Even though it may seem like eons before your child will be choosing a college, it’s never too early to get them thinking about their education.
The U.S. Department of Education created a website to help kids start thinking about college:
Perhaps you are at the beginning of your high school “career” or near the end. Either way, you have most likely thought about going to college at some point. With the thousands of choices available, deciding where to go can leave you feeling a little overwhelmed.
That’s why we put together some resources to help you select the college that best suits your needs. To get the ball rolling, About.com recommends the following questions to help choose the right college:
Why do you want to go to college?
Do you want to go to school for two years or four years?
What do you want to be? What job do you want to have?
What majors are you considering? How will this major get you to what you want to be?
Are there other careers you have considered?
What high school grades will you need to get into college? Do you have a plan on how to obtain those grades?
What high school classes will you need to complete to go to college? Does your high school have those?
Have you considered the cost of college? Have you considered how you are going to pay for it?
Do you want to live at school or do you want to live at home?
What do you want the school to offer besides your major? What extracurricular activities are you interested in?
Planning to Go to College
Want even more information on how to begin planning for college? The CollegeBoard.com website breaks down the process by each grade in high school.
It may help to break down your college search by topic. The following topics are ways to get you thinking about colleges and help you find the right school for your interests:
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)
Interested in serving your country and getting your college education paid for? Consider the ROTC programs below:
Getting In
So you have picked your “dream” schools and can picture yourself attending any one of them for the next four years. After reading through the brochures, visiting the campuses, discussing your options with your family and deciding on the right fit for you, you are probably exhausted. Sorry, but there is more. In fact, that was just the beginning! There are a few items below to add to your checklist before applying to the various schools.
Tests
Many colleges require the SAT® or ACT® test score in order to be considered for admission. Other schools do not require either test to be considered. For more information, visit http://www.FairTest.org.
When it comes to the exams…College Board Tests include the SAT Reasoning Test™, SAT Subject Tests™, PSAT/NMSQT®, the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®), and CLEP®. Another test that colleges may require is the ACT® test. These exams can have a very significant effect on your future. Take them seriously and prepare for them properly.
There are plenty of resources to help you prepare for these tests; everything from online courses to local learning centers to good old-fashioned books. Some high schools and local colleges offer prep classes. You may also consider getting a private tutor or ordering a DVD prep course. Review your options and choose the method that will be most effective with your learning skills.
For more information on the College Board tests that include the SAT Reasoning Test™, SAT Subject Tests™, PSAT/NMSQT®, AP®, CLEP®: http://www.CollegeBoard.com
Should You Take AP® Courses?
AP® courses can be taken at your high-school and could potentially give you credit or advanced standing at a number of universities across the country.
The way these courses work is that the student receives credit for the class on the high school transcript. To actually receive college credit during high school, a tuition payment must be made to the college overseeing the class. It is then up to the college you enroll in to accept the college credits toward their degree programs.
Courses that are offered at your high-school may vary. For more information on how AP® courses work and to decide if they are the right choice for you, visit the CollegeBoard.com’s site.
Application
Once you have decided on the colleges you wish to apply to, you will need to request application packets from each of them. You can do this quickly online or by contacting the college via email or telephone. When the applications arrive, pay careful attention to their important deadlines. Each school will have its own schedule of deadlines. An easy way to keep track of them is to list all the deadlines in a special college calendar. It will help you keep everything in order and on time.
Each application will include a variety of forms to complete, essays to write and recommendation letters to collect from your favorite teachers. Sealed counselor recommendations may be requested.
The application process can be stressful and may take some time to complete, so it’s smart to begin early. The best advice is to approach it like a project and break it into sections. Have your parents help you organize your application process. Here are a few websites with tips on how to apply and what to expect:
Teen Checking Account/College Checking Account
As a benefit to our BANKING FOR Life clients, we offer high school students their own BANKING FOR Life account - for FREE. There are no requirements for a minimum balance. And we will waive your fee until age 24!
This is a great benefit because you can get your account set up now, but continue with it as you attend college. Even if you move out of the area, you will be able to access over 15,000 ATMs for FREE by using your Debit Card. If you tell us where you are going, we can give you the exact locations of the ATM sites. Your parents or others can still make deposits to your account!
For the Teen Account, if you are under age 18, your parents, grandparents or legal guardians will need to sign the signature card with you, but you will be able to write your own checks or use your own Debit Card. Please ask the Personal Banker at any of our branches for more information or to sign up!
College/Career - College
Perhaps you are at the beginning of your high school “career” or near the end. Either way, you have most likely thought about going to college at some point. With the thousands of choices available, deciding where to go can leave you feeling a little overwhelmed.
That’s why we put together some resources to help you select the college that best suits your needs. To get the ball rolling, About.com recommends the following questions to help choose the right college:
Why do you want to go to college?
Do you want to go to school for two years or four years?
What do you want to be? What job do you want to have?
What majors are you considering? How will this major get you to what you want to be?
Are there other careers you have considered?
What high school grades will you need to get into college? Do you have a plan on how to obtain those grades?
What high school classes will you need to complete to go to college? Does your high school have those?
Have you considered the cost of college? Have you considered how you are going to pay for it?
Do you want to live at school or do you want to live at home?
What do you want the school to offer besides your major? What extracurricular activities are you interested in?
Planning to Go to College
Want even more information on how to begin planning for college? The CollegeBoard.com website breaks down the process by each grade in high school.
It may help to break down your college search by topic. The following topics are ways to get you thinking about colleges and help you find the right school for your interests:
Getting In
So you have picked your “dream” schools and can picture yourself attending any one of them for the next four years. After reading through the brochures, visiting the campuses, discussing your options with your family and deciding on the right fit for you, you are probably exhausted. Sorry, but there is more. In fact, that was just the beginning! There are a few items below to add to your checklist before applying to the various schools.
Tests
Many colleges require the SAT® or ACT® test score in order to be considered for admission. Other schools do not require either test to be considered. For more information, visit http://www.FairTest.org.
When it comes to the exams…College Board Tests include the SAT Reasoning Test™, SAT Subject Tests™, PSAT/NMSQT®, the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®), and CLEP®. Another test that colleges may require is the ACT® test. These exams can have a very significant effect on your future. Take them seriously and prepare for them properly.
There are plenty of resources to help you prepare for these tests; everything from online courses to local learning centers to good old-fashioned books. Some high schools and local colleges offer prep classes. You may also consider getting a private tutor or ordering a DVD prep course. Review your options and choose the method that will be most effective with your learning skills.
For more information on the College Board tests that include the SAT Reasoning Test™, SAT Subject Tests™, PSAT/NMSQT®, AP®, CLEP®: http://www.CollegeBoard.com
Should You Take AP® Courses?
AP® courses can be taken at your high-school and could potentially give you credit or advanced standing at a number of universities across the country.
The way these courses work is that the student receives credit for the class on the high school transcript. To actually receive college credit during high school, a tuition payment must be made to the college overseeing the class. It is then up to the college you enroll in to accept the college credits toward their degree programs.
Courses that are offered at your high-school may vary. For more information on how AP® courses work and to decide if they are the right choice for you, visit the CollegeBoard.com’s site.
Application
Once you have decided on the colleges you wish to apply to, you will need to request application packets from each of them. You can do this quickly online or by contacting the college via email or telephone. When the applications arrive, pay careful attention to their important deadlines. Each school will have its own schedule of deadlines. An easy way to keep track of them is to list all the deadlines in a special college calendar. It will help you keep everything in order and on time.
Each application will include a variety of forms to complete, essays to write and recommendation letters to collect from your favorite teachers. Sealed counselor recommendations may be requested.
The application process can be stressful and may take some time to complete, so it’s smart to begin early. The best advice is to approach it like a project and break it into sections. Have your parents help you organize your application process. Here are a few websites with tips on how to apply and what to expect:
Teen Checking Account/College Checking Account
As a benefit to our BANKING FOR Life clients, we offer high school students their own BANKING FOR Life account - for FREE. There are no requirements for a minimum balance. And we will waive your fee until age 24!
This is a great benefit because you can get your account set up now, but continue with it as you attend college. Even if you move out of the area, you will be able to access over 15,000 ATMs for FREE by using your Debit Card. If you tell us where you are going, we can give you the exact locations of the ATM sites. Your parents or others can still make deposits to your account!
For the Teen Account, if you are under age 18, your parents, grandparents or legal guardians will need to sign the signature card with you, but you will be able to write your own checks or use your own Debit Card. Please ask the Personal Banker at any of our branches for more information or to sign up!
Career/Young Family - College
Now you have your cap and gown, as well as your first student loan payment. Need help in understanding your payment options? Perhaps you need more information on how to consolidate your loans and the best option for you?
Starting or Continuing College
Are you paying for part of your education? Need help understanding those student loans and how to make the best choices? Kiplinger’s has a section on their website explaining the ins and outs of paying for college. Bankrate.com also explains the costs of college.
The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,400 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Among its best-known programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns.
Just like your undergraduate education, you generally can’t get into the next level of education without tests and exams. To help you find the right resources for your interests, the following are a few websites for the most well-known graduate school tests:
What’s next?
Are you experiencing the general feeling of “what comes next?” Next Student.com offers articles on topics that new college graduates can easily relate to.
For more information on college, be sure to reference other information under the College/Career section!
Career/Family - College
College-bound Children
Whether your child has packed their belongings and is ready to bid you good-bye or is just starting the application process, it’s not an easy time in a parent’s life. The college process is probably not the same as when you went to college. To help you get through this exciting and emotional time, here are a few websites with tips, suggestions and advice:
Not sure on how to get your teen into college? About.com has an article, “Getting your teen into college” that features the process in a series of easy to follow steps.
Saving for Your Child’s Education
It’s never too late (or too early for that matter) to start saving for your child’s education. The following website has tips to help you save:
Paying for College
Need help understanding those student loans and how to make the best choices? Kiplinger’s has a section on their website that helps explain the ins and outs of paying for college. Bankrate.com also explains the costs of college.
The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,400 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Among its best-known programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns.
Using a Certified College Planning Specialist may help in selecting the right school and determining how to pay for a college education. There are a number of Certified College Planning Specialists throughout the country who can be found by searching the Internet - “Certified College Planning.”
Pre-Retirement - College
College-bound Grandchildren
Do you want to help your grandchildren with their college expenses?
Bankrate.com’s Saving for College is an article explaining the 529 Savings Account:
You are on the College Homepage. The sections on this page are in order according to the Life Cycle Wheel. To view all the contents of this page, please use your scrollbar on the far right of your Internet Browser. To view the content under each Life Cycle section, please use the scrollbar in that section.
