You may have heard it’s a good idea to start your college career at a Community college to save money before transferring over to a more expensive four-year school. In fact, I’ve recommended it, but the other side of that coin is needing to be aware of the articulation agreement your Community college has with the four-year college you are interested in.
An articulation agreement simply states which courses will transfer to your four-year college. I don’t need to underscore the importance of this factoid. No one wants to be wasting their time or money on a class that won’t transfer. You can discuss any concerns you have about transfer courses and credits with the college registrar at the college you are transferring to.
So there is outside the box thinking and then there is OUTSIDE the box thinking.You want money for school, ask for it.
You’re never too young to enter the world of guerrilla style tactics to get what you want.In fact, the younger you start the better.People are more likely to help you when you’re younger.At least that’s what I’ve found.
Sites like collegedegreefund.com and smartypig.com allow students to basically beg for cash.You set up a profile with your target goal and what it’s for.For our example it would be for College Tuition, say $20,000.Then you can send out your link to family, friends, companies, or whomever.Let the world know what your goal is.You can even get an icon for your myspace or facebook page.Additionally, you will accrue interest on your savings.
People love to help kids that are helping themselves.But you may want to leverage your efforts by applying for scholarships as well.At scholarshippoints.com you can enter to win for FREE.The only requirement we have, in order to be eligible, is you must be enrolled in a Title IV eligible school in the U.S., which most are.
We give away thousands of dollars each month ranging from $1,000 all the way up to 10K!You can accrue points too to increase your odds of winning one of the monthly scholarships.
This is the third and final installment of questions I should ask, which I set up based on both student feedback and my own industry knowledge.I’m hoping you will find this beneficial on your quest to finding the right school for you.
Do I meet the admissions requirements?
Inside the numbers: Schools don’t only review the number of classes you take in High School (i.e. 4 English, 3 Math, 2 foreign language, etc) but also the quality of those classes.If you took standard level courses and are competing for a seat against a student who took college or AP level classes the pendulum will obviously swing in their favor. The SAT or ACT test is also a common requirement.It goes without saying that scoring well on one of these tests is extremely important.However, the admissions process does go beyond grades and course selection.Extracurricular activities go a long way and help paint the picture of a well rounded student.Year book committee, tennis team, band member, student government are all excellent examples of this.Check with the school’s admissions office or website for specific requirements.
Plan B: For those students whose grades are questionable or have sub par SAT or ACT scores, and are denied admission into a choice university, you may want to enroll in a two year community college.Community colleges offer an opportunity to pursue higher education to all students who obtained a high school diploma, GED Certificate, or have demonstrated the “Ability to Benefit.”Then, after you make the marks, you can transfer over to that four year school.
What are the school’s job placement rates?
Each school has data on the percentage of students who are placed in jobs relevant to their course of study.I don’t need to explain how important this statistic is; obviously the higher the better.It’s a good indication of the quality of the school’s degree programs and also the partnerships they have with companies in the region.Many colleges help place students into summer jobs/internships while they are enrolled in school.Consequently those connections made during summer internships can prove quite beneficial down the road and help inflate the job placement number.
There is an article from the Boston Globe about a young soldier to be who died right before his tour in Iraq was set to begin. His name was Ian McVey. The article focused on his student loans that he left behind….he had both federal and private loans.
His federal loans were forgiven after his death…as all federal loans are, whether you are in the military or not. His private loans with Sallie Mae, will not be forgiven. Why? Because they are private loans, and it clearly states in the promissory note that the cosigner on the loan will be responsible for this loan if the primary borrower is not able to pay. Ian McVey’s parents wrote a letter to Sallie Mae, hoping that they would forgive their son’s 53k debt, so that they would not be burdened with that debt. No surprise that Sallie said no…but it was in the way they said no that has me heated. (again, not surprised)…
Ian’s dad took the time to write a very personal and heartfelt letter to Sallie Mae. Stamped it, sent it off, and waited for a reply. Sallie Mae sent back a computer generated letter, with no name on it, stating that the loans would not be forgiven and he owed them 53k. You would think with all the bad press Sallie has gotten in the last year they would TRY to clean up their act??? Shouldn’t they have at least one person in their monstrous corporation that can write these letters, and be a contact for these families that are grieving….and burdened financially? I am not saying that Sallie should forgive those loans…because legally they do not have to…but why didn’t one person take the time to answer this Dad? What do you think?
This is the second of three questions I should askinstallments I have set up based on both student feedback and my own industry knowledge. I’m hoping you will find this beneficial on your quest to finding the right school for you.
What is the school’s return-of-aid policy? If you receive federal student aid (except for Federal Work-Study), and you withdraw from school for any reason, some of that money might have to be given back to the source by you or by your school. So basically that grant or scholarship you receive may have some “stay in school” stipulations attached. Just be mindful of that.
Another thing to be cognoscente of is if you don’t finish your course work you’ll have to repay the loan funds you received (Perkins, Stafford, or Plus), minus any funds your school has returned to your lender. Make sure you speak to your financial aid office should you find yourself in this predicament. You want to make sure they transfer back as much funds as possible to the lender so those funds are not in your name accruing interest.
Does the school offer the courses and type of program I want? A lot of students become enamored with a school before they even set foot on the campus. Older siblings, a friend, or a movie can build a school up to be the greatest place in the world. You just need to make sure it’s the greatest place in the world for you. You can check most schools websites to see if they offer the curriculum that meets your needs. Of course you can also speak to the school’s admissions office as well. The key is not to waste time or money at a college that does not meet your academic needs. Do some research before you dive in. Visit How To Get In to search for a school that fits what you’re looking for.
Check back later in the week for my third installment!
This is the first of three questions I should ask installments I have set up based on both student feedback and my own industry knowledge.I’m hoping you will find this beneficial on your quest to find the right school for you.
Today we will tackle two questions you should ask when considering a college.
Does the school participate in federal aid programs?This is a big one.Not all schools are Title IV certified, meaning they do not accept federal loans such as the Perkins, Stafford, or Plus.Be sure to ask the FAO at the school as this is a critical detail that seems to elude many students.You may save yourself thousands of dollars in the future if you secure a federal loan over a private one.
What are the school’s completion and transfer-out rates?If many students withdraw from a school it might indicate a problem with the school.A school is required to disclose to current and prospective students the percentage of students who complete the school’s programs and the percentages of students who transfer out.
Don’t Forget that federal loans are considered federal aid….this means that you cannot borrow a federal loans without filling out the FAFSA form…and then renewing it each year in which you wish to receive a loan. More often than not I hear people say, “I did fill out the FAFSA, but I am not eligible”. This most likely means that you are not eligible to receive FREE money from the feds, such as grants. This does not mean that you are not eligible to borrow Federal loans. if you haven’t filled out the FAFSA yet, you can’t do it for next school year until after Jan 1. If you feel that you have done all this, and you are still not getting the Stafford loan, I recommend talking to someone at your school.
t. His 