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Taming The High Cost of College

Late Stage College Planning

just right school

THCC115- Getting Additional Support Beyond Your High School- Outside Agencies That Provide College Support Interview with Dr. Toinette McClellan Gunn, VP of Programs at Chicago Scholars

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Chicago Scholars has the goal of finding students in the Chicago area that want to go to college, but might need some additional support. Even if you are not in Chicago, tune in to this episode with Dr. Toinette Gunn to understand how these programs work! There is support out there ready and waiting to help you guide your student through the college process.

Questions Answered Today:

What is Chicago Scholars?

“I’ve been in the college access or readiness space for over 15 years,” shares Dr. Gunn. She is a first-generation college student that didn’t have a lot of guidance or family support.
Education broke the poverty cycle of her family and she is very passionate about working to help other students to change their own futures.
Chicago Scholars began in 1996. It is a nonprofit organization with the largest college access and success program in Chicago. “We help students get to and through college. It is about helping these young people transition into careers and roles of leadership,” notes Dr. Gunn.
Some examples of the types of things they do include:

  • Working with students and parents
    • Parents are involved from the very beginning establishing a partnership to achieve the common goal of the student earning their degree.
  • College access
    • Lecture lab about the college process
  • Individual counseling about college
  • Workshops
  • Mentors
    • Help through the application process

The programs begin June of the summer before the senior year of high school. Beginning in October of their senior year, these students have already applied to about 5 colleges on average.
Once a student is enrolled in college, there is a college success team available to offer multiple types of support as well as workshops around careers, leadership, and identity/self-advocacy for resources on campus. “Students have to be proactive and initiate,” describes Dr. Gunn.
Students are also strongly encouraged to get involved with campus life. Research suggests that a student who feels more connected and is involved with their campuses, or feels part of the community at a college, is more likely to persist and graduate.

How do I find something similar in my town?

There are over 30 organizations that are partnered with Chicago Scholars in Chicagoland.
If you don’t live in Chicago, you should ask your high school counselor or look on the internet for:

Dr. Gunn also suggests to start with an individual education counselor if you can afford the fee.

What are the important factors students and parents need to consider when applying to a college?

“First and foremost do your research,” warns Dr. Gunn. This includes:

    • Complete an academic profile (SAT/ACT test scores and GPA) and make sure it helps guide the institutions you are applying to.
  • Even if you are a little under the average of a school, if you really want to go there you should still apply and highlight your compelling story via the essays/personal statement.
  • College selectivity rating
    • Colleges that are more selective have higher graduation rates.
  • Graduation rates
    • Especially if you are an underrepresented minority.
  • Supportive services available on campus
  • Area of study
    • If your major is available or not
  • Financial Aid
    • Average awarded
  • FIT!
    • Does this college fit for this student?
    • You have to visit the campus in order to properly be informed about the fit of a school.
    • Parents and ultimately students will craft their personal definition of what a “just right fit” will be.
  • Financial
  • Socio-emotional
  • Culturally
  • Geographically

“Colleges have personalities and students have personalities,” advises Dr. Gunn. So be sure to check out your finalist campuses you want to apply to in order to confirm your student can see themselves spending the next 4 or 5 years there.
Begin with your local state schools or nearby community schools. Visits look different for freshmen/sophomore or junior/senior. Upperclassmen can:

  • Sit in on lectures
  • Meet with professors or advisors
  • Student shadowing

There are lots of good fit schools out there for students. If one doesn’t work out, there is another one that is still a good path. Dr. Gunn adds, “That is why you need to apply to multiple schools, so you aren’t putting all your eggs in one basket.”

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

BRAD RECOMMENDS:

Core Area- Career Planning
Career planning means: What does your student want to be when they grow up?
There are a few ways to help your student pick a direction if you do not want them to go off to college undecided:

  • Local High School
  • Tech College
  • Community College
  • Job Shadowing
  • Volunteering
  • Websites
    • Career assessments
    • Before you pay for anything, check with your high school to see what they already have a subscription to.

Career planning is something that students, and/or parents, will have to work on to help make choosing a college easier.
Optional Area- Athletics
Check out these episodes:
111: The Reality of Athletic Recruiting, A Talk with NCSA with Lisa Strasman
76: Get Recruited! Understanding College Athletics with Jon Fugler
If your student is interested in playing sports in college, that is an additional challenge you will need to prepare for.
You will have to find a college where the coach is interested in your student.
Will you attend a school even if you can’t play your sport there?
You will have to start earlier, perhaps your freshman year of high school, talking to coaches, setting up visits, creating film, and attending camps.

THANKS FOR JOINING US!

We’d like to extend an invitation to our listeners to share their feedback and questions. Contact us to submit a question to our email.
If you find our podcasts helpful, please share us on social media and tell your friends!
The bottom line is that we care what you think and want to help you out, so we’d appreciate you reviewing us on iTunes or on Spotify. And even better, receive automatic updates by subscribing to the show on iTunes or Spotify.

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THCC110 – Understanding College Rankings Interview with Farran Powell, Writer with U.S. News and World Report

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Choosing from ranked schools can be tricky. Is one school really that much better than another? We invited Farran Powell on the show to help clear up what this ranking thing is all about. She is the “Paying for College” writer for the publication that started the ranking craze, U.S. News and World Report. Having written somewhere near 100 articles on the topic, Farran has a wealth of knowledge she shares in this great interview.

Questions Answered Today:

What is a school that claims to meet full need?

“Different schools have different ways of determining what your need is,” says Powell. While some schools rely on FAFSA, others will ask you to provide a CSS profile as well. If you are looking for federal financial aid, you will need to complete the FAFSA.
Each school has a different formula for determining that they have met your full need. The schools that offer this feature are usually private schools with only two public schools on the current list.
These schools tend to be highly ranked and use a need blind admissions policy. These are generally intensely competitive.
Powell recommends if you are considering this type of school, “You want to look at the fit financially, and does it have what you want to study at this school?”
There might be a cheaper school out there that is great and has a perfect program for your desired major.

How are colleges doing things differently to adjust to the new FAFSA?

Some schools have moved up their deadlines to as early as December. The Department of Education has also released the Pell Grant schedule earlier.
FAFSA is no longer based on an estimated value, you are using taxes from two years back.
This makes the colleges more comfortable in packaging their awards because the numbers are more verifiable. These are now being released 6-8 weeks earlier than before.
This current year is the only year where there might be discrepancies. “It is a one year issue that could happen to current students,” notes Powell.
If something has drastically happened since your FAFSA application or the tax return you use for it, such as death in the family or large medical expense, you can apply for a reconciliation of your award at the financial aid office of your school since your circumstances have changed.

What advice do you have for parents?

Visiting schools out of state will cost money, but you can always go locally. See the different types of schools to see what will be a good fit for you.
This will help you to narrow down your shortlist so you don’t take unnecessary and expensive road trips.
Also, consider visiting schools during the non tourist season to save money on airfare and hotels. Maybe go during the winter.
The USNews.com website has lots of information available that is put together by both a data team and reporters so you can search based on what is important to you.
Some things you can check out on the website include:

  • Short-lists
    • Different ways you can pay for school, what it’s like living on campus, and many more.
  • College navigator
  • Best value schools
    • Even if they might have a high sticker price, they try to help out students the most.
  • A+ schools for B students
  • Studying abroad
    • Powell herself studied abroad and notes that schools oversea have a lot more emphasis on test results and AP courses in high school. Programs are also only three years long, so you need to be sure of the area you want to study and if it will transfer well back to the states.
  • Paying for grad school information
  • Online education

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

BRAD RECOMMENDS:

Core Area #6 Merit-Aid
Merit-aid is aid that is offered to families where the student has achieved some success, either academically or athletically, and they are able to receive additional funds on top of other aid they may be receiving.
It is not tied to the family finances.
A typical private school might offer a scholarship such that if your test scores and grade point average meet a certain requirement, they can offer you a set amount of money. This can be tiered where different thresholds offer differing amounts of money.
In addition to academics, scholarships might be based on:

  • Athletics
  • Music or other unique abilities
  • Extra-curricular activities
  • Science fairs

If you are just barely accepted to a certain college, you probably won’t earn very much merit aid and will have to probably pay full price. Conversely, if you are accepted somewhere else that is less competitive, you might be able to win more.
Episode 2: Need-Based Financial Aid Part 1
Episode 3: Need-Based Financial Aid Part 2

Optional Area- Performing Arts

You could qualify for merit-aid with performing arts, but there will usually be some type of audition required. Many schools offer these on campus, but some occasionally offer satellite auditions around the country.
Episode 38: Insights Into Majoring in the Performing Arts

THANKS FOR JOINING US!

We’d like to extend an invitation to our listeners to share their feedback and questions. Contact us to submit a question to our email.
If you find our podcasts helpful, please share us on social media and tell your friends!
The bottom line is that we care what you think and want to help you out, so we’d appreciate you reviewing us on iTunes or on Spotify. And even better, receive automatic updates by subscribing to the show on iTunes or Spotify.

Read More