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4 Questions to Help High School Freshmen, Parents Plan for College

By U.S. News & World Report

High school is a tremendously important time in every student’s life. These four years can determine the trajectory of your future, as you choose both a college and a career.

In addition to impacting the student, this process also impacts the student’s family, and success often lies in discussing the path to college early and often. Here are four questions to help high school freshmen and their parents begin planning for college together:

[Take this quiz and learn where you should start the college process.]

1. What would you like to accomplish in college? This question is an excellent opportunity to brainstorm about the path that you would like to take with your life. For instance, are you a creator or a discoverer? Is the field you work in more or less important than other goals, such as being financially secure?

At this stage in your life, you may not have a set series of clear objectives, and that is all right. However, beginning to explore your goals can help you identify which schools will enable you to achieve your objectives. There are many online resources that can help you explore your interests. Career Bridge, a free guide created by the Washington state, is one.

You can also use your list of interests to select high school electives and after-school activities. For example, if finance appeals to you, joining a club like Future Business Leaders of America can be a great first step in pursuing this field. If you are leaning toward a career in science, you may find that upper-level science classes like AP courses often have prerequisites that must be taken early in your high school career.

[Follow these three back-to-school resolutions for high school students.]

2. What will you need to do in high school in order to reach your college goals? As you likely know, there are two key elements to maximizing your time in high school: completing rigorous course work and participating in extracurricular activities. Both areas can benefit from early preplanning.

When considering your course work, start by locating the catalog of available classes at your high school. Turn to the electives available to juniors and seniors.

Many of these courses will carry prerequisites, and some may only be offered during the fall or spring semester, or in alternate years. Identify those advanced classes and electives that you would like to take, and create a tentative four-year schedule that includes the prerequisite classes.

Remember, too, that you are not obligated to take these courses if you change your mind. Having a schedule can simply be useful if you would like to pursue several time-consuming activities concurrently, such as enrollment in AP classes and foreign language courses.

Many extracurricular activities also benefit from planning ahead. Leadership positions in clubs often go to those students with a history of involvement. If this is important to attaining your goals, note that the earlier you become involved, the more likely you are to receive a leadership role. If you are interested in a rare extracurricular activity, planning ahead will also allow you to find a community organization that offers it if your high school does not.

[See how rising application will affect the class of 2020.]

3. Are there extenuating family circumstances that will limit your college search? As you consider your college options, remember to factor in your familial circumstances. Cost is an obvious factor to keep in mind, as is your comfort in living close to or far from home. If you care for a family member, or if you participate in an initiative in your hometown such as choreographing for a dance company, you may decide to stay within an hour’s drive of your home.

Depending on where you live, this may dramatically impact your school choices. If, for example, there is only one competitively-ranked college in that radius, make a note to start researching its entrance requirements, tuition costs, housing options, and so on as soon as possible.

4. What can your family do during high school to help you achieve your college goals? Your family will play an important role in helping you secure the college acceptance letter of your dreams. Family can act as both inspiration — to help you aim higher — and as a reality check to ensure that your aspirations are in your best interests. They can assist you in overcoming challenges and in researching prospective schools, but they may not initially know how to do so.

Begin a frank dialogue, perhaps with these questions as your framework, that focuses on your hopes and needs, and be sure to listen to your family’s input. They may highlight solutions or paths that you never knew existed.

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4 Questions to Help High School Freshmen, Parents Plan for College originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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