the general fairs, NACAC hosts college fairs specifically for students interested in visual and performing arts. At a fair you will have an opportunity to meet and talk with representatives from many colleges and universities, ask questions which are specific to your search, and get on mailing lists for applications and financial information. Students who have limited financial resources and meet the requirements may use the NACAC Request for Application Fee Waiver Form when applying for college. The form helps ensure that access to college is possible for all students. The form is for traditional high school students applying to post-secondary colleges or universities in the fall immediately following high school graduation. Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs 191

Design Your Own Life Financial Aid in Small Packages add Up The normal channels of financial aid are helpful meeting major college costs. These expenses can be tuition, books, fees, or room and board and personal expenses. Remember, financial aid can come in small packages. For example, friends and family may wish to make small contributions (e.g. paying for one or two books, parking fees, student health fees, one tank of gas, donate furniture, or just small cash contributions for incidentals). Create a college financial aid list and share it. The concept works for weddings and medical expenses. Small contributions soon add up to large scale support. Be sure to send a thank you note to each contributor regardless of amount contributed. Each dollar counts Sign up for student discount programs offered by computer and software companies such as Microsoft. Travel discounts are available for student at several travel websites such as Student Universe. How to Pay for College With Out Parent and Family Support Most students are aware whether or not their parents will be able to help with college costs. Perhaps not the level of sacrifice their parents will make to ensure their college education. In difficult economic times families can’t beard the financial burden, and there are those families who simply refuse and will not help. This challenge can be a motivating factor to study hard and make above average grades so they can apply for The Merit Scholarship; gain high recommendations from school for local and national scholarships, and grants. Other options might include: a) attending a school that has a high endowment for paying for student tuition and board, and offers a student- 192 Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs

Design Your Own Life work program, b) work and attend a community college, then transfer to a four year school; c) consider military service and take advantage of GI Bill education benefits. Students are finding unique ways to pay their own way. We encourage students to follow this issue on websites, and blogs, and discover how others have overcome this problem. Having a love of learning and self-confidence are traits that can move a student forward beyond such challenges. Colleges refer to students with these traits as “premier candidates”. They work closely with high schools to identify such students. College Co-Op Programs Another “something to know about defraying college costs” is the college cooperative program. In this program, students alternate periods of study with periods of work in their field of study. Usually, the freshman year is spent in regular, full-time, on-campus study. Later, the work period alternates as full time study and full time work, arranged, for example, on a quarter or semester basis, or it can be “parallel” in which the work and study run “parallel” or simultaneously in the same day. Students are often paired so that the job is covered full time during the year. Until recently, Co-Op earnings counted against students’ need-based aid eligibility but now, for federal student aid purposes, they do not. In many degree programs, adding the cooperative education increases the time required to earn the degree by one year. During these college years, the student has acquired two years of relevant on-the-job experience with pay. Some institutions are fully dedicated to the co-op ideals (e.g. Georgia Institute of Technology, LaGuardia Community College and Purdue University). University of Cincinnati pioneered cooperative education more than a century ago. Its campus has approximately 3500 students participating in the program which span more than 1500 companies. Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs 193

Design Your Own Life To qualify for a co-op scholarship, students must have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale. More information can be found at: The National Co-Op Scholarship Program. FAFSA: Student Aid for Unique Populations There are always unique circumstances for many students. The first thing to do is seek help from your school counselor or other professional expert. If your parents are unwilling or simply refuse to fill out the FAFSA form, explain to your parent’s that filling out the FAFSA does not mean that they will have to help you pay for college. Explain that the FAFSA is used to determine your eligibility for financial aid, and other scholarships. It is okay if they do not want to pay or are unable to pay. They should still help complete the form. The form allows the government to determine the level of need. Under very special circumstances, a student may be able to submit the FAFSA without the parent information. Nevertheless, always seek help from the school counselor and explain your special situation such as: 1. Parents are incarcerated 2. You left home due to an abusive family environment 3. You do not know where your parents are and are unable to contact them (and you have not been adopted). 4. You are homeless with no family support. If you believe you have a special circumstance and are unable to provide parental information, you can complete information about you and your finances and skip any questions about your parents. You should sign your FAFSA with your PIN and leave your parent PIN blank. The FAFSA will be considered incomplete, the government will not calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which is the index used by colleges to determine 194 Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs

Design Your Own Life how much money student aid you are eligible to receive. Once you submit your FAFSA without parental data, you MUST contact your Financial Aid Administrator. Under federal law, only your Financial Aid Administrator has the authority to decide whether or not you must provide parental information. You must provide written documentation to verify your situation such as court and/or law enforcement documents, letter from clergy, school counselor or social worker, and any other data that explains your special circumstances. Your Financial Aid Administrator will have the final decision and this cannot be appealed to Federal Student Aid. For additional information visit the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators website: Special Needs Students Many of the website listed provides information and services for special needs students. Here are a few more. The Ann Ford Scholarship is a college funding opportunity for students with learning disabilities (LD). Other sites: Federal Student Aid, thinkcollege.net, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), and contact the college of your choice admissions office. Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs 195

Design Your Own Life Ways to Pay for College without Student Loans Merit Scholarship Criteria Students who quality can make application for the Merit Scholarship. The following are specific examples from a Merit Scholarship Application. This is a good example of why all the record keeping, clipping and filing is needed: ...awards are based on the following criteria: Academic achievement 85 points Leadership potential 5 points School/community involvement 10 points 100 points The selection committee is looking at: 1. Grade point average 2. Offices held 3. Committee responsibilities 4. Test scores 5. Relationship to others 6. The difficulty of the class selections 7. Clubs and organizations 196 Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs

Design Your Own Life 8. The variety in class selection 9. Sports 10. Personal contributions to the world in which you live Application Requirements 1. Bound application, including exhibits, letters and entry form, must be confined to 15 pages, one side only. 2. Exhibits evidencing notable achievements in scholarship, leadership, athletics, dramatics, literature, and community service may be attached. (These are the “proof” you have copied and stored). 3. Application must be postmarked on or before March 15th of the current academic year. (Don’t miss the deadline!) Exhibits 1. A statement of not more than 300 words; prepared by the applicant. It should summarize school and out-of-school activities and accomplishments, the applicant’s goals and objectives for higher education and the reasons they believe they are qualified for the scholarship award. (Refer to Data Sheet and Journal pages on skills, goals, and accomplishments). 2. Maintain a current certified education history of the applicant covering the period from the ninth grade through the date of application. Copies of college test scores, ACT, or SAT. (All of these are available from the counselor and/or principal... be aware of the test dates). 3. Comprehensive letters of recommendation stating: character, personality and academic achievement of the applicant from at least Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs 197

Design Your Own Life one but not more than two persons in authority at the high school of the applicant. 4. One letter of endorsement from a community leader, not related to the applicant. Someone who personally observed his or her character, industry and purposefulness. (Give your references a copy of your Data Sheet with the records of your achievements and participation; it will make their letter easier to write and more effective). Renewal Conditions The following criteria must be met for renewal of the Merit Scholarship Award during the four years the recipient attends college: 1. A minimum grade point average of 3.25 out of 4.0. 2. Full-time student status in a four-year college or university. 3. Satisfactory progress toward a college degree. 4. One one-year leave of absence is allowed during college or university attendance. 5. Leave of absence cannot be exercised on quarterly or semester basis over four-year period of scholarship. Many scholarships can be renewed. Understand and meet all criteria. Maintain good grades; seek tutoring, if necessary. 198 Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs

Design Your Own Life Take AP or IB Level High School Courses Students can earn college credit for taking advanced placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. However, some colleges are beginning to question the rigor of these high school courses and may challenge or not accept the course. Take College Courses While Still in High School Students may choose to take a college course or two at the local community college or take college courses online. These options may work whether or not the student takes advanced placement classes or not. Live in a City that Offers Free College Tuition Yes, they are hard to find, but they are out there. The following are examples – before the last recession: In Kalamazoo, Michigan has the Kalamazoo Promise that guarantees payment of tuition and fees for a bachelor’s degree. The program is for all students who live in Kalamazoo and attend all four years of high school at the public high school. Other cities that cover less include: Peoria, Illinois, Rockford, Illinois, El Dorado, Arkansas, Denver, Colorado, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, New Haven, Connecticut, Detroit, Michigan, Muskegon, Michigan, and Jackson, Michigan. Attend a Free College if you are Eligible You will only pay room and board and living expenses as tuition and fees are cover by the college. You’ll probably have to work 10-15 hours per week. Most tuition-free colleges are supported by large endowments given to the schools by benefactors. Another example is the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., which offers free college tuition in exchange for five years of service after Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs 199

Design Your Own Life graduation. BusinessWeek compiled a list of 10 free colleges. Search the web for others. Attend a Community College The cost of community college is thousands of dollars cheaper than universities. Classes are smaller, and students can receive more personal attention. Pay as you Go Work full time summers and holidays and part-time during school. Some new dorms are more expensive than older ones due to extras of recreational facilities, etc. Living off campus may lower housing cost. Go to school part- time is another option. Take a Heavier Class Load Maximize your money but taking one or two extra class each semester. You may be able to finish a semester early. Summer classes are often cheaper. Switch Schools There is the option of switching to a cheaper school. When economic circumstances require it, switching schools is a viable option without dropping out. Consider Military Service The federal government offers the G.I. Bill to help pay for college. You will need to investigate the programs offered by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. The amount of benefits will depend on length of service and what 200 Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs

Design Your Own Life type of education you plan to pursue. Be aware that some schools have a reputation of taking advantage of military personnel. You can Always Say No There should be no shame in attending a more affordable school without you are your parents loading up with debt. The Next Step This chapter demonstrates just how much and how many financial avenues there are to pay for your continuing education. An easy way is to just go for the loans and worry about repayment in the future. That is one solution. However, it is easier to invest time upfront in discovering less expensive payment methods. Discovering and creating methods to offset college costs now will be the best homework assignment you will ever do for yourself. Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs 201



Bibliography American Indian Foundation, Tools for Success – Scholarships, Press, 2005. Current scholarship applications, American Indian Foundation, accessed October 10, 2015. Bolles, Richard, The Three Boxes of Life and How to Get Out of Them, Ten Speed Press, 1978, p. 142; Updated: 40th Anniversary Edition, What Color Is Your Parachute, Ten Speed Press, 2012. Edmondson Judy, and Sandy Stryker, A Teen Woman’s Journal for Self- Awareness and Personal Planning by Mindy Bingham, Advocacy Press, 1983, p. 97. FUNDING YOUR EDUCATION. The Guide to Federal Student Aid, 2012-2013. U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid. Holland, John L., Making Vocational Choices, A Theory of Careers, Prentice- Hall, Inc., 1973. John L. Holland’s research, theoretical, and practical contributions have irrevocably altered the manner in which career assistance is delivered around the world. (October 21, 1919 – November 27, 2008) was Professor Emeritus of Sociology at John Hopkins University. Lathrop Richard, Who’s Hiring Who, Ten Speed Press, 1977, p. 113. Updated: 1989 Miller, Arthur F. and Ralph T. Mattson; The Truth About You, Discover What You Should Be Doing With Your Life, Fleming H. Revell Co., 1977, p. 47. Pearson, Steve, The College Application Process: Caresquad.com Webinar Presentation for March 7, 2013. 203

Design Your Own Life Videos “Girls in STEM – A New Generation of Women in Science.” Length: 7.51 minutes. Posted by White House, April 22, 2012. Public Domain. “Helping Victims of Identity Theft.” Length: 5.56 minutes. Posted by the Federal Trade Commission, April 8, 2013. Public Domain. 204 Chapter 10: Meeting College Costs

Warning—Disclaimer This book is designed to provide information only. It is sold with the understanding that the author and the co-writer are not engaged in rendering career or life planning, legal, accounting or other professional services. If legal or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. The purpose of this book is designed to supplement other related texts and serve to educate and entertain. Every effort has been made to make the publication as accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes, both typographical and in content. Therefore, this text should be used only as a general guide and not as the ultimate source on career or life planning concerns. Information presented is current only up to the printing or electronic release date. This book has not been created to be specific to any individual or organization’s situation or needs. Any links or websites listed in this book are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement of any products of services provided by these websites. The links are subject to change, expiration or re-direction without any notice. The author nor the co-writer shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this book. 205