Most students need money to go to college and work hard to get awarded scholarships and grants. But the hardest part about scholarships and grants is keeping them. In order to protect privacy, especially at public institutions, departments have only limited access to student information. That means an advisor may not be able to see what grants or scholarships you have.
This means that you will have to pay attention to the requirements of each of your scholarships or grants. Some scholarships require only 12 credit hours per semester, others may require 15 or more. These same scholarships and grants will have completion requirements for each academic year. So while you may have to be enrolled in a certain number of credits, you will also be expected to complete a certain number of credit hours at a certain GPA. If you don't meet their minimum, you can lose those grants and scholarships. Once lost it can be difficult if not impossible to get them back.
When awarded grants or scholarships, pay very close attention to these requirements. Make a list of each scholarship or grant and what the enrollment requirements are as well as the annual completion requirements. Also write down how long the scholarship will last. (1 semester, 1 year, 4 years, etc.)
Paying attention to these requirements is the student's responsibility. Advisors, Financial Aid personnel and Business office staff are NOT responsible for students who do not pay attention to their requirements or who fail to meet the minimum requirements.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Online or In Class
When online schools first started, traditional schools were not sure how to keep a high standard and not be in the class room. But online schools delivered what busy adults needed, access to education at a convenient time and place. Traditional colleges and universities are now catching up and are truly a better choice for several reasons.
The first reason is cost. Most of the original online schools are "for profit". What this means is that these organizations are companies with investors and they must show a profit. Their courses are more expensive than most traditional schools and their "advisors" are more like sales people than advisors. Traditional colleges and universities generally charge the same fees to online students as they do for in-class students. There may be an additional "online" fee but the costs, particularly for state institutions is much cheaper per class. Most students receiving financial aid (Pell Grants) at a state institution will not need additional student loans just to pay for course work. Unfortunately, the excessive costs of course work at online schools generally require student loans in addition to other forms of federal financial aid.
Second, what good is a course if it is not applicable to a degree or isn't transferrable? While many of these online schools are acredited by the same organizations that acredit traditional schools, the way that many of these schools teach to fit courses into five week sessions doesn't transfer as well to the format of a traditional school. Many traditional schools find it difficult to acurately match this type of online course work to courses in their own programs, making transferability of course work difficult.
Finally, when a student is having difficulty with a course or with some other administrative issue, a traditional school offers the student the opportunity to physically meet with someone. There is nothing that can replace face to face when a student is experiencing a difficult situation.
The first reason is cost. Most of the original online schools are "for profit". What this means is that these organizations are companies with investors and they must show a profit. Their courses are more expensive than most traditional schools and their "advisors" are more like sales people than advisors. Traditional colleges and universities generally charge the same fees to online students as they do for in-class students. There may be an additional "online" fee but the costs, particularly for state institutions is much cheaper per class. Most students receiving financial aid (Pell Grants) at a state institution will not need additional student loans just to pay for course work. Unfortunately, the excessive costs of course work at online schools generally require student loans in addition to other forms of federal financial aid.
Second, what good is a course if it is not applicable to a degree or isn't transferrable? While many of these online schools are acredited by the same organizations that acredit traditional schools, the way that many of these schools teach to fit courses into five week sessions doesn't transfer as well to the format of a traditional school. Many traditional schools find it difficult to acurately match this type of online course work to courses in their own programs, making transferability of course work difficult.
Finally, when a student is having difficulty with a course or with some other administrative issue, a traditional school offers the student the opportunity to physically meet with someone. There is nothing that can replace face to face when a student is experiencing a difficult situation.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Fifty years ago, a high school diploma was more than enough for the average person to find a good job and develop a life-long career. And for those who couldn't finish regular high school, a GED worked almost as well. Higher education was for those with the money or the smarts going to the very top.
Today, technology has changed everything. Now, even the Military requires more than a GED from its recruits. Unfortunately, trying to figure out where to go, what to do and how to get there is just as confusing as ever. No two schools have the same requirements. No two schools cost the same. Comparing two state schools in the same state is still like comparing Granny Smith apples to Red Delicious apples. Yes they're both apples, but they're not the same color, size or shape. Which one is the right one to get the degree or certification you need. What paperwork do you need? Where do you start?
Helping students and their families figure out how to navigate the confusing path to achieving some form of higher education is what I love to do most. Sharing my skills, tips and advice is what I hope to do here for my readers.
Today, technology has changed everything. Now, even the Military requires more than a GED from its recruits. Unfortunately, trying to figure out where to go, what to do and how to get there is just as confusing as ever. No two schools have the same requirements. No two schools cost the same. Comparing two state schools in the same state is still like comparing Granny Smith apples to Red Delicious apples. Yes they're both apples, but they're not the same color, size or shape. Which one is the right one to get the degree or certification you need. What paperwork do you need? Where do you start?
Helping students and their families figure out how to navigate the confusing path to achieving some form of higher education is what I love to do most. Sharing my skills, tips and advice is what I hope to do here for my readers.
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