RCAC's SUMMER 2014: DESTINATION COLLEGE

The Metropolitan Education Commission Regional College Access Center is very proud to announce the creation of the “SUMMER 2014: DESTINATION COLLEGE” presentation series. The RCAC College Interns Program will offer hour long presentations in subjects ranging from college admissions to scholarships and financial aid. The RCAC will also offer one on one college planning appointments for students participating in summer school and summer community programs. Contact DAVID J. RODRIGUEZ at djrrcac@gmail.com, or 520-670-0055 to schedule presentations and appointments. 

More info: http://www.metedu.org/rcac/Summer2014DestinationCollege.php

Summer Pre-College Programs 2014

Summer Pre-college Programs are a wonderful opportunity for students to get incredible college experience while still in high school. Pre-college programs are also a great way for students to bolster their admissions chances, gain valuable work experience, build relationships, and explore their career opportunities. Click on the link below for a list of this year’s programs for you to check out. Each entry includes a link to the program’s official website, as well as information on application deadlines, program dates, and any available financial aid packages or scholarships for underrepresented students.

Full article and list of college programs: http://www.collegegreenlight.com/blog/summer-pre-college-programs-2014/

 

5 Tips for First-Generation College Students

By Will Geiger 

As a first-generation college student, I know that the admissions process can be a treacherous affair. Students who have siblings or parents who have already navigated the road to and through college have easy access to information that first-generation students don’t. So I’ve put together some advice for my fellow trailblazers (like you) to help level the playing field.

Here are five tips to keep in mind as you continue your college search:

1. Look beyond sticker price

The sticker price of a college and the actual cost of attending that school are not the same thing.  Many schools (especially the pricey private schools) set aside large amounts of money for need-based financial aid.  In some cases, these seemingly unrealistic schools ($60,000+ price tag) can be quite affordable.  A good question to ask admissions offices is: does your school meet 100% of demonstrated need? If so, these institutions will meet the gap of tuition between what your family can afford and what the government says you can contribute.  The Net Price Calculator is a fantastic tool that is on every college’s website—it is effective for showing you the actual cost of college for you and your family.

 

2. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing

One of the most stressful parts of senior year is the chatter about what everyone else is doing—who is applying early, who is going where, etc.  Do not listen to any of this.  Worry about yourself and put your best foot forward.  Nothing good comes of comparing yourself to others.  This is a stressful time for students, so why make it more stressful?

 

3. Cast your net wide

Similar to tip #1, don’t be afraid to explore!  Do not necessarily let geography (or cost) dictate where you apply.  The Internet makes it easier than ever to research all sorts of schools.  College is a wonderful time to live in a different part of the country (or different part of the world), so take advantage of it!  If you are unable to visit, many college and universities have travel grants (essentially mini scholarships for travel expenses) available for first-generation students to help fund their college visit, including transportation to the school and flights!

 

4. Start early (and stay organized)

Don’t let deadlines and applications creep up on you.  Yes, in many cases, applications are not due until the year 2014!  However, once senior year starts, you will be bombarded with your toughest course load, extracurricular activities, athletics, part-time jobs, etc.  Before you know it, you will be on your winter break and deadlines will be right around the corner.  Creating a simple spreadsheet can be an easy an effective way for keeping track of your progress and deadlines.

 

5. Have someone else read your essay

The personal essay is a very important part of the application.  It is an opportunity for the admissions office to learn about who you are as a person, so you will want to take full advantage of that opportunity!  Proofreading can do wonders—if you can, ask a teacher, counselor, parent, sibling, etc. to look over it for you.  Even if everything is technically sound, it can be useful to get another person’s perspective or interpretation of your essay.

Will Geiger is a Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College and the co-founder of Scholarships360.org.  Follow him on Twitter @wmgeiger

Click here for article: http://www.collegegreenlight.com/blog/5-tips-for-first-generation-college-students/

Yale makes tuition affordable to low income students

In an effort to reach out to low-income students who may not consider applying to Yale due to a misperception of its cost, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions has launched a new educational campaign to inform low-income families about the affordability of a Yale College education.

On June 12, the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions sent a tailored mailing to 16,000 high-achieving rising high school seniors who are members of low-income families. The postcard (left) shows the low cost of Yale for students on financial aid by highlighting:

• that parents earning $65,000 or less are not asked to make any monetary contribution to the cost of their child’s Yale education;
• the $15,857 average yearly net price — including tuition, room and board, and books -  for Yale College for all students receiving financial aid; and
• a new website where families can compare Yale’s net price to the average net price paid by students receiving financial aid who attend a public university in their home state.

Recent research by Caroline Hoxby and Christopher Avery demonstrates that a significant number of academically qualified low-income students fail to apply to selective private and public institutions, in part, because they believe such schools are not affordable. Instead, these students “under match” in their search for a college.

 “The research shows clearly that under-resourced students and their parents wildly overestimate the actual cost of attending college, whether it’s at Yale or another selective private college or university,” said Jeremiah Quinlan, dean of undergraduate admissions. “We hope to undercut this trend by providing an apples-to-apples comparison of Yale’s net price to what a student is likely to pay in-state.

"For most students and families in the United States, Yale is more affordable than a public university,” Quinlan said. “It’s critical that these talented students understand that their high aspirations are feasible. We hope to provide them with information that will lead to the best array of choices from among private and public colleges.”

Yale will send another mailing to the same 16,000 students later this summer that will include instructions for applying to Yale and obtaining a fee waiver.

The mailing directs students to a college pricing website found at: admissions.yale.edu/price. The website also brings students to simple information on how to apply for admission using a fee waiver, and to Yale’s easy-to-use Net Price Calculator, which generates a sample financial aid award based on a family’s financial information and Yale’s current financial aid policies.

The mailing is directed at two groups of high achieving low-income students: 

• Rising high school seniors who live in lower-income neighborhoods who have performed exceptionally well on the PSAT or ACT.
• Rising high school seniors who have applied for a QuestBridge College Prep Scholarship.

Yale’s partnership with QuestBridge, a national non-profit organization that connects low-income students with top colleges and universities, is entering its seventh year this summer. In addition to serving as one of 35 partner colleges who accept applications from QuestBridge Finalists, Yale hosts a QuestBridge summer conference on campus to assist under-resourced students with the process of applying to selective colleges. This coming fall, Yale will have more than 190 students on campus who were Questbridge Finalists.  

The mailing campaign is one of the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions’ many efforts to reach out to students from low-income households, including the Student Ambassador Program. Every year admissions officers train over 200 current Yale students to visit more than 400 high schools in 39 states. These Yale Ambassadors serve as “near to peer” advisors, connecting students in high schools with high numbers of low-income students with information about the Yale experience while dispelling myths about accessibility and cost.

Yale College admits students for their academic and personal promise without regard to their ability to pay. Concern about cost should not keep students from applying, as Yale College meets 100% of students’ demonstrated need. Approximately 55% of Yale undergraduates receive financial aid from Yale, none of which is in the form of a loan.

Go to article: http://news.yale.edu/2013/06/27/new-outreach-effort-high-school-students-low-income-families