Picking the Right College & Finding Some Money to Pay for It

1. Picking the Right College& Finding Some Money to Pay for It David G. Landfair

2. Agenda • Rules • Some Statistics • Picking & Finding Money • Tips • NOTE: • Slides will be posted to the GBHS web site under Guidance • JROTC fundraiser selling copies

3. Available Here$10 here …. or$12.00 plus S&H at AMAZON.COM Includes: How to Narrow Your Choices How to Hunt for Scholarships Academy Appointment Advice Bonus Chapters: 4-Year Plan Interview Tips

4. First, Some Rules • First Rule: You Need To Take Charge • Second Rule: Different Schools, Different Rules • Third Rule: Have A Plan “B,” “C,” “D”

5. Some Statistics • 30% of Adults in the U.S. Have a Degree(Wall Street Journal, 24-25 Aug 2013) • Value?: One way to measure … fewer college grads unemployed than High School graduates (U.S. Bureau of Labor) • 28 to 40% of College Freshmen Do NOT Return for their Sophomore Year (American College Testing) • 55% Do Not Graduate in Six Years (Wall Street Journal, 24-25 Aug 2013)

6. Why Is This Happening? • Picking the Wrong the School? • Good News: We Can Work on That • Admissions People Tell Me … #1 reason … not going to class • Big Schools Have Big Distractions • Good News: We Can Work on That • Money • Good News: We Can Work on That

7. Picking the Right College:So Where Do I StartWhat Do I Do First? • Make a list of favorites based on whatever … sports teams, legacy, close to home, friends, feels right • Whatever … just make a list and start researching costs and scholarships available

8. Consider: What Are Admission Boards Looking For? • Different Schools, Different _______ • You can find out by asking @ College Fairs & looking at the School’s Web Page & calling them • ACT/SAT…standardized tests--easy to compare • GPA • IB Programs, AP and Honor Classes • School/Community Involvement • Some Measure Character TIP: Ask Your Admissions Representatives

9. Consider:Where Is Everyone Else Going? • UCF – 4/11 • USF – 3/5 • UNF – 3/0 • Auburn – 3/0 • U of Alabama – 3/5 • Univ S. AL – 3/5 • Miss State – 4/4 • Southern Miss – 3/2 • Other Colleges – 44/50 • Military – 20/9 • About 725 Grads Last Two Years total • PSC – 90/62 … local & feeds UWF • UWF – 74/67 … local • FSU – 29/39 … Honors Grads • UF – 24/15 … Honors Grads • Santa Fe – 3/0 … feeds UF • TCC – 2/0 … feeds FSU • Source: School Paper & Graduation Programs • Honor Grads = 94% weighted GPA & above 47/35% Local College 35/37% Out of Town College 5/2.5% Enlist in Military 13/20% Not Listed in Paper

10. What is Our List Looking Like? • Local • PSC, UWF • Big State Schools • FSU, UF • Close By Out of State • USA, Alabama, Auburn, MSU, GA • Other • Notre Dame, USAFA, Duke

11. Now Consider Your Standardized Test Score • All Starts Here • Affect Admissions & Scholarships (Different Schools, Different _______) • Most schools want to see your ACT or SAT score for admission & scholarships • Get tutoring to raise scores • Many scholarships also are based on score

12. Standardized Test Scores (continued) • The Bottom Line: Your score will affect your admission decision and it might indicate your probability of success • If the mean score of the freshmen class is a lot higher than your score, you may not get into the school, if you do it seems you are already behind • Good News: That works the other way too • If you choose a school where your score is higher than the mean, you might do well

13. Look To See Where You Fit #1 Tip: Look at the Mean ACT score and see where you fit Sources: collegedata.com & School Web Pages

14. Now What Do I Do?Make A Chart

15. More To Consider:Other Expenses • Food • Meal plans can be expensive or a good deal • Note: Some dorms require a meal plan (Different Schools, Different _____) • Greek Life • May include a meal plan … $2,000? • Entertainment • Some schools require a fee for “student passes to games etc…” • Tickets, movies, intramurals, clubs

16. Wall Street Journal Advice • Focus on the Net Price • Make Sure the Aid Keeps Coming (i.e. one-year money) • Save the Pricier School for Later • Most Don’t Care Where You Got Your AA • Graduate Schools Can Be Expensive • TIP: But Many Graduate Schools Favor Their Undergraduates when it comes to admissions (Different Schools, Different ______) Wall Street Journal Dec 22/23 2012

17. More To Consider:Big Schools Have Big Distractions • How disciplined are you? • It is not just Big Football … basketball, soccer, baseball, etc… • Population of College Towns double on game weekends … for the entire semester • All year at some schools • Feeling like a number • Big classes at some schools • Bottom Line: Might want to consider school size, class size

18. Other Considerations • Start with the End In Mind • If You Are Going To Go To Graduate School, What Does It Take to Get In? • Vet School for example • Different Schools Have ______________ • Graduation Rates (Six-Years – from Chronical.com) • UF – 85% • MSU – 58% • USAFA – 82% • Notre Dame – 96% • UCF – 63% • FSU – 74% • UA – 67% • Auburn – 66%

19. Comparison Tool • Collegecost.ed.gov • Compares • Costs • Graduation Rates • Loan data • TIP: One source compares apples to apples pretty well

20. Is It Possible To Graduate Debt-Free? TIPS: (Wall Street Journal 24 Jul 13) • Stay Close to Home Can Save $ • Community College then Transfer • Take classes on-line • Dual-Enrollment in HS helps a Ton • College Level Examination Program (CLEP) … CLEP out and Save $ • Look hard for Scholarships • Generate Income: Work … during the year & Especially Summers • Live Frugally

21. Coming Up • More Tips • Coming Up: • College Fair Advice • Hunting for Scholarships • More …

22. TIP: Go Check Out the School • My Advice: A school, like a jacket, does not fit everyone, try it on for size

23. College Fairs • Be Prepared! • Have your Resume Ready – Just In Case • Questions Ready: • What is Your Admissions Board Looking For? • What was the Mean ACT Score for Your Freshmen Class Last Year? • What is the Graduation Rate For Someone Like Me? • Do You Offer Any Scholarships for Someone Like Me? • Use Resume listing residence, ACT/SAT Scores, GPA, etc… • What is Contact Info For When I Have Questions Later?

24. So When Should I Apply? • Different Schools, Different _____ • FSU … website says: January 14th • First Notification of acceptance is in December TIP: Talk to Admissions At the Schools • Great question for college fair

25. Tips Get rid of the cute e-mail address: like beachbabe@hotmail.com trackstar@gmail.com chaos@yahoo.com …. unprofessional; make a new address just for your scholarship correspondence • Change the “stylish” answering machine messages

26. Observations from Interviews • Not prepared … underdressed (parents too), late, etc … interview not a priority • Poor communicators … wrong numbers or e-mail addresses, don’t answer messages, poor eye-contact & posture • Missed deadlines TIP: Successful • Read a lot … articulate, good vocabulary, write well • Well prepared … practiced … courteous

27. Observations (continued) • TIP: Include impact statements in your Resumes & Letters of Recommendations • Instead of this: NHS VP–led 2 fundraisers • Do this: As NHS VP, raised $526 to help pay medical bills for student with cancer • Also, if they already have your resume, may not want to repeat that information … ask your admissions officer • Many are looking for a real story about you … about your character

28. Let’s Be Honest … Price Makes A Difference • You Must Pick a School You Can Afford • Good news – lots of scholarships out there • Wall Street Journal: “86% of freshmen received some sort of grant in 2011” • Some statistics are good, some not really … School Paper: 59% of Sr.s won scholarships, totals: $12 Million

29. Where Can I Find Scholarships? • TIP …try for as many as you are qualified for • Why? Money is money … take it; Win five $1,000 scholarships and you can pay $5,000 worth or tuition, or housing costs, or …

30. Gateway to Scholarships • Join a Club – many can lead you to a scholarship • FBLA • JROTC • Lots of Others – Just Ask … it’s ok to ask • Sports • Lots of competition (1% of athletes get awards) • Talk to the Coaches at school and at the college you want to go to … you need to initiate the conversation • Many recruit via their summer camps

31. Where Can I Find Scholarships? • Where are these scholarships? • Look on the Web • Financial Aid and Scholarships are found on the school’s web site • Local – Check with Guidance; Listen to ITV; Ask Around; Look in the Paper and Magazines

32. Search & You Will Find • Coke - coca-colascholars.org • Girls Going Places Scholarship • Guardianlife.com • Best Buy • www.bestbuy-communityrelations.com/scholarship.htm • Sallie Mae Fund Scholarship Program • Thesalliemaefund.org • Voice of Democracy Audio Essay Scholarship • vfw.org

33. Scholarships • Many schools consider you automatically for scholarships; many do not, soYOU need to find out • For example, MSU – automatically considers you “out-of-staters” for a scholarship... Pays your out of state tuition … this year … 25 ACT • TIP: Ask at the College Fair

34. Other ScholarshipsLocal • GBHS Guidance Does a Great Job Listing Opportunities For You (list on web, and in their office) • TIP: Don’t rely on one source … go find scholarships • Sometimes you see them in the Gulf Breeze News or the Pensacola News Journal • Parents hear about them at Optimist, Sertoma, Kiwanis, Women’s Club meetings around town • Listen to ITV … many are announced

35. Bright Futures* • Three Levels • FL Academic Scholars (FAS) • FL Medallion Scholars (FMS) • FL Gold Seal Vocational Scholars (GSV) • Moving Target - so get the best GPA, ACT/SAT, and as many Community Service Hours as you can • Must do FAFSA • At GBHS, students fill out application in Dec of Sr Yr at school *Source: floridastudentfinancialaid.org

36. What About Federal Help? • Federal Aid • Need to demonstrate Financial Need • Do that when you complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) • Go to FAFSA.GOV (with your tax info ready) • They have Grants (Free Money) • Work Study Programs (Work at School and Use Money to Pay Bills) • Loans (last choice be prepared to pay the money back)

37. Scholarships (continued) • Different Kinds of Scholarships • Community, business sponsored • TIP: YOU need to ask around … “Hey Mom, Hey Dad, Hey Uncle Bill does your company or club offer any scholarships?”

38. Other ScholarshipsOn the Web • Where Do I Look? • On the Web, do a Google search. Here are some you will find: • www.fastweb.com • www.cappex.com • www.scholarshipexperts.com • www.scholarshipamerica.org • www.gocollege.com

39. Note: • Some Scholarships are not awarded until late in the process …may want to keep your options open when you are making a final school selection

40. Winning A Scholarship • TIPS: Some variables can help • Minority status sometimes plays in your favor • Financial status (FINANCIAL NEED) • First in the family to go to college

41. TIP • Plan to start applying the Summer between your Junior and Senior year • Have best ACT/SAT scores ready • Get tutoring: PNJ Ad in GB call Alice Hart; Club Z Tutoring; Sylvan Learning Center • Great resume ready • Sign up for a challenging Senior Year • Senior Year: Execute the plan

42. Take Aways • You Need to Take Charge • Different Schools, Have ______ • Ask Admissions • NOTE: These slides are located on the GBHS web site under guidance

43. Good Luck • Questions?