Jeff Nelligan //July 9, 2014//
(Editor’s note: This is the second of two parts. Read Part One.)
Students may gain a deeper appreciation of their family’s financial sacrifices when they realize how expensive college is. They can learn about college costs from the College Board at www.collegeboard.com, the U.S. Department of Education at www.ed.gov, and high school guidance offices.
Researching scholarships — There are numerous websites with information about sources of financial aid. For example, www.fastweb.com and www.finaid.org contain search engines with data about thousands of scholarships with varying eligibility criteria. In addition, www.fafsa.ed.gov provides an overview of federal student aid programs, including Pell Grants, campus-based aid programs, Stafford Loans, PLUS Loans, and others. Also, local libraries and high school guidance offices may have information about state-sponsored aid programs and scholarships sponsored by local organizations.
Earning money — High school students can set aside a portion of their wages from part-time or summer jobs for higher education expenses. Also, students may be able to obtain jobs that build on career interests as a way of solidifying their future plans.
Getting organized — College planning encompasses numerous details, including visiting institutions that a student may want to attend, applying for financial aid, obtaining transcripts and letters of recommendation and meeting deadlines. A high school student can take responsibility for making sure that important matters are tended to ahead of time. For example, if a student has a school vacation coming up, he or she could help organize a family trip to visit colleges of interest or spend some time completing college applications.
You and your prospective student may be able to think of more ideas that could add value to your family’s efforts to save for a college education. Getting your budding scholar involved in the process — financially and otherwise — could ultimately be a pivotal lesson in responsibility that impacts his or her later success in life.
A Family Affair
Young people can assume varying levels of responsibility for college planning depending on their age and interests. Consider the following if you are looking to get a middle or high school student involved.
6th to 8th Grades
9th to 10th Grades
11th to 12th Grades
Points to Remember