255.Unstack the Odds--GO TO COLLEGE: LINKS

Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!

by
Joe Rottenborn
Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

20. GO TO COLLEGE: LINKS

Here are some more links to articles of interest, drawn from the Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP) blog, with the original posting number shown.

Miscellaneous (continued):

76. Higher-Education Data
What percentage of various groups in the U.S. graduates from high school? Goes to college? Earns a degree? This article by Erik W. Robelen for Education Week, posted on May 14, 2010, presents these data on higher education, at this link:http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/05/19/32census.h29.html?tkn=RTVF%2B%2BRyRRrQ8MnT0wDe%2F3UOs8Y%2Bn3KgCprJ&cmp=clp-edweek

77. Do You Need to Go to College?
Students sometimes inquire, "Do I need to go to college?" Or, put another way, they ask: "Can I get a good job without a college degree?" Jacques Steinberg, a writer for The New York Times, addresses these questions in his article, dated 5/14/10, at this link:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/weekinreview/16steinberg.html?pagewanted=1

79. Non-traditional College Students
Many college students today are not 18 year-olds, fresh out of high school; they're over 20, work (full- or part-time), and are often parents. For these non-traditional students, earning a college degree can mean overcoming many obstacles to graduate. Read an article from USA Today on non-traditional students at this link:http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/degrees-of-difficulty.htm

82. What to Take to College
Freshmen often wonder what to take to college. Some take too much, while others don't take enough. Like the three bears, aim for just right--because your space will be limited! To see an Off-to-College Checklist of The College Board, click this link:http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/9763.html

And don't forget: you may be able to save money on many items you'll need for your college dorm room by picking them up at yard & garage sales!

87. Retention Rate
According to the National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences, a college's retention rate is "the percentage of first-time students who are seeking bachelor's degrees who return to the institution to continue their studies the following fall." Retention rate is regarded as an important statistic relating to student success in college. To discover the retention rate of a U.S. college or university, click the link below, then type in the school's name to search for it; finally, click on "retention and graduation rates."http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

To see the retention rates of students having differing ACT scores and admitted to colleges with varying rates of selectivity, consult the ACT report "National Collegiate Retention and Persistence to Degree Rates" at this link:http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/retain_2009.pdf

88. Is College the Key to Success?
In America, we hear that getting a good education--particularly, earning a college degree--will lead to career success. Today, more and more people are entering college; they are expecting an economic payoff. But is this expectation realistic? Ann Larson examines "the education gospel" in her post, dated June 3, 2010, for Inside Higher Ed entitled "Higher Education's Big Lie;" you can read her views at this link:http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2010/06/03/larson

89. World's Best Universities?
If you wonder which country has the highest-rated universities in the world, you're not alone. Apparently, others wonder, too. U.S. News & World Report ranked 400 of the "World's Best Universities" in 2010; to see its list, hit this link:http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/worlds-best-universities/2010/02/25/worlds-best-universities-top-400.html?PageNr=1

90. Graduation Rates in U.S.
To find out "Student Success Highlights" (i.e., retention rate, four-year graduation rate, five-year graduation rate, and six-year graduation rate) of any college or university in the United States, check out a website of The Education Trust called "College Results Online." (You can also compare success statistics for various schools.) Access the site at this link:http://www.collegeresults.org/

91. Value in a Liberal Arts Education?
During this challenging economic climate, students and parents expect college to aid one's career. Consequently, they often seek majors, programs, and degrees that will lead directly to a specific job--and a well-paying one, at that. Nonetheless, defenders of a liberal arts education still emphasize its value; to see why, read this post by Michael Roth, President of Wesleyan University, entitled "Coming to the Defense of Liberal Education," at this link:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-roth/coming-to-the-defense-of_b_605899.html

92. Academic Progress Rate (APR)
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) requires member colleges and universities to submit information on all sports teams competing in Division I. These data indicate student-athletes' eligibility and retention during a previous four-year period; the most recent APR is based on statistics from the 2005-06 through 2008-09 school years. If a team's APR is less than 925 (of 1,000), it can face penalties, including loss of scholarships or limits on practice time. Teams having an APR lower than 900 for several years can be penalized by being banned from postseason play--including bowl games. To search the Academic Progress Rate for schools of interest, click this NCAA link: http://web1.ncaa.org/maps/aprRelease.jsp

93. Proportion of Adults, 25-34, with College Degrees
The U.S. national average for the proportion of adults (ages 25-34) holding college degrees is 37.8%; in Ohio, however, the figure is below that--at 36.4%. To see the percentage for any state, you can access an interactive map from The Chronicle of Higher Education at this link:http://chronicle.com/article/Interactive-Map-Proportion-of/65009/

94. U.S. Senate Hearings on For-Profit Higher Education
On June 24, 2010, Chairman Tom Harkin opened hearings by the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on for-profit higher education. At the outset, a report was issued; to read this document, "Emerging Risk?: An Overview of Growth, Spending, Student Debt and Unanswered Questions in For-Profit Higher Education," copy and paste this link:http://harkin.senate.gov/documents/pdf/4c23515814dca.pdf

96. College Return on Investment (ROI)
With tuitions up and jobs scarce, it is understandable to question whether college is really worth it. To help quantify this decision, some have applied the concept of return on investment (ROI). According to The Huffington Post, "ROI takes the price of a school's degree and compares it to how much that school's graduates earn on average, producing perhaps the truest measure of a school's value." To see which U.S. colleges have the highest ROI, click this link:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/28/college-biggest-payoff_n_628127.html

To find out which college in each state has the highest ROI, click this link to Business Week:http://images.businessweek.com/ss/10/06/0628_payscale1/index.htm

99. From Access to Success
Providing students access to higher education used to be the goal of many organizations. Today, however, emphasis is being placed on student success in college--that is, graduating. To read the report "From Access to Success," released by Grantmakers for Education on July 22, 2010, click this link:http://edfunders.org/downloads/GFEReports/GFE_FromAccessToSuccess_FundersGuide.pdf

254.Unstack the Odds--GO TO COLLEGE: LINKS

Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!
by

Joe Rottenborn

Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

20. GO TO COLLEGE: LINKS

Here are some other links to articles of interest, drawn from the Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP) blog, with the original posting number shown.

Miscellaneous:

48. 2010 Admission Rates
To see what percentage of all applicants were accepted to a number of public and private universities, click this link to The New York Times:http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2010-admissions-tally/

To read the comments of Kevin Carey on admission rates, see his blog-post of April 19, 2010, entitled "Real College-Acceptance Rates Are Higher Than You Think," at this link:http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Real-College-Acceptance-Rates/23231/

To read a summary of the various guides that "rank" colleges, click on the post "Which College Rankings Set Should You Use," by Danielle Wiener-Bronner on The Huffington Post of 9/14/10, at this link:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-wienerbronner/which-college-rankings-se_b_716526.html

56. Wait-List
Sometimes, a college or university won't either accept or reject a student's application for admission--rather, it will put them on its "wait-list." These lists can range in size from hundreds to thousands of students who still await a decision on their application's acceptance or rejection. Many students will opt not to keep a place on the wait-list and, instead, decide to accept another school's offer of admission. Other applicants, however, decide to remain on the wait-list until they hear, one way or the other, if they will be asked to enroll. To read Lynn O'Shaughnessy's blog-post "Getting Off a College Wait List: 5 Things to Do Now," click this link: http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/getting-off-a-college-wait-list-things-to-do-now/1846/?tag=col1;blog-river

To read "The Early Line on Admission Yields (and Wait-List Offers)," by Jacques Steinberg in his blog of May 12, 2010, for The New York Times, click this link: http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/12/yield-3/#more-20099

65. Graduation Rates in Ohio
As the cost of college increases, more attention is being paid to the percentage of students who graduate from particular schools. A report entitled "Diplomas and Dropouts: Which Colleges Actually Graduate Their Students (and Which Don’t)," dated June 2009, was written by Frederick M. Hess, Mark Schneider, Kevin Carey, and Andrew P. Kelly as A Project of the American Enterprise Institute. Using 6-year percentages reported by the colleges and universities to the U. S. Department of Education for the student cohort enrolling in 2001, the authors compared graduation rates by various levels of schools' selectivity, according to groupings in Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges. The 6-year graduation rates for colleges and universities in Ohio from this report (pp. 59-61) have been copied and pasted below in this link to our MVCAP blog. The entire report can be accessed at this link:http://www.reducemycollegecosts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/graduation-rates-for-all-states-6-091.pdf

66. Transfer Admissions
Many students--approximately 1/3--will transfer from one college to another before graduating. The criteria used for transfer admissions can be different from those employed for high school seniors and can vary from private to public institutions. So, too, can admissions rates differ. A report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling discusses these topics; you can read an article from Inside HigherEd on this report at the following link:http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/04/27/transfer

67. College-Going Rates
The U.S. Department of Labor indicated on April 27, 2010, that the percentage of high-school graduates going on to college is rising. In 1999, 62.9% matriculated to higher education, while 68.6% did so in 2008. By 2009, 70.1% of U.S. graduates (ages 16-24) opted for postsecondary education. Rates varied by gender, with 66% of males matriculating compared to 73.8% of females from the high school Class of 2009.To read Sara Murphy's article, "Grads Head to College In Record Numbers," from The Wall Street Journal of April 28, 2010, click this link:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703832204575210244203411342.html?mod=e2tw

68. Who Graduates in Four Years?
To determine the impact of advising by the Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP), names from its electronic database (in the software Prep HQ) of former advisees in the Class of 2004—the first loaded online—were submitted to the Ohio College Access Network (OCAN) to check matriculation and graduation rates with the National College Clearinghouse data. Results can be seen at this link to our MVCAP blog.

To read the article "College students take longer to graduate," by Cliff Peale in The Cincinnati Enquirer on May 3, 2010, which lists cohort graduation rates of Cincinnati-area colleges and universities, click this link:http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100503/NEWS0102/5030326/College+students+take+longer+to+graduate
70. Space Availability Survey 2010
For those high school seniors or prospective transfer students still looking for a college, the Space Availability Survey Results 2010--issued on May 5, 2010, by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)--may be of interest and assistance; to access it, just click this link: http://www.nacacnet.org/PublicationsResources/Research/SpaceAvailabiltySurvey/Pages/SpaceSurveyResults.aspx
72. To-Do List Before Leaving for College
High school seniors heading off to college in the fall have much to do before they leave; at this link is a list of 10 things to do from the Admission Possible blog:http://blog.admissionpossible.com/uncategorized/seniors-about-to-become-college-students-10-things-you-can-do-to-get-ready-for-college/

74. Remedial Coursework
Many community colleges and public universities give admitted students tests on math and reading before they enroll. If scores are not at the school's standard, remedial courses must be completed before college-level coursework can be taken. To read an article from USA Today about the need for remedial math and reading in U.S. higher education, click this link:http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-05-11-remedial-college_N.htm

75. Is a College Degree Essential?
Many students--and their parents--wonder whether everyone really needs a college degree. Given the time, effort, and money involved, many are unsure if college is right--or necessary--for them. Well, each student's situation is unique: what is their best fit in the world of higher education and careers? For one article on this question, from the Associated Press on May 14, 2010, click this link:http://www.vindy.com/news/2010/may/14/is-college-degree-essential/

For an extended version of the same article, click this link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/13/college-for-all-experts-s_n_575396.html

253.Unstack the Odds--GO TO COLLEGE: LINKS

Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!

by
Joe Rottenborn
Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)
20. GO TO COLLEGE: LINKS

Here are some more links to articles of interest, drawn from the Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP) blog, with the original posting number shown.

Cost (continued):

58. Shopping for Student Loans
Before a student takes out loans to pay for college, he or she and their family should investigate available options. Specifically, they should consider the kinds of loans offered as well as interest rates and repayment obligations. To become aware of these possibilities, read the blog-post by Lynn O'Shaughnessy entitled "Find the Right Student Loan" at this link: http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/find-the-right-student-loan/371/?tag=col1;blog-river

59. How Much Should a Student Borrow for College?
A question students ask in regard to college loans is "How much should I borrow?" With the hazards of loan-debt so publicized today, this is an important question to ponder. Lynn O'Shaughnessy addresses this issue in her blog-post "College Debt: Don’t Borrow More Than $27,000" at this link:http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/college-debt-dont-borrow-more-than-27000/1521/?tag=col1;blog-river

60. How Much Should Parents Borrow for College?
Even after considering all elements a student may receive in his/her financial-aid package, they may still need more money to pay for a particular college or university. In that case, parents often consider taking out loans to assist their child. However, how much parents should borrow is often not addressed. Lynn O'Shaughnessy confronts this issue in her blog-post "College Loans: How Much Should Parents Borrow?" at this link: http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/college-loans-how-much-should-parents-borrow/1510/?tag=col1;blog-river

61. Do Many Students Take Out College Loans?
Borrowing to pay college expenses is becoming a necessity for more students. The percentage of students who have college loans is growing, as Lynn O'Shaughnessy discusses in her blog-post "The Soaring Popularity of College Student Loans" at this link: http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/the-soaring-popularity-of-college-student-loans/545/?tag=col1;blog-river

62. Discounts for College Tuition
Many private colleges and universities give students a cut in the price they must pay to attend. This practice, called "discounting," comes through the financial-aid package granted--which may amount to several thousand dollars and can enable a student to afford that school. The extent of these discounts and reasons for them are addressed by Lynn O'Shaughnessy in her blog-post "College Tuition: Schools Cutting Prices at Historic Levels" at this link:http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/college-tuition-schools-cutting-prices-at-historic-levels/1905/?tag=col1;blog-river

63. Unusual Scholarships
From time to time, you'll hear someone say this: "There are lots of scholarships out there!" Unfortunately, many of them stay out there--rather than in some student's pocket. Nonetheless, there do exist scholarships that are, in fact, awarded for unusual reasons--sometimes, unrelated to academics. Jilian Mincer wrote in The Wall Street Journal of April 16, 2010, about such scholarships in an article entitled "If You're a Tall Vegan Named Zolp, Your Tuition Worries Are Over." You can read her account at this link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304198004575172073856320424.html?KEYWORDS=If+you%27re+a+tall+vegan+named+zolp

64. Who Borrows the Most?
Borrowing for college is an important issue today, as student loan-debt increases--sometimes to scary levels. To read a report by Sandy Baum and Patricia Steele for The College Board entitled "Who Borrows Most? Bachelor's Degree Recipients with High Levels of Student Debt," click this link:http://advocacy.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/Trends-Who-Borrows-Most-Brief.pdf

To read Lynn O'Shaughnessy's highlights of this report, check out her blog-post: http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/college-debt-12-facts-about-student-loan-borrowers/1961/?tag=col1;blog-river

69. Government or Private Loans?
Students and their parents who need to borrow to pay for college should research their options for loans--specifically, whether they are better off taking out federal student loans or private loans. More than simply interest rates and terms of repayment are involved in this consideration. To see some comparisons between government and private loans, read the post by Sandra Block on May 4, 2010, in USA Today at this link:http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/columnist/block/2010-05-04-yourmoney04_ST_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

71. Still Need Money For College?
If you're still seeking money to pay for college, read Kim Clark's "11 Steps to Raise Last-Minute Cash for College," posted April 29, 2010, at the US News & World Report online site; just click this link:http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/paying-for-college/2010/04/29/11-steps-to-raise-last-minute-cash-for-college.html

73. Plan B
Sometimes, a student's college plans fall through--because of finances, an emergency in their family, or other reasons. Then, he or she needs a Plan B--to still attend college, though under different circumstances, perhaps, than they had previously envisioned. If that's your situation, you may be interested in reading the May 6, 2010, post "When college dream derails, time for Plan B," by William Hageman in the Chicago Tribune, at this link: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/05/05/1927547/when-college-dream-derails-time.html#ixzz0nGnv7O3M

78. Interest Rates Vary for Private Student Loans!
Students--and their parents--often have to borrow money to pay for college. Despite taking out all federal student loans for which they qualify, some still consider private student loans. To get the best (lowest) rates of interest on these loans, shop around! In a blog-post, dated 5/14/10, Lynn O'Shaughnessy states: "The interest rates that lenders offer on private student loans are wildly different even for borrowers with the same credit scores." To read her entire post, click this link:http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/private-student-loans-the-good-bad-and-ugly/2078/?tag=col1;blog-river

80. How to Get More Financial Aid
Perhaps the most frequent question students and parents ask about paying for college is "Do you know of any scholarships out there?" What they're really wondering is how can I get more--and pay less--to attend college. Financial aid can help. But to maximize a student's financial-aid package, some tips may be useful. Jane J. Kim wrote an article in The Wall Street Journal on May 22-23, 2010, that offers such advice; you can access it at this link:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703612804575222303415618316.html

81. Athletic Scholarships Can Be Revoked.
What many student-athletes and their parents often don't realize is that Division I "full-ride" scholarships can be revoked after one year. This revocation can cause students to have to "walk on"--or, if they decide to, transfer to another institution. For more information, click this link to an article by Alan Scher Zagier on The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/24/revoked-scholarships-surp_n_586854.html

83. Paying Off Federal Student Loans

If you accept federal student loans, you're obligated to repay them--whether you graduate from college or not. Consequently, you should limit the amout of loan-debt you acquire. For information on repaying your federal loans, see this article, dated May 25, 2010, by Sandra Block in USA Today, at this link: http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/columnist/block/2010-05-25-yourmoney25_ST_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

84. Sticker Price vs. Net Cost of a College
Often, students and parents are scared off from applying to a particular college or university because it seems high-priced. Rather than focusing on the stated "sticker price," however, a prospective applicant needs to determine their own "net cost"--that is, what they would have to pay after all financial aid for which they are eligible has been deducted from the published cost of attendance (i.e., "sticker price"). To read Lynn O'Shaughnessy's post on this issue, click this link to her blog:http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/biggest-financial-aid-myth-i-cant-afford-this-college/2143/?tag=col1;blog-river

85. Federal Direct Loan Program
The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, which takes effect July 1, 2010, requires that all federal student loans be offered through direct lending rather than from private lenders. Government fees previously paid to lending banks are to be used to expand the federal Pell Grant program, raising the full grant-award to an estimated $5,975 by 2017. To read an explanatory article, dated May 26, 2010, by Caralee Adams in Education Week, click this link:http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/05/26/33college.h29.html?tkn=UXUFeF%2Bl%2BNo%2BoNZRjwa8Sz4pGgHC6QMrLm8o&cmp=clp-edweek

86. Who is to Blame for Student Loan-Debt?
When a student graduates from college with a huge loan-debt, people may ask: "Who is to blame?" You can decide responsibility after reading this case study by Ron Lieber in The New York Times of May 29, 2010, at this link:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/29/your-money/student-loans/29money.html?hpw

97. New Rules on Federal Student Loans
Effective July 1, 2010, new rules go into effect for those taking out federal student loans. Now, only the U.S. Dept. of Education will offer these loans. In addition, interest for subsidized Stafford loans will decrease to fixed rate of 4.5% for undergraduates. The federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) will have a fixed rate of 7.9%. For other information on these loan changes, see the article "Student Loans Get a Makeover," by Jane J. Kim in The Wall Street Journal of July 3-4, 2010, at this link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704334604575338883122321008.html
98. Yearly Cost of College Per Student

The cost per year to educate a college student can be expensive. And that cost varies, depending on the type of educational institution. For example, U.S. community colleges spend almost $10,000 per year, while private research universities spend $35,000 per year; the average cost in the United States is about $19,000 per student. For these and other data, see the article "Share of College Budgets For Recreation Is Rising," by Sam Dillon in The New York Times of July 10, 2010, at this link:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/10/education/10education.html?ref=tuition

252.Unstack the Odds--GO TO COLLEGE: LINKS

Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!
by

Joe Rottenborn

Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

20. GO TO COLLEGE: LINKS

Here are some additional links to articles of interest; they were drawn from the Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP) blog, with the original posting number shown.

Cost:

22. "College: More Expensive than Ever"
Read the article from Money at this link:http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/19/pf/college_costs/index.htm

23. "Survey Finds That Many Families Don't Borrow for College"
See an article from The New York Times at this link:http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/survey-finds-that-many-families-dont-borrow-for-college/

24. "529 Savings Plan for College"
Check out a column on saving for college at this link:http://www.minyanville.com/articles/college+costs-+saving/index/a/24201#

To read Lynn O'Shaughnessy's post on how much 529 plan savings will affect your expected family contribution (EFC), derived from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), click this link:http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/the-no-1-fear-of-529-plan-investors/2164/?tag=col1;blog-river

28. "College Applicants Forego 'Dream Schools' in Recession"
Here's a link to this article of interest from the Boulder (CO) Daily Camera:http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_13604363

To read a summary of the various guides that "rank" colleges, click on the post "Which College Rankings Set Should You Use," by Danielle Wiener-Bronner on The Huffington Post of 9/14/10, at this link:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/danielle-wienerbronner/which-college-rankings-se_b_716526.html

31. "College Dropouts Cite Low Money and High Stress"
Here's an article of importance on why college students drop out from The New York Times at this link:http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/agenda/?src=twt&twt=NYTimesCollege

32. "Average Debt for Graduating College Seniors Rises to $23,200"
Here's an article from The New York Times on college student loan debt at this link:http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/debt/?src=twt&twt=NYTimesCollege

38. Financial-Aid Websites
You can click on any of these websites for resources on financial-aid for college:

1. FinAid!--http://www.finaid.org/

2. College Board--http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/add-it-up/397.html

3. Peterson's--http://www.petersons.com/finaid/file.asp?id=906&path=ug.pfs.advice&sponsor=1

4. Student Aid on the Web (Federal Student Aid)--http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp

39. Student Loan-Debt
To read first-hand, student accounts of being in debt from college expenses, click on this series from HuffPost College:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/22/college-debt_n_471023.html?slidenumber=1mvKlgmw4aI%3D&&&slideshow#slide_image

40. Search for Scholarships
To search for scholarships that may interest you, you can access the following website:http://www.fastweb.com/login

43. Student Loan-Debt, Part II
To read about hazards of taking on too much loan-debt for college, click on the following links:

a. re: private loans--http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/02/25/money-college-why-one-student-advises-avoiding-private-student/

b. re: community college students-- http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-07-23-comcol-debt_N.htm?csp=usat.me

44. Understanding Financial-Aid Award Offer Letters
To decipher the financial-aid award offer letter a student will get from any college that has accepted his/her application for admission and received that student's FAFSA data, click these links by Lynn O'Shaughnessy from her articles on thecollegesolutionblog.com:

1. Part I--http://thecollegesolutionblog.com/2010/03/08/how-to-decode-a-financial-aid-letter/

2. Part II--http://thecollegesolutionblog.com/2010/03/09/college-grants-decoding-a-financial-aid-letter-part-ii/

45. Calculating the Net Price of a College
Daniel de Vise, blogging in The Washington Post at College Inc., stated the following:"All colleges will be required to post a 'net price calculator' on their web sites by fall 2011. 'Net price' is what a student actually pays to attend, after subtracting discounts and grant aid from the sticker price."In addition, de Vise quoted Jeff Whorley, President of StudentAid.com, as follows: "Net price is sticker price minus merit and need-based grants. Up-front, out-of-pocket cost is the net price minus work-study and government loans."Calculate the net price of a college you are interested in and determine your "up-front, out-of-pocket cost" to make certain you can afford to attend.To read a report, released by The College Board in mid-September of 2010, on "discounting" (i.e., reducing tuition/fees through merit scholarships) by both private and public colleges, click on this link:http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/09/15/discounting

47. Verification
If your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has been selected for verification, read the post by Doug Schantz of CheapScholar.org at this link:http://cheapscholar.org/2010/03/30/help-i-have-been-selected-for-financial-aid-verification/

49. "Can We Afford This College?"
In the April 2010 Money, Penelope Wang writes an article entitled "Can We Afford This College?" After students are accepted to a college, have filed their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and receive their financial-aid award offer letter, they and their parent(s) need to ask this same question. Ask it before the May 1 deadline to indicate to the college they will enroll; don't wait until the first bill arrives in August. If you can't make ends meet without taking on significant loan-debt, now's the time to consider other college possibilities.Writer Lynn O'Shaughnessy advises students and parent to get a "financial aid pre-read" early in the college-search process. You can see her column "What's This College Really Going To Cost," posted online on 9/9/10, at this link:http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/whats-this-college-really-going-to-cost/3007/?tag=col1;blog-river

50. Ask for a Reconsideration
If you can not afford to attend the college of your choice and hope more financial aid might enable you to enroll, you can ask your financial-aid officer to "reconsider" your financial-aid award. You may be asked to present financial-aid award offer letters from comparable colleges, complete a form on any "special circumstances" important to consider, or provide other information--but take a chance! Be polite, speak for yourself (rather than having a parent make the contact), and avoid using the term "negotiate." Stress that the college is your first choice and you'd like to attend, but your financial-aid award won't let you do that; therefore, can it be "reconsidered"? For suggestions on how to do this, read the blog posting by Lynn O'Shaughnessy at this link: http://thecollegesolutionblog.com/2010/03/21/student-aid-5-ways-to-negotiate-for-more-financial-aid/

Also, check out the post, "Fight for Financial Aid the Smart Way," by Peter McDougall at this link: http://ow.ly/1vhOM

Finally, Sandra J. Oliveira--Executive Director, Office of Financial Aid at Providence College--offers advice on appealing your finanical-aid award at this link from The New York Times:http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/aid-2/#more-19867

52. Tuition at Public Flagship Universities in the U.S.
To see tuitions during 2009-2010 at public flagship universities in the U.S., click the following link to a database in USA TODAY: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-10-20-college-costs_N.htm

To see the annual revenue and number of students enrolled by some of the largest for-profit companies/universities, click this link to an article in The Wall Street Journal, dated August 30, 2010:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703418004575455773289209384.html?mod=WSJ_article_related

To read the article by Stephanie Chen, "For-profit college risk: Huge debt, questionable degree," posted on 9/2/10, at CNN online, click this link:http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/09/02/for.profit.college.debt/index.html?hpt=C2

54. College Scholarships
Many students--and their parents--want to know how to get a college scholarship. The simple answer is "Be an attractive candidate for one"--that is, have a high grade-point average (GPA) in a rigorous course of study, earn a top class-rank, and score well on the ACT or SAT. In other words, be the type of student any college would love to have enroll--and might offer a scholarship to facilitate that. But there are other ways as well. For some ideas, check out the following links to these blog-posts by Lynn O'Shaughnessy:

1. "4 Ways to Win A Scholarship"--http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/college-scholarships-4-ways-to-win-a-scholarship/1761/

2. "The Best Places to Find College Cash"--http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/the-best-places-to-find-college-cash/442/?tag=content;col1

3. "The Myth About College Scholarships"--http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/the-myth-about-college-scholarships/312/?tag=content;col1

55. How Do Elite Schools Determine Prices?
For one opinion on why elite colleges and universities are expensive, see the opinion piece by Andrew Manshel, "Why Top Colleges Squeeze You Dry," in The Wall Street Journal on April 9, 2010, at this link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304017404575165730979629178.html?KEYWORDS=andrew+manshel

57. College Loans
Today, many students--and their parents--will likely consider loans to pay for college. Indeed, some may come to regard a loan as the "four-letter word" of financial aid! To learn more about borrowing for college, Lynn O'Shaughnessy has compiled several of her blog-posts on loans, "Best College Loan Advice: 9 Tips for Borrowing for College," at this link: http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/best-college-loan-advice-9-tips-for-borrowing-for-college/1864/?tag=col1;blog-river

251.Unstack the Odds--GO TO COLLEGE:TO-DOs

Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!

by
Joe Rottenborn
Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

19. GO TO COLLEGE: TO-DOs

137. Before focusing on college, finish senior year well: work hard through the last day of classes, turn in your assignments, & pass all tests and exams.

138. Before focusing on college, finish your senior year well: turn in all textbooks, pay any fines owed, & thank your teachers & administrators.

139. Your college will want a final transcript from your high school; therefore, make certain you have met all obligations--academic & financial.

140. If you question whether you should go to college, others also wonder; click this article on our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/75-is-college-degree-essential.html

141. You may have to take remedial coursework in college; for info, click our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/74-remedial-coursework.html

142. Is college necessary? For some info, click this link to our MVCAP blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/77-do-you-need-to-go-to-college.html

143. If you wonder what % of various groups goes to college & earns a degree, click this link to our MVCAP blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/76-higher-education-data.html

144. See a "to-do" list before starting college at this link on our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/72-to-do-list-before-leaving-for.html

145. See what to take to college as a freshman at this link to our MVCAP blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/82-what-to-take-to-college.html

146. You may be able to save money on many items you'll need for your college dorm room by picking them up this summer at yard & garage sales!

147. For a funny, informative, first-hand student view of college, access the KnowHow2GOOhio blog at http://knowhow2goohio.wordpress.com/

148. Remember: the point of college isn't just going--it's to graduate. You can go to college--and graduate! Best of luck to you now & always.

250.Unstack the Odds-GO TO COLLEGE:STEPS 14-16

Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!
by

Joe Rottenborn

Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

18. GO TO COLLEGE: STEPS 14-16

14) If necessary, request “reconsiderations” of financial-aid packages.
If you can't afford to attend the college of your choice, you can ask your financial-aid officer to "reconsider" your financial-aid award; click: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/50-ask-for-reconsideration.html

15) Decide a college to attend and which financial-aid package component(s) to accept.

133. If you must consider a private loan for college, shop around! Hit: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/78-interest-rates-vary-for-private.html

134. If you need more financial aid for college, link to our MVCAP blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/80-how-to-get-more-financial-aid.html

135. Once you know your financial-aid package, inquire what your first bill will be & when it's due; then, make sure you'll have money to pay it!

16) If eligible, complete and submit an MVCAP Last-Dollar Scholarship Application by June 1.

136. Advised by MVCAP, have an EFC <$4,000, & unmet need >$1,000? Apply: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/03/46-mvcap-last-dollar-scholarship.html

249.Unstack the Odds-GO TO COLLEGE:STEPS 12-13

Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!

by
Joe Rottenborn
Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

18. GO TO COLLEGE: STEPS 12-13

12) Interpret the Student Aid Report (SAR), received after submitting the FAFSA, to determine EFC and financial need.

13) Interpret and compare Financial-Aid Award Offer letters from colleges to figure the “bottom line” (i.e., out-of-pocket expenses), monthly payments, and loan-debt.

109. To decipher your financial-aid award offer letters, read Part I of Lynn O'Shaughnessy's article at this link: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/03/44-understanding-financial-aid-award.html

110. To analyze your financial-aid award offer letters, read Part II: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/03/44-understanding-financial-aid-award.html

111. Now, calculate the "net price" of the college(s) you'd like to attend: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/03/45-calculating-net-price-of-college.html

112. Next, figure the up-front, out-of-pocket cost of your college(s): http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/03/45-calculating-net-price-of-college.html

113. An important question to ask, according to Penelope Wang in her article from the April 2010 Money magazine, is "Can we afford this college?"

114. Still seeking money for college? Read Lynn O'Shaughnessy's "4 Ways to Win A Scholarship": http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/54-college-scholarships.html

115. Still need money for college? See Lynn O'Shaughnessy's "The Best Places to Find College Cash": http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/54-college-scholarships.html

116. Got money for college? See Lynn O'Shaughnessy's "The Myth About College Scholarships": http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/54-college-scholarships.html

117. Private colleges or universities can discount tuition for students; click this link: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/62-discounts-for-college-tuition.html

118. If you're still seeking money for college, see some unusual scholarships: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/63-unusual-scholarships.html

119. Do Many Students Take Out College Loans? Link to our MVCAP blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/61-do-many-students-take-out-college.html

120. Shop around for college loans; check out the article on our MVCAP blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/58-shopping-for-student-loans.html

121. How much should you take out in college loans? Read our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/59-how-much-should-student-borrow-for.html

122. How much should parents take out in college loans? See this link: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/60-how-much-should-parents-borrow-for.html

123. For a compilation of links about college loans, refer to this posting on our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/57-college-loans.html

124. To review the statistics on student borrowing for college, click this posting on our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/64-who-borrows-most.html

125. To read Lynn O'Shaughnessy's "12 Facts About Student Loan Borrowers," click this link to our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/64-who-borrows-most.html

126. May 1 is the deadline to let a college or university know if you plan to enroll there; be sure to meet that deadline: act today, if you haven't already!

127. You go to college to graduate; for graduation rates of Ohio colleges & universities, click: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/65-graduation-rates-in-ohio.html

128. Who graduates in 4 years? See a study of MVCAP advisees on our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/04/68-who-graduates-in-four-years.html

129. Need to borrow money to pay for college? Learn the differences between federal and private loans at http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/69-government-or-private-loans.html

130. Still looking for a college? See U.S. schools with space available for fall: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/70-space-availability-survey-2010.html

131. Still short of money to pay for college? See this link on our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/71-still-need-money-for-college.html

132. If your 1st-choice college plan doesn't work out, have a Plan B; hit this link to our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/05/73-plan-b.html

248.Unstack the Odds--GO TO COLLEGE:STEP 11

Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!
by

Joe Rottenborn

Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

18. GO TO COLLEGE: STEP 11

11) Both student and parent undertake the online PIN application process, complete and submit, by priority deadlines for financial aid, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the web (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/).

73. To be considered for financial aid, including federal and state grants, you must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

74. To start your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), student and parent apply for a PIN at http://www.pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp

75. To see a Draft FAFSA for 2010-2011, click that link under FAFSA in the left margin of our MVCAP blog at http://mvcap.blogspot.com/

76. To see which documents students and parents will need to file the FAFSA, they can check out this link: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/before003.htm

77. If your goal is to file a FAFSA by February 1 for priority consideration for financial aid, prepare your IRS Form 1040, 1040 EZ, or 1040 A now!

78. To view "The Five Minute FAFSA Video" for an introduction to completing that form, check out a link: http://www.finaid.org/fafsa/video.phtml

79. To search for a Federal School Code before filing your FAFSA online, check out this link: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/FOTWWebApp/FSLookupServlet

80. Start completing a 2011-2012 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet from your guidance office--or download one at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/before012.htm

81. To learn more about financial aid, click this link to our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/1-confused-about-college-financial-aid.html

82. To begin understanding the concept of "financial need," click this link to our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/2-financial-need.html

83. To get an overview of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), click this link: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/3-fafsa.html

84. To learn about the Student Aid Report (SAR) you'll receive after filing the FAFSA, click here: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/4-sar.html

85. To learn about the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) you'll get from filing a FAFSA, click: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/5-efc.html

86. To learn about a Financial-Aid Package a college will award you, click here: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/6-financial-aid-package.html

87. To learn about Gift-Aid a college may put in your financial-aid package, click this link: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/7-gift-aid.html

88. To learn about Self-Help colleges may put in your financial-aid package, click this link: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/8-self-help.html

89. See how students with an EFC of $0 can go to college locally: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/21-efc-of-0-go-to-college-in-valley-for.html

90. To see an outline of common criteria for merit aid, click this link to our MVCAP blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/14-merit-aid.html

91. To read an explanation of need-based aid, click this link to our MVCAP blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/15-need-based-aid.html

92. To calculate how much a college may cost you, check out this link: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/11/16-how-much-will-college-cost-me.html

93. To read an update from Money on college costs, click this link: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/12/22-college-more-expensive-than-ever.html

94. To see a survey on how U.S. families pay for college, click: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/12/23-survey-finds-that-many-families-dont.html

95. To learn about saving for college with a 529 plan, click this link: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/12/24-529-savings-plan-for-college.html

96. To compare the tuition of 168 colleges in Ohio, click:
http://www.collegeview.com/SearchSchools.do?state=48&location=1500&referLocation=4860

97. To see tax credits for college in the stimulus bill, click: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/12/25-stimulus-bill-offers-tax-credit-for.html

98. Watch an ABC 20/20 video and decide "Is College Worth It?" here: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/12/26-john-stossel-is-college-worth-it.html

99. To read about students choosing colleges in this recession, click: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/12/28-college-applicants-forego-dream.html

100. See factors--including finances--that stress college dropouts: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/12/31-college-dropouts-cite-low-money-and.html

101. Read an article on the average loan-debt of college seniors: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2009/12/32-average-debt-for-graduating-college.html

102. To access the information on financial aid of FinAid! just click this link: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/02/38-financial-aid-websites.html

103. To find information on financial aid from the College Board, click here: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/02/38-financial-aid-websites.html

104. To find information on financial aid from Peterson's, access this site: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/02/38-financial-aid-websites.html

105. To see information on financial aid from the U.S. Dept. of Ed., click here: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/02/38-financial-aid-websites.html

106. For student accounts of loan-debt from college, hit this from HuffPost College: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/02/39-student-loan-debt.html

107. Lindsay Carroll, 21, Pitt, has $15,000 loan-debt; see why at HuffPost College: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/02/39-student-loan-debt.html

108. To seek scholarship opportunities that may fit you, investigate fastweb at http://mvcap.blogspot.com/2010/02/40-search-for-scholarships.html

247.Unstack the Odds-GO TO COLLEGE:STEPS 9-10

Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!

by
Joe Rottenborn
Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

18. GO TO COLLEGE: STEPS 9-10

9) Schedule a campus visit with your parent(s) or other supportive adult(s); evaluate your visit to consider “goodness of fit.”

If you're (still) trying to decide which college to attend, make a(nother) visit! Generally, you'll "feel" whether the college is a good match for you--that is, somewhere you'll thrive and just not survive. Since the deadline for responding to colleges' offer of admission is May 1, visit now; spend the night in a dorm room and attend a class, if you can, but be sure to call ahead to make arrangements.

For some thoughts on those visits, see the following links:

A) Lynn O'Shaughnessy, CBS moneywatch.com, "The College Visit: Top 7 Things You Must Do"--http://moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/the-college-visit-top-7-things-you-must-do/1796/?tag=col1;blog-river

B) Caren Osten Gerszberg and Nicole Gerszberg, The New York Times: The Choice, "Advice From Mother and Daughter on Visiting Colleges,"--http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/06/advice-2/?src=twt&twt=NYTimesCollege

10) Complete and submit online or paper applications for admission by deadlines.

71. You can use the link "Online Applications" in the left margin of our blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/

72. To apply to several colleges, use the link "The Common Application" in the left margin of our MVCAP blog or at this URL: https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/default.aspx

246.Unstack the Odds--GO TO COLLEGE: STEP 8

Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!
by

Joe Rottenborn

Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)

18. GO TO COLLEGE: STEP 8

8) Select 3-6 colleges to apply to, based on the following student data:

a. strengths and interests;

b. desired career fields and corresponding academic programs;

c. high school curriculum completed;

d. grade-point average;

e. ACT/SAT scores; and

f. opportunity for financial aid, related to need (EFC) and merit (GPA, ACT/SAT score.)

62. Read blogs of 6 students on their college admission decisions at this link: http://bit.ly/xGU2J

63. Parents, Read This if Your Child Is Applying to College - Professors' Guide (usnews.com): http://bit.ly/5qwBPI

64. College Applications: 7 Things to Do Now - CBS MoneyWatch.com: http://bit.ly/4uF9EB

65. College interview advice from an admissions director: http://bit.ly/8lxtl5

66. AdmissionsAdvice.com: Seven Rules For College Admissions Success: http://bit.ly/C1TEw

67. 5 simple tips for writing your college application essay: http://bit.ly/5iCVm

68. How to get the best letters of reference - CharlotteObserver.com: http://bit.ly/2nkg7V

69. Straightforward college admissions advice from Vanderbilt's dean: http://bit.ly/3RFXEb

70. To see all Ohio colleges and universities, use that link under "OBR" in the left margin of our MVCAP blog: http://mvcap.blogspot.com/