Freedom Baptist College Night

1
Welcome!

• Freedom Baptist College Night
• November 25, 2008
• Scott Huckaby
• Principal

2
Introduction
3
Perspective
4

Tonights Materials
College/Career Planning Guides VIA
WEBSITE Financial Aid Information Thaddeus
Lubbers Important Timelines and Checklists for
Planning Ahead Where can I go for help?
Resources?
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Presentation

• High School Guidance Office
• Collegewhere do I begin??
• Basics of Financial Aide

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High School Guidance Office

• Computer Grade Services (transcripts, grade
  entry, scheduling)
• Testing Information (ACT, SAT, ASVAB, PLAN,
  PSAT/NMSQT, MME)
• Honor Roll
• Junior and Senior Interviews
• transcript verification, Graduation requirements
• Financial Aid

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High School Guidance Office

• Recommendations and Correspondence
• College Preparations
• National Honor Society (Louise Roth)
• Careerline Tech Center
• Student Union Referrals and Support

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Juniors - Am I on Track?

• JUNIOR YEAR CHECK LIST
• 1. Register for PSAT/National Merit Qualifying
  Test
• 2. Take PSAT/National Merit Test
• 3. Review interests and skills
• 4. Explore career fields
• -Visit high school guidance counselor's office to
  review information
• 5. Review transcript with high school
  counselor
• 6. Attend Financial Aid Meetings
• 7. Review college literature

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Juniors - Am I on Track?

• 8. Obtain information about advance placement
  from high school counselor
• 9. Obtain information from schools of interest
• a. Admissions application/deadline
• b. Determine entrance test required
• c. Financial Aid application deadlines
• d. Determine financial statement required
• e. Go on campus tours
• f. Attend college night/college fair
• 10. Review college choices
• a. Visit campuses of interest. Speak with
  academic departments
• b. Talk to currently enrolled students and
  alumni at schools of interest
• c. Read college catalogues

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Juniors - Am I on Track?

• 11. Register and take Scholastic Aptitude Test
  (SAT I) - If necessary
• 12. Register for the ACT test Take ACT test (via
  MME in March)
• 13. Attend Career and College planning
  meeting
• 14. Meet with your counselor regarding your
  educational plan, credits, and college
  planning/aspirations.

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Seniors Am I on Track?

• SEPTEMBER
• Register for the October ACT test to qualify for
  the state scholarship program.
• Pick up college applications and other college
  information from the counseling office.
• Browse through college catalogues and other
  college information in the counseling
  office/library.
• OCTOBER
• Attend local college night presentations.
• Meet with college representatives when they visit
  Freedom in the fall.
• Take the October ACT test, if you haven't done
  so.
• Complete college applications and return to the
  counseling office.
• NOVEMBER
• Complete college applications, if you haven't
  done so.
• Arrange for a college visit, if you are
  unfamiliar with the campus.

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Seniors Am I on Track?

• DECEMBER
• College applications should be filed by now.
• Pick up Free Application for Federal Student Aid
  (FAFSA) and review to determine what info will be
  required.
• Attend High School Financial Aid Workshop.
• JANUARY
• Complete and mail FAFSA.
• FEBRUARY/MARCH
• Talk with selected colleges about academic and
  campus based scholarships.
• Research and apply for local scholarships. Check
  options for private scholarships.
• Review and validate SAR information (from FAFSA).

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Seniors Am I on Track?

• APRIL/MAY
• Review award letters you have received form
  various schools. Select the school to attend, but
  make sure the decision is based on educational
  consideration first.
• Finalize college plans.
• Meet with Admissions Officer at school of choice
  to discuss their financial package and options

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Resources College Search

• ACT, Inc. - www.act.org
• Information about testing, the college search,
  and other educational services.
• College Board Online - www.collegeboard.com
• Self-defined as the starting point for students,
  parents, counselors, admission staff, etc.. It
  is both student and parent friendly. It covers
  testing, college selection and career
  information.
• Fastweb - www.fastweb.com
• Find your dream school, download applications,
  expert tips on careers, financial aid and more!
• NACAC - www.nacac.com
• National Association for College Admission
  Counseling Home Page.
• Petersons Education Center - www.petersons.com
• This site provides a large college database that
  can be searched geographically, religiously, by
  size, etc.

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Resources Career Information

• Career Net - www.careers.org
• Links to thousands of career reference sites,
  organized geographically/alphabetically and by
  job family.
• Career Cruising www.careercruising.com
• Career Interest inventory and a wealth of
  college and career related information.
• Username Freedom
• Password Baptist

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Resources Financial Aide

• College Boards Fund Finder - www.collegeboard.or
  g
• Similar to FastWeb.
• Financial Aid - www.finaid.org
• The Smart Student? guide to financial aid.
• FAFSA Express - www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/students
  /apply/express.html
• An online version of the FAFSA.
• FastWeb - www.fastweb.com
• A database of more the 180,000 scholarships,
  grants, fellowships, and loans representing
  billions of dollars in private sector funding for
  college students living in the United States.
• HigherEd Net - www.isac1.org
• A legitimate scholarship service.
• Michigan Student Aid - www.michigan.gov/mistudent
  aid

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2 points of emphasis

• Career Cruising
• www.careercruising.com
• ID freedom PW baptist

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2 points of emphasis

• TestGear
• www.bridges.com
• ID 0028863 PW eagles

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Basics of and Sources of Financial Aide
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Financial Aide Sources (4)

• FEDERAL Federal Government supplies most student
  aid via grants, loans etc.
• STATE Based upon need, merit, or both via
  scholarships, grants, loans etc.
• COLLEGE "In-house" aid through the institution
  via grants, scholarships, work
• aid, loans etc.
• PRIVATE Employers, labor unions, professional
  associations, churches, businesses. Also your
  religion, race, or ethnic background may
  qualify you. Special talents and skills.

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Where does the MONEY come from?
Education Tax Benefits
Institutional and Private Aid
State Aide
Federal Aid
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Components of Financial Aide
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Random FEDERAL reminders

• FAFSA is the KEY component to ALL government aid
  for college!
• PIN (FAFSA) is required for student AND 1 parent
  (www.pin.ed.gov)
• ONLINE FAFSA is done by 95 of all applications.
• FOTW (FAFSA on the Web) is a worksheet you can do
  now to save time later. (www.fsapubs.org)
• What is Federal Methodology (Income, size of
  family, assets)
• (94 income and 6 Assetsbroken down as )
• FEDERAL Resource www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov
• www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov

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Michigan Competitive Scholarship

• The Michigan Competitive Scholarship program is
  available to undergraduate students pursuing
  their first
• degrees at an approved Michigan postsecondary
  institution. Students must demonstrate both
  financial need
• and merit and eligible applicants must achieve a
  qualifying ACT score prior to entering college.
• Application
• Applicants must file the Free Application for
  Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who file by
  March 1
• will receive priority consideration.
• Program Limits
• Awards are restricted to tuition and mandatory
  fees. Awards may pay a maximum of 1,300 per
  academic
• year at a Michigan public college or university,
  or 2,100 per academic year at a Michigan
  independent
• college or university.
• Eligibility Failure to meet these requirements
  will result in the cancellation of your award.
• Achieve a qualifying score on the ACT prior to
  entering college.
• Possess a high school diploma
• Demonstrate financial need.
• Enroll at least half time at an approved
  Michigan community college, public university or
  independent, degree-granting college or
  university.
• Be a Michigan resident since July 1 of the
  previous calendar year.

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Michigan Promise

• The Michigan Promise has replaced the Michigan
  Merit Award. Its award is 4,000 to be used in
  the state of Michigan and is contingent upon the
  student taking the MME in high school.
• ALL students who take the MME are eligible to
  receive this award regardless of score!

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Michigan Promise

• Description
• The Michigan Promise scholarship provides up to
  4,000 to high school graduates for successfully
  completing two years of postsecondary education.
  All students who took the Michigan Merit Exam
  (MME) have the opportunity to receive up to
  4,000 if they meet all eligibility requirements.
  
• Students who receive qualifying scores (Level 2
  or above) in each of the required test components
  are eligible to receive up to half of their
  scholarship in the first two years of
  postsecondary enrollment (in installments of
  1,000 each year).
• Application
• To claim the Michigan Promise scholarship
  installment payment for use in the 2008-09
  academic year, an eligible student must certify
  his/her scholarship by November 15, 2008.
• To claim up to a 2,000 final payment (for those
  who received installment payments), or to claim
  the full 4,000 for those who did not qualify for
  the installment payments, students should visit
  the Web site www.Michigan.gov/promise for an
  application form.

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Michigan Promise

• Program Limits
• Students must initiate use of their scholarship
  within two years of high school graduation and
  all installment funds
• must be fully utilized within four years of
  initiation.
• Students, who initiate their scholarship in the
  2009-10 academic year, must utilize all
  installment funds by the end of the 2012-13
  academic year. Students must submit their
  application for final payment no later than
  November 15 of the academic year following their
  last year of eligibility.
• Eligibility
• Take MME
• Must certify his or her eligibility for a
  scholarship installment payment.
• Enroll at an approved Michigan postsecondary
  institution within two years of becoming a high
  school graduate.
• Complete the postsecondary education
  requirements (associate degree, two-year
  certificate,
• vocational education program or 50 of the
  academic requirements for a bachelors degree,
  which is 60 semester or 90 term credits) within
  four years of initial enrollment.
• Achieve a cumulative college GPA of 2.5
• Be a high school graduate and a Michigan
  resident.

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Random STATE reminders

• OVERSIGHT of All STATE of MICHIGAN programs is by
  the Office of Scholarships and Grants.
• ( www.michigan.gov/studentaid or
  www.michigan.gov/osg )
• March 1 is the priority date of FAFSA completion
  for state programs
• Two BIG programs Michigan Competitive
  Scholarship Michigan Promise
• MCS Merit and Need based MERIT (ACT of gt
  90 on 4 subtests)
• NEED Based on FAFSA in by 3/1/09
• Michigan Promise Based upon successful
  completion of the MME
• Given at Freedom in March 09 for all Juniors

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Final Thoughts

• When in doubt, ask.
• Be assertive
• Use your resources. Like anything, a little
  extra (and smarter) effort may be highly
  beneficial
• Start early. The earlier, the better
• Encourage the student to engage in the process as
  well.
• Prayer and counsel

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Questions?