College Bound Newsletter
November2014
In This Issue
- SAS College Bound
- MIAMI NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR
- Important Dates and Deadlines
- Checking out if an institution is accredited
- How Much Will a College Expect You to Pay?
- Which Colleges Claim to Meet Students' Full Financial Need?
- 6 Need-Blind Schools That Meet 100% of Demonstrated Need for International Students
- The Best Colleges For Financial Aid
- School Costs and Net Price
- Financial Aid 101
- Video Overview of how the Financial Aid System Works
- 2014 – 2015 SAT AND ACT TEST DATES
- FSU Summer Bridge Program
- Connectedu is HERE – it’s time to get registered!
- Career Exploration
College Searches
College Board - BIGFUTURE
ACT - College Search Engine
Knowledge for College:
Art and Design Colleges:
College Accreditation:
Colleges that change lives
Florida Health Careers:
Colleges in the UK:
Virtual College Tours:
College Confidential
College View
Occupational Outlook Handbook
The common Application:
TESTING
Here are some websites that provide SAT and ACT preparation
Number2.com
Max the Test
Princeton Review
State University Minimums:
SAT:
Math: 460 / Verbal: 460 / writing: 440
ACT: 19 Reading
19 Math
NCAA INFORMATION
NCAA online:
- NCAA Clearinghouse initial eligibility
- NCAA Sports by Type and Division
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Common Application Errors
“I’ll start the application next week.” Don’t run out of time to complete the application. Give yourself at least two weeks to find mistakes.“I already ran a spell-check on my computer.” Words can be spelled correctly but used incorrectly. Ask a counselor, teacher or family member to proofread the application to catch any errors or poor phrasing.
“One copy is enough.” Print out any online forms and keep copies of all paperwork.
“I can send my application
as soon as I’m finished.” Before you seal the envelope
or click “Send” on your computer, double- and triple-check that you have included
all necessary materials.
Follow-up in two weeks to verify that all mailed
materials have been received.
“I assume this is right.” If you’re confused by a question or any part of the application, ask someone. A quick call to
the admissions office can save you from making an embarrassing error
You must go to the Registrar’s Office to request copies of your
Transcripts to be sent to those Colleges you applied to.
College Planning Timelines
Whether you are coming in as a new freshman, a transfer student or a returning student, a lot of moving parts go into planning for college. Stay on track, up-to-date and organized by following a step-by-step college planning timeline suited to your current status.
Timelines:
- 9th/10th Grade College Planning Timeline
- 11th Grade College Planning Timeline
- 12th Grade College Planning Timeline
- College Articles & Advice
- Planning For College
- Taking College Entrance Exams
- Choosing a College
- The College Application Process
- Paying For College
- Paying for Two-Year Colleges and Trade Schools
- Campus Life
- Going to Graduate School
- Checklist: Testing Tips
- Checklist: Campus Visit
- Checklist: Writing a College Essay
- Checklist: College Interview
- Checklist: Financial Aid Application
- Checklist: Off to College
- Checklist: Managing Academics
Careers and Majors
- Career Articles & Advice
- Finding a Job
- Creating Your Résumé
- Creating Your Cover Letter
- Acing the Interview
- Internships
- Volunteer Work
- Career-Changing Tips
- Résumé Builder
- Résumé Examples
- Checklist: Tips for Successfully Wrapping up an Interview
- Checklist: Job Search
- Checklist: Building a Career Network
In Demand Careers
- In-Demand Careers
- Fastest-Growing Careers
- Highest Paying Careers
- Most New Careers
- Careers with Most Military Veterans
SENIORS,each year we have had a tradition of recognizing students when they are accepted to the college of their choice. Your success (and photo at some SAS sites) is highlighted on a poster sign that we display in the SAS office. This year is no different. You should all be very proud of your accomplishments and join in by letting SAS share in your joy and accomplishments. All you need to do is make a copy of your acceptance letter and turn it into your SAS counselor.
MIAMI NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR
Sunday, February 22, 2015 12:00 PM-4:00 PM
Doubletree Miami Mart Airport Hotel & Convention Center, 777 NW 72nd Ave., Miami 33172
Important Dates and Deadlines
December 1, 2014: (Seniors)
SAS Class of 2015, as of December 1, 2014, seniors may apply for the Bright Futures Scholarship and other important important programs available through the Florida Office of Student Financial Aid. All SAS seniors are required to apply by a deadline date announced by your SAS counselor. Even students who plan to attend a school outside of Florida should apply.
Beginning January 1, 2015:(Seniors)
FINANCIAL AID - FAFSAs for the 2014-2015 academic year can be filed beginning January 1, 2015 by going to . We highly recommend that your parents finish their 2014Federal Income Tax as soon as possible so the FAFSA can be filed as soon as possible. Estimating can also be used as an option.
SAT / ACT Testing:(Juniors)
Juniors can now begin to request SAT/ACT fee waivers for second semester testing. Please see your SAS
Counselor at Homestead, North and Wolfson. At Kendall, see Mr. Coats for SAT/ACT test fee waivers.
All juniors should finish their SAT/ACT testing by the end of their junior year!!!!! … just ask a
senior why? Take time to plan out your testing dates and follow through.
Checking out if an institution is accredited
Have you ever wanted to know if the college you are interested is accredited? The accrediting organizations identified in this website are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Recognition by CHEA affirms that the standards and processes of the accrediting organization are consistent with the academic quality, improvement and accountability expectations that CHEA has established, including the eligibility standard that the majority of institutions or programs each accredits are degree-granting.To learn more, go to the following website: .
How Much Will a College Expect You to Pay?
By: Lynn O'Shaughnessy
The College Solution Newsletter
Blogger l Author l Speaker l Consultant
You can't possibly answer that question unless you know what your Estimated Family Contribution or EFC is.
An EFC is the amount of money, at a minimum, that a college will expect you to pay for one year of your child's college education. Often times you will have to pay more than your stated EFC unless you're attending an elite school with excellent financial aid packages.
Your EFC will be expressed as a dollar amount. A low-income family could have an EFC that's as low as $0. There is no ceiling as to how high the EFC can be for wealthy families. The highest I've ever seen was about $108,000 for a family where the father was a CEO. Obviously, $108,000 is way above the price of one year's costs at any college.
How To Obtain Your EFC
Getting advance notice is better than waiting until your child receives his or her financial aid packages in the spring of her senior year in high school. I think families should obtain their EFC as early as a child's freshman year in high school. Here are two calculators that you can use to obtain your EFC.
College Board's EFC Calculator
FinAid's EFC Calculator
Here is some of the information that you'll need to use the calculators:
- Number of children in college.
- Marital status of parents.
- Adjusted gross income.
- Non-retirement investments.
- Income taxes paid for most recent calendar year.
Just three public schools met 100 percent of demonstrated financial need in 2013-2014, according to U.S. News data.
By Susannah Snider Sept. 15, 2014 | 8:30 a.m. EDT
Williams College, ranked No. 1 among National Liberal Arts Colleges, was one of the schools that met 100 percent of demonstrated financial need, according to data reported to U.S. News.
To gauge the affordability of a college or university, the sticker price is a good place to start. But savvy students should dig deeper. One data point to unearth is the average percent of financial need met. As universities cover more of the tuition bill than ever before, they're devoting most of that money to helping students without the resources to pay full price.
Schools that meet 100 percent of need can use a combination of loans, scholarships, grants and work-study tofill the gap between the cost of attendance – tuition, fees, room, board and other expenses – and theexpected family contribution, a number determined by the information you provide on theFree Application for Federal Student Aid, including tax data, assets and family size. Of the 1,137 colleges and universities that submitted financial need data to U.S. News, just 62 of them cover full need.Many of these schools rank high, with about one-third placing in the top 10 in their categories.
To read more about colleges that meet 100% need – click here:
Colleges that meet 100% of financial need
Schools That Meet 100% of Demonstrated Need without Loans
by Hope Brinn on September 2, 2012
Financial fit is an incredibly important concern for all students in the college process. Most schools give some scholarships and financial aid, but not always enough to make the school affordable. There are a number of schools, however, that commit to meeting 100% of all admitted students’ demonstrated financial need.
But what does that mean? This means that if College X looks at Sally’s financial information and determines that her family can afford to pay $20,000 that year for college, that the school will meet the difference with financial aid. A school that costs $50,000 a year but doesn’t meet 100% of demonstrated need may calculate that Sally’s family can afford to pay $20,000 but the school only offers $20,000 in grants, scholarships, and loans, which leaves Sally’s family with an unmet need of $10,000.
To read more about colleges that meet full need without loans, please go to:
Schools That Meet 100% of Demonstrated Need without Loans
Top 6 Need-blind Colleges in US for International Students
Financial aid for international students can be classified into two categories – Need-based and Merit-based aid. Roughly, need-based aid is awarded proportional to your family's financial need, that is the difference between the cost of study and your ability to pay. Merit-based aid is awarded based on your merit (academic or otherwise) and does not depend on family income. Some colleges that award need-based aid award up to your full demonstrated need, whilst others leave a gap that you must cover with loans or borrow from relatives.
Need-blind colleges do not consider your financial situation when deciding admission. These colleges are rare because a need-blind policy generally requires the institution to back the policy with a sufficient source of funding or endowment. Also, many schools which are need-blind to US citizens or permanent residents do not extend the same policy to transfer or international students. Furthermore, need-blind admission does not necessarily mean the college meets the full demonstrated financial need of all its admitted students. Some need-blind schools may admit students with a financial aid package that does not cover their full financial need, leaving a “gap”, which the students must cover with private loans, borrow from relatives, or otherwise not attend.
There are only SIX schools in the U.S. that are need-blind and meet full-need of international students:
1) Amherst College - more onAmherst College
2) Dartmouth College - more onDartmouth College
3) Harvard University - more onHarvard University
4) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - more onMIT
5) Princeton University - more onPrinceton University
6) Yale University - more onYale University
The Best Colleges For Financial Aid
Updated: 05/25/11 09:01 AM ET Updated: 05/25/11 07:35 PM ET
Although many colleges and universities nationwide are struggling financially, a handful are sticking to a commitment to meet students' full financial needs, according toU.S. News & World Report.
U.S. News explains that "financial need" is the difference between tuition cost and a student's expected family contribution as calculated by FAFSA or the institution itself. That discrepancy is then made up by colleges who claim to meet full need through grants and loans.
Of the 1,700 schools reviewed by U.S. News, only 63 colleges are able to meet students' full financial needs -- last year, 66 made the cut.
Below, check out ten institutions that fully meet demonstrated student need, and click over to U.S. News for the full list.
The Best Colleges For Financial Aid
School Costs and Net Price
School costs can be one of the most important factors in choosing potential colleges or career schools—and costs can vary significantly from school to school. While the cost of college includes tuition and fees, it also includes equipment, travel, and more. Learn about what is included in the cost of college and ways to reduce college costs.
You’ll want to make sure that the cost of your school is reasonable compared to your earning potential in your future career. In other words, you want to make sure that you can earn enough money to cover any student loan payments you may need to make, along with living expenses, after you graduate.
Any school that participates in the federal student aid programs is required to provide information on its cost of attendance and to offer a net price calculator on its website. This calculator will give you an idea of how much a program may cost after subtracting any financial aid. The average net price to attend the school is determined by subtracting the average amount of federal, state/local government, or institutional grant or scholarship aid from the total cost of attendance for the institution’s largest program.
Financial Aid 101
Financial aid carries with it responsibilities that college-bound students must manage throughout college and beyond. Students and families should take the time to learn about their financial aid options before signing on the dotted line.
There are four types of aid that can create a financial aid package:
- Scholarships - Students usually do not have to pay back scholarships, which award money for academic achievement, athletic ability, special talents, and more. Scholarships are often available through public service organizations, like the Lions Club, the Rotary Club, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), through religious institutions and local businesses.
- Grants - Grant programs may be federal, state, or school-sponsored. Students may receive federal and state grants based on financial need, and they may receive school-sponsored grants based on financial need or merit. Students should check with the schools they're interested in attending for more information on school-sponsored grants.
- Work-study - Schools can provide students with on- or off-campus employment to help pay for college costs. Students also gain career-related, hands-on work experience.
- Student loans - Borrowers must repay loans with interest. Several types of loans are available:
- Federal Perkins Loans and Direct Subsidized Loans are need-based, government-subsidized loans. The government pays the interest that accrues on these loans while students are in-school at least half-time and during their grace period. However, if the loan was disbursed between July 1, 2012 and July 1, 2014, the student is responsible for paying the interest that accrues during their grace period.
- Direct Unsubsidized Loans are calculated based on your student's cost of attendance, minus other financial aid he/she receives. Interest begins accruing on unsubsidized loans from the date of disbursement. Your student is responsible for all interest that accrues on these loans. Any unpaid interest that remains at the end of the student's grace period will be capitalized (added to the principal balance) before repayment begins.
- Parent PLUS Loans are federally guaranteed loans for parents who want to help pay for their student's education. Parents can borrow up to the cost of attendance, minus any financial aid awarded to the student.
- Private Education Loans are available through financial institutions like banks or credit unions. They typically have higher interest rates, more fees, and less flexible repayment options than federal student loans. Loan terms and limits on Private Education Loans vary substantially by lender. Students should consider these loans only if they need additional funds after obtaining aid through scholarships, grants, and federal loans.
Video Overview of how the Financial Aid System Works
To apply for federal student aid, you need to complete the FAFSASM or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Completing and submitting the FAFSA is free and easier than ever, and it gives you access to the largest source of financial aid to pay for college or career school.In addition, many states and colleges use your FAFSA data to determine your eligibility for state and school aid, and some private financial aid providers may use your FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify for their aid.
View accessible version (wmv) (16.1 mb)
(This is a MUST view to understand financial aid)