Transcript Preparing for college

Helping Your Child On Their Journey to College
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Name of Chapter
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Agenda
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Discussion: Why do you want your child to go to college?
Benefits of college education
Higher education options
Getting into college
Understanding admissions exams
Paying for college
College resources
Why do you want your child to go to
college?
Benefits of a college education
• To broaden perspectives
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Meet new people from diverse backgrounds.
Learn to be independent.
Explore new fields and views.
• To gain more knowledge that will be helpful throughout
students’ lives
• To have more job opportunities
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More and more jobs require education beyond high school. Many
jobs rely on new technology and “brainpower.”
Earning potential
• A 4-year college
graduate (with bachelor’s
degree) earns almost $1
million more over his/her
lifetime than a high
school graduate.
- Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Why STEM careers?
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STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) Pays More
STEM careers are always in high demand
STEM careers are growing
STEM college internships pay very well
Student loans are easier to pay with STEM degrees
Engineering is a professional degree
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Do not NEED MS/PhD to reach fullest career potential
Many Executives at STEM based industries have only a Bachelor of Science
(BS – 4 year degree) in Engineering
Where Can You Use STEM education?
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Naval Sea Systems Command
Naval Sea Systems Command designs, builds, delivers and maintains ships and
systems on time and on cost for the U.S. Navy.
• A diverse organization with a single purpose of keeping America’s Navy #1
in the world
• A world-class employer of choice that inspires innovation
• Set the standard for Naval engineering, shipbuilding and ship maintenance
• Support humanitarian efforts world-wide
• Recruits and trains men and women to serve as civilians (engineers,
scientists, accountants, doctors, nurses, lawyers, etc.) to support the Navy
and Marine Corps operating forces.
Higher education options
Type of institution
Degrees offered
Examples
Community colleges
Associates degree
Certificates
Mountain View College
Palo Alto College
Technical colleges
Associates degree
Certificates
ITT Technical Institute
Texas State Technical College
Public universities
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
Doctoral degree
University of California at Los Angeles
University of Texas at Austin
Florida State University
Private universities
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
Doctoral degree
Stanford University
Notre Dame University
Harvard University
Health-related and
professional institutions
Professional degrees
(law and medicine)
John Hopkins University
Getting into college
• Every university has different admissions requirements.
• Common admissions requirements include
o Grades
o Grade point average (GPA)
o Courses taken
o Class rank
o Admissions exams (i.e. ACT/SAT)
o Extracurricular activities, leadership
o Community service
o Employment
o College essays and interviews
Know your high school graduation plan
Students should discuss their college plans with their high
school counselor as early as possible to make sure their
graduation plan meets the minimum university
requirements.
TIP: Community colleges offer automatic admission to
students who graduate from high school.
College admissions exams
• College admissions exams are commonly used to determine college
admissions and for scholarship review.
• Students should begin taking the SAT and/or ACT exam during the
spring of their junior year.
• Students may take these exams multiple times to raise their scores.
• Fee waivers may be available from the student’s school counselor.
Comparing the SAT and ACT exams
SAT Exam
ACT Exam
Three sections: Critical Reading, Math, and
Writing
Five sections: English, Math Reading, Science,
and Writing (optional)
Reasoning exam
Content-based exam
Offered 7 times per year
Offered 6 times per year
Timed test (3 hours, 45 minutes)
Times test (3 hours or 3 ½ hours with writing)
Maximum score of 800 per section (total 2400)
Maximum score of 36 per section
Students penalized for wrong answers, guessing Students receive credit only for right answers
discouraged
Cost is $52.50
Cost is $38 or $54.50 with optional writing
section
Register at sat.collegeboard.org
Register at www.actstudent.org
How much does college cost?
• There are five main college cost categories
o Tuition and fees
o Room and board
o Books and supplies
o Personal expenses
o Transportation
• There is often a big difference between the published sticker price and the net
price paid by students.
• Net price is a college’s total cost minus financial aid received.
How much is tuition?
Type of college
Public Two-Year College (in-state
students)
Public Four-Year University (in-state
students)
Public Four-Year University (out-ofstate students)
Private Four-Year University
Source: The College Board (bigfuture.collegeboard.org)
Average Published Yearly
Tuition and Fees
$3,131
$8,655
$21,706
$29,056
Using Financial Aid
• Four types of financial aid available to students
• Grants are free money for students based on financial need
• Loans are money that must be paid back
• Work study requires students to work part-time
• Scholarships are free money for students based on academic merit
Applying for financial aid
• Students must apply for financial aid after January 1st of
their senior year of high school.
• Parents must prepare their tax returns early to ease the
submission of their financial aid application.
• Financial aid deadlines vary by college. Students should
inquire at their college for priority and final deadline dates.
Applying for financial aid
• U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents and certain eligible non-citizens
must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA).
Apply online at www.FAFSA.gov
• Some states provide limited financial aid for undocumented
students. Students should inquire with the Financial Aid Office at
their college to determine eligibility and application requirements.
Applying for scholarships
• Scholarships are offered by
o Universities and colleges
o Corporations, businesses, private organizations
o Non-profit organizations and foundations
• Deadlines and application requirements vary by scholarship.
• The peak period to apply for scholarships is November to March of your child’s
senior year.
• Students should speak to their counselor to learn more about scholarship resources.
Where can you get help?
• College resources in English and Spanish are available in
many communities and include
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High school counselors and teachers
College outreach offices
Admissions offices
Online resources (i.e. CollegeBoard.org, Princeton Review,
FinAid.org)
Professional organizations (i.e. SHPE Foundation, National
Society of Hispanic MBAs)
Thank you for attending.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS