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Frequently Asked Questions (3)
(Some Questions and Answers taken from Mr. Gochenour's "College
Night")
Continuing my education
Courses, grades, and applications
Funding my education
Additional guidance
These colleges say they cost $15,000/year -- and that's the
cheap ones. Are they worth it?
College is expensive. But for most everyone, some form of post-high
school education is definitely worth it. Students that graduate
from college earn an average of $1 million more than those that
only have a high school diploma. College grads are, overall, healthier
people with more career options and fallbacks. The knowledge gained,
from a 2-year school or a 4-year school, gives graduates self-confidence,
exposure to different people and ideas, and a higher paycheck
when they get out. Many jobs require more than a high school diploma.
It's worth it.
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How can anyone afford college?
Financial Aid. The government and the colleges offer 1. Grants
(you don't have to pay them back), 2. Work-study (you work for
the money), and 3. Loans (you pay the money back, but, in some
cases, not until you finish school.) The federal form (The Free
Application for Federal Student Aid -- FAFSA) is free to submit.
Go to: fafsa.ed.gov.
Advice: Send it in as close to January 1 as you can, even if you have to estimate your income. "Better early and wrong than late and right." This form gets sent to colleges so that they can determine their own financial aid packages. The earlier they get it, the more money they have to give out. You can always (and must) make adjustments to the form later if your circumstances change.
Advice: Fill the form out on-line if you can. Go to fafsa.ed.gov. Less errors, faster turn around,
easier to fill out next year. And the year after. Each year that you are in school, you will have to fill
out this form.
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"From a purely financial standpoint, bachelor's degree
recipients earn, on average, almost $20,000 per year more
than individuals with only a high school diploma."
-- Value Added: The Costs and Benefits of College Preparatory Programs,
Watson Swail, Educational Policy Institute, November 2004, Pg 3
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Who can help me with this form?
Mr. Gochenour holds a meeting in early December to help students and parents fill out this form. He and Dr. Howland are available to answer questions. Local organizations -- for example, Warren County Public Schoosl, Lord Fairfax Community College, Albemarle High School in Charlottesville -- offer free FAFSA workshops and counseling on "Super Saturday" -- the Saturday before the Super Bowl.
Dr.Howland is also available at any time to help parents fill out the forms.
Advice: Don't be afraid to contact your college's financial aid officers. They want to help.
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What else can I do to find money for school?
Most of the financial help that our students get comes from the federal government, the schools themselves, and local scholarships (most use a common application which is due in March). Also, buy your
books early and check eBay and Amazon.com for used editions.
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What about private schools? They are so expensive. Should I even bother applying?
Yes, you should absolutely apply. Private schools have endowments, state grants,
and scholarships. Some (Harvard, Yale, UVA, UNC, for example)
have policies that low-income students don't pay any tuition at
all.
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"This knowledge-based economy is fast making a baccalaureate
degree the equivalent of a high school diploma in the old
economy."
-- Access Denied: Restoring the Nation's Commitment to Equal Educational Opportunity, Advisory Committee, 2001.
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Do I have to report scholarship money that I receive to the college?
Yes. You should report the scholarship money you receive in the summer before you start school.
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Is there a lot of money out there for students?
Yes. Is it easy to get? No. Does some of it go unused? Yes.
FastWeb.com
is one of the best resources for scholarships. Also finaid.org.
Again, local scholarships are your best bet. See Mr. Gochenour's
online monthly newsletter for deadlines -- go to www.rappahannock.k12.va.us
and click on High School and then Guidance Office. Also, search
our list of 100 scholarships on our RESOURCES page.
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Do I have to pay the tuition in a lump sum?
No. Most schools have payment plans. Most financial aid departments are working hard to be flexible.
They do not want lack of money to be a deterrent.
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"For Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics, earnings increase
with education: those with at least a bachelor’s degree
have higher median earnings than those with less education.
During this period, the median earning of Whites, Blacks,
and Hispanics with a bachelor's degree or higher increased
relative to those with less education: Whites with a bachelor’s
degree or higher earned 20 percent more than White high
school completers in 1977, and 49 percent more in 2003."
-- The Condition of Education 2005 in Brief, Andrea Livingston
and John Wirt, U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, June 2005, Pg 9
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When are Mr. Gochenour and Dr. Howland available?
Mr. Gochenour is at the school Monday-Friday. Call 987-8575 or send an email.
Dr. Howland is in the Next Step office across from the auditorium
at RCHS 9:30 am-4 pm Monday-Thursday and by appointment, nights
and weekends. There is a trained UVA "College Guide"
in the office 40 hours/week. Call 987-8335 to schedule a time
or send an email.
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