Reality Bytes for Parents

Getting Ready for College Early

Presented by the

Michigan Student Financial Aid Association

Revised 8/2003

Reality Bytes for Parents

Getting Ready for

College Early

What is “College”?

Public and private four-year colleges and universities

Two-year community or junior collegesBusiness schoolsProprietary schools (programs such as

truck driving and cosmetology)Vocational-technical schools

Keep Your Options Open

Does that mean your child needs to know now, what they want to do “when they grow up”?

Then, why think about college now?

College can be the key to the kind of life you want for your child

It gives your child choices in - The kind of jobs they can choose How much money they will make Ways they can help others

There’s money if you need it

Every student can afford to go to college.

Every student is eligible for some kind of financial aid.

Steps to getting you and

your child readyfor college

Step 1: Helping make the decision

Research career options - Talk to your children about their dreams Help your children to

identify several career options find the educational requirements for their

career interests talk with people about their interests (job

shadowing) find articles about their career interests

Step 1: Helping make the decision

Importance of college –

Choose careers based on interests

More career options

Increase earning potential

Education Pays….Unemployment rate by education level for 2011 (from the Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Step 1: Helping to make the decision

Choose the type of “college” –

Four-year college (university or college offering a bachelor’s degree or above)

Two-year college (community or junior college offering a training program, certificate, or associate’s degree)

Technical schools (skill centers and other schools offering occupational programs)

Reality Byte:You can encourage your child

to research career options.

Changing their mind about a career choice is okay,

Failing to plan ahead is not.

For More Information:www.mycareereducation.org

www.mois.org

Step 2: Getting Ready

You, your children and their school are working together to prepare them for a good life after graduation.

Taking the right courses for their future starts NOW!

Help them get the most out of high school - encourage challenging courses EACH YEAR.

Meet with your children and their counselor to help them plan.

Step 2: Getting Ready

Consider this –

Research shows that if students take challenging courses that make them think, they are more likely to go on to college.

These courses can also help them get into college.

Step 2: Getting Ready

High school graduation requirements under the Michigan Merit Curriculum include: Mathematics – 4 credits English Language Arts – 4 credits Science – 3 credits Social Studies – 3 credits Health and Physical Education – 1 credit Visual, Performing and Applied Arts -1

credit

Step 2: Getting Ready

Many colleges require additional courses in –

Foreign Language Fine & Performing Arts Computer Science

Reality Byte:

Course selection: Easy is not always best -

Many times a student will choose based on what is fun and easy.

It’s up to you to encourage the challenging choices throughout high school.

Step 2: Getting Ready

College credit while in high school –

Advanced Placement (AP) - college level courses offered by the high school

Articulation - occupational courses in H.S. or career centers that “transfer” to some college programs

Dual Enrollment - taking college courses while in high school that may apply to both the high school degree and the college degree

Step 2: Getting Ready

College entrance exams –

Encourage your child to take the ACT or SAT in their Junior or Senior year

www.actstudent.org

www.collegeboard.org

Step 3: Planning ahead

What Does College Cost? Costs can vary a lot, depending on the

type of school. Parents and students need to begin

saving NOW! Tuition, fees and books are only part of the

cost. Additional expenses include housing,

transportation, food, clothes, entertainment, etc.

Step 3: Planning ahead

You can start your research on college costs at the U.S. Department of Education’s website on college affordability.

http://collegecost.ed.gov/catc/Default.aspx

Reality Byte:

Don’t eliminate any college because of cost -

Even the most expensive collegemay be affordable

after you look at all youroptions.

Step 4: Paying for college

What you and your child 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 Aid - a job during college to earn money Loan Aid - money for college that must be

paid back

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

Step 4: Paying for college

Cautions –

Scholarship Scams

Compiling debtExcessive student loansCredit cards

Reality Byte:

It’s all about choices -

Boat, cars, snowmobiles, pools or….COLLEGE

for your son or daughter

You make the choices!

Reality Byte - Final

You can change college from a dream into a reality, so…

Make planning for college part of your child’s daily life.

Think College Early!