This month

Planning your future

• Feature — Who's your competition?
• Your turn — Eight tips for preparing for college
• Stay on track — A checklist of "to-dos"
• Take notice — Important dates
• All about AIEmail — Subscribe, suggest, review

Feature

Who's your competition?

Have you ever stopped to wonder who will be your competition for jobs once you enter the job market? If you stop for a moment and think about the world today, the answer can be overwhelming.

Your future competition in the job market is:

• All the other students in your classroom, community, and across the nation
• International students that will participate in the global economy
• People of all ages and backgrounds that have varying degrees of experience in the workplace

The truth is, the job market becomes more challenging every day. Technology, the global economy, and efficient transportation are all bringing the world to our backyard. This is exciting, but it increases the importance of obtaining a post high school education for those entering the job market. Remember that, as challenging as finding a job in the real world might seem, you have the time, talent, and resources necessary to succeed.

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Web quest

Eight tips for preparing for college

Success in college means a world of opportunities. It's never too early to start planning. Here are some tips to prepare you for college:

1. Set positive goals for yourself.
   Take challenging courses so you are ready for Advanced Placement (AP) courses later. Take the PSAT in the 10th Grade.
2. Analyze your interests and abilities.
   Learn about colleges and programs that emphasize your interests and abilities. Check out college Web sites. Talk to your mentors and counselors about your strengths.
3. Read.
   Read for pleasure. Read what interests you. Read to learn. Read novels, nonfiction books, magazines, and newspaper articles. Borrow materials from your library regularly — and don't forget to return them. Studies show that students earn higher test scores when they read more and watch less TV.
4. Stay healthy.
   Be active outdoors, use neighborhood and school gyms and pools, participate in sports and dance. Eat a healthy diet and limit sweets and fats. Have regular medical and dental checkups. Get plenty of rest to keep your energy level up.
5. Get involved in extracurricular activities.
   Choose activities that help develop teamwork, leadership, and responsibility. Perform community service through community organizations. Join clubs in your areas of interest.
6. Keep your parents involved in your life.
   Talk about school assignments, grades, and your dreams with your parents. Let them know when you need certain learning materials like a calculator or dictionary and when you need transportation to school-related activities. Introduce your friends to your parents.
7. Create a personal file of your accomplishments.
   Include all your activities and awards: academic, sports, volunteer, and community service. Keep your report cards and samples of your best school work.
8. Continue saving money.
   Investigate financial aid opportunities offered by your schools of interest. Look for all types of aid including grants, scholarships, loans, and work opportunities. Visit the AIE Scholarship Search (www.AIE.org/sbase). Many other online student financial aid resources are available in the AIE Internet Resources area (www.AIE.org/Links).

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's College for Texans campaign (www.CollegeForTexans.com)

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Stay on track

Checklist for this week

For freshmen and sophomores

More volunteering

• Help others by volunteering at assisted living facilities, food drives/soup kitchens, and charity events.
• Volunteer to help tutor at an elementary school in your area.
• Help a favorite teacher at your school put up bulletin boards, collate papers, etc.
• Go to a child care center after school to read or play with children.

For juniors

This is a good week to stop by your counselor's office and discuss the following:

• Senior course selections:
  Have you completed the paperwork necessary to register for your senior year courses? Are your course choices appropriate for your prospective colleges' admission requirements? Your counselor can help you locate this information.
• Graduation credits and transcript:
  Are you on track to complete all required courses for graduation? Review your transcript to verify that it correctly reflects all your coursework. Have you taken any courses by correspondence or for credit by exam? If so, are they recorded on your transcript?

For seniors

This is a good week to do the following:

• Review your transcript to make sure that you have received credit for all of your coursework. Have you taken any courses by corresondence or for credit by exam? If so, make sure they are reflected on your transcript.
• Make a list of your extracurricular activities for use in filling out college applications.
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible. (www.fafsa.ed.gov)

For parents

Financial aid options

As college gets closer, so does the reality of paying for it. There are many financing options available. Remember that completing the FAFSA (available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov) is always the first step in securing financial assistance.

Types of Assistance

• Grants:
  Funds awarded on the basis of financial need that do not have to be repaid.
• Scholarships:
  Funds awarded that do not have to be repaid. These may be awarded based on many different factors (financial need, academic merit, athletic or musical talents, etc.).
• Work-study programs:
  The Federal Work-Study Program provides both on and off campus jobs for students. The pay will be at least the federal minimum wage. Most students work 10-20 hours per week.
• Loans:
  A variety of federal low-interest loans are available through a college's financial aid office. In most cases, payment can be deferred until after graduation.

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Take notice

Important dates

Mark down these dates.

To get more information on the SAT or SAT Subject Tests, access useful tools, or register, visit the College Board's Web Site(www.collegeboard.com) or call (609) 771-7600.

To get more information on the ACT, access useful tools, or register, visit the ACT Web Site (www.act.org) or call (319) 337-1270.

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