College Prep Handbook
· ROTC
· NAIA
FINANCIAL AID
Financial aid that is offered to a student may take the form of scholarships/merit based aid, grants, loans and work-study programs. Sources of financial aid include: the college, state (provided you live and go to school in the same state), private donors and the government.
Scholarships are based on a students special talent: academic, athletic, artistic or other personal considerations. Scholarship awards do not have to be repaid. The majority of scholarship aid comes directly from the college. A list of potential scholarships may be obtained from your college's Financial Aid or Admissions Office. Less than one-half of one percent comes from private donors. Scholarships are NOT based on need. In addition to general scholarships, scholarships may be available from an honors program, academic departments, denominational (for children of pastors, missionaries, etc. or for those majoring in ministry fields), human resource/personnel departments, organizations related to lineage, ethnic origin, geography, or ancestral honors, local clubs or business, volunteer organizations, alumni groups.
Grants are outright gifts based on need, and do not have to be repaid.
Loans are a significant part of a financial aid package. Loans must be repaid. Depending on the type of loan, payment may begin within a couple of months or several months after a student graduates.
Work-study programs are available to students who qualify for financial aid. Students are employed on campus to help offset expenses.
A basic tenet of financial aid analysis is that the parents should contribute, insofar as they are able, to the higher education of their children. Thus, the first resource to be considered is the EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION (EFC). The amount of the EFC will differ from family to family, but almost every family will be expected to pay something. The EFC is determined by a standard formula which indicates how much of the family’s financial resources should be available to help pay for college.
In most cases, colleges award financial aid on the basis of DEMONSTRATED NEED. Demonstrated need is the difference between the cost of attending a particular college and the expected family contribution:
Total College Expenses
-Expected Family Contribution (what the family can pay)
=Demonstrated Need
In order for colleges to determine demonstrated need, the family must submit the FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA) as soon as possible after Jan. 1. All colleges in the United States require the FAFSA. Approximately 900 colleges also require the College Scholarship Profile Service (CSS) PROFILE and others even require one of their own institutional forms. FAFSA and PROFILE forms are available in the office, or may be filed electronically. FAFSA may be accessed at www.fafsa.ed.gov. PROFILE may be accessed at www.collegeboard.com (PROFILE registration begins Sept. 15th) Complete tax returns as early as possible, as information from the tax forms are required to complete the financial aid forms. FILE FAFSA AS SOON AFTER JAN. 1 AS POSSIBLE-IT MAY HELP INCREASE YOUR AID PACKAGE!
***An estimate of your EFC may be calculated at www.fastWEB.com
A few tips:
Only one FAFSA is required, not one for each school.
Copy everything and keep separate financial files for each school.
Secure all necessary forms and note deadlines.
Beware of scams (unsolicited or on web sites). DON’T GIVE MONEY UP FRONT!
Keep a separate file for all financial aid, since you cannot complete financial aid forms until your parents have completed their tax forms (which will be no earlier than Jan. your senior year). A lot of information is distributed in the fall and continues through January.
OBSERVE DEADLINES:
Colleges observe deadlines regularly and consistently. All forms, scholarships, loans and/or grants will have deadlines. You can easily miss opportunities by being late (or too early). OBSERVE
DEADLINES!
(Financial Aid Questions to ask colleges)
Service academies prepare highly qualified young men and women for
careers as professional officers in the United States military. In addition to a very rigorous academic curriculum, all students are required to participate in a very challenging athletic and wellness program. All tuition costs, room and board, and medical and dental expenses are paid for by the government. Each cadet also receives a monthly salary. Obligation: Minimum of 5 years of military service following graduation.
Requirements: qualify academically (test scores, school records, class
rank and recommendations), meet strenuous medical and physical standards, and obtain a nomination from a representative or senator (each is permitted four cadets at each academy at one time).
Recommendations: Visit the academy or attend a summer program after your junior year (apply in the winter of your junior year), submit a Precandidate Questionaire in the spring of your junior year, and talk to current cadets to learn firsthand about this unique opportunity.
Air Force Academy
Colorado Springs, CO 80840 1-800-443-9266
www.usafa.af.mil
Coast Guard Academy (nomination NOT required)
New London, CT. 06320 1-800-883-8724
www.cga.edu
Military Academy
West Point, NY 10996 1-800-822-USMA
www.usma.edu
Naval Academy
Annapolis, MD 21402 1-410-293-4361
www.nadn.navy.mil
Merchant Marine
Kings Point, NY 11024 1-866-546-4778
www.ussmma.edu
NOTE: Advise your counselor early in your junior year if you are considering a service academy.
ROTC trains students to become officers while pursuing a college degree. The ROTC scholarship program is an excellent way to receive financial assistance while pursuing a degree. Upon graduation, scholarship recipients are commissioned as officers and obligated for four yers of active duty upon graduation. It is recommended that you apply early as there is steep competition for these scholarships. There are a variety of ROTC programs available to students.
Typical ROTC minimum requirements are: top 25% of your graduating class, an ACT score of at least 24 and an SAT of at least 1100, extracurricular, leadership and athletic activities.
To request information or an application contact:
U.S. Air Force ROTC: 1-800-423-USAF
U.S. Army: 1-800-USA-ROTC
U.S. Navy/Marines: 1-1800-451-8758, ext. 2580
NCAA ELIGIBILITY (Div. I and II)
Student athletes should register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse in August of their senior year. The NCAA may be reached at http://www/ncaa.org or at www.ncaa.org/eligibility/cbsa. (additional information regarding student athlete resources may be found under the section “The Search Process”). You will be required to submit an application fee and a six-semester transcript. Carefully familiarize yourself with all NCAA recruiting guidelines before making contact with any college coaches. Meet with the Athletic Director during your junior year if you are considering playing a sport in college. There are no scholarships available for DIV III.
It is not necessary to register to participate in athletics at NAIA schools.
If you are interested in in an NAIA school, contact the coach at that school. Athletic scholarships are available at most NAIA colleges.
***Information as to each schools athletic division is available in the counseling office.
Making the Final Cut
After prayerfully considering and careful examining a number of schools, realistically evaluating my qualifications, educational needs, and personal temperament, I have selected the following schools that seem best suited for me. (If applying to selective schools, you may choose to include a few more choices). You should not hesitate to apply to a select school that you love, but for which you may be a marginal candidate.
Reach Schools ________________________
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Good Bets: ________________________
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Safety Schools: ________________________
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*****SUBMIT WITH YOUR RESUME
DATA SHEET: ____________________________
Student’s Name
____________________________________
Parents
____________________________________
Parents Address
____________________________________
Parent’s Phone
Senior-Year Courses College Courses (taken or enrolled in)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Colleges I am applying to (note name and location of school)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hobbies, special interests, obstacles overcome, or anything special you’d like the person who writes your recommendation to know about you (that’s not included on your resume)-attach additional sheets, if necessary.
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