February is College Application and Financial Aid Month

EVERY STUDENT must have a real chance to reach his or her lifelong aspirations – to be competitive in tomorrow’s fast-paced and expanding global economy. Throughout America, over the past decade, there has been a growing movement among educators, national employers, and top business professionals to further focus the nation’s high school curriculum on college preparation and career development.

This February, for the first time, our state will celebrate Alabama College Application and Financial Aid Month – a new annual event developed by the Alabama Department of Education’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Section, to celebrate the importance of “lifelong student achievement.” This celebration will also highlight the importance of the “college and career readiness” concept, which focuses on creating a seamless transition between students leaving high school, entering college, and moving into the workforce.

According to current research, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that approximately 90 percent of the nation’s upcoming 21st Century careers will require employees to have postsecondary education experience. Ultimately, being college and career ready means that high school graduates have the English, science, and mathematics skills needed to succeed in postsecondary learning and the real world of work.

To celebrate Alabama College Application and Financial Aid Month, special activities, official resolution and proclamation ceremonies, and other events have been planned statewide. Attending college today means much more than just pursuing a traditional four- year degree. Being college-ready means students are prepared for the entire postsecondary experience – ready to earn all types of postsecondary credentials, including associates’ and bachelor’s degrees, professional licenses, special certificates, and, ultimately, a master’s and doctoral degrees.

Reprinted from Alabama Education News, Vol. 34. No. 4. January/February 2011. for more information or to read back issues, check out the Alabama Department of Education at www.alsde.edu

Preparing for College: The New Streamlined FAFSA

Everyone who has children interested in attending college is interested in financial aid! Its never too early to start planning for paying for your children's college education. One important tool that parents need to use is the FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA was designed to be used to determine how much money a family is expected to be able to contribute towards college expenses. The results of the FAFSA can determine the amount of money in student grants, work study and loans. (Scholarships must be applied for separately.)

The good news is that the process has been streamlined. In the past, the form was extremely complex, difficult to complete, and frustrating because the smallest errors could cause problems with aid or significant delays. Now, the US Department of Education has provided instant estimates of the Pell Grant and student loan eligibility so students and their families don't have to wait weeks for the notification. Also, the web-based form now has skip logic so that students and their families never see questions that are not relevant to their own application. Also, tax information is available directly from the IRS.

Every parent wants their children to grow up and live happy and productive lives. The ability to go to college is something that many parents struggle to afford. Streamlining the process to receive financial aid helps all families access the resources they need to help their children reach their fullest potential.

For more information on the FAFSA, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov

Preparing for College: Financial Aid Edition

If your child is finishing high school and preparing to go to college, it is never too early to start thinking about how to finance their college education. Most high schools and colleges have counselors who can help you understand what paperwork is due and when, but there are also federal resources available on the Internet.

One place you can go to get information about federal student aid (and many other topics) is ED Pubs. This site was designed to help parents, teachers, and others identify and order free products from the U. S. Department of Education. The site offers more than 6,000 titles that include materials in print, on CD-ROMs, posters, videos, and financial aid products.

ED Pubs can help you order free financial aid publications such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the FAFSA On The Web Worksheet, and Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid. If you work in a college, high school, library or community agency, you may be able to order multiple copies of these and other titles online at www.fsapubs.org. The Ed Pubs site provides a ton of free financial aid publications and applications that will help you and your student understand Federal Student Aid programs.