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Hello! The college year is almost over, and high school students have a few more months. There's a light at the end of the tunnel for the year, but don't give up yet! Your grades are important for getting good financial aid. In this Issue SAT/ACT Dates Next ACT: April 10 College Workshops Click here to view a calendar with all of our upcoming workshops. |
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How the SATs and ACTs Can Save You Money 
The SAT and ACT exams are obviously very important, as you've heard no doubt throughout your high school careers. However, besides determining what schools you get accepted into, they also help determine something just as important: your financial aid package. Merit-based financial aid is awarded for academic performance and accomplishments. A higher SAT or ACT score will help you earn more merit-based aid. High scores on these tests can help a student be considered for more financial aid. In other words, a college is more willing to give you more money if they know it's going to someone who academically deserves it. According to a recent study by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), nearly four out of five colleges use standardized test scores as a way to distribute merit-based aid. In fact, many schools offer academic scholarships that require a minimum SAT score to even be considered. Scholarships can range anywhere from $1,000 a year to a full ride. The University of Georgia's Foundation Fellow scholarship requires potential recipients to have a minimum SAT score of 1400. Twenty to thirty students receive this full ride scholarship every year. It is extremely beneficial to retake the SATs or ACTs multiple times to achieve your best possible score. The higher your score, the more likely you'll be considered for scholarships such as the UGA Foundation Fellow. To put all of this into perspective for your typical high-school student working a minimum wage job. The time and effort put into studying for these tests outweighs the benefit of working that job. While there is gratification in an honest day's labor and you feel good when you receive your paycheck, it is a very short-lived gratification. In the long run, it is in your best interest to put all of your effort into preparing for school. It could end up saving you thousands of dollars on your college education. Families are Saving Money with CAPlus! 
We have saved our clients over $319,700 in the past 13 months! We just saved Lori $72,000 over four years at Susquehanna College, and she was unaware of this college until CAPlus's database search results. Interview with a Graduate 
Editor's Note: Diana has a Bachelor's degree in Sports Management and Marketing from St. John Fisher College, and a Master's of Sport Leadership from Northeastern University. She currently works for the Rochester Rhinos. CAPlus: How much do you have in loans? Does that include interest? Diana: Way too much! Including interest, I owe tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. CAPlus: Does having college debt change the way you live today? Diana: To an extent, it has changed the way I live. I'd love to buy a new car or maybe a house, but with college debt I have to put those things on hold. Then again, it's not realistic to just go out and buy a new car because you want one! CAPlus: Do you feel like your education was worth the cost? Diana: At this point in time, it's very discouraging. I know that in the future it will eventually pay off, though. CAPlus: If you could go back and do something different, what would you do? Diana: I would look at similar degree programs at schools with cheaper tuition. CAPlus: Do you have any advice for students entering college? Diana: My advice would be to research all scholarships and grants before settling on student loans as a way to finance your education. If you do choose to finance your education with student loans, fully understand the consequences of doing so and borrow as little as possible! High School Freshmen & Sophomores 
• Keep studying for the SAT and ACT tests at least 1 hour a week. Use a software program that comes with sample tests that you can learn from. • Plan ahead for what activities and clubs you'll be involved in next year. If you can, try to get a leadership position, which will look good on your college applications. • Attend college fairs at local schools or malls. If you start looking at colleges now, it will make your junior and senior years easier! • Talk to your high school guidance counselor about career profiling. This might give you an idea of what kind of career you would enjoy. High School Juniors 
• Explore the websites of the colleges that you might be interested in. Start comparing schools by the things that are the most important to you. • If you play spring sports and want to play in college, have someone take video and photos of you now. You won't have the opportunity to do this next year, because most colleges will have already decided about teams and scholarships by next season. Now is the time to make sure your portfolio is strong. • Stay focused on your schoolwork during the next few months. It's easy to get distracted, but your junior year grades are very important. They show the colleges what kind of work you are capable of which is vital in determining how much scholarship and grant money you will receive. • Plan ahead for what activities and clubs you'll be involved in next year. If you can, try to get a leadership position, which will look good on your college applications. High School Seniors 
• You should be receiving financial aid packages from colleges that have accepted you. Compare all of the offers and see which school is giving you the best deal. Talk to your CAPlus advisor about what other things you can do to get a good deal. • Follow up with the colleges that you have applied to. Make sure that they received all your application information, including your FAFSA, recommendation letters, test scores, and transcript. • If you haven't filed your FAFSA yet, make sure you do it before the month is over. If you already filed based on last year's tax information, go back to the FAFSA website and correct the information. Once you have filed, watch the mail (or your email) for your SAR (Student Aid Report). This should give you an idea of how much your Expected Family Contribution will be. If there is incorrect data, follow the instructions in the packet to correct it. College Freshmen and Sophomores 
• Make sure you have filed your renewal FAFSA to get the maximum amount of financial aid. It's easy to make a mistake, so have your CAPlus advisor review your form before you submit it. • Find a summer job. It's best to find one that relates to your field of study, because it will look better on your resume after you graduate. • Discuss your plans for next year with your academic advisor. Talk about whether you are on track to graduate in four years. If you haven't declared a major yet, register for general classes that you will need to take at some point. Don't get trapped into an extra semester! College Juniors 
• Put together a resume with career services at your college and apply for summer internships. Working for a summer in a position related to your career goal will look much better to potential employers after graduation than working a summer job waitressing or landscaping. • Meet with your advisor to make sure you are on track to graduating in two more semesters. It is best to find out now whether or not you are on the right track so you can take summer classes if necessary. • It is too early to start applying for jobs in your career field, but it is not to early to network! Contact local professionals in your area for informational interviews. Many professionals will have thier business contact information listed on the company website. It is always better to call than to send an email to set up an interview. • Are there professional groups in your area that match your career? For example, the American Marketing Association has regional chapters throughout the United States that meet regularly to discuss the latest news and trends in marketing. Most such groups will let college students join for free if they volunteer at the local events. It is a great way to network and keep updated on your career field. College Seniors 
• Recruiters are using connections through LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to find candidates for open positions. Specifically with LinkedIn, by creating a good profile and joining the right groups and discussions, you set yourself up to be found by recruiters in your desired industry. However, make sure you've sanitized all of your social networking pages well before you start job hunting. You will decrease your chances of landing a job significally by posting unprofessional photos and comments. • Meet with a staff member of career services at your college to put together a clear, concise, and convincing resume and cover letter. You may have to make changes to both your resume and cover letter when applying from one job to the next, but it is good to have a strong starting point that you can build from. • Get recommendation letters and resume reference approvals from college professors, department heads, and internship coordinators or bosses. Good recommendations are vital when attempting to land your first job or get accepted to grad school. What is CAPlus? College Assistance Plus assists parents in navigating the college process to make the process smoother and save money in multiple ways. This newsletter is available bimonthly and contains helpful advice for each age group. To receive the full benefit of this service, contact CAPlus to schedule a FREE consultation today! Find an Educational Consultant Near You! For a complete list of our locations, please visit our website. |
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