"Going Merry" College Budgeting Tool

"Going Merry" Financial Aid Guide

Figuring out how to pay for college is often the most difficult part of the application process. Just as the need for a college education is rising, the cost of tuition is skyrocketing. Between 2003 and 2013 alone, the cost of tuition rose by 79% above inflation. Since 1982, the cost has increased by a total of 500%. As a result, about 40% of soon-to-be college students end up turning down their first-choice school and going for a cheaper option. 

To help you navigate this process and help make an informed decision, check out our new budgeting tool – MerryBudget – to help you think through how you will pay for college.

Why has the cost gone up so much? One major reason for such drastic increases in college costs is a lack of funding from state and local governments. As more and more funding is being taken away from universities and colleges, upping tuition rates is an easy way to make up the difference. Other factors have also contributed to this, such as the ‘recreation parks arms race’ to attract students and rise up college rankings.

NC Promise

As home to the nation’s first public university, North Carolina has a long-standing commitment to educational opportunity for all residents. The NC Promise Tuition Plan reaffirms the state’s commitment to make the university experience affordable and accessible to all.

Through NC Promise, the state has significantly reduced student tuition cost to $500 per semester at three UNC system institutions – Elizabeth City State University, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and Western Carolina University – beginning in Fall 2018. The plan will increase educational access, reduce student debt, and grow the state’s economy.

PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS

Elizabeth City State University

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Western Carolina University

Forgivable Education Loans for Service

Forgivable Loan Program for Service

Description

Established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2011, the Forgivable Education Loans for Service provides financial assistance to qualified students enrolled in an approved education program and committed to working in critical employment shortage professions in North Carolina. For the 2018-19 academic year eligible degree programs may be found by clicking the link below. The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority provides administration for the program.

Eligibility

A recipient must meet the following eligibility criteria to be considered for FELS: Be a legal North Carolina resident and NC resident for tuition purposes At the time of application, present a cumulative minimum grade point average (GPA) of: 3.00 for graduating high school students (weighted GPA) 2.80 for undergraduate students pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree 3.20 for students pursuing a graduate or professional degree Register with the Selective Service System, if required; Recipients must not be in default, or does not owe a refund, under any federal or State loan or grant program Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress according to the enrolling policy of the institution. Be willing to work in NC in a designated critical employment shortage profession (careers corresponding with a FELS Approved Program) Must plan to enroll in at least six credit hours in an Approved Program at an Eligible Institution Note: You do not have to be admitted to the program when you apply, but you must be admitted prior to receiving funding, if selected.

College Raptor Scholarship Information

$2,500 College Raptor Scholarship Grows

Due to the incredible students who have participated in the $2,500 College Raptor Scholarship program, awards have been expanded to honor even more students. A new $1,000 award has been added with two recipients already named. Learn more about the most recent winners here. 

Application link: https://www.collegeraptor.com/2500scholarship

Deadline: December 31, 2019

FAFSA Information From College Raptor

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid—or FAFSA—is a form that determines a student’s financial need level, and opens the opportunity for federal scholarships, grants, work study programs, and student loans. Though not strictly mandatory, the FAFSA is still a MUST for students in terms of paying for college.

Whether your goal is to pay for college, avoid crushing student loan debt, or both, the FAFSA should be your very first step. Many students avoid filing the FAFSA because they (often wrongly) believe they won’t qualify for any federal aid. Others simply aren’t aware of the benefits the FAFSA can provide.

If there’s one piece of college financial advice you should listen to, it’s this:

ALWAYS FILE THE FAFSA.

Athletic Scholarships

The NCHSAA provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships for senior student-athletes at NCHSAA member schools, who are selected as recipients by our scholarship committee.  Please share the attached information with your student-athletes.  Applications, eligibility, and deadlines can be found on the NCHSAA Scholarships page.

To facilitate the NCHSAA’s access to applicants’ educational information needed for the scholarship process, applicants and their parent(s) or legal custodian(s) will need to download and complete the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) form. This form must be submitted to the student-athlete’s School Counselor for their records. Do not send the FERPA form to the NCHSAA office.

Transcripts must be uploaded to your student-athlete’s online application.  During the application process, the applicant will input their School Counselor’s contact information.  The School Counselor will receive an automated email with a link and instructions on how to upload the transcripts.

This opportunity exists thanks to the generosity of many donors.  We are hopeful that your student-athletes take full advantage of these scholarship offerings.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.    

Duke University Summer Session’s 2020 Programs NOW LIVE!

Heads up, students! The 2020 Duke University Summer Session info is ready for you! Check it out here.

Ask yourself: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Are you conducting ground-breaking research? Maybe you’re already a leader crafting policies that have a global impact. Or, are you tackling the world’s most complex challenges? At Duke University Summer Session you will take a thrilling first step toward your future success!

See you at Duke this summer!

Sincerely,
Nicki Charles, Ed.D.
Duke University
Director of Summer College and Summer Academy for High School Students
summercollege@duke.edu

University Of Miami W. Jenkins Scholarship

The University of Miami’s Office of Undergraduate Admission and the Office of Academic Enhancement is seeking to identify candidates for this year’s George W. Jenkins Scholarship. This prestigious scholarship is awarded to three high school graduates who have overcome significant adversity to achieve academic excellence. Nominated students should demonstrate a strong work ethic through participation in school and community activities and have a high financial need.

Thanks to the generosity of Publix Super Markets Charities, and in honor of Publix founder George W. Jenkins, the Jenkins Scholarship award covers the full cost of attendance. It is valued at more than $70,000 for the academic year and more than $280,000 over four years.

Please see Ms. O'Kane for more information. 

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Is applying to college early the right choice?

Extra Help: College Admissions

Helping parents get their teen to college

Oct. 15, 2019 When to Apply to College Early action and early decision deadlines are typically in November. If your teen is debating whether to submit applications at that time, here’s what he or she should know. Applying to college early can give students an edge, but factors like financial aid may indicate it's better to wait for the general application deadline. On that topic, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid opened earlier this month. Filling out the FAFSA is one of the most important steps to paying for college, but there are also more innovative ways to finance higher education. To take a break from application materials, check out the 2020 U.S. News Best Global Universities on Tuesday, Oct. 22 and see how U.S. colleges fare. Cheers! The U.S. News Education newsletter team: Josh (@byJoshMoody), Melissa (@melissayshin) and Briana (@B_Boyington).

Meredith Impact Scholarships

At Meredith College, we believe a strong education should be accessible to all students. We also know that for most students, the cost of attending college is a significant factor in their college search. We offer a range of financial assistance options to make our strong education affordable.

New Meredith Scholarship Guarantee

Meredith Impact Scholarships will be awarded to first-year students who have a 3.3 unweighted GPA and 1100 SAT/22 ACT. Admitted first-year students are guaranteed to receive a minimum $20,000 annual scholarship award if academic qualifications are met. Students with exceptional qualifications will receive Impact Scholarships up to $23,000.

Facts about Meredith’s financial assistance:

● Over $55 million in financial assistance is coordinated annually

● The average aid package awarded to first-year students is $30,334

● Over 95% of first-year students receive scholarships and/or financial assistance

● $26 million in scholarships and grants was awarded last year With numerous scholarships, grants, and loans available, attending Meredith College can be remarkably affordable. Contact your Admissions representative by phone: (919) 760-8581 or email: admissions@meredith.edu.

Share Meredith’s admissions blog with your students. It has tips and advice for navigating the college search.

Contact your Admissions representative by phone: (919) 760-8581 or email: admissions@meredith.edu.

The ACT Advantage vs. the SAT

Students will be able to retake part of the test.

By 

Scott Jaschik

October 14, 2019

 

ACT announced scoring reforms on its ACT exam last week. The changes are effective September 2020. They will allow test takers:

• Who have already taken the full ACT to retake only a part of the exam (English, math, reading, science or writing).
• To decide whether to take the test online or on paper.
• To use "superscoring" in which they combine scores from multiple ACT tests.

The key advantage to the ACT superscoring -- as opposed to that of the College Board with the SAT -- is that someone doesn't need to retake the entire test. Students could just take the portion of the ACT they wanted.

The College Board didn't respond to questions about the ACT change but explains the SAT's approach to superscoring here.

Generally, testing experts saw the ACT changes as making the ACT more competitive against the SAT, but they were divided on whether it would help low-income students.

Magoosh, a test-prep company, blogged, "We’re hopeful that the changes announced today by the ACT, if rolled out with transparency and the best interests of students in mind, will give high schoolers more opportunities to get into their dream college by putting their best score forward on their college applications."

But the company added, "However, there’s a chance this plan could unintentionally provide even more of an advantage to those students who have the means (time and money) to take the ACT multiple times. In the wake of the college admissions scandals, we all need no reminders about how inherently unfair the college application process can be, particularly for low-income students and students from marginalized backgrounds."

Robert Schaeffer, public education director of FairTest: National Center for Fair & Open Testing, said that "clear winners" include ACT and the test-prep industry, "which will attract even more revenue from upper-income families seeking to maximize the scores reported to admissions offices."

"The losers," he said, would be "kids from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, whose scores will fall further behind their more advantaged peers because they do not have the resources or knowledge to game the new system."

Still, he called the change a "shrewd revision will almost certainly boost ACT's admissions testing market share versus the SAT."

Suzana Delanghe, ACT chief commercial officer, said that the changes would not make the ACT easier. "Our research shows that ACT scores for students who take individual section tests are consistent with those earned when they take the entire test. We are simply offering new ways to take the ACT, saving students time and giving them the ability to focus only on subject areas needing improvement," she said.

FAFSA Opened October 1st – File as soon as you can

What do you need before you fill out the FAFSA?

If you need financial aid to help you pay for college, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. The 2020–21 FAFSA form just opened this week on Oct. 1, 2019. You should fill it out as soon as possible at the official government site, fafsa.gov. All information below is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

Federal funding is limited, so experts urge students and families to file their FAFSAs as soon as possible.

Fill out the FAFSA a.s.a.p.

Forgivable Education Loans for Service

Forgivable Education Loans for Service

Description

Established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2011, the Forgivable Education Loans for Service provides financial assistance to qualified students enrolled in an approved education program and committed to working in critical employment shortage professions in North Carolina. For the 2018-19 academic year eligible degree programs may be found by clicking the link below. The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority provides administration for the program.

Eligibility

A recipient must meet the following eligibility criteria to be considered for FELS: Be a legal North Carolina resident and NC resident for tuition purposes At the time of application, present a cumulative minimum grade point average (GPA) of: 3.00 for graduating high school students (weighted GPA) 2.80 for undergraduate students pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree 3.20 for students pursuing a graduate or professional degree Register with the Selective Service System, if required; Recipients must not be in default, or does not owe a refund, under any federal or State loan or grant program Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress according to the enrolling policy of the institution. Be willing to work in NC in a designated critical employment shortage profession (careers corresponding with a FELS Approved Program) Must plan to enroll in at least six credit hours in an Approved Program at an Eligible Institution Note: You do not have to be admitted to the program when you apply, but you must be admitted prior to receiving funding, if selected. https://www.cfnc.org/FELS

Webinar: Recognizing and Managing Teen Anxiety

Watch our webinar on teen anxiety: Complete the post-survey by October 25th for a chance to win one of Lisa's workbooks!        Did you miss the Recognizing and Managing Teen Anxiety webinar? You can watch the webinar on demand at your convenience. Make sure to watch the webinar and complete the post-survey before October 25th, 2019, for your chance to win one of webinar presenter Lisa M. Schab's anxiety self-help books.

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