How Do You Know How Much You Will Pay for Your College (Need Based Aid)?
Paying for college is often compared to paying for airline tickets. No two people pay the same price. What will your costs be at college? How much you pay for college depends on so many factors. Knowing what those factors are, and how college will look at your family’s financial situation, will help you know what the price of your “college” ticket will be. Knowing how it will differ from one college to another will help you compare one college to another.
How do I know if I am eligible for financial aid?
What do colleges look at to determine how much you pay for college? The FAFSA or Profile forms are used to determine how much your family can contribute to your college education. The forms include questions to find out:
- How much income your parents make
- How much income you make (if any)- even babysitting counts
- How much savings or investments your parents have
- How much savings you have in your name
What is an “Expected Family...
SAT Subject Based Test Questions & Answers
SAT Subject tests are based on the curriculum you have in class. It's an opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of a particular subject. According to the College Board,
"The SAT Subject Tests offer you an additional opportunity to show colleges what you know and what you know you can do. Many colleges use the SAT Subject Tests for admission, for course placement, and to advise students about course selection. Some colleges specify the SAT Subject Tests that they require for admission or placement; others allow applicants to choose which tests to take."
Make plans now to include SAT Subject tests as part of your college planning process.
Top 10 Factors to Consider for Your “Perfect” College
Here are the Top 10 factors to consider for your “Perfect” college:
Academics: How important is this factor to you? If you know your major, that should be a requirement What about special programs such as honors, study abroad, senior projects? Also consider the learning environment. Is the campus on semesters, quarters, or offer a May or January term? How do you learn best?
Climate: Think about what climate you will want to live in for at least three seasons of the year while at college. If you have never lived through winter in New England, think about how you will feel about months of snow, rain and later a very muddy spring. Or visa versa, how will a lot of heat and humidity feel for days on end. Will you melt? Climate can make or break a school.
Size: Think about what size college you would like to attend. Attending a school with 20,000 undergrads is not for everyone! What is your comfort zone?
Location: Think carefully about what type of area are looking...
When Do You Select A Major For College?
When completing college applications as a senior, you are asked to select a major. When do you start looking at future majors?
Here are 5 ideas to guide you.
1. Start early. It's never too early or too late to start exploring your interests and connecting them to majors or careers.
2. Learn about yourself. Take advantage of career surveys, interest inventories or other questionnaires or resources available to you. The more you understand yourself, the better prepared you are for next steps.
3. Research. Use the Internet and other research tools available to you to explore what majors are needed for careers you are interested in. Taking classes in subjects required for a major or profession helps you learn more too.
4. Try it on. Arrange to do a job shadow or to interview someone in careers you are interested in.
5. Make a short list. Once you have done your research and talked to people in professions, narrow your list of majors to pursue. Often...
