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!

California Dreaming - Promise Programs and College Affordability

California is one of the best places in the country to be a college student.  Although both tuition and housing prices are high, the state has shown a commitment to providing financial support to in-state students through the Cal Grant Program and expanding College Promise programs (which provide 1-2 years of tuition-free attendance at local community colleges) throughout the state.

Community College Promise Programs:

Many community colleges in California (including our own College of the Siskiyous) are offering promise programs that waive the tuition and fees for the first year or two for students in their local area. Some restrictions apply, so be sure to research the requirements at your specific community college.  In general, students must complete the FAFSA to be eligible.  

Perhaps the best part about these College Promise programs is not the financial aspect at all.  Generally, in addition to financial support, these programs offer increased counseling and advising services and student support.  Students participating in College Promise programs graduate and transfer to universities at higher rates than those who don't participate.

In fact, "free college" may be a little misleading.  The way these programs generally work is that the tuition and fees are taken from your awarded financial aid, and if there is a balance left over, it is waived.  So if you qualify for a Pell Grant or a Cal Grant B, it may not be any less expensive to go to a different community college, rather than the "free" local college, especially if you are not planning on living at home. However, if you can take advantage of the additional support provided by a college promise program (wherever you land), it could help you be successful.

Speaking of expenses, room and board are often the most expensive part of college costs.  If you are not planning on living at home, and if you qualify for a Cal Grant (see below), it may not in fact be any less expensive (once you consider ALL the college costs) to go to a community college than to go to a UC, CSU, or even a private college.  This is because the universities often have additional grant aid available to cover living expenses, while community colleges generally don't.  

Of course, there are many reasons you might want to start out at a community college, including smaller class sizes, more contact with professors, the ability to stay close to home, or specific programs at your community college, but if the main consideration is cost, and you are not planning on living at home, you may want to think again.

So what exactly is a Cal Grant, and how do you get one?

Some things to know about the Cal Grant:

• Cal Grants are free money (up to $12,294 per year) that you do not have to pay back.
• Cal Grants can be used at all UC, CSU, and community colleges, as well as many eligible private colleges and universities in California
• Cal Grants A and B will pay the full tuition at a University of California or California State University program, and up to $9,000 at certain eligible private institutions.
• When you complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or Dream Act application, if you include an eligible California school on your list of colleges, you will automatically be considered for a Cal Grant
• To be eligible, you must meet financial and academic criteria.  The Cal Grant A requires a 3.0 GPA; the Cal Grant B requires a 2.0 GPA (based on grades in 10th and 11th grade).  The income and asset limits can be found here.
• To be eligible, you must be a California resident or AB540 student.
  
• To be eligible, you must graduate from a California high school or be a California resident by the age of 18.
• You are guaranteed a Cal Grant award if you meet the eligibility requirements
• You are eligible to receive a Cal Grant award the year you graduate from high school, or the year after your graduation (if you don't go to college right away), and you are again eligible when you transfer from a community college to a 4-year university.
• The school will automatically submit your GPA to confirm eligibility the year your graduate, but may not do so the following year. If you take a gap year before attending college, ask your high school to submit your GPA to the California Student Aid Commission to verify eligibility. 
• You can talk to your school counselor to get more information about the Cal Grant.

If your family does not fall within the income and asset limits for the Cal Grant, you may still be eligible for the California Middle Class Scholarship, which will pay up to 40% of the tuition and fees at a University of California or California State University campus. Families with incomes up to about $150,000 may qualify for this award.

A final note on affordability:

A little known fact about college costs in California: in terms of net cost (what you actually pay after all grant and scholarship aid is factored in), the University of California system is, for most students, the best deal in California.

Yes, you read that correctly.  Many people do not realize this, but the UC system has very generous financial aid policies, and is committed to meeting the financial need of its students.  So even though most people think that UC schools are way more expensive than CSU or community colleges (and on paper it certainly looks that way - published tuition rates at the University of California are among the highest in the nation for public universities), once financial aid is factored in, it may actually be much less expensive than CSU or even a community college if you are not living at home (see above).

Every college website has a net price calculator.  Identify the colleges you are interested in and check for yourself. Compare the net prices before you rule out any schools based on cost.

And be glad you live in California. It is, by far, one of the most generous states in providing grants for low and middle income students to attend college.

Defining Your Goals

What are your goals for the new year?  Whether you're a senior in the midst of college and scholarship applications,  a sophomore or junior just starting your college search process, or a parent wondering how to motivate your child to do one of the above, some time spent this month setting and clarifying goals can help set you on the path to a bright future.

First, for those of you still in the college search process - with glossy ads, unsolicited advice from just about everyone, and a dizzying array of schools to choose from, where do you start?  Before you even start looking at schools, take a minute to decide what you want from your college experience.  Do you have a specific career or major in mind?  Several search sites, including College Board and CollegeXpress have search features that can help you find great schools.  Are you not quite sure what you want to study?  Be sure to choose a school with a variety of options that sound appealing.  Do you have specific ideas about the intellectual community, the location, or the type of town you want to live in?  These are all important factors to consider, and your school's college counselor should be able to help you identify options. Spend some time reflecting on what you want, write it down, and then begin your search.  In 9th -11th grade, you should be creating a "long list" of schools that appeal to you - try to capture all schools that seem interesting.  In the spring of your junior year, you will narrow this list down to the 4-8 schools you will actually apply to.

Next, for those of you in the throws of college applications - remember to breathe.  In the midst of what is likely a very busy senior year, you also need to take time to reflect on what's important to you.  With each application you complete, take a moment to think about why you are applying to this school.  I have worked with students who had schools on their list because their parents, teachers, or counselor insisted they apply, but they really had no interest in going there.  Obviously, if you are getting financial support from your parents (and I hope you are!) they need to be a partner in your decision.  But if you really are not interested in a particular school, it is in neither your interest nor theirs for you to put in the time and fork over the application fee.  Other students apply to prestigious institutions just to see if they can get in, although they don't really want to go there.  Why would you do that?  The time and effort you spend could be put into searching for and applying for scholarships for schools you DO want to attend. Remember, this is your experience, and you should think carefully about what you want before hitting the "submit" button.

Parents and guardians - you should read the two paragraphs above one more time.  Obviously, if you are funding this endeavor, you need to discuss with your student what is feasible and what you are and are not willing to finance, but beyond that, remember this is your child's life, and the decision is ultimately up to them.  If your college list and theirs are mutually exclusive, listen with an open mind to what your child is saying, why they are interested in those particular schools, and do some research together to see if there are some options that are acceptable to you, AND that your child can be excited about.  Enlist the services of a private college admissions advisor if you need to - the investment could pay off greatly in your child's future.

So in the excitement of the new year, take some time time to clarify your college goals, and then create a plan to achieve them, but above all, make sure the goals are your own.

FAFSA Season

This year, the time for seniors and their families to think about financial aid is earlier than ever.  Starting this year, the Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA) opens on October 1.  The deadline for California State grants (like the Cal Grant and the California Middle Class Scholarship) is still March 2, but students are encouraged to submit the FAFSA as early as possible, as some forms of aid are first come, first served.

Another change this year - when completing the FAFSA, students and their parents will use tax information from 2015 (Prior-prior year).  This is good news - no need to estimate income information; assuming you filed 2015 taxes this past Spring, you can use the IRS data retrieval tool to pull the information directly from your taxes.  More good news - this change should allow schools to determine financial aid packages earlier than in the past.  Whether or not they provide you with information on your financial aid package any earlier remains to be seen.

Are you wondering whether you should apply for financial aid?  The answer is YES!  Many students and families mistakenly think they don't qualify for aid.  With the rising cost of college, some aid is now available for families who previously did not qualify.  California, for example, has recently implemented a program called the California Middle Class Scholarship, which provides some assistance to students with family income and assets up to $156,000 per year, provided the student is attending a school in the University of California or California State University system.  Furthermore, many universities require completion of the  FAFSA in order for students to be eligible for university grants and scholarships, even those that are primarily merit - based.  So you have everything to gain and nothing to lose - complete the FAFSA!

Other reasons some students choose not to complete the FAFSA:

They don't want to take out loans.  Guess what? You don't have to.  The FAFSA will determine your eligibility for financial aid, including grants and scholarships, work study, and subsidized student loans.  Once you receive your financial aid offer, you can accept what you want and decline the rest - you can collect any grants, scholarship, and work study eligibility and decline the loans if you so choose.

They don't know how to apply.  Help is available!  The application is online at https://fafsa.ed.gov/.  The federal student aid commission has an FAQ page to help with questions, as well as telephone assistance and online chat to help.  Your high school counselor should be able to help also if you have questions.  Many high schools and community organizations in California organize in Cash for College workshops, where you can get help and file your FAFSA right then and there.  Cash for College workshops are open to everyone, you do not have to be a student at that high school to attend.  For information, or to find a Cash for College workshop near you, visit the Cash for College website.

However, wherever, whenever you choose to do it, file your FAFSA!  And do it soon.

Things You Should Know About College

Happy Fall!  Congratulations to all the students who will be embarking on a new stage of their lives in college this fall!  For those of you still in high school, it's time to start thinking about your future.

The first thing to do is make an appointment with your school counselor.  If you're a senior, you need to get on this right away, but even if you are just starting high school, it's good to be thinking about what you want to do when you graduate.  Discuss your plans with your counselor, and make sure you are taking the right courses to get to where you need to be when you graduate.

Did you know:

• In most cases, high school graduation requirements are not the same as college admission requirements?  If you are looking to go to a 4-year university, you need several classes beyond your high school graduation requirements to meet the university admission requirements.
• Each college has its own admission requirements, and they are slightly different, so be sure to check the website of colleges you are interested in to make sure you have the right classes
• Different states have different requirements.  While California public universities only require two years of science, Oregon schools generally require three.
• If you are applying to a college with competitive admission (many more students apply than they have room for, as is the case with many California public universities), it's generally recommended you go beyond the basic requirements.  So even though only two years of science are required, it's probably better to take three or even four years if you want to go to a University of California campus.
• Many states and regions have reciprocal tuition agreements, so students from nearby states get a  break on out of state tuition.  The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is an example. Since tuition rates vary from state to state, if you are coming from an expensive state (e.g. California) it may actually end up being less expensive to go out of state if you can get the WUE tuition rate.
• Financial aid is available!  You should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) whether or not you think you will qualify.  You may be surprised.  Also, many private and university-based scholarships require you to fill out the FAFSA before receiving any type of aid.

So enjoy the last warm days of fall, jump into your classes, start thinking about your future, and start the path toward your goals today! 

How to Save Money in College

Want to save money in college?  Pay attention in your math class, and listen to your English teacher.  And take a fourth year of math, even if it's not required.

According to a study by Education Reform Now, approximately a quarter of all students who go directly from high school to college are required to take remedial coursework. The total cost of this remedial coursework for families - about $1.5 billion dollars annually.  Furthermore, students who start with remedial courses are much more likely to drop out, and those that finish take on average about a year longer to complete their Bachelor's degree.

Remedial (sometimes called developmental) courses are those designed to prepare students for college level work. This implies, of course, that about 1 in 4 incoming college freshmen are not prepared for college level work in math and/or English.  This problem is not only confined to community colleges; the results hold true across nearly all institution types and all income levels.

Several articles I read in preparing this post place the blame on high schools for not adequately preparing their students, but I think there's a bit more to the story than that, and each student certainly has a level of control over this.  If you attend a high school without adequate support and instruction in math and English, I'm sorry.  However,  I would argue there is a large amount of student choice that goes into this as well. As a high school counselor in a personalized learning school, I am not going to force you to take that extra math class.  You have a choice in what English classes you take.  If you choose to take less challenging English classes, and to stop taking math after you've completed the minimum graduation requirements, you likely won't be ready for college level work, and may well find yourself contributing to that $1.5 billion dollars spent on remedial education.

If you find yourself struggling in math or English, and you can't find the support at your school, what can you do?  First, talk with your teacher, counselor, or principal and find out what help is available. There may be after-school tutoring support you can take advantage of.  Find a friend who does well in these subjects, and see if they can help you.  Many libraries offer tutoring services, either in-person or online.  Khan Academy has a wealth of resources in many different subjects, and though options for support in English are limited, it can certainly help if you are struggling in math.

The main thing, though, is to take action. Take your classes seriously, and take responsibility for your own learning and preparation.  Challenge yourself in high school, and you'll be ready for college.  And you'll probably save a lot of money by doing so.

Important Choices

Now is the time for many anxious high school seniors when the letters of acceptance, rejection, or wait list status begin arriving.  After all the work of developing your college list, after all the work of completing and submitting applications, now comes the work of deciding which, among the options open to you, is the best.

Ideally, during the search and application process, students identified a number of schools that would be a good fit personally, socially, and academically, and students have either received, or will soon receive, acceptance letters to several of these excellent schools.  Which is the best choice?  There are several factors to consider - majors offered, location, support services, student life, cost.....  These are perhaps not terribly helpful, however, as these are the same factors considered when creating the college list in the first place.  The good news is, the reason you applied to these schools is because they are all a great fit, so you should have a good experience whatever you choose.  Once you've made your choice, don't waste any time wondering if one of the others would have been better; instead, focus your time and energy on connecting with and getting excited about the school you have decided to attend.

Before you make that decision, however, try to visit the schools you are considering; at least your top 2 or 3 choices, if you haven't already.  Nothing can take the place of a personal experience on campus, talking with students, faculty, and staff, and getting a sense of the personality of the school.  Some colleges can arrange for you to sit in on a class during your visit.  Before you go, research campus clubs and activities you may be interested in, then try to connect with someone from those clubs while on campus.

Some students will make long lists of pros and cons for each choice, and try to boil it down to a purely rational choice.  While this seems like a reasonable approach, the truth is that big decisions in our lives rarely come down to pure reason.  After having a chance to visit the schools, pay attention to your feelings and emotions in addition to the objective facts.  As Ruth Chang states in her excellent TED talk "How to Make Hard Choices", hard choices are hard specifically because neither option is inherently better than the other.  We ourselves create the reasons that makes one choice better than the other - for us.  Don't get caught up in issues of prestige, or how others are going to feel about your choice of college - this is about you and your future, not what other people think you should do.

So after you've created your long list of pros and cons, put the list aside for a moment, close your eyes, and reflect on how you feel.  Imagine how each of the schools you are considering will help you become the person you want to be.  And when you're ready to make the leap, jump enthusiastically onto the path you've chosen, and don't look back.