FAFSA goes mobile

Applying for financial aid has just become easier - the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has gone mobile.  The FAFSA is the first step in nearly all student aid - it's the application for federal student aid (for both grants and federal loans), is used by many states to determine state grant aid, and is required by most colleges and universities to apply for institutional scholarships. This summer, the US Department of Education updated the FAFSA website to be mobile friendly, allowing students and their families to complete the application on their phone or other mobile device.  They also developed an app (myStudentAid) that is meant to provide one-stop shopping for all things financial aid.

The app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices, allows students to complete the FAFSA, edit and manage their federal student aid ID (FSA ID), view federal student loans and loan history, access financial aid information on studentaid.gov, and eventually students should be able to use the app to make student loan payments.  The app also customizes the FAFSA experience based on the type of user (student or parent), making the process easier and less confusing. Perhaps best of all, it provides access to important financial aid information and applications on the devices where we spend much of our lives.

Remember, the application window for the FAFSA opens October 1, and absolutely needs to be completed by March 2 to qualify for California state aid.  The sooner you complete the application, the better, as some types of financial aid are first come, first served, and have limited availability.  And with the added convenience of the mobile app, there's no excuse to put it off.

To download the app, visit Google Play or the Apple App store at the links provided below.

Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fsa.mystudentaid

Apple App Store

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mystudentaid/id1414539145

Examining Student Debt

We've all heard the horror stories about student debt.  Previous posts have examined the value of a college education, and the importance of investing in your future through education.  While I firmly believe that higher education is worth the investment, even if you might need to take out some student loans, I think we can all agree that the best practice is to minimize student debt as much as possible.

Below are three strategies to help minimize your student debt:

1. Apply for Financial Aid

Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on time in order to maximize your chances or receiving grant money to help pay for college.  Deadlines vary by state; for California, the deadline for state grants is March 2.  Be sure to research and apply for private scholarships as well, and contact the financial aid office at your college to explore scholarships offered by the college.

2. Explore all options

And don't make assumptions.  Sometimes colleges and universities that at first seem more expensive actually end up with a lower net cost (the price you actually pay).  An organization called Lend EDU completed a study of average student loan debt by state and by individual universities. The results may be surprising.  California, with high cost of living and relatively high tuition rates for its public university system ranked #4 in lowest average debt per graduate. This is most likely due to the availability of state grants and institutional aid. Which state has the lowest debt per graduate?  Utah. Looking at specific colleges, many seemingly expensive private schools top the list for lowest amount of student debt among their graduates.  Again, this is likely due to generous financial aid policies; although the tuition at some of these universities can top $35,000 per year, many of them are committed to meeting students' full financial need. This means that many students are eligible for grants (free money) to fund their education, eliminating the need for student loans. Which schools have the highest average debt for graduates?  Not surprisingly, that list is full of art and design schools, which tend to be expensive, without much in the way of financial aid.

This is why many counselors (myself included) recommend that students apply to at least 4 colleges or universities, including a mix of public, private, in-state and out-of-state.  With a broader range of choices, you are more likely to find a college with a financial aid package that meets your needs. Of course, you should not pick these colleges at random; you should look for a good fit based on a variety of factors, including average net cost (and possibly average debt of graduates).

3. Stay on Track

One of the surest ways to rack up debt is to spend extra time in college. More and more students are taking 6 or more years to graduate.  Every extra year in school results in added expenses and pushes back the time in which you are actually making money and benefiting from your investment in college. There are several things you can do to minimize the time you spend paying for college:

• Meet with your advisor early and often.  Without the guidance of your advisor, you may end up taking a bunch of classes you don't need, or getting behind schedule with classes that need to be taken in order, resulting in a longer timeline to graduation.
• Take a full load each term.  Obviously, you don't want to overload yourself to the point where you have difficulty passing your classes, but if you just take the minimum each term, it will likely add at least a year to your degree.
• Use campus resources and get a tutor if you need it.  Yes, this can be an extra expense, but if you fail the class, you will have to take it over (and pay for it again).

Everyone needs to decide for themselves the amount of student loans they are comfortable with.  Of course, the best option is to avoid them altogether.  Unfortunately, sometimes the only way to complete your education is with the help of student loans.  Using the strategies outlined above, you can minimize your need for student loans, and more quickly reap the financial benefits of your investment in your own education.

What you can do to prepare for college applications this summer

Summer is here, and while I encourage you to enjoy some rest and relaxation, there are many things you can do during the summer months, regardless of where you are in high school, that will make your college application season much less stressful.

Incoming freshmen and sophomores

College may seem a long way off, but it will be here before you know it.  Taking some important steps now can help you be ready when the time comes - much sooner than you think.

• Start thinking about what you enjoy and what you are interested in.  Take notes on what you're reading, where you head to in a book or magazine store, where your internet searches take you. In conversations, what makes you sit up and listen more closely?  What are you doing when you lose track of time?  You certainly don't need to decide on a career or a major now, but noticing what you enjoy will help you decide on a direction when you get to college.
• Start casually looking at colleges.  Maybe check out websites like Big Future, College Greenlight, Colleges that Change Lives, and others to get ideas of what's out there.  Talk to your friends about their college plans; see what they're looking at.  Ask adults in your life about their college experiences.  Start making your long list of colleges - jot down any college that sounds interesting to you. You'll dig a little deeper later.
• If possible, start visiting some colleges.  Start with the ones close by.  Even if you're not necessarily interested in that particular college, starting some visits now can help you notice what's important to you (Does the huge campus make you feel stressed?  Do the sporting and social activities sound like fun? Does the layout and architecture of the campus depress you - or possibly inspire you?)
• Get a job.  Summer work experience helps you build job skills, a successful work history shows responsibility, and gives you something to put on your college and scholarship applications.  
• Or find a volunteer or internship opportunity.  Colleges and scholarship committees are not just interested in your grades - they're interested in how you spend your time outside of school, how you interact with your community. Try to find something you're interested in and stick with it over time - colleges like to see that you have interests that you dedicate time to, not just a laundry list of random activities you do to pad your application.

Incoming juniors

It's time to ramp up your college preparations.  Yes, do take time to relax and enjoy the summer, but to make senior year less stressful, work on the following:

• Start researching majors and careers.  The College Board Website is good for this. The California Career Zone website is another good one.
• Get serious about your college search.  The following websites can help: Big Future, College Greenlight, Colleges that Change Lives.  College Scorecard is another good one, with information on average net cost, graduation rate, and post-graduation salary, as well as data on student debt loads, for almost 4,000 colleges in the US. Talk to your friends about their college plans; see what they're looking at.  Ask adults in your life about their college experiences. Throughout your junior year, you should continue adding to your long list of possible colleges.
• If you haven't already done so, create an account at raise.me.  On this website, you create an account and enter information about your academic and extracurricular activities.  You can earn micrsoscholarships at almost 300 participating colleges and universities, and more are being added constantly.
• Get a job or internship, or volunteer.  See above for why this is important.
• If at all possible, visit colleges you may be interested in.
• Start thinking about when to take the SAT or ACT.  Many private colleges are moving away from this test requirement, but many schools (both private and public) still require it, so start getting ready.
• When you get back to school, make an appointment with your counselor.  Junior year is an important time for planning; deadlines come up fast in senior year, so it's important to be ready.

Incoming seniors

You guys have some serious work to do this summer.  Once school starts, you'll be hit with a whirlwind of deadlines, on top of your senior year academics, so a little preparation now can go a long way to reduce your stress later.  Some suggestions for your summer preparations:

• Continue researching majors and careers
• Narrow down your long list to your short list of colleges you plan to apply to.  I recommend applying to between 4 and 10 schools - by the end of the summer you should aim to have a pretty good idea of what those schools will be.
• If at all possible, visit the colleges on your short list.
• Check out the applications for these colleges and start crafting your essays.  If the colleges you're applying to use the Common App, you can see the essay prompts now, and even start working on your applications.
• Start working on your scholarship search.
• Decide who you will ask for letters of recommendation, and contact those people as soon as school is back in session.  You're much more likely to get a good letter if you give your teachers and counselor some time.
• As soon as school starts, make an appointment with your counselor.
• If you haven't already done so, sign up to take the SAT or ACT.  Your counselor may be able to provide you with a fee waiver if your family can't afford the testing fee.
• Get a job or internship, or complete some volunteer work.  Colleges and scholarship committees are not just interested in your grades - they're interested in how you spend your time outside of school, how you interact with your community. 
• Remember to include work experience and extensive family obligations (such as caring for siblings, grandparents, etc) on your application. Some students may not think that working at a fast food restaurant or doing house and yardwork for grandpa is something that colleges are interested in, but more and more colleges are realizing that some students may not have time for volunteer community service because they need to work or care for family members, and it turns out they do take this into account.

Finally, take a hike, go the beach or lake, and spend some quiet time thinking about your bright future!

Major Decisions

It seems that everyone has advice on choosing a major.  Given the topic of this week's post, I guess I'm no different.  However, in my typical fashion, I'm not going to tell you what to do so much as give you some things to think about as you muddle your way through making this important decision for yourself.

But I don't know what I want to do!

First, though, a slight detour.  In my conversations with students, I often hear "I think I'll just start at the local community college, because I don't really know yet what I want to study."  OK, fair enough.  This can be a wise decision and a good way to save money under the right circumstances.  However, keep the following in mind:

Does the community college have a wide range of options?

If your local community college has a wide range of fields to explore, this can be a good approach.  Some smaller colleges, however, have limited options, and if the point is to explore the possibilities, you may be limiting yourself.  Your experience at the community college may leave you unsatisfied, with no better idea of what you want to do.  When you eventually transfer (hopefully with most or all of your general education completed), you may find an exciting field to study, only to discover you still have 3 or 4 years before you can complete your degree.

What are you doing at the community college to help you decide?

Are you meeting with an advisor?  Doing some reflection and noticing what catches your interest? Looking for internships or other work experience in possible fields? Unfortunately, many of the students I talk to who start at a community college are no closer to knowing what they want to do at the end of the two years (or three, or four....) than they were at the beginning of the process.  It turns out that putting off the decision for a couple years doesn't necessarily make it any easier when it comes time to decide.

So what should I do?

Advice on how to choose a major generally falls into two categories:

1. Find a career path where you can make money, and choose a major that will help you find employment in that field.
2. Do what you love, and the money will follow.

Like I said, I'm not going to tell you what to do. After all, this is your life, not mine.  You have to live with your choices.  I will, however, take a moment to disagree with both types of advice listed above.  

To address the first point, I strongly encourage you to think about more than just average income when considering your future.  Spending 4 (or more) years pursuing an education primarily for the paycheck, then finding out you don't really enjoy that career is a recipe for misery.  While you make your way through your college education, take time to notice what peaks your curiosity, what you spend time on when you don't have to, and what subjects you really enjoy. Also keep in mind that most careers have several different entry pathways, and most majors can lead to several different career options.  In other words, don't get too tied down to a particular major for a particular hypothetical career, particularly if you haven't taken time to get some work experience in that field to see if you really like it.

On the other hand, if your intellectual passion is in a somewhat esoteric field with few clear career options, it may be really fun to study, but at some point you will need a job.  So, while "follow your bliss" may work for some, you also don't want to end up with a pile of student loans and a minimum wage job.

So consider this as a middle ground: figure out what fascinates you and sparks your intellectual curiosity, and study that.  If that happens to be a field with no clearly defined career path associated with it, incorporate some classes that will give you in-demand technical skills, like computer programming, GIS, data analysis, etc.  The communication and interpersonal skills (that is, the "soft skills") you develop through a liberal arts degree, combined with some high-demand technical skills, can be the perfect combination for many career fields.

Five Things Parents Need to Do to Help Students Prepare for College

Children grow up so fast.  Wasn't it just yesterday they were just learning to walk?  Before you know it, the years slip by and your baby is starting high school.  As they're making this transition into adulthood, what can you do to help them prepare for their future?

1. Help them explore their interests and talents

OK, nobody knows what they want to do for the rest of their life when they're 16.  Well, almost nobody.  And I'm not suggesting you pressure your child to make major life decisions at this time.  But if you thought the Kindergarten through 8th grade years went fast, high school will fly by even faster.  Helping your child think about possible career and education directions during the first few years of high school will really help when it comes time for college applications.

2. Encourage your child to connect with the school's academic counselor

The counselor knows a lot about what options are out there, and how the process works.  Take advantage of his or her expertise to gather all the information you can while considering your child's options.

3. But don't let anyone - including you - pressure your child to make decisions they're not comfortable with

Everybody has advice for high school students, and of course you have your child's best interests in mind.  But remember, this is your child's life - not yours - and although you can provide input and advice, it ultimately needs to be their decision.  Too much pressure on your child can backfire, causing them to completely shut down and make poor decisions, resulting in anger and frustration all around.  Be supportive, state your thoughts and concerns openly, and be clear about what you are willing to do to support your child, but accept that it is ultimately their decision.

4. Be open and honest about your family's financial situation and what financial support you can provide for college

This is a difficult topic for some families to discuss.  As a counselor, I work with many students who tell me they don't have any idea of their family's income because their parents won't talk about it - they just say "don't worry".  Again, I know this comes out of a loving intention, but it makes it very difficult for me to discuss college options with your child if I don't have any idea about the family's financial situation. Students may be eliminating some options as too expensive, even though they would qualify for significant financial aid. In fact, some schools are committed to meeting 100% of a student's demonstrated financial need, meaning that if the family income is very low, the student may get a full scholarship.  There are a lot of factors that affect financial aid, and I can't always determine how much a student will get, but I've had enough experience with this to give a general idea of what students in a given family income bracket can likely expect.  Without a general idea of family income, it severely limits my ability to accurately and effectively advise students.  To get a better idea of what your financial aid picture is likely to be, use the FAFSA4caster and the net price calculators available on all college websites.

5. Start having these financial discussions early

It takes a while to sort out the financial details of getting a college degree, and sticker shock can indeed be quite shocking.  Remember that the majority of students do not pay the full cost of attendance; roughly 2/3 of students receive some sort of financial aid, and over half of that aid is in the form of grants and scholarships rather than loans.  And early planning can help you to think about creative ways to reduce college costs and avoid loans (For more on college costs and financial aid, see these posts from 2013 or this post from 2015). During the course of my career, I have seen far too many students limit their choices because they ran out of time to figure out what was possible.

To sum it all up:

To sum up the advice in this post: start your planning (both academic and financial) early. It takes time to figure this all out, and senior year will be here before you know it.  Research financial aid, using the FAFSA4caster and net price calculators on college websites.  Work with your school counselor to help identify potential college options and to get an idea of how much it will actually cost YOUR family (which is likely different than the published cost of attendance).  And last of all, enjoy the ride, because it will be over before you know it.

Seven Things You Need to Know About Financial Aid

With the rising cost of college, and increasingly dire news about the student loan burden in this country, it's more important than ever to think carefully about financing college.  The following tips can help maximize your chances at getting financial aid:

1. Complete the FAFSA, and do it early!

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and it is the first step in the process of applying for nearly all forms of financial aid, including some merit-based aid that does not depend on income.  Some types of aid are first come, first served, so the earlier you get your application in, the better.  You need to complete the FAFSA every year. The application is available at fafsa.ed.gov

2. If you are a California resident and meet eligibility requirements, the Cal Grant will pay the full tuition at a UC or CSU school.

And the income limits may be higher than you think.  To qualify for a Cal Grant, you need at least a 3.0 GPA (or 2.0 for the Cal Grant B, for lower income applicants), and a family income under $98,900 for a family of 4.  The Cal Grant will pay the full tuition at a UC or CSU school, and up to $9,000 per year at qualifying private schools in California.  Completing the FAFSA automatically submits an application for the Cal Grant. If you are a resident of another state, check to see if your state offers similar aid programs. More information about the Cal Grant is available from the California Student Aid Commission.

3. The net price of a college may be much less than its "sticker price".

Many colleges that look more expensive on paper actually have generous financial aid policies, making the net price for low and moderate income families much less than other schools that appear less expensive based solely on tuition prices.  Some expensive private schools will meet 100% of demonstrated financial need, meaning low-income students may pay nothing at all.  This financial aid may also cover living expenses like room and board and transportation.

4. Not all loans are created equal.

In general, federal student loans have better terms and better protections than private loans.  There are two types of federal loans: subsidized and unsubsidized.  Both types of loans allow students to wait until 6 months after they are no longer in school to begin making payments. The difference is that interest does not accrue on subsidized loans during the time the student is enrolled at least half time, and during the 6 month grade period after the student is no longer enrolled. Unsubsidized loans, on the other hand, DO accrue interest during this time, and if the interest is not paid, it is added to the principal amount, so the student then needs to pay interest on the interest as well as the principal. If you must take out unsubsidized loans, at least try to make the interest payments while you are in school (even though you are not required to make payments).

5. You should apply to 4 or more colleges.

Different schools have different financial aid policies, and completing a variety of applications increases the chances that one of the colleges will offer a financial aid package that works for you. Aim for a mix of in-state, out-of-state, public, and private colleges, and carefully compare financial aid offers before making your final decision.

6. It is sometimes possible to get more financial aid just by asking.

Seriously.  One student I recently worked with received an admission offer from her dream college, but the financial aid package didn't work for her.  She contacted the college to thank them for the offer but explained that she could not afford to attend.  They increased her financial aid by $10,000. This is more likely to happen at small, private liberal arts colleges than public universities. Of course, it's also more likely if you are an outstanding student or have some particular talent that makes you attractive to the college, but regardless of your circumstances, it never hurts to ask.

7. Even moderate and higher income students may qualify for some aid.

In California, the Middle Class Scholarship offers some aid to students with family income up to $120,000 per year.  Also, your eligibility for need-based aid depends on both your family income and assets AND on the cost of attendance.  So if your income is relatively high, and your Expected Family Contribution is $20,000, but you're applying to a school with a total cost of attendance (including room and board) of $30,000, you may be eligible for financial aid.

Six Great Websites for Your College Search

With over 4,000 colleges and universities in the US alone, the college search process can be overwhelming.  I generally recommend that students start the process of building their "long list" - a list of all colleges and universities they are interested in - as early as possible during their high school experience.  During freshmen, sophomore, and junior years, you should keep a list of all colleges that spark your interest - don't worry about specifics now, you're casting a wide net to capture all possible colleges that could turn out to be your dream school.  Towards the end of your junior year, you'll start sorting and narrowing down to get the list of colleges you will ultimately apply to.

But with so many options, where do you start?  The following tools can be helpful in generating your long list:

College Board: Search nearly 4,000 colleges and universities according to parameters you can set, including location, type of school, majors offered, support services offered, athletic opportunities, cost and average financial need met, and more.  For each college, there is a profile that includes a brief overview, application deadlines, majors and learning environment, campus life, application process, and cost and financial aid information.  I like this site because it's user-friendly and includes a lot of information in a consistent format - the profiles for all colleges are organized in the same way, so information is easy to find.  On each college profile, in the menu bar to the left is also a "see similar colleges" tab, which can help you find new schools you may not have thought of. If you have an account, you can save your college list. The college board website also has a wealth of other resources, including information on majors and a scholarship search.

College Greenlight: You need to sign up for a free account.  After entering some basic information about yourself, you can search colleges based on your interests.  Based on the colleges you choose, the site will suggest similar colleges you may be interested in.  You will also receive messages (within the site, not to your email) from colleges interested in students like you, which can give you some new ideas of colleges you may not have known about. There is a tool to compare colleges, and College Greenlight also provides information about college majors and has a scholarship search tool.

CollegeXpress: Again, you will need to sign up for an account (it's free).  The site offers a college search tool, where you can search based on location, majors, sports and activities, size, etc.  There is also a scholarship search tool.  My favorite thing about this site, however, is the "lists and rankings". These are not your US News and World Report generic rankings, these are lists created based on very specific factors - you can look at lists of the best schools for a certain major, but also by sport, and by factors such as "Colleges for the Independent Learner" or "Colleges for Students Slow to Make Friends".  The lists can be useful in finding colleges of interest, of course, but they can also help you figure out what's important to you in your college experience - including some things you may not have thought about before - like "Schools with Lots of Cooperative Education Options."

And for when you're a little farther along in your search, and are looking to compare colleges based on affordability and college outcomes:

The Chronicle of Higher Education: College Completion: This website allows you to compare colleges based on a variety of factors, including freshman retention and graduation rates (both 4- and 6-year).  This is useful because many websites only give 6-year graduation rates.  The information on this site allows you to see the percentage of students who graduate in 4 years, which is important because graduating in 4 instead of 6 years will obviously save a lot of money - two full years of colleges expenses.

College Scorecard: This site lets you filter by degree type, major, location and other factors, and compares colleges based on average annual cost, graduation rate, and average salary of graduates.  If you click on a particular college, it provides more information, including a breakdown of average cost for different levels of family income, average debt of graduates, and more information about the school.

And to help pay for college:

Raise.me: Sign up for a free account, and earn microscholarships at over 250 participating colleges.  Students document achievements (good grades, extracurricular activities, taking the PSAT or SAT, taking an AP test, community service) to earn microscholarships from participating colleges and universities.  If you end up attending one of those schools, the money earned will be awarded through your financial aid office.

Taking some time during the first three years of high school to research colleges and create a college list will save you a lot of stress and frustration senior year.

Thoughts about Community College

Everybody seems to have an opinion about community college - on one hand, people say it's much cheaper than attending a 4-year university, a great way to save money, and often a gentle transition from high school to college life.  On the other hand, some people say it's much better to go straight to a university, citing the low completion rates for community college students and the fact that many community colleges are underfunded and don't offer the same resources students can get at a 4-year university.

So who's right?  The truth, as usual, is somewhat more complicated than either argument would suggest.  It turns out both arguments are true to some extent, but neither really gives the full picture.

If you've read previous posts, you have probably picked up on my emphasis on college fit.  In my experience as a counselor, the students who do not do well at community college are the ones who didn't think through what their needs were before enrolling in community college, and didn't stop to consider whether this particular school was a good fit.  The students who do well are the ones who did think through this process, and knew at the beginning what they wanted to get out of the experience.

So let's dig a little deeper into when community college is or is not a good option for you:

Community college could be the best choice for you if......

You are interested in a specific program the college offers.  For example, our local community college has excellent programs in emergency services, including firefighting and EMT/Paramedic.  For students interested in those fields, this is an excellent choice.  Other examples include culinary arts, auto mechanics, welding, and other programs that are primarily offered at community colleges.

You are apprehensive about leaving home and going to a big university, and need a buffer period in between. If you go to your local community college, you will be able to stay more within your comfort zone as you transition to college.  Many community colleges also have smaller class sizes than large public universities, making the transition less stressful.

You weren't able to complete the required courses or get the grades you needed to get into the school you wanted.  In this case, community college can give you a second chance.  You can complete the required coursework and get your grades up.  Many community college offer degree-for-transfer programs, with guaranteed admission to participating universities if you complete all the requirements.

You are planning on living at home and working on general education requirements.  When people focus on cost savings at community colleges, they often focus on the tuition.  Yes, community college tuition is less expensive than 4-year colleges, but the biggest single expense in college is often room and board - that is, rent and food.  If you can live at home, you will most likely save money.  If you are not living at home, your community college plan may actually end up costing MORE out of pocket (see below for more details).

Community college may NOT be the best choice if........

The college does not have the program you want.  Sure, you can take general education classes, but if you're interested in a culinary arts degree, or an auto mechanics program, or a vet tech program (all typically 2-year associates degrees), it doesn't make sense to spend 2 years at one college, then transfer to another college for 2 more years..... to get a degree that should only take 2 years.

You are not inspired by the offerings at the college.  Sure, you might save a little money in the short term, but many students who are uninspired by the offerings at their local community college end up dropping out and never finishing school.

You are not planning on living at home, and you qualify for financial aid.  As crazy as it seems, if you qualify for financial aid, and plan to rent a place of your own, it may end up being MORE expensive to go to community college than to go to a 4-year university.  What?! How?  It turns out financial aid can be used to help cover all education-related expenses, including room and board (e.g. rent and food), transportation, books, and some miscellaneous personal expenses.  This is all factored into the total cost of attendance, or COA, for the school.  While students tend to focus on tuition when considering college costs, it turns out room and board is often the biggest expense in a student's budget. Many universities can offer financial aid to help with living costs, most community colleges cannot.  Therefore, if you are NOT planning on living at home, your out of pocket costs, when you factor in rent and food, may be higher at a community college than a 4-year university, even some private universities.  You'll have to check your financial aid offers to see if this is the case for you (which means you need to apply to 4-year colleges by the deadlines).

Regarding costs, it gets even worse. If you have to work a lot to pay for your living expenses your first couple years at community college, the money you earn may make you ineligible for financial aid when you transfer, and when your tuition expenses therefore increase.  So what you thought would save money might end up being more expensive in the short-term, and sabotaging your financial aid in the long term.

To sum it all up.......

A community college can be a great choice if it is a good fit; that is, if it fits your academic, social, and personal needs.  Like all college choices, you should consider various factors, including academic programs offered, social environment, campus activities, support services available, cost, financial aid availability, distance from home, and anything else that is important to you in your college experience.

On the other hand, if the particular college is NOT a good fit, you should keep looking and find the best fit for your education needs.  When all factors are considered, the best fit gives you the best chance for success, and the greatest likelihood of reaching your educational and career goals.

Finding Balance in your College Choices

When considering where to pursue your higher education, there are many factors to consider: programs offered, location, campus culture, housing and dining options, school reputation, school size, student-teacher ratio, cost, distance from home.... the list goes on and on.  What is the most important factor when choosing a college?

That's kind of a trick question, because the most important factor is not on the list above.  The most important factor is college fit, which is a combination of all those factors and more; a combination that is unique to each student.

Consider briefly the following scenarios:

Maria

Maria always knew she wanted to be an engineer.  When it came time to apply to college, she found the most prestigious, highly rated engineering school she could.  The location wasn't ideal; she loved the mountains and the ocean, and the school school was located in an inland desert region, very far from home.  But school is about learning, right?  As an outgoing young woman, Maria generally spent a lot of time going out with friends, listening to music, dancing, and enjoying the night life.  There wasn't much going on in the town where this college was located, but again, she was going to school to learn engineering, not to have fun.  Maria and her parents were elated when the acceptance letter came, and she excitedly packed and prepared for her future.  Unfortunately, halfway through the first semester, Maria became depressed.  She missed her family, and didn't really want to be so far from home.  The campus culture and the landscape left her flat, missing the mountains, her family, her friends.  There were not many campus events to get involved in and she had trouble making friends.  She started wondering if she really even liked engineering.

Steve

Steve was so excited when he received the acceptance letter from his dream school.  He knew when he applied that it was a long shot, but he was accepted!  Unfortunately, the financial aid offer was not so exciting.  Tuition alone was $40,000, with another $15,000 or so in living expenses on top of that.  His family was not rich by any means, but with a middle class income, Steve did not qualify for any state or federal grants.  The school offered a modest scholarship of $8,000 per year to reward him for his good grades in high school.  However, even with the university grant,  $47,000 per year was a lot of money to be dishing out for college - over half his family's annual income.  He had also been accepted to another very good school, which had a good reputation in the major he wanted and offered him a much more generous financial aid package. But this was his dream school, and the excitement of getting accepted overwhelmed any financial common sense. His first year was everything he had hoped for, though the classes were hard, and he worried when he talked to his parents, they seemed really stressed out.

By the middle of the second year, it was clear that paying the very high cost of this school was not sustainable; Steve was in his second year and had already accrued over $30,000 in student debt, in addition to the $25,000 his parents had taken out in PLUS loans.  He contacted the other school with the generous financial aid offer; but that offer was only for incoming freshmen, not for transfer students.  Steve had to take a year off to evaluate his options, then ended up going to the local state college and living at home to save money.  This was not ideal; he had definitely not wanted to live at home; in fact he had really wanted to go to a totally different part of the country and experience new things.  He did eventually finish his degree, but 15 years later, he (and his parents) still have hefty student loan payments, and his memories of his college years are tainted with disappointment.

Dylan

Dylan always wanted to live by the ocean.  When it came time to apply to college, all his choices were in beach towns.  He was looking forward to swimming, surfing, maybe even learning to scuba dive.  He was interested in ethnomusicology, a very specific field that none of his beach college choices offered, but he figured he could study general music and learn the specifics of ethnomusicology on his own.  When his acceptance letters came in, he picked the school with the best beach, and the best beach scene.  During his first year, he loved going to the beach every day, but his grades suffered.  He found he was not very interested in his classes.  Dylan was from a small high school, and some of his introductory lecture classes had more students than his entire high school.  He had almost no contact with his professors.  Partway through his second semester, he found he just couldn't bring himself to care about his classes or his schoolwork.  He kept going to the beach, which he loved, but he failed one class and barely passed two others.  The following year, Dylan did not return to school.  He had taken out $5000 in student debt, which he had to begin repaying while he figured out what to do next.

Jesse

Jesse had always been an outgoing and adventurous girl.  She had dreams of traveling the world, making a difference in society.  When it came time to think about college, Jesse decided the only thing she could afford was the local community college.  It didn't really have the programs she wanted, and she really wasn't very excited about the prospect. Though her counselor told her she would probably qualify for significant financial aid to attend a university, and that she had many choices, Jesse didn't believe it and opted to stay home and go to the community college.  By the end of the first semester, she was bored with her classes, bored with her life, and definitely bored with school.  It felt like 13th grade; Jesse was not inspired, and it turns out the school had almost nothing she was interested in. She could do some general education classes, but she got busy with work and life, and dropped out halfway through her second semester.  Her job was OK, and it paid the bills, but as she got older and started a family, it was harder and harder to cover the costs.  She often wondered if things would have turned out differently if she had taken her counselor's advice and at least explored her options.

What do these four cases have in common?  All of these students (and their families) fixated on a single element in the college selection process, and didn't consider the complex interplay of different factors that determine how well a college fits a particular student.

In Maria's case, there are plenty of excellent engineering schools.  With a little research, she could have found one that had a good engineering program AND mountains, AND fun, engaging events on and around campus.

Steve, like many students, want blinded by the idea of the perfect school, and neglected to fully consider the downside of heavy borrowing.  In general, it's a good idea to apply to at least 4 different schools, all of which you would be happy attending.  Different universities have different policies for financial aid; some are much more dedicated to meeting student financial need, and applying to at least 4 schools will improve the likelihood that you will get a financial aid package that works.  However, you need to keep your mind open, and not get fixated on just one of those schools.  Money isn't everything, but it's not nothing, either.

Dylan was the opposite of Maria; he only considered location and fun, without regard to the experience of school itself.  While he really enjoyed that year on the beach, he was left with significant debt, and not much educational progress to show for it.

Jesse made a very common mistake: in reviewing her options, she didn't factor in financial aid.  With a modest family background, she probably would have qualified for enough aid to attend a university without accruing much, if any, debt.  If her local community college had had educational programs that met her needs, it would have been a good option.  In the end, however, it was a dead end and derailed her college dreams.

The moral of this story?  With over 4000 colleges and universities in this country, there are probably dozens that are a good fit for you.  Think about all of the following factors, and decide how important each one is to you:

• location
• school size
• distance from home
• educational programs offered
• campus activities
• cost and financial aid availability
• access to and attentiveness of professors
• academic support available
• health services (including mental health) offered
• housing options
• campus culture

Better yet, make your own list of what's important to you, and determine your own special mix that will provide the perfect educational environment for you, without saddling you with an unreasonable amount of student debt.  

Talk to a college counselor for help in creating your unique perfect mix, and finding schools meet your needs.  Be sure to complete the FAFSA, and factor in financial aid when considering cost (see previous posts - the college that looks least expensive is not always).

There are various resources online to help with your college search; one of my favorites is College Greenlight.  You create a profile and it matches you with schools that might be a good fit.  By doing your research, considering all the factors that are important in college fit, and aggressively pursuing financial aid and scholarships, you can avoid the problems above and instead have this kind of experience:

Clara

Clara had worked hard through high school.  Her freshman year was a little rough, but she studied hard and brought her grades up.  She knew when it came time for college, she wanted to go somewhere far from home, preferable a school with small class sizes where she could get to know her professors.  She applied to 5 different colleges and was accepted to 4 of them.  She compared the financial aid offers, and narrowed her choice down to two.  The school that was her first choice seemed perfect, but the financial aid offer was not quite enough.  She contacted the school and said though she would love to attend, it wouldn't work for her financially.  The school increased her financial aid offer. It didn't quite cover the entire cost of attendance, but she figured she could work over the summer to make up the difference.

Halfway through her second year, Clara was thrilled with her experience.  She had a couple bouts of homesickness the first year, but she got involved in campus activities and made friends at school.  During the break between semesters, she spent a month exploring career options with an internship arranged by the school, exposing her to exciting fields she never knew about.  Two years later, when she graduated, she reflected on all that she had learned, the skills she developed, and the experiences that changed her life.  She graduated with very little student debt, and was able to quickly find a job in her field.

So take some time to think about what you need, what you want, and what you can reasonably afford (again - research financial aid policies at the schools you're looking at - some very expensive private colleges guarantee they will meet 100% of demonstrated student need, and they may not be that expensive after all).  Then go out, and make your dreams come true!