Comparing Aid Packages

Soon after you receive your acceptance letter(s), the colleges to which you've been accepted will send their financial aid award letters to you. Typically, colleges subtract the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) listed on your Student Aid Report (SAR) from the total cost of attendance to determine your financial need. Financial aid can range from grants and scholarships to work-study and student loans. The award letter notifies you of the total amount and type(s) of aid the school is offering. We've compiled some tips to help you and your family compare your award letters:

Ratio of grants to loans - Packages with a higher proportion of grant aid than loan aid are more appealing.

Ratio of self-help to grants - Self-help includes the EFC, loans and work-study. This is money and a work-study time commitment that you are expected to cover; you must determine whether you will be able to meet these obligations.

Loan Terms - Before signing on the dotted line, you should compare the various loans that are available. Different loans have different interest rates, discounts and repayment criteria. Subsidized Stafford Loans with low interest rates and no repayment until after graduation are more attractive than private or unsubsidized loans.

Gapping - The financial aid award the college offered doesn't cover your entire financial need. You and your family must decide if you're willing to take on the additional responsibility of filling in this 'gap.'

Beyond the 1st Year - You should find out if all of your financial awards are renewable beyond their first year at college. Many awards are renewable, but may have conditions attached to the renewal agreement.

Scholarships - At some colleges, private scholarships may directly reduce the amount of institutional aid the college offers. Other colleges allow scholarships to reduce the amount of loans a student may have to consider to fill in a 'gap.'

You can use the Award Analyzer on EducationPlanner.org to compare your awards and determine which college has provided you with the best aid package.

If you have questions related to your aid package, contact the financial aid office at the colleges you're most interested in attending. The financial aid office works with students and their families to help them find the best ways to finance their college education.

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What's Your Learning Style?

What's your learning style? Everyone has a different learning style. Some students like to work in groups; some like to use pictures or graphs; others prefer "hands-on" learning.

Learning style refers to the way people take in, process and organize information. There are three learning styles:

• Visual
• Auditory
• Tactile/Kinesthetic

Most people are visual learners; they learn best viewing pictures, using graphs and reading.

Auditory learners use the sense of hearing to process new information. Listening to a tape and reading out loud are a couple of the ways they learn.

Tactile/Kinesthetic learners rely on body movement and/or touch to learn. Clapping out rhythms, creating models and touching objects are some of the ways they learn.

You can discover your learning style on EducationPlanner.org. Take the online "Learning Styles Quiz" today, discover your learning style and get tips to help you become a better learner.

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How to Survive Wait List Limbo

You've finally received that long-awaited letter from the college of your dreams and find you haven't been accepted. . . you haven't been rejected, either. . .you've been placed on the college's wait. Suddenly you're in limbo. . what should you do now?

First, complete and send the postcard to the college to let them know you want to remain on the waiting list.

Write a letter to the admissions office and emphasize your desire to attend. Keep the college updated on everything that would add to your application - academic milestones, awards, achievements, etc.

Schedule a visit and request an interview; an interview will demonstrate your interest to attend and give you a personal contact in the admissions office.

You should reconsider the colleges that accepted you, accept an offer from one of them and send in the deposit. If you're admitted to your dream school from the wait list, you can always notify your second choice college that you've changed your mind and will be attending another school.

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Career Highlight: Landscape Architect

From city council hearings to corporate boardrooms, there's an increasing demand for the professional services of landscape architects. This reflects the public's desire for better housing, recreational and commercial facilities and a growing concern for environmental protection.

While having a working knowledge of architecture, civil engineering and urban planning, landscape architects take elements from each of these fields to design aesthetic and practical relationships with the land.

Employment opportunities abound with residential and commercial real estate developers, federal and state agencies, city planning commissions as well as individual property owners.

For additional information on the education required to become a landscape architect, contact the Schools of Architecture or Engineering at the colleges you're interested in attending.

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Check out our college and career planning website:
http://www.EducationPlanner.org/

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