The Value of Community Service

Do you have a passion for involvement in community service? Are you interested in the betterment of our society? Participating in community service is one way to give back, not a way to pad your resume. Start by thinking about your values and your interests.

Many students are involved in community service every day. Here are some reasons they found service to be of value:
• Gain an understanding about each other
• A sense of human compassion
• Never feels like an obligation or responsibility; can be energizing
• Provide support to others
• Affects someones life
• Builds a stronger community Read more comments about the value of community service.

Can I Earn College Credit by Taking a CLEP Exam?

Know Your College’s CLEP Policy

CLEP stands for College Level Examination Program. The College Board shared there are currently 2,900 colleges and universitiesgrant credit for CLEP, and each institution sets its own CLEP policy. Each institution determines the exams for which it awards credits, the minimum qualifying score required to get credit, and the amount of credits that will be granted per exam. CLEP exams test mastery of college-level material acquired in a variety of ways — through general academic instructions, significant independent study or extracurricular work. CLEP exam-takers include adults just entering or returning to school, military service members and traditional college students

How Much Credit Can I Earn?

If you pass a CLEP exam, you may earn up to 12 credits. The amount of credit you can earn on an individual CLEP exam varies with each college. Some colleges place a limit on the total amount of credit you can earn through CLEP. Other colleges may grant you exemption but no credit toward your degree. Some colleges may offer six credit hours versus three credit hours. Learn more about CLEP – click here.

Do You Know How to Decipher the Financial Aid Award Letter?

The amount of correspondence your student gets from colleges can bepiggy bank staggering. Before they’re even accepted you’ll be getting mountains of brochures, pamphlets, and other marketing materials. Then, once they do get in, even more information gets sent your way: housing forms, deposit slips, acceptance letters, campus information, and more.

There is one piece of mail you’ll be getting that should be studied carefully, since it will have a pretty big impact on your wallet. That is the financial aid award letter. Be aware that some colleges are moving towards electronic award letters. This means that rather than getting an envelope in the mail, you get login instructions in an email for the college’s website. Keep in mind that lots of email is sent to your student, so keep an eye on their account as well. Click here to read more on deciphering award letters. Read more about financial award letters.

I’m Going to Be a Senior Next Year…Will My Course Selection Make a Difference?

Many juniors (and their parents) want to know what courses they should take to improve their chances of admission to the college of their dreams. There is no magic formula but when weighting your course selection for the upcoming year, there are a few things you should consider:

•  Have you taken full advantage of opportunities available to you in high school?
•  Are you achieving at your highest level all four years?
•  Have you consulted with your counselor before locking in your course selection?
•  Ask yourself,  “Am I challenged by the courses I am taking?”
•  Are your courses a good foundation for college and will you be prepared to take college-level math, writing, and science courses?
•  Are your courses among the most rigorous ones available to you at the school? Read more suggestions for how to succeed in courses you choose.

How Do I Appeal My Financial Award?

Congratulations, you were admitted to your college of your dreams! Next you receive a letter of notification from the financial aid/scholarships office. If you did not receive the award you expected, you may need to make an appeal. Follow these steps to appeal for more funds:
1. Begin by contacting the aid office and ask them what procedure you should follow to appeal for more financial assistance. Visit the office in person if time is on your side.

2. A “financial appeal” is when you attempt to demonstrate that with your current level of income and assets, you can’t afford to pay the total cost of attendance for the first year. Ask the aid counselor to recalculate the initial Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Be sure to share any new information as well as all supporting documents including income verification, an update on asset holdings, a list of unusually high expenses, a description of special circumstances, etc. This new data could bring your EFC more in line with what you can afford. See more ways to appeal your financial award.

Pay­ing for Col­lege With­out Break­ing the Bank: The Ulti­mate Stu­dent, Par­ents, and Edu­ca­tor Guide to Over 500 Live Links to Finan­cial Aid and Schol­ar­ship Resources

Paying For College CoverDon’t wait…get started with your search now with Pay­ing for Col­lege With­out Break­ing the Bank: The Ulti­mate Stu­dent, Par­ents, and Edu­ca­tor Guide to Over 500 Live Links to Finan­cial Aid and Schol­ar­ship Resources  by Chris­tine M. Hand Gon­za­les, Ed.D.

Pay­ing for Col­lege With­out Break­ing the Bank takes you through the col­lege plan­ning time­line and the finan­cial aid appli­ca­tion process along with addi­tional tips and resources. It will show ways to approach coun­selors, teach­ers, or mod­er­a­tors to request an effec­tive let­ter of rec­om­men­da­tion, and give tips on self-marketing through the schol­ar­ship appli­ca­tion essays. It will help you:

  • Cal­cu­late the actual costs of college
  • Increase your chances of receiv­ing aid
  • Com­pare aid offers and learn how to appeal if needed
  • Plan strate­gi­cally as an inde­pen­dent stu­dent or divorced or sin­gle parent
  • Avoid costly mis­takes when applying
  • Learn tips for com­plet­ing the required fed­eral form, the FAFSA
  • Under­stand the “nuts and bolts” of finan­cial aid, and where to find scholarships
  • Access an exten­sive and incom­pa­ra­ble list of pub­li­ca­tions and Inter­net resource

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