College Essay Experts: High school juniors go to college
By Rob Rogers
Redding.com
The future is here, and juniors need to be prepared.
"You are not going to make it with a high school diploma," Buffy Tanner, assistant director of College OPTIONS, told the group.
Tanner was at Simpson University recently for Shasta County Junior Day, an annual event that brings area high school juniors to a college campus to acquaint them with post-secondary education options.
Nearly 350 juniors from 10 Shasta County high schools attended workshops on planning for financial aid, picking the right college or trade school, and deciding on the best career.
The idea is to get the juniors thinking about life after high school and to get them to plan accordingly, Tanner said.
"I learned there were a lot of options out there to receive money," said Blair Davis, a junior from Anderson New Technology High School.
Classmate Ariel Sewart agreed.
"I just didn't know what all there was," she said.
Both plan to attend college after they graduate, although they're still trying to decide where.
"There is a lot of pressure to go to college," Sewart said.
And she understands the need, given the current economic climate, she said. Sewart added that she just wants to make sure she finds the right place.
Davis said the push to do something after high school is real.
"I feel the pressure," Davis said. "But I want to be able to do what I want to do."
Davis said she wants to pursue a career in massage therapy, and Sewart said she hopes to become a writer and actor.
The juniors returned to their high schools after a lunch of pizza in Simpson's Heritage Center.
The event is sponsored by College OPTIONS, a nonprofit organization created five years ago to be a resource for families of high school-aged children and help them get to college.
Starting this year, Simpson will host the event annually. However, the emphasis of Junior Day will stay squarely on seeking out all post-secondary options, organizers said.
"You aren't going to hear, 'Come to Simpson,'" Tanner said. "It's very 'general college.'"
College Essay Experts: High school juniors go to college
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Getting into college is less of a worry than financial aid and college grants
Getting into college is less of a worry than financial aid and college grants
BY LORI YOUNT
The Wichita Eagle
The most anxious envelope-opening for some college-bound high school seniors this spring might not be of the acceptance-or-rejection letters, but of the ones containing financial aid offers.
Almost 7 out of 10 students nationwide said the recession has affected where they applied to college, according to a survey by the Princeton Review, a test-preparation company and developer of college guides.
And as the acceptance letters arrive this month, local college counselors said Wichita families are being more deliberate about deciding which school will give them the best education for their dwindling bucks.
"I'm hearing students and parents asking more questions," said Wichita guidance counselor Matt Gallagher. "WSU and KU offer excellent educations and in-state tuitions. Is it worth borrowing $10,000 to $20,000 a year to go somewhere else?"
About half the students he advises in East High School's International Baccalaureate program typically end up attending college out of state, and Gallagher said he doesn't expect to see the number change significantly this year.
But the University of Kansas admissions office is hearing more appeals of financial aid offers because more families have had changes in their ability to pay, such as a parent being laid off, Gallagher said.
"They need to tell financial aid about that," he said.
Financial aid offers are playing a larger role for students, said Amy Alvarez of Southeast High School's college career center.
"Now those scholarships are weighing a lot more in their choices and whether they stay close to home or live at home," she said.
A choir scholarship that covers tuition and books at Butler Community College was a deciding factor for South High School senior Monica Sosa to spend the first two years of college in El Dorado. After that, she said she hopes to transfer to a university that offers a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
She said four years at a private university, such as Friends or Newman, were out of the question.
“(My parents) expect me to go out and do it myself," Sosa said.
With the scholarship, she decided she can afford to live on campus rather than with her parents.
"This will keep my options open," Sosa said.
Friends University officials said they're trying to show that the more than $19,000 a year in tuition and fees the university charges is about as affordable as some state schools if students win academic scholarships, which have been expanded this year.
"We've given more students the opportunity to receive scholarships," said Erin Haneberg, executive director of admissions at Friends. "We've seen an increase in interest."
She said most of that has come from local students who decided to explore options close to home.
Rising interest in scholarships is evidenced by incoming freshmen delaying turning in ACT scores so they can try to take the test again and qualify for a larger scholarship, Haneberg added.
South High senior Don Phillips Jr., who plans to major in aerospace engineering at Wichita State University, said he knew he wanted to stay near home, but not live at home. His scholarship earnings dictated other decisions.
"Honestly, I wanted to try living in the dorms... but it wasn't going to happen unless I had a full scholarship," he said.
A partial scholarship and a job will help pay his way, but Phillips said if he doesn't receive government aid, he will have to take out loans.
His grandparents set up a college fund for him. "But with the recent economic situation... it's not much of one now," Phillips said.
At the private Independent School, about 30 percent of college-bound students each year attend out-of-state institutions, director of college guidance Nancy Wheeler said. She expects the percentage to remain the same this year.
"It'll be a very typical year, but I don't know about the future," she said.
Colleges will feel the "big hits" to their endowment investments more next year, restricting their ability to offer financial aid, Wheeler said.
Students considering out-of-state schools are more conscious of the money that colleges offer them, she said.
The Wichita Collegiate School has noticed a similar pattern, said Kevin Mykel, dean of the Upper School.
"Some of those looking at Ivy League schools are looking at schools (that are) a step back but give merit scholarships," he said.
Those deciding to stay closer to home are finding it more difficult to get merit money, though. Wheeler said the University of Kansas Honors College received about four times as many applications this year as in a typical year.
Getting into college is less of a worry than financial aid and college grants
BY LORI YOUNT
The Wichita Eagle
The most anxious envelope-opening for some college-bound high school seniors this spring might not be of the acceptance-or-rejection letters, but of the ones containing financial aid offers.
Almost 7 out of 10 students nationwide said the recession has affected where they applied to college, according to a survey by the Princeton Review, a test-preparation company and developer of college guides.
And as the acceptance letters arrive this month, local college counselors said Wichita families are being more deliberate about deciding which school will give them the best education for their dwindling bucks.
"I'm hearing students and parents asking more questions," said Wichita guidance counselor Matt Gallagher. "WSU and KU offer excellent educations and in-state tuitions. Is it worth borrowing $10,000 to $20,000 a year to go somewhere else?"
About half the students he advises in East High School's International Baccalaureate program typically end up attending college out of state, and Gallagher said he doesn't expect to see the number change significantly this year.
But the University of Kansas admissions office is hearing more appeals of financial aid offers because more families have had changes in their ability to pay, such as a parent being laid off, Gallagher said.
"They need to tell financial aid about that," he said.
Financial aid offers are playing a larger role for students, said Amy Alvarez of Southeast High School's college career center.
"Now those scholarships are weighing a lot more in their choices and whether they stay close to home or live at home," she said.
A choir scholarship that covers tuition and books at Butler Community College was a deciding factor for South High School senior Monica Sosa to spend the first two years of college in El Dorado. After that, she said she hopes to transfer to a university that offers a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.
She said four years at a private university, such as Friends or Newman, were out of the question.
“(My parents) expect me to go out and do it myself," Sosa said.
With the scholarship, she decided she can afford to live on campus rather than with her parents.
"This will keep my options open," Sosa said.
Friends University officials said they're trying to show that the more than $19,000 a year in tuition and fees the university charges is about as affordable as some state schools if students win academic scholarships, which have been expanded this year.
"We've given more students the opportunity to receive scholarships," said Erin Haneberg, executive director of admissions at Friends. "We've seen an increase in interest."
She said most of that has come from local students who decided to explore options close to home.
Rising interest in scholarships is evidenced by incoming freshmen delaying turning in ACT scores so they can try to take the test again and qualify for a larger scholarship, Haneberg added.
South High senior Don Phillips Jr., who plans to major in aerospace engineering at Wichita State University, said he knew he wanted to stay near home, but not live at home. His scholarship earnings dictated other decisions.
"Honestly, I wanted to try living in the dorms... but it wasn't going to happen unless I had a full scholarship," he said.
A partial scholarship and a job will help pay his way, but Phillips said if he doesn't receive government aid, he will have to take out loans.
His grandparents set up a college fund for him. "But with the recent economic situation... it's not much of one now," Phillips said.
At the private Independent School, about 30 percent of college-bound students each year attend out-of-state institutions, director of college guidance Nancy Wheeler said. She expects the percentage to remain the same this year.
"It'll be a very typical year, but I don't know about the future," she said.
Colleges will feel the "big hits" to their endowment investments more next year, restricting their ability to offer financial aid, Wheeler said.
Students considering out-of-state schools are more conscious of the money that colleges offer them, she said.
The Wichita Collegiate School has noticed a similar pattern, said Kevin Mykel, dean of the Upper School.
"Some of those looking at Ivy League schools are looking at schools (that are) a step back but give merit scholarships," he said.
Those deciding to stay closer to home are finding it more difficult to get merit money, though. Wheeler said the University of Kansas Honors College received about four times as many applications this year as in a typical year.
Getting into college is less of a worry than financial aid and college grants
De-emphasis on SATs, ACTs Could Increase College Admission Diversity
De-emphasis on SATs, ACTs Could Increase College Admission Diversity
By Kyra Shishko
From The Badger Herald
Removing the requirement that SAT or ACT scores be submitted with student college applications may result in an increase in diversity on college campuses, according to a study conducted at Princeton University.
The study — conducted by Princeton sociology professor Thomas Espenshade and statistical programmer Chang Young Chun — was based on models from admissions data for a variety of institutions that chose to remain anonymous.
According to Espenshade, the study showed only 9.3 percent of students at public universities are black or Hispanic, while 6.6 percent are from a lower socioeconomic background.
Making SAT or ACT scores optional would increase the percentage of black or Hispanic students admitted to public universities from about 11.9 percent to 13.5 percent, Espenshade said.
The percent of students admitted into public universities in the lowest two socioeconomic classes would rise to between 8.8 percent and 10.4 percent.
The percents vary on the amount of additional applicants who would be attracted to apply if the option not to submit scores was available.
In many cases, Espenshade said the number of applicants would increase dramatically if students with a strong academic record felt confident more than just test scores were taken into consideration when applying to schools.
“This removing of consideration of SAT scores altogether is what we call the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy,” Espenshade said. “What that means is that schools would not ask students for their SAT scores, and if they did tell schools, they would just disregard them.”
According to Espenshade, the policy would result in lower average SAT scores within the college or university’s applicant pool by about 10 points. In addition, a higher percentage of applicants would have scored below 650 on the SAT II subject tests.
In contrast, the proportion of students with high GPAs — especially among students with an A- or higher average — would increase, Espenshade said.
Robert Schaeffer, public education director of the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, voiced support for the movement to eliminate the importance of SAT scores in the college admission process.
“We support colleges that do not require them to submit SAT/ACT scores,” Schaeffer said. “We think that colleges should choose the admission policy that best matches their own mission and the type of the students they want to attract.”
With the majority of colleges and universities in the United States on the look out for methods to increase racial and socioeconomic diversity among their freshman classes, Espenshade also said he encourages colleges to pursue removing SAT requirements.
Currently, several colleges — such as Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., Smith College in Northampton, Mass., and Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., — have adopted the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
Completely eliminating the SAT or ACT portion of the application, however, is still a subject for debate. According to Espenshade, the only college that has completely eliminated the SAT and ACT portion of their application is Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, N.Y.
De-emphasis on SATs, ACTs Could Increase College Admission Diversity
By Kyra Shishko
From The Badger Herald
Removing the requirement that SAT or ACT scores be submitted with student college applications may result in an increase in diversity on college campuses, according to a study conducted at Princeton University.
The study — conducted by Princeton sociology professor Thomas Espenshade and statistical programmer Chang Young Chun — was based on models from admissions data for a variety of institutions that chose to remain anonymous.
According to Espenshade, the study showed only 9.3 percent of students at public universities are black or Hispanic, while 6.6 percent are from a lower socioeconomic background.
Making SAT or ACT scores optional would increase the percentage of black or Hispanic students admitted to public universities from about 11.9 percent to 13.5 percent, Espenshade said.
The percent of students admitted into public universities in the lowest two socioeconomic classes would rise to between 8.8 percent and 10.4 percent.
The percents vary on the amount of additional applicants who would be attracted to apply if the option not to submit scores was available.
In many cases, Espenshade said the number of applicants would increase dramatically if students with a strong academic record felt confident more than just test scores were taken into consideration when applying to schools.
“This removing of consideration of SAT scores altogether is what we call the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy,” Espenshade said. “What that means is that schools would not ask students for their SAT scores, and if they did tell schools, they would just disregard them.”
According to Espenshade, the policy would result in lower average SAT scores within the college or university’s applicant pool by about 10 points. In addition, a higher percentage of applicants would have scored below 650 on the SAT II subject tests.
In contrast, the proportion of students with high GPAs — especially among students with an A- or higher average — would increase, Espenshade said.
Robert Schaeffer, public education director of the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, voiced support for the movement to eliminate the importance of SAT scores in the college admission process.
“We support colleges that do not require them to submit SAT/ACT scores,” Schaeffer said. “We think that colleges should choose the admission policy that best matches their own mission and the type of the students they want to attract.”
With the majority of colleges and universities in the United States on the look out for methods to increase racial and socioeconomic diversity among their freshman classes, Espenshade also said he encourages colleges to pursue removing SAT requirements.
Currently, several colleges — such as Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., Smith College in Northampton, Mass., and Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., — have adopted the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
Completely eliminating the SAT or ACT portion of the application, however, is still a subject for debate. According to Espenshade, the only college that has completely eliminated the SAT and ACT portion of their application is Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, N.Y.
De-emphasis on SATs, ACTs Could Increase College Admission Diversity
College Admission Help: Recession forces changes on prospective collegians
College Admission Help: Recession forces changes on prospective collegians
BY KARLA SCHUSTER AND JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
Newsday.com
As college acceptance letters land in mailboxes across Long Island, the economic crisis is forcing families and students to seek financial aid in larger numbers and forgo things they took for granted only a year ago - like living on campus, attending a far-flung private institution or even getting into increasingly popular, and competitive, state schools.
Perhaps the strongest indicator that families are scrambling for new ways to pay for college: Nearly 3 million federal financial aid forms had been processed by the end of February, a jump of more than 20 percent over the same time last year, according to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Local schools also report increases in aid requests.
Meanwhile, applications to more affordable state schools and community colleges are skyrocketing, making already competitive institutions like Stony Brook University even tougher to crack. The school's waiting list is expected to grow by 20 percent this year, because the number and strength of the applicant pool is so much higher.
And around kitchen tables, parents who no longer qualify for home equity loans, who have seen 529 college savings plans plummet or watched colleagues get laid off, are telling their children that their dream schools are now out of reach.
"You're going to have to go local," Amityville's Maereatha Davis recalls telling her daughter Yasmine, a senior at Roosevelt High School, as the economy began to sputter last September. "She didn't take it too well. I do understand the disappointment. All Yasmine has ever talked about is Howard or Temple."
Instead, she's been accepted to Nassau Community College and is waiting to hear from several other local schools.
Jacquelyn Nealon, vice president of enrollment services at New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury, has heard similar stories - from wealthy enclaves to middle-class subdivisions - as she crisscrosses Long Island school districts, conducting financial aid workshops for parents.
"What's remarkable this year is that it's so pervasive - it touches every single family," Nealon said. "I think the biggest shock to many families is that they might have to make that tough decision and say, 'I can't afford to send you where you want to go,' " she said. "For many of them, it might be the first time they've ever had to say 'no' to their child for a financial reason."
Second thoughts. Among that group are students like Henry Kochhar, a Syosset High School senior who had his heart set on New York University or Boston University but is having second thoughts about the cost.
"Is this really worth $50,000?" he said. "I could go to a state school."
His father, Chandar Kochhar, owns an import-export garment business and insists he can afford private school. Nonetheless, he is encouraging Henry to consider a SUNY school.
"It's not a question of a bargain," Chandar Kochhar said, but of whether it makes sense to spend so much money on an undergraduate degree when Henry is still undecided about his career goals. So far, he's been accepted to several schools, including Villanova University, Stony Brook and Binghamton University. He didn't make NYU, and is still waiting to hear from BU.
"It's an uncertain time and families are struggling," said Jessica Eads, vice president for enrollment management at Hofstra University, where applications are running about the same as last year, but financial aid applications are up about 6 percent overall and 10 percent among freshmen.
The explosion of applications at public schools comes as families redefine "safety schools" based on their ability to pay, rather than their child's chances of getting accepted. A Princeton Review survey of prospective college freshmen and parents released last week found that more than a third said they were applying to more "financial aid safety" schools than they originally planned.
"The value of the institution is becoming more and more evident because of the economy," said Matthew Whelan, assistant provost for enrollment management at Stony Brook, where the average SAT score of the middle 50 percent of this fall's applicant pool is a whopping 20 points higher than last year. As of mid-March, freshman applications for this fall are pushing 27,000, compared with a total of just over 25,000 for fall 2008.
"There's been a dramatic increase in the quality of our applications," Whelan said, but it has come as the state slashes the state university system budget, leaving schools unable to increase the number of students they accept.
"There are students who likely would have been admitted last year that this year will find themselves on the waiting list," he said.
Farmingdale State College doesn't have a waiting list, but officials there have also seen an uptick in the quality and number of applications for this fall.
"We are getting transfer applications from students who wouldn't have given us the time of day a year ago," said Lucia Cepriano, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at Farmingdale, where freshman applications for the fall are up about 15 percent over last year and transfer applications are up nearly 26 percent.
Out-of-state public schools popular with Long Island students, like the University of Delaware, also have seen increases in the number of applications from in-state students. While Delaware still expects to enroll most of its class from outside the state and has room to accept as many as 200 more freshmen than last year, Admissions Director Lou Hirsh said out-of-staters faced tougher competition.
"We do pledge to take in all state residents who are qualified so they'll take up more spots this year," Hirsh said. "There are simply so many more good kids to choose from."
Concern about taking on debt
Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FINAID.org, a nonprofit organization that provides information about college financial aid, said the uncertain job market has made more students leery of going into debt.
"Students are looking at low-cost institutions where they can be less reliant on private student loans," he said. "There's an increasing emphasis on picking schools that they can afford even if they don't get any financial aid."
Meanwhile, the tightening credit market has made home equity loans and private student loans tougher to get - 39 lenders have stopped making private student loans since July 2007, according to FINAID.org. As a result, the volume of borrowing in total dollars through more affordable federal student loan programs has increased 17 percent over the past year, according to the Project on Student Debt, a nonprofit independent research and policy organization.
"They are a lot more aware of tuition than they were previously," Malverne High School guidance counselor Nicole Beauford said of her students. "They are a lot more concerned about coming out of school with $100,000 in loans."
Still, the Ivies and other competitive private schools remain popular - and are hedging their bets against an exodus to comparable public schools by increasing their financial aid budgets.
Syracuse University, for example, logged about 21,000 applications for the fall - the second-highest number in the school's history. And while the school raised tuition by 4.5 percent, it increased its institutional financial aid budget by 11 percent, to about $167 million. Average institutional scholarships for middle-income families are expected to rise 15 percent, while those for low-income families will go up 29 percent, President Nancy Cantor said in a letter to the university community this month.
"We do think that there will be students with financial concerns that may choose a lower cost option [than Syracuse], but we have what we think are strong financial aid awards," said Don Saleh, vice president for enrollment management at Syracuse, where financial aid applications are up about 10 percent.
As families make decisions in the coming weeks, geography will be another new factor for many, according to guidance counselors and admissions experts.
"Kids are looking at distance more intently than they ever did," said Carolyn Cutter, guidance coordinator for the Long Beach school district, noting that many are asking: "Is it a plane ride out to a college?"
Michael Kresh, a financial planner in Islandia, said: "These are subtle things that people weren't looking at in detail a couple of years ago."
Commuting to save money. Still others are considering living at home and commuting to school for the first year or two, a trend that has led to a 10 percent increase in Long Island applicants to both the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University and Adelphi University.
"We have many more inquiries than we've ever had from families locally asking, 'What are your costs, what are the differences between commuting and being a resident?' " said Gary Bergman, director of admissions at C.W. Post.
Amityville High School senior Shamelia Loiseau, who hopes to get into Columbia University, is making similar calculations. With a 4.0 grade point average and the expectation of being named valedictorian, Loiseau has the pedigree to go Ivy League.
But she isn't sure she can afford it.
Loiseau is not alone: the biggest worry about applying to college among this year's high school seniors, according to the Princeton Review survey, is that they will get into their first-choice college but won't have enough money or financial aid to attend.
"I'll still be happy I could get into such a prestigious school," Loiseau said. "They always say an education is an education no matter where you get it. I'm trying not to get caught up with the name."
College Admission Help: Recession forces changes on prospective collegians
BY KARLA SCHUSTER AND JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
Newsday.com
As college acceptance letters land in mailboxes across Long Island, the economic crisis is forcing families and students to seek financial aid in larger numbers and forgo things they took for granted only a year ago - like living on campus, attending a far-flung private institution or even getting into increasingly popular, and competitive, state schools.
Perhaps the strongest indicator that families are scrambling for new ways to pay for college: Nearly 3 million federal financial aid forms had been processed by the end of February, a jump of more than 20 percent over the same time last year, according to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Local schools also report increases in aid requests.
Meanwhile, applications to more affordable state schools and community colleges are skyrocketing, making already competitive institutions like Stony Brook University even tougher to crack. The school's waiting list is expected to grow by 20 percent this year, because the number and strength of the applicant pool is so much higher.
And around kitchen tables, parents who no longer qualify for home equity loans, who have seen 529 college savings plans plummet or watched colleagues get laid off, are telling their children that their dream schools are now out of reach.
"You're going to have to go local," Amityville's Maereatha Davis recalls telling her daughter Yasmine, a senior at Roosevelt High School, as the economy began to sputter last September. "She didn't take it too well. I do understand the disappointment. All Yasmine has ever talked about is Howard or Temple."
Instead, she's been accepted to Nassau Community College and is waiting to hear from several other local schools.
Jacquelyn Nealon, vice president of enrollment services at New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury, has heard similar stories - from wealthy enclaves to middle-class subdivisions - as she crisscrosses Long Island school districts, conducting financial aid workshops for parents.
"What's remarkable this year is that it's so pervasive - it touches every single family," Nealon said. "I think the biggest shock to many families is that they might have to make that tough decision and say, 'I can't afford to send you where you want to go,' " she said. "For many of them, it might be the first time they've ever had to say 'no' to their child for a financial reason."
Second thoughts. Among that group are students like Henry Kochhar, a Syosset High School senior who had his heart set on New York University or Boston University but is having second thoughts about the cost.
"Is this really worth $50,000?" he said. "I could go to a state school."
His father, Chandar Kochhar, owns an import-export garment business and insists he can afford private school. Nonetheless, he is encouraging Henry to consider a SUNY school.
"It's not a question of a bargain," Chandar Kochhar said, but of whether it makes sense to spend so much money on an undergraduate degree when Henry is still undecided about his career goals. So far, he's been accepted to several schools, including Villanova University, Stony Brook and Binghamton University. He didn't make NYU, and is still waiting to hear from BU.
"It's an uncertain time and families are struggling," said Jessica Eads, vice president for enrollment management at Hofstra University, where applications are running about the same as last year, but financial aid applications are up about 6 percent overall and 10 percent among freshmen.
The explosion of applications at public schools comes as families redefine "safety schools" based on their ability to pay, rather than their child's chances of getting accepted. A Princeton Review survey of prospective college freshmen and parents released last week found that more than a third said they were applying to more "financial aid safety" schools than they originally planned.
"The value of the institution is becoming more and more evident because of the economy," said Matthew Whelan, assistant provost for enrollment management at Stony Brook, where the average SAT score of the middle 50 percent of this fall's applicant pool is a whopping 20 points higher than last year. As of mid-March, freshman applications for this fall are pushing 27,000, compared with a total of just over 25,000 for fall 2008.
"There's been a dramatic increase in the quality of our applications," Whelan said, but it has come as the state slashes the state university system budget, leaving schools unable to increase the number of students they accept.
"There are students who likely would have been admitted last year that this year will find themselves on the waiting list," he said.
Farmingdale State College doesn't have a waiting list, but officials there have also seen an uptick in the quality and number of applications for this fall.
"We are getting transfer applications from students who wouldn't have given us the time of day a year ago," said Lucia Cepriano, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at Farmingdale, where freshman applications for the fall are up about 15 percent over last year and transfer applications are up nearly 26 percent.
Out-of-state public schools popular with Long Island students, like the University of Delaware, also have seen increases in the number of applications from in-state students. While Delaware still expects to enroll most of its class from outside the state and has room to accept as many as 200 more freshmen than last year, Admissions Director Lou Hirsh said out-of-staters faced tougher competition.
"We do pledge to take in all state residents who are qualified so they'll take up more spots this year," Hirsh said. "There are simply so many more good kids to choose from."
Concern about taking on debt
Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FINAID.org, a nonprofit organization that provides information about college financial aid, said the uncertain job market has made more students leery of going into debt.
"Students are looking at low-cost institutions where they can be less reliant on private student loans," he said. "There's an increasing emphasis on picking schools that they can afford even if they don't get any financial aid."
Meanwhile, the tightening credit market has made home equity loans and private student loans tougher to get - 39 lenders have stopped making private student loans since July 2007, according to FINAID.org. As a result, the volume of borrowing in total dollars through more affordable federal student loan programs has increased 17 percent over the past year, according to the Project on Student Debt, a nonprofit independent research and policy organization.
"They are a lot more aware of tuition than they were previously," Malverne High School guidance counselor Nicole Beauford said of her students. "They are a lot more concerned about coming out of school with $100,000 in loans."
Still, the Ivies and other competitive private schools remain popular - and are hedging their bets against an exodus to comparable public schools by increasing their financial aid budgets.
Syracuse University, for example, logged about 21,000 applications for the fall - the second-highest number in the school's history. And while the school raised tuition by 4.5 percent, it increased its institutional financial aid budget by 11 percent, to about $167 million. Average institutional scholarships for middle-income families are expected to rise 15 percent, while those for low-income families will go up 29 percent, President Nancy Cantor said in a letter to the university community this month.
"We do think that there will be students with financial concerns that may choose a lower cost option [than Syracuse], but we have what we think are strong financial aid awards," said Don Saleh, vice president for enrollment management at Syracuse, where financial aid applications are up about 10 percent.
As families make decisions in the coming weeks, geography will be another new factor for many, according to guidance counselors and admissions experts.
"Kids are looking at distance more intently than they ever did," said Carolyn Cutter, guidance coordinator for the Long Beach school district, noting that many are asking: "Is it a plane ride out to a college?"
Michael Kresh, a financial planner in Islandia, said: "These are subtle things that people weren't looking at in detail a couple of years ago."
Commuting to save money. Still others are considering living at home and commuting to school for the first year or two, a trend that has led to a 10 percent increase in Long Island applicants to both the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University and Adelphi University.
"We have many more inquiries than we've ever had from families locally asking, 'What are your costs, what are the differences between commuting and being a resident?' " said Gary Bergman, director of admissions at C.W. Post.
Amityville High School senior Shamelia Loiseau, who hopes to get into Columbia University, is making similar calculations. With a 4.0 grade point average and the expectation of being named valedictorian, Loiseau has the pedigree to go Ivy League.
But she isn't sure she can afford it.
Loiseau is not alone: the biggest worry about applying to college among this year's high school seniors, according to the Princeton Review survey, is that they will get into their first-choice college but won't have enough money or financial aid to attend.
"I'll still be happy I could get into such a prestigious school," Loiseau said. "They always say an education is an education no matter where you get it. I'm trying not to get caught up with the name."
College Admission Help: Recession forces changes on prospective collegians
College Admission Help: Two Creative Solutions to One Tough Decision
College Admission Help: Two Creative Solutions to One Tough Decision
It’s not uncommon for students to think a college made a mistake in an admissions decision, but something happened this week that took that feeling to a brand new level. The University of
California-San Diego, which meant to send out a “you’re in” e-mail to the 8,000 or so students they admitted, sent out a “you’re in” e-mail to everyone who applied --all 29,000 of them! The mistake was corrected within two hours (I wonder how they found out), but this is a small sign of what an energetic week it’s been.
While UCSD didn’t admit all 29,000 applicants, the number of admits and students on waitlists is at an all-time high at most colleges. Part of this has to do with the great quality of the largest high school graduating class in US history, but it also has to do with the economic tug-of-war that’s putting both families and colleges in a bind. Ordinarily, colleges need 4 months to set their budgets, so students are supposed to commit to one—and only one—college on May 1st. Changes in the economy mean families won’t really know what college they can afford until August (if then)—so how should a family choose on May 1st, if it’s between an affordable college that’s OK, or a dream college that’s just a little out of reach?
The choice to keep the dream alive is understandable, but it could come with a hefty price. Saying yes to Dream School U on May 1st gives you a few more months to find those precious extra dollars, but if August comes and you’re still short, the college has an empty seat, and you have no college to go to. The college might solve their problem by keeping a very big waiting list active through the summer—but what are you supposed to do?
Of course, taking the more sure bet has its down sides too. Taking the affordable route means there’s not much you can do if the economy picks up (hey, it could happen) and there’s more money for your perfect college—either from your parents or from the financial aid office. In addition, saying no to Dream School U gives them a freshmen class where nearly everyone can afford to pay for college on their own, which makes the college more a cookie cutter country club than a richly diverse center for creative and critical thinking.
What’s a student to do? Demonstrate honesty by doing this:
Call the financial aid office of your dream school, and ask about the possibility of extra funds—especially on-campus jobs. In addition, ask them if more funds would be available if you started college this summer; you may have to give up some vacation time, but if the cash is there, it’s one more way to stretch your education budget.
Ask to be put on the wait list. OK, this sounds crazy—a college you love wants you, and you’re going to ask them to want you a little less? If you start by explaining your situation, the college may be setting up a list of admitted students who just need more time to get more money—and this year, they might be handling that by putting their names on a “Call First” list. It may be the case, or it may not—but you won’t know what they have to offer until you ask.
Armed with this information, you can make the best decision come May 1 -- and either way, you won’t be bunking in with 29,000 tenacious Tritons.
College Admission Help: Two Creative Solutions to One Tough Decision
It’s not uncommon for students to think a college made a mistake in an admissions decision, but something happened this week that took that feeling to a brand new level. The University of
California-San Diego, which meant to send out a “you’re in” e-mail to the 8,000 or so students they admitted, sent out a “you’re in” e-mail to everyone who applied --all 29,000 of them! The mistake was corrected within two hours (I wonder how they found out), but this is a small sign of what an energetic week it’s been.
While UCSD didn’t admit all 29,000 applicants, the number of admits and students on waitlists is at an all-time high at most colleges. Part of this has to do with the great quality of the largest high school graduating class in US history, but it also has to do with the economic tug-of-war that’s putting both families and colleges in a bind. Ordinarily, colleges need 4 months to set their budgets, so students are supposed to commit to one—and only one—college on May 1st. Changes in the economy mean families won’t really know what college they can afford until August (if then)—so how should a family choose on May 1st, if it’s between an affordable college that’s OK, or a dream college that’s just a little out of reach?
The choice to keep the dream alive is understandable, but it could come with a hefty price. Saying yes to Dream School U on May 1st gives you a few more months to find those precious extra dollars, but if August comes and you’re still short, the college has an empty seat, and you have no college to go to. The college might solve their problem by keeping a very big waiting list active through the summer—but what are you supposed to do?
Of course, taking the more sure bet has its down sides too. Taking the affordable route means there’s not much you can do if the economy picks up (hey, it could happen) and there’s more money for your perfect college—either from your parents or from the financial aid office. In addition, saying no to Dream School U gives them a freshmen class where nearly everyone can afford to pay for college on their own, which makes the college more a cookie cutter country club than a richly diverse center for creative and critical thinking.
What’s a student to do? Demonstrate honesty by doing this:
Call the financial aid office of your dream school, and ask about the possibility of extra funds—especially on-campus jobs. In addition, ask them if more funds would be available if you started college this summer; you may have to give up some vacation time, but if the cash is there, it’s one more way to stretch your education budget.
Ask to be put on the wait list. OK, this sounds crazy—a college you love wants you, and you’re going to ask them to want you a little less? If you start by explaining your situation, the college may be setting up a list of admitted students who just need more time to get more money—and this year, they might be handling that by putting their names on a “Call First” list. It may be the case, or it may not—but you won’t know what they have to offer until you ask.
Armed with this information, you can make the best decision come May 1 -- and either way, you won’t be bunking in with 29,000 tenacious Tritons.
College Admission Help: Two Creative Solutions to One Tough Decision
College Grant funds Ohio’s Otterbein science scholarships
College Grant funds Ohio’s Otterbein science scholarships
Business First of Columbus
Otterbein College is working with a nearly half-million-dollar National Science Foundation grant to launch a new scholarship program aimed at female and minority students in science and math disciplines.
The private liberal arts school in Westerville said it has received a grant for $482,992 from the foundation. The funds will be used to create a four-year program dubbed Cardinal Science Scholars and support 30 or more students who major in chemistry, biochemistry or physics.
Otterbein said it plans on recruiting a high percentage of women and minorities focusing on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. Students selected for the program must come from Ohio schools and demonstrate financial need, the school said.
College Grant funds Ohio’s Otterbein science scholarships
Business First of Columbus
Otterbein College is working with a nearly half-million-dollar National Science Foundation grant to launch a new scholarship program aimed at female and minority students in science and math disciplines.
The private liberal arts school in Westerville said it has received a grant for $482,992 from the foundation. The funds will be used to create a four-year program dubbed Cardinal Science Scholars and support 30 or more students who major in chemistry, biochemistry or physics.
Otterbein said it plans on recruiting a high percentage of women and minorities focusing on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. Students selected for the program must come from Ohio schools and demonstrate financial need, the school said.
College Grant funds Ohio’s Otterbein science scholarships
Monday, April 6, 2009
College Grants and Financial Aid - It's Out There
College Grants and Financial Aid - It's Out There
By MICHELLE GEORGE
The Eagle-Gazette Staff
LANCASTER — Felicia Ward knows she doesn’t need a 4.0 GPA or a lot of money to pay for college next year. She just needs to be a little aggressive.
So when the Lancaster High School senior set her sights on earning a degree in middle childhood education, she focused on the best way to reach that goal — financial aid and lots of scholarships.
Felicia has applied for financial assistance and close to 40 scholarships this year so she can attend the Ohio University Lancaster Campus in the fall — and she’s confident she’ll get the help she needs through one or both of those avenues.
“My grandfather once told me, ‘Even if you were homeless, there are still ways out there for you to go to college,’ ” Felicia said. “You just have to find them.”
Felicia is one of many college-bound students looking for financial assistance to pay for a college education.
Financial aid, grants and scholarships are readily available for students who need help paying for college, said Sharon Weaver, a Lancaster High School guidance counselor.
But it’s an option, Weaver said, that some students don’t always consider or know how to find.
“Students eliminate themselves because they think: ‘I’m not a valedictorian. I’m not involved in community activities. I don’t have a chance at winning a scholarship,’ ” Weaver said. “But that’s not always the case.”
And Pat Fox, enrollment director at OU-L has noticed some students don’t bother to apply for financial aid because they believe they won’t be eligible.
“I’ve noticed the volume of students looking for financial aid has increased, but I think some people may have the misconception that filling out the FAFSA is a lot more complicated than it is,” Fox said. “And I think that is one of the biggest mistakes students make, not filling out the FAFSA.”
Fox and Ward said the majority of incoming college students are more eligible for financial assistance then they think.
Finding the funds
Weaver, who counsels students daily on financial assistance, offers the same piece of advice to each student looking into scholarships: Go local.
Weaver said students who apply for scholarships through their schools or an agency, such as The Fairfield Foundation, have a better chance of obtaining those much-needed funds.
“Students are just competing against students in Lancaster and Fairfield County, rather than competing against students throughout the state or the country,” Weaver said about applying for local dollars.
Fairfield Foundation Executive Director Amy Eyeman said its foundation offers more than 80 individual scholarships.
The organization received 1,500 applications last year and gave out 343 scholarships totaling $878,000.
Eyeman said the majority of the scholarships she sees aren’t necessarily for the students who have the best grades or are the most involved in school.
“If you think about it, the kids with the great grades are already getting a ton of money because the colleges put that carrot out there of, ‘we’ll give you this much if you come to our school,’ ” Eyeman said. “The scholarships are looking at tuition need and family income.”
She said some of the specific scholarships the foundation offers are focused more on where the student will go to school or their selected major.
The Stori Raver Scholarship, named in honor of a Fairfield Union basketball coach who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in 2008, is one such example. The scholarship is for Fairfield Union graduates who are special education students.And the Richard Shannon Family Scholarship is for students who want to attend Ohio University Lancaster or Ohio University Athens.
Fox said the scholarships offered through OU-L, about 100 in all, are based more upon the student’s life circumstances or desired career than their report card.
But there also are plenty of scholarships that don’t require much more than a desire to go to college, Eyeman said.
“There was one scholarship where, basically if you breathe, you can apply for it,” Felicia said. “There are some scholarships where they draw your name, some that aren’t based on grades at all.”
And Eyeman said scholarship forms typically don’t take very long to complete and only require a copy of student transcripts and three letters of recommendation.
“Most people are turned off about having to write an essay, but usually they ask for just a one or two page personal statement, typed or printed, on why you are going to college, what your long-range plans are and why you’re applying for scholarship,” Eyeman said.
Figuring out the FAFSA
Cathy Pate, 40, never had a chance to finish her degree after she got married.
When OU-L offered a free class in January for nontraditional, returning college students, Pate decided now was the time to major in history and get her degree.
But in order to continue with college, Pate knew she would have to apply for financial assistance — and she was a bit uncertain about how difficult the application process would be.
“I didn’t know how long it would take to get it, and I was absolutely on edge until I got the notice,” Pate said. “But it was worth it, and I actually got enough to pay for my classes.”
Fox said 80 percent of the students at OU-L are on some sort of financial aid.
But she believes there still are students who aren’t applying for financial aid often because they think they do not qualify.
“I think one of the biggest mistakes a student can make is not filling out the FAFSA,” Fox said. “I tell every student to do it, regardless of whether they think they will qualify.”
Fox said there isn’t an income cut-off when it comes to who is eligible and who isn’t for financial aid. She said financial aid used to be primarily for low-income people but has since “loosened up” to help middle-income people, too.
Felicia Ward’s mother, Candice, agreed that the FAFSA is not as long and as complicated as many might assume.
“If you have all your stuff, if you have your W-2s, it’s not very hard,” Candice Ward said. “The FAFSA made it easy.”
Taking the initiative
Felicia Ward believes many of her peers are missing out on available money that comes through financial aid and scholarships because they aren’t motivated to look for them or apply.
“I knew my parents would be able to help very little financially, but I also knew for a long time I wanted to go to college,” Ward said. “I don’t come from wealthy family, but I wanted to go so I found a way to go.”
High school counselor Weaver has worked closely with Felicia to help the senior find funding for her college education. She said it’s rare she encounters students as motivated to find money for school as Felicia has been.
“There are some local scholarships out there that kids just aren’t applying for and the money is there,” Weaver said.
But Eyeman, the Fairfield Foundation’s director, believes more students are turning to scholarships and financial aid again, especially with the tough economy.
“We have been very busy with kids dropping off applications, far more then we ever had before,” Eyeman said.
Eyeman thinks, in addition to more students applying for financial assistance, more are opting to stay close to home for college this year.
And staying local is Felicia’s plan.
“I looked at the fact that I’ll get the same education whether I go to Ohio University Lancaster or a state college, where I’m going to have to pay for room and board,” Ward said. “I’ll save myself about $1,500 a year.”
College Grants and Financial Aid - It's Out There
By MICHELLE GEORGE
The Eagle-Gazette Staff
LANCASTER — Felicia Ward knows she doesn’t need a 4.0 GPA or a lot of money to pay for college next year. She just needs to be a little aggressive.
So when the Lancaster High School senior set her sights on earning a degree in middle childhood education, she focused on the best way to reach that goal — financial aid and lots of scholarships.
Felicia has applied for financial assistance and close to 40 scholarships this year so she can attend the Ohio University Lancaster Campus in the fall — and she’s confident she’ll get the help she needs through one or both of those avenues.
“My grandfather once told me, ‘Even if you were homeless, there are still ways out there for you to go to college,’ ” Felicia said. “You just have to find them.”
Felicia is one of many college-bound students looking for financial assistance to pay for a college education.
Financial aid, grants and scholarships are readily available for students who need help paying for college, said Sharon Weaver, a Lancaster High School guidance counselor.
But it’s an option, Weaver said, that some students don’t always consider or know how to find.
“Students eliminate themselves because they think: ‘I’m not a valedictorian. I’m not involved in community activities. I don’t have a chance at winning a scholarship,’ ” Weaver said. “But that’s not always the case.”
And Pat Fox, enrollment director at OU-L has noticed some students don’t bother to apply for financial aid because they believe they won’t be eligible.
“I’ve noticed the volume of students looking for financial aid has increased, but I think some people may have the misconception that filling out the FAFSA is a lot more complicated than it is,” Fox said. “And I think that is one of the biggest mistakes students make, not filling out the FAFSA.”
Fox and Ward said the majority of incoming college students are more eligible for financial assistance then they think.
Finding the funds
Weaver, who counsels students daily on financial assistance, offers the same piece of advice to each student looking into scholarships: Go local.
Weaver said students who apply for scholarships through their schools or an agency, such as The Fairfield Foundation, have a better chance of obtaining those much-needed funds.
“Students are just competing against students in Lancaster and Fairfield County, rather than competing against students throughout the state or the country,” Weaver said about applying for local dollars.
Fairfield Foundation Executive Director Amy Eyeman said its foundation offers more than 80 individual scholarships.
The organization received 1,500 applications last year and gave out 343 scholarships totaling $878,000.
Eyeman said the majority of the scholarships she sees aren’t necessarily for the students who have the best grades or are the most involved in school.
“If you think about it, the kids with the great grades are already getting a ton of money because the colleges put that carrot out there of, ‘we’ll give you this much if you come to our school,’ ” Eyeman said. “The scholarships are looking at tuition need and family income.”
She said some of the specific scholarships the foundation offers are focused more on where the student will go to school or their selected major.
The Stori Raver Scholarship, named in honor of a Fairfield Union basketball coach who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in 2008, is one such example. The scholarship is for Fairfield Union graduates who are special education students.And the Richard Shannon Family Scholarship is for students who want to attend Ohio University Lancaster or Ohio University Athens.
Fox said the scholarships offered through OU-L, about 100 in all, are based more upon the student’s life circumstances or desired career than their report card.
But there also are plenty of scholarships that don’t require much more than a desire to go to college, Eyeman said.
“There was one scholarship where, basically if you breathe, you can apply for it,” Felicia said. “There are some scholarships where they draw your name, some that aren’t based on grades at all.”
And Eyeman said scholarship forms typically don’t take very long to complete and only require a copy of student transcripts and three letters of recommendation.
“Most people are turned off about having to write an essay, but usually they ask for just a one or two page personal statement, typed or printed, on why you are going to college, what your long-range plans are and why you’re applying for scholarship,” Eyeman said.
Figuring out the FAFSA
Cathy Pate, 40, never had a chance to finish her degree after she got married.
When OU-L offered a free class in January for nontraditional, returning college students, Pate decided now was the time to major in history and get her degree.
But in order to continue with college, Pate knew she would have to apply for financial assistance — and she was a bit uncertain about how difficult the application process would be.
“I didn’t know how long it would take to get it, and I was absolutely on edge until I got the notice,” Pate said. “But it was worth it, and I actually got enough to pay for my classes.”
Fox said 80 percent of the students at OU-L are on some sort of financial aid.
But she believes there still are students who aren’t applying for financial aid often because they think they do not qualify.
“I think one of the biggest mistakes a student can make is not filling out the FAFSA,” Fox said. “I tell every student to do it, regardless of whether they think they will qualify.”
Fox said there isn’t an income cut-off when it comes to who is eligible and who isn’t for financial aid. She said financial aid used to be primarily for low-income people but has since “loosened up” to help middle-income people, too.
Felicia Ward’s mother, Candice, agreed that the FAFSA is not as long and as complicated as many might assume.
“If you have all your stuff, if you have your W-2s, it’s not very hard,” Candice Ward said. “The FAFSA made it easy.”
Taking the initiative
Felicia Ward believes many of her peers are missing out on available money that comes through financial aid and scholarships because they aren’t motivated to look for them or apply.
“I knew my parents would be able to help very little financially, but I also knew for a long time I wanted to go to college,” Ward said. “I don’t come from wealthy family, but I wanted to go so I found a way to go.”
High school counselor Weaver has worked closely with Felicia to help the senior find funding for her college education. She said it’s rare she encounters students as motivated to find money for school as Felicia has been.
“There are some local scholarships out there that kids just aren’t applying for and the money is there,” Weaver said.
But Eyeman, the Fairfield Foundation’s director, believes more students are turning to scholarships and financial aid again, especially with the tough economy.
“We have been very busy with kids dropping off applications, far more then we ever had before,” Eyeman said.
Eyeman thinks, in addition to more students applying for financial assistance, more are opting to stay close to home for college this year.
And staying local is Felicia’s plan.
“I looked at the fact that I’ll get the same education whether I go to Ohio University Lancaster or a state college, where I’m going to have to pay for room and board,” Ward said. “I’ll save myself about $1,500 a year.”
College Grants and Financial Aid - It's Out There
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