Financial Aid Plan

Most people need help getting through college. It can be very expensive, and if current trends continue, it will only get more and more expensive. Many families have been unable to keep up with the rising costs of tuition, not to mention the cost of living on or off campus. This is why it is very important for prospective college students to thoroughly prepare.
While you are in high school, you need to be involved in as many clubs and organizations as possible. This includes sports, academic clubs and community service organizations. Holding office in your clubs is helpful as well. If you are a captain or co-captain of a sports team, then there is a chance that you could receive a scholarship to help pay for college. Remember, you could be the best soccer player in the state and still be denied a scholarship for grades, standardized test scores, attendance, or lack of involvement in other school organizations. It also does not hurt to be involved in your community outside of school.
Scholarships can be very hard to obtain, even for the cream of the crop of your school. You should never assume that you will get a scholarship and delay preparing for college expenses. Save as much as possible and try to get debt, cars or your home paid off before college begins. Students rarely have the time or earning power to pay for their own expenses in college. Those who do often fall behind on class work because of their job responsibilities and it can be detrimental to their entire college career.
After scholarships have been exhausted, you should look into Federal Student Aid offered by your state. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available online or through your school. This money is offered to college students from the Department of Education. Make sure that you talk to your school counselor at the beginning of your senior year of high school to meet all of the deadlines for this type of money.
Next, do some research and look for education grants. Grant money is often overlooked by students looking for financial aid. Many times, money just goes unclaimed when it could have saved someone years of student loan payments.
Student Loans can be used to pay for remaining college expenses. Some are only earmarked for tuition, and there may be other restrictions. Private Student Loans can be obtained quickly and easily, depending on your or your parents’ credit history. Student Loans generally have flexible repayment options, good rates, and can sometimes have deferred repayment plans that do not start until after graduation. Be careful not to take out more than you can handle. Private Student Loans are popular for taking care of costs not covered by scholarships, grants or other Private Student Loans.

About the Author: Evelyn Saunders, a retired teacher, is the editor for student-loans.net, a provider of student loans and information on how to get private student loans as well as consolidation. For more information, please visit http://www.student-loans.net.

Studying Abroad

You have always wanted to see other countries, learn first hand about their architecture, people, languages, land…..whatever your reason, studying abroad is a good way to do this.

Studying abroad can be a fun and safe experience but it is important to realize that you are subject to the laws and customs of another country. Here are some tips prepared by the Office of Overseas Services to help keep you prepared and safe.

* Although most trips abroad are trouble free, being prepared will go a long way to avoiding the possibility of serious trouble.
* Become familiar with the basic laws and customs of the country you plan to visit before you travel.
* Remember: Reckless behavior while in another country can do more than ruin your vacation; it can land you in a foreign jail or worse! To have a safe trip, avoid risky behavior and plan ahead.


Preparing for Your Trip Abroad

Apply early for your passport and, if necessary, any visas: Passports are required to enter and/or depart most countries around the world. Apply for a passport as soon as possible. Some countries also require U.S. citizens to obtain visas before entering. Most countries require visitors who are planning to study or work abroad to obtain visas before entering. Check with the embassy of the foreign country that you are planning to visit for up-to-date visa and other entry requirements. (Passport and visa information is available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov .)

Learn about the countries that you plan to visit. Before departing, take the time to do some research about the people and their culture, and any problems that the country is experiencing that may affect your travel plans. The Department of State publishes Background Notes on about 170 countries. These brief, factual pamphlets contain information on each country''s culture, history, geography, economy, government, and current political situation.

Read the Country Specific Information. Country Specific Information provide up-to-date travel information on any country in the world that you plan to visit. They cover topics such as entry regulations, the crime and security situation, drug penalties, road conditions, and the location of the U.S. embassy, consulates, and consular agencies.

Check for Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts. Travel Warnings recommend U.S. citizens defer travel to a country because of dangerous conditions. Travel Alerts provide fast-breaking information about relatively short-term conditions that may pose risks to the security of travelers.

Register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website. Registration will make your presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an emergency. In accordance with the Privacy Act, information on your welfare and whereabouts may not be released without your express authorization.

Remember to leave a detailed itinerary and the numbers or copies of your passport or other citizenship documents with a friend or relative in the United States. (U.S. embassy and consulate locations can be found in the country''s Country Specific Information.) If your family needs to reach you because of an emergency, they can pass a message to you through the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 202-647-5225. This office will contact the embassy or consulate in the country where you are traveling and pass a message from your family to you. Remember consular officers cannot cash checks, lend money or serve as your attorney. They can, however, if the need arises, assist you in obtaining emergency funds from your family, help you find an attorney, help you find medical assistance, and replace your lost or stolen passport.


Find out what information your school offers. Find out whether your school offers additional information for students who are planning to study, travel, or work abroad. Many student advisors can provide you with information about studying or working abroad. They may also be able to provide you with information on any travel benefits for students (e.g. how to save money on transportation and accommodations, and other resources.)

Before committing yourself or your finances, find out about the organization and what it offers. The majority of private programs for vacation, study or work abroad are reputable and financially sound. However, some charge exorbitant fees, use deliberately false "educational" claims, and provide working conditions far different from those advertised. Even programs of legitimate organizations can be poorly administered.

Evelyn Saunders, a retired teacher, is the editor for student-loans.net, a provider of private student loans and information on student loans and consolidation. For more information, please visit http://www.student-loans.net

Scholarships For Aviation Enthusiasts

You love airplanes, you grew up wanting to be a pilot or maybe you just want to work around them. If so, there are a handful of scholarships available specifically for those students who are seeking aviation careers. Each scholarship has its own requirements and criteria – most are offered by organizations that support the love of aviation.

1. AERO Club of New England - The Aero Club of New England scholarships are awarded annually and recipients are selected on the basis of merit and need. ACONE's growing scholarship program provides a wonderful way for the Club and donors to assist deserving young people and to forge lasting relationships that can provide inspiration and support. Thanks to all that have worked to make this important part of ACONE a continued success.


2. AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) – AOPA offers two scholarships, the McAllister Memorial Scholarship and the Donald Burnside Memorial Scholarship.
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation/McAllister Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually and administered jointly by the AOPA Air Safety Foundation and the University Aviation Association. One award in the amount of $1,000 will be made to a promising young man or woman who, without assistance, would find it difficult to obtain a college education. Award will be made to U.S. citizens without regard to sex, race, religion or national origin.

The recipient must be enrolled in and plan to continue a college curriculum leading to a degree in the field of aviation. Previous recipients are not eligible.

Announcement of scholarship awards will be made annually on or about July 1 by the AOPA Air Safety Foundation after consideration of applications received by the deadline submission date. Recipients will be notified by letter. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

a. Be a college junior or senior at the time the application is submitted with at l east one semester/quarter to be completed after September 1, 2008.
b. Have achieved academic proficiency (grade point average) at time of application of 3.25 or better (on a 4.0 system).
c. Be enrolled in a baccalaureate level, non-engineering aviation degree program at a four-year institution and plan to continue the following year (community college students are eligible when they have transferred to a four-year institution). The applicant's college must be listed as an organization described in section 170( c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
d. Submit a 250-word maximum typed, double-spaced essay on: "Assuming that pilots who voluntarily engage in safety education are safer pilots, how can ASF reach the other group of pilots who don't think they need safety education?"
e. Application must be accompanied by an official transcript from applicant's college or university. The Registrar's Office can mail your official transcript to the below address or place in a sealed envelope so you can mail with your application form.


3. Astronaut Scholarship – This scholarship is supported by more than 70 astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and Shuttle programs. In efforts to help retain leadership in science and technology, this organization provides scholarships for college students who exhibit motivation, imagination, and exceptional performance in the science or engineering field of their major. To date, the foundation has awarded nearly $2.5 million in scholarships to 226 deserving students interested in aviation maintenance, being pilots or aerospace engineers.


4. Boeing National Merit Scholarship - Every year Boeing provides scholarships to children of Boeing employees who are selected as National Merit Scholarship winners. Students enter this academic competition their junior year of high school by taking the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in the fall.

5. ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) and Naval ROTC Programs offered by the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and the Air Force, train qualified young men and women to become officers in those services upon graduation from college. ROTC is available in more than 1,000 colleges and universities throughout the U.S., both those that host ROTC units or detachments and those with cross-enrollment agreements with them. Requirements include taking a full course load, wearing uniforms once a week during military labs, drills, military science presentations, and other practical training activities.

Scholarships are competitively awarded on merit with main considerations are being High school academic record, SAT or ACT scores, extracurricular activities, and personal interview.

The length, value, and terms of ROTC scholarships vary by service. All services offer four-year scholarships that include full tuition, books, fees, and a monthly tax-free stipend.

Evelyn Saunders, a retired teacher, is the editor for student-loans.net, a provider of private student loans and information on student loans and consolidation. For more information, please visit http://www.student-loans.net