COLLEGE – Reach for the Stars - Make Your Life AMAZING! No Excuses!

YOU HAVE NO EXCUSES

(not money, not past, not mistakes, nothing!)

JUST HOPE!

If your household income is less than $50k a year you can get up to $12k a year for college by simply applying for grants (money from the government that does not have to be paid back) by the end of March your senior year after you file your taxes at https://fafsa.ed.gov/. You also get free SAT, ACT & college application fees if you are on free or reduced lunch (information below).

Foster Care, Homeless, other special circumstances? Get with your school counselor & clearly tell them your situation. Get with your district homeless liaison or case manager. For foster care or shelters, go to http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/documents/child_protection/pdf/foster-care-handbook.pdf (P. 21=rights at 16; P. 19 PAL college help program; P. 24 FREE vouchers; P. 26 Scholarships & Grants - you can go to college COMPLETELY PAID FOR+extra spending money & a laptop).

Make between $40k-$200k perhaps? As a teacher, I don’t qualify for most grants but I found something for my daughter that made me cry tears of joy! I thought that, as a single mom, I cannot afford the application fees & tests, much less college tuition & even less at a private university. So me, the teacher that has helped hundreds go to college for free, was depressed and looking for hope for my own daughter. Well, I found it! You’ll need to pay for SAT & for most private universities, add on 2 SAT subject tests = $130. There’s a voucher you can print & get signed by your school counselor (below), Mail or fax it to university & it waives application fee! MY DAUGHTER APPLIED at 17 SCHOOLS & DIDN’T PAY FOR A SINGLE APPLICATION FEE!

****She was accepted into 9 & a FREE ride (tuition, housing, EVERYTHING!) to 4****

On to Tuition: Private schools such as Harvard, UNC, Pepperdine, etc. use a completely different calculator for costs for those that fall below a household income up to $200k. I did my research & turns out that if applied by the deadline (Nov.1-Jan.1) with the required essays & forms, my daughter can go for less than $5,000 A YEAR! Look for yourself https://college.harvard.edu/financial-aid/net-price-calculator

Now for the plan

-Maintain above a 3.0GPA (if not, you still have a chance at community colleges & some smaller schools-try!)

-If on free or reduced lunch get a fee waiver from your counselor for SAT, ATC & college application fees.

-Take SAT & 2 SAT subject tests before Oct. Sr year (if currently a Sr take Dec. & Jan. tests to reach deadlines!) Make at least 1100 on reading + math combined – shoot for 600+ on each section, if not, re-take! https://www.collegeboard.org/ is the site to sign up, study & check & send scores for SAT. ACT is at http://www.actstudent.org/

-It would help to take PSAT seriously & ACE IT- this gets you more scholarship opportunities

-Make sure you volunteer & keep a resume of each activity you get involved in – they want well-rounded students | Keep note of all extra-curricular activities & work experience

-Apply for at least 10 schools (mix of private & other)

-Texas application = https://www.applytexas.org/adappc/gen/c_start.WBX | Out of Texas application = https://www.commonapp.org/Login

-Make sure they get all required documents in by their deadlines

-Send the fee waiver form signed by your counselor if not on free or reduced lunch with less than $100,000 household income http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/feewaiver/Documents/ApplicationFeeWaiver.pdf

-Do your research, stay organized & keep in contact with the universities.

-Apply for all scholarships you can get

*No matter what income you have you must fill out the government aid site fafsa.ed.gov by the end of March Senior year [you’ll need socials (if parents are divorced, widowed or single, pick 1), birthdates, marriage/divorce dates & taxes (W2s & 1040s)]. 

• NOTE: If you or your parents do not have socials you will need to contact the college's financial aid office (they have special forms for you-do not give up, there is a way!). Most local colleges have aid workshops to help!
• For Texas with no social check out http://www.finaid.txstate.edu/more-info/TASFA.html
• For California check out http://www.csac.ca.gov/dream_act.asp
• For undocumented scholarships go to http://www.10000degrees.org/students/scholarships/undocumented-students/

*If going to a private school or Ivy League fill out the CSS Profile & apply to school by Nov. Senior Year & check emails in Jan-Feb to complete the IDOC that goes with it (undocumented may qualify)

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/financial-aid-101/how-to-complete-the-css-financial-aid-profile

Veterans or children or spouses of veterans: up to 150 hours of tuition exemption, including most fee charges, at public institutions of higher education in Texas-  Go to http://www.tvc.texas.gov/Hazlewood-Act.aspx

SCHOLARSHIPS & SCHOLARSHIP GUIDE:

Check out “Ms. F's Scholarships - Apply Senior Year Starting in October-May” & “Terry Application - Use for Other Scholarships” & “More Scholarships with Amounts & Dates “ at msfscholarships.blogspot.com - all links to the right

RESUME: Resume Template to Use - link on the right

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