LKSD Counseling : Advice
Sections on this page:
Contact • AKCIS • Budgeting • Career Exploration and Program Information • College Concepts • College Loans • College Terms • Diploma Still Needed • Documents • Dream • Essays • Interviews • Jobs and Looking for Work • Letters of Recommendation • Resumes • Scholarships • Scholarship Scams • Schools • Senior Planning Guide • Taxes • Test Preparation • Try New Things • Who Is In Control?Contact
Jan Tall ChiefJan_TallChief@lksd.org
Phone: 907-543-4818
AKCIS
Alaska Computer Information System is a big organized database that the State of Alaska subscribes to,
and it contains all kinds of information that can be easily searched and sorted including school,
scholarship, and job information. There are several pdf's that introduce AKCIS:
AKCIS introduction
AKCIS School Sorter
AKCIS Financial Aid/Scholarship Sorter
AKCIS Occupation Sorter
If you don't track down the username and password from your school district, Bethel area communities also have a username from the Job Center Office in Bethel, which is free like a library. They have regular business hours so you call them to get the username and password you need to get into AKCIS or to get other help:
1-800-478-2210 or
543-2210.
Once you have a username and password for your area find the login page at AKCIS.
http://akcis.org
There is a place halfway down an AKCIS page that is a "list of AKCIS sites"
which shows which school districts are current subscribers:
http://akcis.org/aboutus.htm
Budgeting
Budgeting for Educational Activities After High School
There is a way to see, save, and/or print the following advice as a
pdf file:
Budgeting.
Or, you could always select, copy
and paste any section of this web page into your own word processing page.
Budgeting for Educational Activities After High School 1. Budgeting is the responsibility of the student, but most students need help in obtaining complete information. 2. FAFSA is a prerequisite for most assistance programs. The student’s personal income tax and the student’s parent’s income tax must be calculated before the FAFSA can be calculated. The new FAFSA form for each coming school year will be available in January. Students may use either hard copy or e-mail for FAFSA, but the income tax information must be on the application. For low-income families with several children, FAFSA can be worth more than $ 4,000.00 per year. NEVER send any original copies of IRS materials to FAFSA. Send only Xerox copies and keep the originals on file. 3. The student must apply to a given college or training institution before filling out scholarship applications. Many money sources require some type of evidence from the college or training institution, such as a letter of acceptance or conditional acceptance. 4. As the student begins to accumulate college related papers, the student needs to use a portfolio envelop or some similar device to keep all related papers neat, clean, organized, and safe. Much of the information in the applications is repetitious, so moving data from one form to another can be relatively easy with a good record keeping system. Eventually the student probably will have a computer and a scanner, which can be used to keep records handy. Keeping that record on a disk will add even more security. 5. Budgets must be based on real sources of information, not just made up figures. The financial aids office of a given institution should be able to supply campus-related costs, but the student may need to explicitly ask for that information. 6. The budget must include all envisioned costs and all envisioned incomes. Otherwise the student may run short of money before the semester/year is completed. 7. In the Delta Region almost all students can get a free post-secondary education. Grants and scholarships are almost always tax-free money. But the student must have good grades, good test scores, and good character to keep the scholarships coming in. Some scholarship sources clearly state that the scholarship will end if the college GPA falls below 2.5 or 2.0. 8. Low grades and/or test scores in high school do not automatically mean that the student should not try to go to any post-secondary training, but it does meant that the student probably will face a severe challenge in post-secondary classroom. 9. Rarely does any student get all of the scholarships that he/she asks for, so it is important to apply for many scholarships. Students who apply for many scholarships may actually be able to obtain more money than the actual cost of the budget. He/she can usually keep the difference as cash for a rainy day, such as the expenses for the next semester. 10. For many scholarships there is no stated dollar value on the application, so the student will probably have to submit a budget. 11. Some scholarships and grants are small, maybe only $ 50.00 or a few hundred dollars. Others are worth thousands of dollars. Students are encouraged to apply for all that they are eligible for. 12. Some scholarships are dependent on test scores or GPA. Most students lose their scholarships when the GPA slips below 2.00 or 2.5. For some students grades are almost more important than food. Almost all institutions have tutor services and other academic aid for students who need academic help. 13. Students need to keep multiple copies of every scholarship application (maybe one at home and one at school). Losing an original copy means having to fill out the whole thing again. 14. After the student completes the scholarship application, he/she needs to check the form for completion and accuracy. 15. The color of choice of ink for business papers, such as application forms, is black or dark blue. 16. STUDENTS SHOULD ALWAYS MAKE A XEROX COPY OF THE APPLICATION before mailing the application. If the student uses e-mail, he/she should make a printout and a save before sending the electronic copy. 17. Most scholarships require that the candidate repeat the application process every year of attendance. The re-application usually requires some proof of current enrollment and grade performance of the previous semester(s). In some cases, the scholarship source simply asks for a copy of the report card or transcript. The budget part of the re-application may use much of the previous year’s figures, another reason to keep a Xerox copy. Income 1. List each scholarship separately by name and value. Early in the process all you can do is state that the application has been submitted and that you do not yet have a dollar value for each particular scholarship. 2. FAFSA – Pell Grant – This is a prerequisite for many other sources of funds. 3. income from work – even if it is only part -time or summer work 4. Student loan – Try to stay away from loans whenever possible. Sooner or later you will need to repay plus interest. Check with financial aids office about Alaska Student Loan for comparison of the best deal on loans. 5. Permanent Fund Dividend 6. Family contributions (parent/spouse) 7. University of Alaska Scholars - $11,000 total – paid out at $1,375 per semester – just about enough to pay for tuition on the average for four years – goes to the top 10% per school There are advantages to declaring your major and minor early. One advantage is that more scholarships may be available to students with special interests. Since in many cases you will not know in advance the dollar value of a given scholarship, you will want to apply for many scholarships. Some will grant you several thousand dollars, others only a few hundred dollars, and some maybe no dollars at all. Expenses 1. Tuition – The minimum load for full-time students is 12 credits per semester. Budget or 15 credits to start with. 2. Room (rent) – There may be several different rates, depending on which dormitory and which type of room arrangement. 3. Board (meals) – There may be more than one meal plan. Find out how many meals are included per week. Find out about holidays and weekends. 4. Transportation – Be sure to include two round trips from home to school per year. Gas, taxi, bus, plane – may want to estimate about 10 % above actual current cost in case of an energy shortage – When calculating airline ticket prices, use full fare costs for budget purposes, not discount fares. Then apply for all possible discounts later. 5. Books – very expensive – Many courses require multiple tests. Budget for new, but purchase used whenever prudent. 6. Supplies – paper, pencils, pens, post-its, pack of thank-you notes. 7. Various lab and student fees – check for infirmary fee, too - 8. Cable TV – internet hook-up – may be already be included in rent 9. Telephone – Local service already may be included in the room rent. – Use prepaid phone cards for cheap long distance. 10. Additional groceries – snacks – maybe $25 per week. 11. Clothing – nothing fancy – just basic needs – from parka to socks, shoes. 12. Personal items: shampoo, toothpaste, soap, hair supplies, lipstick, comb, hair brush, hair curling iron, prescription medicines, across the counter medicines such as cough drops and aspirin and eye drops. 13. If renting, account for utilities. 14. Any kind of college student related insurance – Some campuses require infirmary insurance. 15. Computer, printer, scanner purchase – not for games and entertainment – related supplies such as printer cartridges and printer paper - 16. Specialty items, such as scientific calculators, for students in upper divisions math classes or science classes. 17. Room deposit – You will get this back if you leave your room in really good, clean condition at the end of the year. 18. Application processing fee - $40.00 each. 19. Fee for requesting transcript - $12.00 @ at least one copy for every scholarship you have – Some scholarships require a transcript every semester. 20. If renting, be sure to get renter’s insurance in case your computer or other electronic items get stolen or damaged. 21. Clock radio, television – Check with your roommate before you make the purchase – consider a headset so that you won’t bother your roommate. – hope your roommate is also considerate. 22. Bedding – pillow, pillow case, sheets, blankets. 23. Laundry items – detergent, softener, $ to run the machines (both wash and dry). 24. Towels – bath towels, hand towels, wash cloths. 25. Two large suitcases or duffel bags. 26. One good carry-on backpack. 27. Dirty clothes bag or dirty clothes basket. 28. On-campus testing fees – ASSET or COMPASS or ACT later on. 29. Computer programs that you might need for your course work – Windows, Excel, etc. 30. Alarm clock – may want to just use clock radio form # 21. 31. Box of waste can liners. 32. Boxes of Kleenex (may want pocket packs as well). 33. 34. After you have totaled your expenses, then add 10 % just in case costs go up between the time you calculate your costs and the time you actually spend the money on the items that you have listed.
There is a budget planner spreadsheet that
can be downloaded in excel format for entering in your own numbers. Pictures of that
sample spreadsheet can be seen,
saved and/or printed
as a pdf file.
Or, you could always select, copy
and paste any section of this web page into your own word processing page.
The numbers in the scholarship area of a budget planner will vary greatly depending on financial need, GPA, the date the scholarship application was submitted, the budget of the awarding source, the major/minor of the candidate, and various other considerations.
Almost all scholarship sources that distribute needs-based funds require that the FAFSA (Pell Grant) http://www.fafsa.ed.gov be submitted before the value of the scholarship can be determined. http://www.pin.ed.gov/pinwebapp/pinindex.jsp Original signatures of both parents and the college student are required for the FAFSA application. If the student chooses to use a paper copy of the application (available about January 05 every year), the signatures must appear on the application every year. If the student chooses to use internet application, which is preferable, both the parents and the student will need to apply for a pin number, which will remain the same every year. So don't lose it.
Further points to remember:
- Make sure to remember your PIN and don't share it with anyone, even
individuals or web sites offering to help you complete your FAFSA. http://www.pin.ed.gov/pinwebapp/pinindex.jsp
- PIN numbers don't expire. They can be used for years to come.
- A parent with multiple children applying for aid can use the same PIN to electronically sign all FAFSAs. Do not use FAFSA.COM. That is a commercial company that will charge you for helping you complete a form that is already free.
- When you are awarded a scholarship, grant, or loan, make sure that you know the date the money will be deposited into your account. Some funds are not deposited until school has been in session at least one month.
- Into which account will the money be deposited ? Will it be placed into your personal bank account or into your financial aids account on campus?
- Determine when/how/how often you can withdraw money from your financial aids account.
- Determine whether there are any restrictions on how you can spend the funds that will be placed in your financial aids account.
- When you are awarded a scholarship or a loan, determine whether the dollar amount is a once each semester award or a once per year award.
- Whenever you receive a scholarship or a grant, MAKE SURE THAT YOU SEND A THANK-YOU NOTE EVERY TIME. You may need to apply to that source for more funds for the next several years. People will remember good manners. They may put your thank-you note in your file.
- FAFSA is free federal money. It is a grant that is intended to financially support college students who (and their family) can demonstrate a strong financial need (low income and large numbers of family members living off the same budget).
- For scholarships be sure to contact contractors who are doing business in your village.
- For transcript costs, multiply the number of scholarships by $12.00. For example, $12.00 X 9(number of scholarships) = .
- Avoid loans if at all possible because you repay the face amount plus interest. Don't graduate with a big debt to pay off.
Career Exploration
Career Exploration involves getting to know more about yourself and different jobs that might suit you, and it involves tools like this web site that can help you make progress towards goals you might make. The Jobs/Exploration page covers this area and includes information about career counseling centers run by the State of Alaska through both the University system and the Job Centers.
College Concepts
There is a way to see, save, and/or print the following advice as a pdf file:College Concepts.
Or, you could always select, copy and paste any section of this web page into your own word processing page.
COLLEGE CONCEPTS 1. You have the responsibility to attend every class in order to learn and get good grades. In college it is not good enough to just get Ds and Cs. Those grades may cost you so much on your GPA that you might lose your scholarships. 2. There are tutors available for classes or subject matter in which you may need extra help. 3. You need to do the homework in order to pass many of your classes. Other classes may have no homework at all, only projects and/or tests. 4. It cost money to take classes except at Job Corps. 5. There are many more credits (hours) required to graduate (about 130 credits for a bachelor degree). 6. Some classes may be huge (maybe as many as 200 in an auditorium setting). On the other hand, some sections may have very few students. 7. There are no age limits in attending college. In your class may be students who are in their early teens or their late seventies or eighties. 8. The classes may be longer – one hour, one and one-half hours, three hours, or even more. Usually you will have breaks in the really long class sessions. 9. A college degree will help prepare you for a better job, but it is not a guarantee. There is no guarantee for success or happiness – college degree or not. 10. Your college may have academic and/or social fraternities and sororities. 11. You can add or drop classes (within limits) after the semester starts. 12. Who your academic advisor is will depend on your major. 13. Peer advisors may be available. 14. In Alaska, most colleges have a Rural Student Services organization (or something similar to it). It can be a great source of help for many kinds of problems. Take advantage of its services. 15. Your classes may be scattered among several different buildings. Your classes may start as early as 8:00 in the morning or as late as 8:00 in the evening. 16. Most classes meet only three times per week. Some classes meet on Saturdays. Check your schedule when you register. 17. In high school, you may be expected to write assignments that are up to four pages long. In college you may write assignments that are more than twice that long (but probably not in every course). 18. In high school, mid-term tests and semester exams usually last no more than an hour. In a college, those tests may be up to three hours long. If you can finish the test in less time, great. 19. In high school, you get a credit for a particular course if you pass the work all year long. In college, you may earn from 1 to 5 credits for a singular course in just one semester, depending on how many hours per week the class meets. 20. You are treated as an adult, not as a child. 21. You have many more courses to choose from and many more resources to use in college. 22. For every hour spent in the classroom or laboratory in college, you will need to expect two or more hours of homework outside the classroom. 23. You get more individualized attention in high school. You may be able to get individualized help in college, but you will have to ask for it. 24. College professors have other classes to teach and research to conduct. You will need to find out what the office hours of your professor are. Some keep regular schedules, and some don’t. 25. In college, exams are based on class lectures, homework, outside readings, etc. In high school, most tests come verbatim from texts. 26. You usually take general studies in high school. In college, your choice of major and minor will determine what courses you will take in addition to your general studies. 27. High schools are available in almost every village or town. Colleges are limited, generally to larger population centers. Usually, jobs are the about the same as colleges. More jobs are available in larger population centers. 28. In high school, your classes may meet every day. In college, a particular class may meet one, two, or three days per week. Check your schedule when you register. 29. In college, you may not be required to attend every session of every class, but it will be your responsibility to know what happens in class every day. 30. In college, when you register, you can choose what classes, which days, and what times are best for you. 31. In college, you may not know anybody else in the class nor will they know you. But you can change that as the semester goes along. Get to know a lot of people. It will be great. 32. You may go through a chapter per week. 33. Three-hour labs do not happen in high school. 34. You don’t get detentions in college. 35. College libraries and computer labs are much bigger. Take advantage of them. 36. You have to study a lot more without being told. 37. You may have to do your own laundry. 38. You don’t get homesick in high school. Nobody ever dies from being homesick. 39. In college, you take more risks and experience more things. Choose wisely. 40. You’re the one paying to attend for college with your time and your money; so, if you screw up, it’s your loss. 41. You will have to fill our tons of paperwork to attend college. 42. You will be responsible for buying your own books, notebooks, and other supplies. 43. You eat whatever is available at college. There is no more “mom’s cooking,” and Native foods are hard to come by on campus unless you get a “Care Package” in the mail. 44. You get your own mailing address. Make sure everybody at home knows it. 45. You will have to hand in your homework on time; there are no excuses. 46. You don’t need hall passes in college. You may be able to leave class any time you want without the instructor’s permission (But it is better to get it anyhow.); however, you will be held responsible for knowing everything about the class. Use good manners when leaving the classroom. 47. In college you can eat three meals a day - or more or fewer. What you eat and when you eat will be up to you. You will be paying for all of it. 48. You will meet people from all over the state, probably from all over the United States, and possibly from foreign countries. 49. You may have counselors in high school. In college, you may have academic counselors, resident student advisors in the dormitories, and special advisors such as Rural Student Services. 50. There is no one to pick up after you. You are responsible for your own mess and your own cleanliness. 51. College probably will be a lot more fun because you will have so many more varied possibilities. You just have to study a lot more. 52. There is no attendance call in most classes in college. Does that make a difference? On the other hand, some instructors take attendance just as high school teachers do. 53. College makes you realize that you have to work hard if you want an education. No one is forcing you to do anything. If you want it, earn it. 54. College allows students to be more independent. 55. Visits to counselors or advisors in college may be more frequent in college than in high school. It will be your choice. 56. In college, students, to a certain extent may be able to have their own interpretation on certain assignments. 57. Teenagers are usually not sure of themselves, so high school can be very difficult. College will be whatever type of experience you want to it to be. The rewards will be worth the effort. 58. Student rights can be asserted more in college. If an instructor grades unfairly, the student may be able to challenge the grade. In the challenge the student must be able to document the reasons why the grade should be changed. Not all challenged grades will be changed. 59. Student councils (student senates) may have much more power on a college campus. 60. In college, students have more influence on policies presented by the administration. 61. Colleges may provide housing for single and married students. Apply early and be prepared to put down $200 –250 reservation fee. You may or may not have any choice about who your roommate(s) will be. Find out early if that is important to you. 62. College English courses usually permit the student much more freedom to choose the subject matter for a term paper. 63. You will learn and demonstrate self-discipline in college. 64. You cannot slack off on the workload in college and then expect to achieve a good grade (or even a passing grade) at the last minute by playing “catch-up” as you may have been able to do in high school. 65. The workload in college is more intense and more demanding. 66. If you are failing in high school, go see your teacher and your counselor. In college, it is the same thing. Get help early. 67. There is much more independence in college to choose your lifestyle and your commitment level as contrasted to high school. Choosing your new friends may make the difference between being or not being successful in college. 68. Most students learn what it means to live on their own in college. 69. There are many more choices to be made in college; whereas, in high school, your age or grade alone controls some decisions. 70. In high school, the majority of students graduate in four years. In college, you can earn a degree between three and one-half years and eight years. Most colleges require completion of a degree program within eight years. Graduation is not guaranteed. 71. There may be much more room for questions and debates in college, depending on the course and the instructor. 72. It may be an advantage for a college student to work (an internship or a part-time job), but it may be detrimental to a student’s grades. 73. College may sometimes allow credit for prior knowledge of life experiences; whereas high school does not. 74. There are tests given in high school to rate your grade level in your state for national comparisons. In college, you have to sign up for those tests and pay for them. They are usually required for graduate work. Be sure to include testing services in your budget. 75. The bureaucracy in colleges is sometimes evident, but in high school you usually are protected from bureaucratic practices. 76. High school allows more time for friends and activities with your whole class. In college you must make an effort to get to know people. Who knows, you may even decide to marry one of them. 77. You may have the opportunity to select any college that you want to attend. Some have entrance requirements though. Find out early. You usually can learn from the college’s website whether there are academic limitations. 78. More social pressures about alcohol, drugs, and sex are present in college. Make good decisions early. 79. Parents may remind you to finish your homework. There may be nobody, in college, to remind you what you need to do. 80. It is easier to join most sports teams in high school than in college, but there are many intramural sports activities associated with college life. College varsity teams are very competitive and very selective. If you think that you have the skills, go for it! 81. Running for a student representative or college political office is very similar to running for political office in your region. 82. It is common for high school homework to be completed in just an hour or two. In college, it may take several times that much effort. 83. In college, you need a legitimate excuse for your work not to be completed on time. “My dog ate it.” The prof. won’t buy that excuse. 84. It is easier to travel to places while in college. In college, you will pay for almost anything extra. Cash! 85. Lessons you learn in college are at your own expense. 86. You have to pay for housing (dorms, apartments, or houses) in college. 87. You probably will be away from everyone you know in high school. College can be very lonely. If you find new friends and get busy, you won’t have time to get homesick. 88. In college, you have to pay for childcare, household bills, and food. You probably did not have that responsibility in high school. 89. You are usually under adult supervision when traveling as a high school student. In college, you will be the adult who will travel on your own. Be alert and be safe. Plan ahead for delays and other problems. Carry some cash just in case. 90. College? Vocational school? It can be one of the greatest times of your life. Enjoy!!! It’s true. Some of these ideas are repetitive. Why do your parents repeat instructions to you? If a prof. repeats something, make sure that it shows up in your notes. It may be on the next test!
College Loans
College Loans pdf.
COLLEGE LOANS In general, Native students from LKSD are eligible for many scholarships and grants. Those students who have good grades, good test scores, and good character should not need to borrow money to go to college. In many respects, the same applies to students who want to attend an accredited vocational institution. Before a student decides that he/she needs to borrow, he/she needs to do at least four things first. One, make out a detailed budget that covers about one calendar year (at the very least one full school year plus the following summer (in order to include income from a summer job). Two, fill out dozens and dozens of scholarship applications, especially those scholarship sources that conduct business in the LKSD region in particular and those that conduct business in Alaska in general. Three, make several contacts with the financial aids office to make sure that all sources there have been exhausted. Four, make sure that the FAFSA (Pell Grant) application has been filled out and submitted. For those students who do not have their or their parents’ federal income tax preparations completed, the FAFSA may be submitted with estimated information as long as the correct information is later submitted when the final tax papers have been completed. THE ALASKA COMMISSION ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION is a great clearinghouse for what are advertised as the “best rate in the U.S.” www.state.ak.us/acpe federal lender ID: 826966 -This number may be very important on your application forms. Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education 3030 Vintage Blvd. Juneau, Alaska 99801-7100 1-800-441-2962 (toll free) 1-907-465-3143 alaskadvantage.state.ak.us
College Terms
There is a way to see, save, and/or print the following advice as a
pdf file:
College Terms.
Or, you could always select, copy
and paste any section of this web page into your own word processing page.
COLLEGE TERMS Below are some terms that you may want to learn as you plan for college. The exact definition may be somewhat different from one application to another. 1 Academic year From the beginning of school in the fall until school is out in the spring 2 Accredited institution College or training center meets minimum standards 3 ACT scores College placement/entrance exam required in all Alaska Colleges 4 Activity fees Special fee (commonly used to get reduced prices for ball games, dances 5 Advanced placement Courses for talented students 6 Alumni Graduates of a given school 7 Annual award of scholarship Need to apply for the scholarship every year 8 Application procedures Usually just the application form but may require an essay, letters of recommendation, or interview 9 Associate of arts degree AA degree – 2 years 10 ATAP recipient 30 + months Public aid 11 Bachelor’s degree BA or BS degree – 4 years more or less, frequently more 12 BIA funding Bureau of Indian Affairs funding for Natives of 1/4 Native blood 13 Birth certificate (original copy) Proof that you really do exist(on paper) 14 Bonehead math or English Remedial courses in college- should not be a problem if you passed the HSQGE (Work in hard in high school so that you can avoid these in college. They are expensive in every way.) 15 Campus The large body of land that the college sits on 16 Campus housing Housing just for college students 17 Campus meal plan A fee schedule and meal plan, usually for dormitory residents 18 Campus parking By registration ticket only – fee required 19 Certificate of attendance Document that indicates attendance only, not achievement or proficiency 20 Certificate of completion Document that indicates completion of a course, not necessarily proficiency 21 Certificate of participation Document that indicates participation of a course, not necessarily proficiency 22 Child care assistance A type of financial that might be available for college students with children 23 Conditional award of funds - Requirements that one must meet in order to receive money 24 Course required supplies or text(s) - Books and materials mandated for the course – often listed in syllabus 25 Cumulative grade point average - Grade point average from the beginning of enrollment 26 Degree program - Formal enrollment in formulated courses leading to special recognition 27 Electives - Courses that you take just because you want to – usually without prerequisites 28 Employment history - Jobs where you have worked 29 Extra curricular activities Activities for which grades and credit were not given, music, sports, speech 30 Fellowship - A special type of academic program, usually available only to graduate students 31 Field of study - A grouping of courses, usually your major or minor 32 Financial aid - Money from gifts, scholarships, grants 33 Full-time student - Enrollment in 12 credits or more 34 Funding amount - Money value of a scholarship or grant 35 GED General Education Diploma 36 Graduate program - Courses taken toward and advanced degree after the bachelor degree 37 Graduation diploma - Document that shows that you graduated 38 Grant - A financial award, usually with few restrictions 39 Honors award - Recognition for work in a gifted or talented program 40 Honors classes - Special classes for gifted or talented students 41 Honors programs A grouping of courses designed for gifted or talented courses 42 Immunization record A hard copy of your shots – local school or health clinic usually has a copy – a must for getting into Job Corp, AVTEC, college, etc. 43 Infraction of scholarship provision Violation of scholarship rules, such as not having minimum GPA or not carrying enough credit hours, usually leads to loss of funding 44 Intake form Formal application paperwork 45 JTPA - Job Training ana Partnership Act - may now be merged with the Carl Perkins program 46 Letter of reference Letters from people who know you well, describing your abilities, talents, and character 47 Lineal enrollees(tribal) Descendents of original regional corporation shareholders 48 Loan Money that has to be paid back to the source, usually with interest 49 Loan forgiveness Bingo! You don’t have to pay back the loan. 50 Major (courses) A large number of courses in the area of your specialization(about 36 credits?) 51 Master degree An advanced degree one year beyond a bachelor degree 52 Minor (courses) A medium number of courses in the area of your second specialization (about 24 credits?) 53 Native corporation ID number Official documentation of membership in a regional corporation 54 Off-campus housing Houses or apartments for college students (where they live) 55 OJT/Work experience On-the-job training 56 Original enrollees as per ANCSA – 1971 Natives who were formally enrolled as regional shareholders 57 Parents’ contribution toward expenses How much your parents can afford to help pay your expenses 58 Part-time student 11 or fewer credits at one time 59 Pell Grant Also called the FAFSA money 60 Personal contribution toward expenses How much you can pay toward your own education 61 Personal expenses Money that you spend toward college, excluding tuition, room, board, transportation, books 62 Personal loan Money you borrow and promise to pay back with interest 63 Personal picture (optional) Recent single photo 64 Prerequisite course A course that must be completed before a second related and more challenging course can be taken, e.g., Eng. 111 is a prerequisite for Eng. 201. 65 Proficiency A measurement of ability/quality 66 Proof of acceptance A letter that says that you have been accepted 67 Proof of eligibility The ability to document amount of Indian blood or some similar qualification 68 Regional corporation One of 13 ANCSA corporations 69 Required classes Courses that you must pass in order to complete certain requirements 70 Rigor of course work Degree of difficulty of a course 71 Room and board Housing and meals 72 SAT scores College entrance exams, not required in Alaska 73 Scholarship/loan A contract that is a scholarship if all of the elements are completed by the student, no need to pay any money back –dollar value must be paid back with interest if the elements of the contract are not fulfilled 74 Scholarship (merit) Scholarship money based on really high ACT or SAT scores 75 Scholarship (needs based) Scholarship money based on what your budget requires 76 Scholastic probation A limited amount of time to bring up your grades (usually one semester) otherwise you flunk out 77 School activities Anything that you do that is sponsored or funded by the school district 78 Selection criteria The basis used to determine who the recipient will be 79 Selective service number Military registration for males age 18 80 Semester/trimester/ quarter The length of a grading period – varies from one institution to another – most use semester 81 Shareholder of ANCSA corporation Have formal documents that show that you own a part of the corporation 82 Social security number Need to have the actual card issued by the government (SSN) 83 Specialist degree An advanced degree one year beyond the masters degree 84 Statement of purpose A formal explanation of why you want to do something 85 Student loan Usually a federally supported system of money for college students – must be paid back plus interest 86 Timely submission of application/data Meeting the deadline to turn all appropriate paperwork – failure to do so usually means disqualification 87 Transcript (official) Document with school seal and/or principal’s signature – shows courses and grades 88 Transcript (unofficial) Same as above but without school seal and/or signature 89 Travel expenses The cost of moving from one place to another – Be sure to calculate both directions. 90 Tribal membership Official documentation that shows the Native’s relationship to his/her home village 91 Tuition The actual cost of taking a particular course - $$$ per credit 92 Undergraduate program All courses taken before the bachelor degree is earned 93 University A group of colleges under one administration 94 University fees A general term applies to many special college costs 95 Unused scholarship Scholarship money that was not claimed by the person who was awarded the money 96 Upper level courses College courses usually reserved for juniors and seniors 97 Use of funds Specific application of money 98 Vocational institution An special type of school that trains students in areas of Skills such as aviation, welding, baking, electronics, etc. 99 Vocational/career goals Types of work that you want to do to earn a living or achievements that you want to earn
Diploma Still Needed
Students who are under the age of 21 and not currently enrolled in school but would like to earn a high school equivalency diploma have the option of taking the GED Exam.
For information on how to enroll in a GED preparation course from your location or how/when to register to take the exam, contact the LKSD Career Counselor, your school principal, or head teacher.
For individuals over the age of 21 who did not earn a high school diploma, you also have the option to take the GED Exam to earn a high school equivalency diploma. Contact the LKSD Career Counselor, the local school principal, or head teacher.
Free GED practice tests or to order practice books:
http://www.gedpractice.com
Free on-line GED study guide:
http://www.studyguidezone.com
Documents
Don't leave home without them.
Documents
Dream
Think about what you dream about doing someday. See if you can draw a box on a piece of paper and put some ideas about that dream in there. Next think about some small steps you can take to keep yourself moving on the road to some part of that dream.
Essays
Essay Advice pdf file.Writing a Winning College Entrance Essay (Which May Be Used As a Scholarship Essay) Advice from Yale’s Margit Dahl, From "Bottom Line" When students apply to college, their grades, extracurricular records, and recommendations are clear. The application essay, however, is the opportunity for students to present themselves most effectively. When admissions officers read essays, they search for evidence of curiosity, strong moral character and the capacity to commit to meaningful endeavors. To write the best essay possible. . . 1. Don’t be shy. . . be personal. Applicants sometimes make the mistake of writing from the third person point of view. That may work for term papers. . . but for a winning college essay, first person usually works better. Admissions officers want to get a sense of your unique voice and distinctive qualities. Write from your soul. WARNING: Admissions officers often assume that essays with lofty prose were written with the liberal use of a thesaurus and too-close adult supervision. 2. Narrow your focus. If you took a trip to Germany or Seattle, find a way to vividly integrate your personality into the experience. If you can’t you’re better off penning a piece closer to home. If you spent the summer working at a fast food restaurant or at a fish packing plant, did flipping burgers or gutting fish make you appreciate the value of education? Were your coworkers interesting? Did those people influence your outlook on the world? Your answers could be the basis of a compelling essay. 3. Be unusual. Discovering something extraordinary about an ordinary experience is strong fodder for an essay. Example: One great essay sent to Yale was about a trip to a family farm. From a perch atop a barn, the writer reminisced about how the environment around the farm was changing. In the process, she communicated a mature level of i sight about economic and environmental change and wrote with feeling authority, and vivid detail. 4. Convey your curiosity. Another favorite essay came from an applicant who seemed destined to become a scientist. He wrote about his adolescent experiences conducting experiments in his basement. The applicant’s natural sense of humor shone throughout the essay. And it was clear that even if this aspiring scientist unexpectedly discovered in his sophomore year that music was really his future, he would approach Beethoven with the same intensity that drove him to dismantle old toasters. 5. Consider your audience. The reader probably has been through a heavy pile of essays, with a fat stack beneath yours. Write in a way that holds the reader’s interest. Make yourself come alive on paper.One other possible plan for essays: Speak to the reader as if they were your friend and you are telling them the story of something you learned. Begin with a first sentence and paragraph that sets the stage and develops a hint of an outline for the journey you are about to re-live with them.
Here are some starters:
I used to think ______ until ______________.
The different kinds of ________ marked the different parts of ___________.
There were many parts to that book that made me _________.
Here are some links for other help with essays:
Essay Help
Interviews
InterviewsJobs
Information is the greatest tool to finding jobs that will work for you. There are many resources explained on our Jobs/Explorations page.
Also, the phone number for the State of Alaska Job Center in Bethel is:
800-478-2210 or 543-2210.
The people there can answer many of your questions and tell you about
the resources they have for you to use for free.
Other Job Center locations in Alaska:
http://www.jobs.state.ak.us/index.html
Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation pdf.
Request for Letter of Recommendation
I realize that I am asking a really big favor from you when I
ask you to write a letter of recommendation for me. Below are
some ideas that will help make your task a little bit easier.
To: ___________________________ Today’s date _________________
(person asked to write the letter)__________
From: _____________________________________________
(person about whom the letter will be written)
Name of scholarship(s) ____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________
Date the letter(s) is/are due: __________________________
Completed letter should be: (check one) ___ given to the counselor
___ mailed directly to the person
listed below
___ returned to me
Person to whom the letter will be sent: __________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
This letter should emphasize (check those items that are appropriate):
1. GPA and academic record _____
2. School activities _____
3. Community involvement/activities _____
4. Need for financial aid _____
5. Career goals _____
6. Personal characteristics _____
7. Other (list and be specific) _____
Please use company letterhead if you have it. Thanks.
In order to write this letter of recommendation for me, you may
need the following information:
Name ___________________________________ GPA _____
(as it appears on the application forms) class rank _____
My address and home phone number (if any)
________________________________________________________________________
Career goal(s): _______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_________________
School activities: _____________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
__________________
Awards, recognitions, honors: __________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
School offices held (either elected or appointed): _____________________
________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Community (including church) activities and offices: ___________________
_________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Employment record: _____________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________
Teachers who know me the best: _________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
______________________________
Financial need (Be very specific if need is a factor.): ________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Resumes
There is a large section about Resumes at the bottom of the Jobs/Explorations page.Scholarships
There are two parts to this advice section and they are each available as pdf files: Financial Aid and Scholarships and Financial Planning.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Financial Aid and Scholarships FIRST STEPS 1 Take the ACT college entrance examination. The ACT used to be required for entrance to the University of Alaska System. You may still need it if your intend to apply for a 4-yar degree program or if you plan to attend a college outside Alaska. If you have already taken it, take it again because higher scores may mean fewer remedial or “catch up” courses that you may have to take when you arrive at college. Higher ACT scores can improve your chances of getting scholarships that are based on “merit.” 2 Apply to colleges before Christmas. However, if the application requires a transcript of your first seven semesters of high school, you may want to wait until the first semester grades are available. Go ahead and fill out the application, proof read it for accuracy and completeness, and make a copy of it for your own files. Mail the application as soon as a copy of the transcript is ready. 3 In January you will receive a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for the 2005/2006 academic year. This is also known as the Pell Grant Application. When you fill this out, two things will happen. First, you will tell the Federal Government how poor you are. Secondly, you automatically apply for the Pell Grant (free money for college) as well as other types of Federal student aid like work study, SEOG, etc. To fill out the FAFSA, you must have copies of your parents’ and your own 2005 (for the year 2004) income tax returns. Even if you don’t have or your parents don’t have any income to report, you must fill out a tax form nevertheless. You must remind your parents to file their 2004 Federal Income Tax Returns as soon as they can. You can’t file your application without their copies. It is possible to file a preliminary application with income tax estimates as long as you file the actual numbers as soon as possible thereafter. Never send in original copies of the IRS forms. Be sure that you keep copies of all papers that you fill out: college applications, letters of recommendations forms, scholarship applications, income tax forms. You may want to make two copies: one for your permanent home and one for your college home. Remember that, if you lose it, you will have to do it all over again. Plus you will need to repeat many of these steps the following year when you reapply for scholarships. DIFFERENT KINDS OF FINANCIAL AID GRANTS: This is free money that doesn’t have to be repaid. Most grants are not even taxable, but check with an expert before filing. Grants are the best kind of financial aid and come with the fewest restrictions. One example is the Pell Grant. If you qualify for this grant (Your income must be below certain levels.), you can receive up to $3200 per year for four years for a total of almost $14,000. WORK-STUDY: With work-study, instead of giving you money for college directly, the college allows you work on-campus for perhaps 15 hours per week at perhaps $6.00 per hour. So, if your Work-Study award is $1,800, you will have to work 300 hours at some job at the college. You might be a typist, or you might help the janitorial staff, or you might work in the PE department handing out towels. Work study money does not add up very fast, but at least it does not have to be repaid. SCHOLARSHIPS: Scholarship money is free money that usually does not have to be repaid. NEVER apply for a scholarship if the scholarship people ask YOU for money up front. Those people are usually trying to sell you information that is free if you know where to look. Scholarship money does tend to have more restrictions than grant money. You may have to maintain a certain GPA to keep receiving it. You may have to major in a certain area of study or carry a minimum number of semester hours each semester. Scholarships fall into two categories: competitive and needs-based. Competitive (merit) scholarships require that you have a high GPA, a high ACT score, and maybe a history of involvement in school and community activities. These scholarships usually are difficult to get. Needs-based scholarships, on the other hand, are based more on how much (or how little) income you and your family have or don’t have. They are awarded with lower GPA’s and lower ACT’s. Many of the scholarships that students from our region receive are needs-based scholarships funded by Alaska Native associations and even the BIA. Your membership in a certain group such as Yup’ik Native Americans or Calista will mean that you may be considered for one of their scholarships while non-Yup’ik or non-Calista students will not. Even membership in these organizations does not guarantee anybody a scholarship. When you accept any scholarship, you should know if it is a one-time award or renewable each year or each year. You should know whether you must maintain a minimum GPA each semester. You should know what will happen if you change majors or transfer to another college or university. LOAN-SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS: These programs give you money for school just as regular scholarships do. But, if you drop out, don’t finish your program, transfer to a different major, or transfer to a different college, the scholarship becomes a loan which MUST BE PAID BACK BY YOU. Many loan-scholarship programs have “forgiveness” provisions. That is, if you agree to work after graduation in certain areas, part of your loan will be “forgiven.” For example, if you have a teacher education loan from a particular school district, for each of the first four years that you teach in that district 25% of the loan would be forgiven. In that sense, the loan becomes a scholarship. After four years of teaching in that district, there would be not loan at all to repay. Medicine and education are the two most common types of loan-scholarships. A pretty good deal. LOANS: A loan is the least attractive of financial aid. All loans must be repaid. Do not take out a college loan before your have exhausted all grant and scholarship and work possibilities. A loan may saddle you with a lot of bills that you must start paying back as soon as you either drop out, reduce your load below minimums, or graduate. SOME PROBLEMS: One problem that was noted with last year’s seniors who went to Haskell Indian Nations University was that most of the scholarship money was earmarked for tuition or room and board. That meant that there was little or no money for transportation to and from school. Even with free tuition and free room and board at Haskell, there was still $2,000 needed for two round trips to Lawrence, Kansas. Most students want to go home for Christmas break. Make sure that you know how much your scholarship is worth per semester or per year. Make sure that you know what you have to do to keep the scholarship money coming in. Make sure that you know how often the scholarship money is paid and when it is to be paid. Frequently students arrive on campus on Labor Day but the scholarship money doesn’t arrive until several weeks later. What should you do? Does the scholarship check go to you, or does it go directly to the financial aids office? Make sure that you know what expenses a particular scholarship will cover. Another problem is not knowing what to do when things go wrong. There is a tremendous amount of paperwork that must be dealt with, especially during the summer before you enter college. Not dealing quickly with problems when they arise can be devastating. Your ability to identify the people who can help you can be critical. Most teachers are not in the village during the summer, so you must be able to find, on your own, the people who can help you solve these unexpected problems. One thing that you can do for yourself is to make your directory of all of your major contacts: (1) admissions office, (2) student services office, (3)financial aids office, (4) every scholarship source that you have applied to, (5) persons whom you have asked for letters of recommendation, and (6) the LKSD main office where copies of your transcript are kept. Below will be listed data for the last entry. When you receive a paper or some other document that you do not understand, don’t just sit there. Contact somebody. PIECES OF PAPER ARE IMPORTANT!!! A single piece of paper may be worth thousands of dollars or the formal letter of acceptance to/for you. If you fail to turn it in or deal with it in a timely fashion the money or opportunity may be lost. DEADLINES ARE IMPORTANT. You may spend many hours on applications, scholarships, etc. But, if you send them in late, they won’t be accepted. All of your previous effort will be for nothing. IN THE END: There will be a lot of confusion and frustration dealing with this process. Personnel will change, phone numbers will change, papers will be misplaced, and people will forget. That is just a part of Murphy’s Law. Learning to deal with these potential problems will become a part of your college education. Invest in your own future. When it is all over, you will have the change to get a quality higher education that you can use any way you wish any where you wish. You will meet people from all over the world, go to parties, travel places, make your own decisions, etc. Going to college can be difficult, but you will have free time. What you do with it will be within your control. Make the best of it. Lower Kuskokwim School District Box 305 Bethel, Alaska 99559 1-907-543-4859 Minnie Joekay, Student Records if no answer, call 1-907-543-4858 Les Daenzer, Ass’t Supervisor of Instructional Programs COLLEGE LOANS In general, Native students from LKSD are eligible for many scholarships and grants. Those students who have good grades, good test scores, and good character should not need to borrow money to go to college. In many respects, the same applies to students who want to attend an accredited vocational institution. Before a student decides that he/she needs to borrow, he/she needs to do at least four things first. One, make out a detailed budget that covers about one calendar year (at the very least one full school year plus the following summer (in order to include income from a summer job). Two, fill out dozens and dozens of scholarship applications, especially those scholarship sources that conduct business in the LKSD region in particular and those that conduct business in Alaska in general. Three, make several contacts with the financial aids office to make sure that all sources there have been exhausted. Four, make sure that the FAFSA (Pell Grant) application has been filled out and submitted. For those students who do not have their or their parents’ federal income tax preparations completed, the FAFSA may be submitted with estimated information as long as the correct information is later submitted when the final tax papers have been completed. THE ALASKA COMMISSION ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION is a great clearinghouse for what are advertised as the “best rate in the U.S.” www.state.ak.us/acpe federal lender ID: 826966 -This number may be very important on your application forms. Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education 3030 Vintage Blvd. Juneau, Alaska 99801-7100 1-800-441-2962 (toll free) 1-907-465-3143 alaskadvantage.state.ak.us
Financial Planning for College
Financial Planning for College All of you are unique. You have different birthdays. You come from different families in different villages. You have different plans. You have different ways of achieving your goals. Some of you have really focused on your goals while others are still developing goals. Some of you think of college in different ways. The term college can be applied to any number of actual colleges, universities, trade schools, and vocational training centers for the purpose of this paper. So, is college in your future? If it is, then let’s get busy, busy, busy. Does it surprise you that not all rules, not all requirements, not all guidelines, and certainly not benefits will apply equally to all seniors. For example, gentlemen, when you become seventeen years old, you need to register with the Selective Service System. Ladies don’t need to do that. The short, simple process needs to be completed by no later than 30 days after each young man’s eighteenth birthday. It is the law. Just go to www.sss.gov or to your local post office and ask for the registration form. You will have almost no chance of getting most scholarships unless this federal requirement has been taken care of first. Ladies, there are some scholarships that go only to wome applicants. There is a list of some of those scholarships in the white 3-ring binder that your site counselor has. Some students will get more scholarships because they live in particular villages. Some students will get more scholarships because they have earned really good grades or because they have earned really high standardized test scores. Some scholarships and grants are conditional. That is, students will get the scholarships because they are willing to study and serve in a particular industry of vocation. For example, there are large financial incentives for students who want to become educators or nurses or doctors or dentists. Some scholarships are simply gifts of money. Others are strict contracts with huge penalties. Every senior needs to inspect every scholarship to determine whether there are special considerations for the recipient. 1. Does the scholarship have a pre-determined value, or does its value depend on the student’s financial needs? 2. Is there a minimum high school grade point average (GPA) that a senior must have in order to apply for the scholarship? 3. Is the scholarship connected to any particular test score? If so, what test is involved, and where/how does the student take the test? Can the test be taken more than once? Who pays for the costs of taking the test? 4. Is the scholarship a one time only payment, or is the scholarship renewable? For how many semesters? For how many years? 5. If it is renewable, how often must it be renewed? Every semester? Every Year? 6. What minimum GPA, if any, must be maintained? Is there an appeal process if the minimum GPA is not maintained? 7. Will the value of a given scholarship be the same each year? 8. If a student discontinues attendance in college, can he/she still receive the scholarship at a later date? If so, what are the procedures? The information given below is for your benefit. You will decide when you want to use it, whether you want use it, and what parts you want to use. 1. By now you should have requested an application packet and an information packet from the institution(s) of your choice. 2. By now you should have completed the application form and mailed the processing fee of about $40.00. 3. By now you should have begun a system of filing all of your important papers into some sort of container so that all of your applications, notes, letters, various bits of information can be kept neat, clean, and well organized. This is one of your very high priorities. 4. Now that January is here, it is time to concentrate on building your college budget. Basically your budget is a plan of income, expenses, and savings of money over the span of time that you plan to attend college. Your particular college should be able to supply you with typical expenses associated with attendance there. Be sure to ask about anticipated increases in costs, such as in increase of 10% in the tuition, over at least the next school year. 5. Another budget that you will need to develop is your time budget. The average high school college bound student will need to spend about an hour per day for the whole senior year second semester to take care of the paper work alone. Some spend much more time because they want to obtain many more scholarships or because they want to meet special qualifications or conduct some special research. 6. Keep handy a notebook in which to keep track of items that come to your attention. Not all information will flow smoothly. Sometimes it comes in little bits, and sometimes it comes in big batches. Sometimes it will come in easy to understand language. Sometimes you won’t understand much of it. If you really, really want to go to college, stay the course, get organized, and take responsibility for yourself, and don’t let anybody prevent you from reaching your goal. 7. Now read the attachment entitled “Budgeting for Post Secondary Activities”. You may want to make a hard copy so that you can make notes on it. You will want to work on both sides of the budget at the same time or at least go back and forth between both sides. 8. Start with the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). This document is also referred to as the Pell Grant, named after Senator Pell, who helped write this scholarship bill many years ago. Your school already should have a hard copy of the application. I have a few in my office. You can download an application by using two addresses: one, www.studentaid.ed.gov and two, www.fafsa.ed.gov. How much federal funding you receive will depend on the amounts of income you and your parents report on your federal income tax forms and then transfer those amounts to the FAFSA form. You may have questions about the FAFSA. Use the phone to get answers to almost any question that you can think of. 1-800-4 –FED-AID (1-800-730-3243) There are literally millions of college students who are filling out these same forms, so you will have plenty of company. From last year your school has two videotapes that might be able to help you. If you ask me for help in filling out the FAFSA, in most cases I’ll ask you if you have first viewed the tapes and whether you have phoned FAFSA to request help. 9. The FAFSA form requires that you give the federal school code number. Each institution has its own unique code number. Here are the code numbers for institutions in Alaska: Alaska Bible College 014325 Alaska Pacific University 001061 AVTEC 031603 Career Academy 017066 Charter College 017377 Galena City School District – PROJE 036773 Ilisagvik College 034613 Sheldon Jackson College 001062 UAA 011462 UAS 001065 UAF 001063 There are numerous satellite attendance centers for the University of Alaska system. For example, KuC is a satellite attendance center for the University of Alaska – Fairbanks. The Federal School Code number should be the same as the main campus number. Contact the campus financial aid office to verify that information. Don’t guess. Your money could go to some place else. If you need the Federal School Code number for an institution outside Alaska, just send me an e-mail. If I’m in my office, I’ll try to give you the answer within a day. If I am travellin to other schools, I’ll try to give you an answer the next weekend. If I forget, just send me a reminder message in bigger print. 10. Fill in the expenses part as quickly and accurately as possible. You may need to contact the financial aid office to get the college expenses. In general, you will need about $15,000 for the first year of college. Some expenses such as computers and printers should occur only once during your whole 2- or 4-year college career, so your second year may be less expensive than the first year. 11. Now move on to scholarships that come from local sources. Read the attachment entitled “Scholarships** Post Secondary Education/Training”. You will note that ONC, the local Native non-profit agency for Bethel students is not listed, but AVCP is listed. What is the difference? In general, the AVCP serves most Native students who live outside Bethel, and ONC serves most Native students who live in Bethel. But some village students are not eligible for AVCP aid. That situation may be the result of the relationship between the particular village and AVCP. In that case, the particular village probably has its own vehicle for obtaining funding for college bound students. Individual students should contact their own local native council in addition to AVCP and ONC. If you don’t ask, the answer will always be “NO”. So ask away. In addition, always ask the individuals who work there whether they are aware of any additional funding sources. 12. Requesting funds from a scholarship source is similar to requesting an admission application and other college information. 13. Filling out the scholarship application, on the other hand, may be much more laborious. First, make a Xerox copy to use as a rough draft. Second, check all responses for accuracy. Third, use dark blue or black ink for your final draft. Fourth, make a Xerox copy of the final draft before your mail the final draft. File the copy with all of our important copies. Fifth, trash the rough draft. 14. Almost all of your needs based scholarship applications will require of your budget. Once your budget is complete, you will be able to use the same information over and over again. If you make an attractive budget, you might want to include a copy of it in addition to the form that you fill out. Or you might want to contact whoever will work with and evaluate your application to see if you can substitute your own formatted budget for the original copy. If you choose to substitute, it will be a good idea to ask first. 15. Watch out for deadlines. No matter what, you are responsible for getting your work done on time. If there is no stated deadline, then submit the materials ASAP. In some cases the funds run out before all of the applications have been submitted. In those instances the first applicants get funding, and later applicants get nothing. 16. Make a record of the date you actually put the application in the mail. If you do not get a response of some kind after about three weeks from the mailing date, call the scholarship source. Simply ask to speak to the person in charge of college scholarship sources. Ask that person whether or not your application has been received. If it has been received, when will it be processed? How soon after it has been processed will a determination be made? 17. Please remember that the FAFSA frequently is a prerequisite for many other scholarship applications. It is important to be able to honestly state that the FAFSA has been submitted but that you have not yet received your Student Aid Report (SAR). 18. In most instances you will never see the check from the scholarship source. The Scholarship source will usually send you a letter of congratulations about receiving the scholarship and perhaps the dollar value. Later it will send the check to the college that you named on the application form. Frequently those scholarship checks get to the colleges late, so it is important that you be relatively certain about the date that the check will be cut and then mailed to the college. Just call, get the person’s name and phone number in case you need to call again later. Though you may be scared and frustrated regarding you funding, remember that this is a business call. Remember your manners. Make sure that you send a thank-you note to everybody who gives you a graduation present and/or scholarship. It is the right thing to do. 19. Can you get cash from your scholarships? The answer depends on several factors. Do the scholarship totals and cash on hand in the college financial aid office total more than your anticipated expenses? If the answer is yes, then you may be permitted to withdraw some cash. Usually the financial aid office establishes the rules for the withdrawal of funds, so understand the rules early in the game. Be sure to find out the office hours of the financial aid office. The office may not be open on Saturday when you need the money for something important. What happens when the semester ends and you have several thousand dollars of money left in your account? Again, the financial aid office aid sets the rules. Think savings and investments whenever possible. The next semester may have more expenses than you have scholarships. Then you might need to spend some of your savings or investments.
Scholarship Scams
Be very careful about giving out personal information over the internet or through email such as your Social Security Number and Birthdate.
Research this area further at: http://www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams
Schools
There are many different kinds of schools in the world and on line. Some schools are apprenticeship programs. Other types of schooling can be jobs that train you. You can also school yourself in some ways. Here are a few steps to getting into your schools. Also, see the checklist that follows.
- Find out about the schools that are out there and to find out about yourself and what you would like in a school.
- Make decisions about which schools you are going to try to get into.
- Get applications from those schools, complete the applications and send them off to the schools by the right time.
- Make sure you filled out a FAFSA as close to every February as possible and that you are working on your scholarship situation.
- Find out from the schools if you have been accepted and then to decide which school you want to go to.
- Send the small deposit of money that the school might require to hold your spot before their deadline.
- Continue organizing your finances, transportation, schedule of classes, housing situation and to gather your documents together.
- Keep focused and learn by doing.
Helpful Checklist for New College Students
There is a way to see, save, and/or print the following advice as a
pdf file:
Helpful Checklist.
Or, you could always select, copy
and paste any section of this web page into your own word processing page.
- Apply for personal identification number (pin) through www.pin.ed.gov. Both parents and the student need a pin number before the FAFSA can be completed on the website www.fafsa.ed.gov .
- Take ACT, SAT, and/or placement tests.
- Speak to an academic advisor and choose a degree program.
- Apply for admission. If admission to the college of your choice is competitive, you may want to apply to several colleges. Not everybody gets into the college that he/she wants to attend. Order required documents that go along with application for admission: transcripts and test scores
- Apply for on-campus housing.
- Apply for FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), also known as the Pell Grant.
- Apply for many scholarships.
- Apply for tuition waivers. Ask the financial aids office how/where/to whom to apply. In some colleges, the tuition waiver will be processed through the department from which you are receiving your degree.
- Make sure the admissions process is complete and in order.
- Sign up for New Student Orientation.
- Register for classes.
- Pay your fees: tuition, housing, meals, lab, student activities, etc.
- Get a parking permit. Many colleges do not permit freshmen to have a vehicle on campus.
- Buy books and other instructional supplies.
- Know where to get help on campus: academic, personal counseling, medical, financial, etc.
REMEMBER: THERE ARE DEADLINES.
Senior Planning Guide
There is a way to see, save, and/or print the following advice as a
pdf file:
Senior Planning.
Or, you could always select, copy
and paste any section of this web page into your own word processing page.
Senior Planning Guide – Monthly Schedule
The following is a planning guide to help seniors, parents
of seniors, and school staff members get a handle on when
particular tasks should be completed. The timeline gives
approximate information. Students are responsible for
identifying the deadline for various applications and tasks.
Not all scholarship sources have the same requirements,
and not all colleges have the same requirements or deadlines.
September
All seniors
A. Students should set up and outline their main goal for the year
following high school -- college, tech school, job, marriage, military, etc.
1. College and tech school bound:
--finalize 3 – 5 colleges to which they want to apply
--send for the latest college catalogs and admissions applications -- most
of this information now available on the colleges’ web sites
--study catalogs for courses offered, majors available, and sources of
financial aid
2. Job seeker:
--assess jobs available
--assess present skills and research skills needed for job desired
--assess whether available jobs agrees with value system and likes and dislikes
B. Students should review their interest inventory results -- Interest
inventories are available through PEAK materials, various web sites, ACT,
ASVAB, and District Office voc. ed. director
C. Assess finances for independence - Keep copies in your career folder
1. College and tech school bound
--make a list of financial aid sources to which they wish to apply paying
particular attention to deadlines
--write a personal essay describing self, goals, future plans, etc. that
can be used as a base for scholarship applications throughout the year
2. Job seeker
--develop outline of finances needed for life after high school with
relation to what can be earned and the life style planned (number of
family members, rent, utilities, vehicle use, clothing, food, etc.
October
All seniors
A. Do some job shadowing experience if at all possible -- perhaps
through Ross Boring in District Office or local school OJT and similar programs.
B. Take ASVAB if at all possible. It is a good assessment of abilities.
Although it is a military product, no student who takes the ASVAB is
obligated in any way to sign up for entering the military service.
Contact District Office Voc Ed director for availability. The plan
is to be able to administer the survey at all sites that request it.
College Bound Students
C. *Need to register with site administrator and then the BRHS counselor for
the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) -- Find out for sure when the college
of choice requires the SAT. Many SAT preparation materials are available
commercially, including practice tests.
**Register with the District Office Career Counselor for the ACT American
Testing Program if the college of choice requires it. The ACT does
publish free practice test materials. -- Students who want to earn
a 4-year degree probably will need it.
***Determine whether the college of choice requires the ASSET or COMPASS TEST.
-- used as placements to determine whether the student will go into
remedial, regular, or advanced freshman courses -- currently used by
most of the University of Alaska system -- currently no published
preparation materials
*****Test preparation materials will help students become familiar with
the kinds of questions they might expect to see on the test.
1. For the selected college of choice, develop a list of contacts
(Exact wording may vary from college to college.) such as
a. Office of admissions
b. Office of financial aids
c. Office of housing
d. Office of Student Services
e. Special offices such as Rural Student Services at UAF
f. Phone number, especially toll free number
g. FAX number
h. Main contact person’s name in each office
i. E-mail address
j. Method of contact through web site address
2. Keep copies in your career folder.
a. Copies of business card contacts
b. Copies of all college and job applications
c. Copies of all scholarship applications
d. Copies of notes of all phone conversations with various officials
November
College and tech school students:
A. Take the ACT and/or SAT. In this school district the ACT is usually
given in the spring semester. Contact the career counselor immediately
if you know for sure that you need the ACT during the fall semester.
The fees for taking the ACT and SAT are site expenses, not the expense
of the student.
B. Contact the college of choice to determine how the ASSET or COMPASS
can be delivered to your school, probably in the spring semester.
C. Actually fill out and submit application forms for the college or
trade school of choice. Admission is not necessarily automatic, so
some students apply to two or three college. College application is
not free. It usually costs $35.00 or more, so save some of the Alaska
Permanent Dividend check for preliminary college expenses. You may
apply for scholarship reimbursement later. Submit all requested forms
and materials (health, housing, preliminary transcripts, etc.) Keep
copies in your career folders.
D. Begin searching for college and voc tech financial assistance form
for grants, scholarships, and loans from a variety of sources (local,
state, and federal). Most scholarship forms are filled out early
during the second semester.)
E. Request letters of recommendation from teachers and community
members who know you and will say positive things about you. Try
to avoid friends and family members (difficult to do in small
villages). Keep copies in your career folder.
Job Seekers and possibly college and voc tech students who may
need too supplement income with a part-time job.
F. Update your resume.
G. Practice filling out job application forms and make a record
of basic information that goes into most forms - Keep a copy
handy when applying for a job.
H. Practice interviewing - probably as a part of some class work.
I. Request letters of recommendation as in “E” above.
December
College and tech school students:
A. Check school catalogs and web sites to make sure necessary
admission and financial forms have been completed and submitted.
Keep a copy of all forms in your career folder. Calling the
admissions office to verify that everything is complete is highly
recommended if you have not received any communication within one
month after you have submitted the application.
January and February
All seniors
A. Students need to begin looking for summer jobs with local agencies
(stores, corporations, government, schools, non-profit agencies, etc.).
College and tech school students
B. Students need to check to see that their first semester grades have
been posted and that first semester transcripts have been sent and that
all directly mailed letters of recommendation have been mailed.
C. Complete the FAFSA form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
-- Students and their parents will need completed tax returns for the
previous tax year. Or estimated figures can be submitted and then
later followed by the required actual information. The FAFSA is
a prerequisite for many other scholarships. It is a must do.
D. Complete Alaska Student Loan forms if necessary, but spend a
lot more time on scholarships than loans. Scholarships do not
have to be paid back, but loans plus interest do.
E. If you are Native, be sure to seek scholarships from such
organizations as AVCP, Calista, local traditional councils,
Coastal Villages Region Fund, etc. Students will need verification
of Native Blood certificate.
F. Continue to look for scholarships and other financial aid.
G. Complete your personal college budget. Many scholarship
application forms require that students be able to justify
why they need money for college or tech school. Figures must
be realistic.
H. This is the ACT testing season, as well as other similar
tests. Make sure that you have take advantage of practice tests
and study materials.
March through May
All seniors
A. Finish up Career Portfolio. Update resume, complete practice
applications, interest inventories, list of high school courses
(from your copy of your transcript), grades, activities, awards,
and letters of recommendation.
B. Complete summer arrangement for work or school.
College and Tech School Students:
C. Most schools will have notified students of their decisions
on admissions and financial aid by now. If you haven’t heard,
you need to contact the admissions office.
D. As soon as you graduate, make sure that your final transcript
is mailed to admissions office and many of your scholarship sources.
June
All Seniors
A. Your Career Portfolios are yours. You have put a lot of work
into it. Take it with you when you graduate. Keep it updated as
the years pass.
College and Tech School Students:
B. Students should check that their final transcripts sent to the
college or tech school or scholarship source with verification of
graduation. Have been received. Many things get lost in the summer shuffle.
Job Seekers:
C. Resumes, Applications, and interview skills are completed, and
you are actively seeking employment or are already employed.
ALL EMPLOYED PERSONNEL:
D. Always be looking for the next better job. Never quit any job
out of anger. Don’t be in a hurry to quit one job until you have
the next one lined up. The job market may be tighter than you
think in your area. You may wind up taking a poorer job just to have
a job, or you may be unemployed for a considerable length of time.
E. In your Career Portfolio keep a record of all of your college,
scholarship, job placement contacts.
1. me of contact person
2. Date/time of contact
3. Name of institution or business
4. Phone number
5. FAX number
6. Web sit contact
7. E-mail address
8. Mailing address
F. In your Career Portfolio keep a record of all of your college,
scholarship, and job placement papers (applications, records, etc.)
When you see an item repeated, the item is extremely important.
Schedules may vary for some individuals depending on unique
situations and circumstances.
Taxes
http://www.irs.gov/individuals/students/index.htmlTest Preparation
The admissions department can tell you which admissions or placement test you will have to take to be admitted to a particular program.
- ACT
The ACT test, is one of several college entrance exams. It will assess your educational development in the subjects of English, math, reading, and science and your ability to complete college-level work. Ask your counselor if the ACT test is the right test for you! In the meantime, you can check out the following websites.
ACT: http://www.act.org
Free on-line study guide: http://www.studyguidezone.com -
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a college entrance exam. It assesses your knowledge of critical thinking skills in the subject areas of Reading, Writing, and Math. These skills are necessary for college success. Ask your counselor if the SAT test is the right test for you! In the meantime, you can check out the following websites:
SAT: http://www.collegeboard.com
Free on-line study guide: http://www.studyguidezone.com
Students and Parents! Don’t forget to log on to http://www.collegeboard.com to receive a Free SAT Question of the Day! -
GED
The GED test is available for those students who did not complete high school. Individuals who successfully complete the GED test will qualify for a high school equivalency certificate (General Equivalency Diploma). The GED test questions focus on the 5 content areas of expression, reading, natural science, social science, and math.
Free GED practice tests or to order practice books:
http://www.gedpractice.com
Free on-line GED study guide:
http://www.studyguidezone.com -
ASVAB
The ASVAB test is an aptitude test given by the US Armed Services. The military uses the test results to determine who qualifies for admittance to the military. However, just because a student takes this test does not mean they have any affiliation with the military. High schools typically use this tool as a career and interest inventory and profiler. The results give students an idea of which subject areas they are skilled in and compares that to multiple professions. It also helps students explore their interests as they relate to their specific skills and different occupations.
Free ASVAB practice tests:
http://secure.military.com/leads/Recruiting/RecruitingLeadForm1.jsp?asvab=yes
Try New Things
There is a way to see, save, and/or print the following advice as a
pdf file:
Try New Things.
Try New Things!
The more we do, the more we learn. Even if we don’t do it
“right,” we have at least learned yet another way of not
doing it. That’s learning. That’s growth.
So you don’t (yet) know how to do something. So?
“For the things we have to learn before we can do them,
we learn by doing them.” And that was said by none
less than Aristotle.
We’re not suggesting you do more of what you already find
comfortable. We’re encouraging you to explore the things
you find uncomfortable—the ones you’re afraid to do, the
ones you don’t think you’d think you’d have the energy to
do, the ones you’re sure you’ll be judged harshly by others.
Why do you care what others think? You are in charge.
What is the underlying question in trying new trying new things?
Would I hurt myself physically (not emotionally or mentally) if
I did this? It is not could (We could hurt ourselves doing
almost anything.), but would. If the answer is “no,” then do it.
It may not be comfortable (It’s not supposed to be.), and you may
make a lot of mistakes (Count on it.), but you’ll learn more than
if you sat home in, “That indolent but agreeable condition of doing
nothing, as Pliny (the Younger) put it a more than a thousand years ago.
Try it. You may or may or not like it, but you will learn from it.
Learning is growing. Not growing is dying.
Who Is In Control?
Who Is In Control pdf file. Who Is In Control?
Who Me, a Senior?
- Who controls when I go to bed or get up?
- Who is responsible for what I watch on TV?
- Who decides who my friends are?
- Who will decide who my marriage partner will be?
- Who determines whether I complete my assignments and do my homework?
- Who will determine where I will live after I graduate?
- Who will determine whether I will go to college or vocational training or the military after high school?
- Who will control what I will study after high school?
- Who will control where I will study after high school?
- Who will control how much money I will be able to earn after I graduate from high school?
If I am a senior and if I am in control, am I making decisions that will help me become the very best that I can be?