This month

Planning your future

• Feature — Start planning for college
• It's a fact — College is in reach for everyone
• Stay on track — A checklist of "to-dos"
• Take notice — Important dates
• All about AIEmail — Subscribe, suggest, review

Feature

Start planning for college

Where do you picture yourself after high school? The majority of job growth has been in areas that require a solid academic foundation, strong technical skills, and the ability to retrain quickly to keep current with new technology. Academic skills and an education beyond high school are important to help you get a good job in today's rapidly changing job market. There are many options and opportunities for higher education, and they are readily available.

Here are some things to consider when planning for college:

• Start your search by finding the schools you are most interested in attending and research those institutions via Web sites. Visit AIE's "Find the Right School" page (www.AIE.org/HighSchool/hs_find.cfm) for more guidance.
• Reflect on a career that interests you and consider what you will need to accomplish to pursue this career. Visit AIE's "Developing Your Career Goals" page (www.AIE.org/HighSchool/hs_goal.cfm) for more information.
• Write down a plan that will prepare you for college.
• Some jobs do not require a four-year degree. Two-year degrees and certificates can be earned at local community and technical colleges that are often less expensive than universities.
• Consider earning an associate's degree or certificate first and then continuing your education by transferring to a university for the last two years to earn your bachelor's degree.
• Consider earning college credit even before you graduate from high school. High school students can take college courses by enrolling in concurrent and dual enrollment classes. It's a great way to save on college costs and to prepare for the demands of college. Ask your high school counselor what options are available at your school.
• Don't worry if you haven't selected a major by the time you enter college — it's not unusual. Many schools have an undecided or undeclared option for students who do not wish to select a field of study upon entering college.

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It's a Fact

College is in reach for everyone

A large majority — 83 percent — of low-income high school graduates who were classified as being college qualified and applied for college admission were able to attend a four-year institution. Financial or other reasons did not deter them from enrolling.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (nces.ed.gov/programs/quarterly/vol_1/1_2/4-esq12-b.asp)

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Stay on track

Checklist for this week

For freshmen and sophomores

Keeping up with current events can help you in high school as well as with your college application. By reading the newspaper on a regular basis, you will:

• Understand the issues that affect your community,
• Become familiar with the names of world leaders,
• Gain more in-depth information about an event than you can gather from brief TV news reports,
• Increase your vocabulary and improve your reading skills, and
• Be able to add pertinent comments to your academic classes by tying your learning to current events.

For juniors

Summer pre-college programs are a good way to learn about a prospective college. Here's the scoop:

• A summer pre-college program allows high school students to experience college courses in a college environment. Programs will vary in the length and type of activities available. There is a fee for these programs, but frequently scholarships are available.
• There are several places where you can get information about which colleges provide summer programs. Ask your counselor or go to your local bookstore to find out more. If you have a specific college in mind, you can call that college's admissions office or check out the school's Web site.

For seniors

Remember that completing the FAFSA, available online (fafsa.ed.gov), is always the first step in getting financial 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.

For parents

Encourage your child to be more aware of important events and issues by reading the newspaper on a regular basis. Your child will:

• Understand the issues that affect your community,
• Become familiar with the names of world leaders,
• Gain more in-depth information about an event than you can gather from brief TV news reports,
• Increase his or her vocabulary and improve his or her reading skills, and
• Be able to add pertinent comments to his or her classes by tying classroom learning to current events.

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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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