From: enews@mapping-your-future.org
Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 9:02 AM
To: Jim Palmer (WV)
Subject: MYF Early Awareness E-News (11-06)

Early Awareness E-News
November 2006
Volume 6, Issue 11

                                 Mapping Your Future


In this issue:

  • Tips for visiting colleges
  • Ask a professor
  • Mapping Your Future's top 10 early awareness tools


Mapping Your Future Sponsors

American Education Services (AES) - a division of PHEAA • American Student Assistance • College Access Network • Connecticut Student Loan Foundation • EDFUND / California Student Aid Commission • Education Assistance Corporation • ECMC • Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) • Florida Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) • Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) • Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation • Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) • Iowa College Student Aid Commission (ICSAC) • Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) • Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) • Michigan Higher Education Assistance Authority - Michigan Guaranty Agency • Missouri Department of Higher Education/Missouri DHE Student Loan Program • Montana Guaranteed Student Loan Program • National Student Loan Program (NSLP) • New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation (NHHEAF) • New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) • New Mexico Student Loan Guarantee Corporation (NMSLCG) • New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) • North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) • Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA) • Oklahoma Guaranteed Student Loan Program (OGSLP) • Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority (RIHEAA) • South Carolina Student Loan Corporation (SCSLC) • Student Loan Guarantee Foundation of Arkansas (SLGFA) • Student Loans of North Dakota (SLND) • Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) • TG • United Student Aid (USA) Funds, Inc. • Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority (UHEAA) • Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC)
 


Mapping Your Future Friends

  • Academic Finance Corporation
  • Academic Financial Services
  • AmSouth Bank
  • Bank of America
  • Chase
  • Citibank
  • CollEDGE
  • College Loan Corporation
  • Commerce Bank
  • COSTEP
  • Edfinancial Services
  • Education Finance Partners
  • Educational Direct
  • FinanSure Student Loans
  • IDAPP
  • Indiana Secondary Market for Education Loans, Inc.
  • Key Bank
  • Michigan Higher Education Student Loan Authority
  • MOHELA
  • Nelnet
  • New Mexico Educational Assistance Foundation (NMEAF)
  • NextStudent
  • Panhandle-Plains Higher Education Authority (PPHEA)
  • Pearson Government Solutions
  • Priority Technologies, Inc.
  • Rhode Island Student Loan Authority
  • SallieMae
  • SimpleTuition
  • Southwest Student Services Corporation
  • Student Assistance Foundation of Montana
  • Student Funding Group, LLC (StuFund)
  • Student Loan Finance Association (SLFA)
  • Student Loan Finance Corporation (SLFC)
  • Student Loan Xpress
  • Studentloans.com
  • SunTrust Bank
  • TCF National Bank
  • U.S. Bank
  • Wachovia Education Finance
  • Wells Fargo
  • WSLC - Invest in Learning

Tips for visiting colleges

Sometimes a college can seem great, but it?s hard to really get a feel for what life there might be like. The best way to do that is in person ? and now is the perfect time for campus visits.

Follow these tips to make the most for your time on campus:

  • Take with you:
    • A parent
    • A list of questions
    • An open mind
  • Be sure to:
    • Let the admissions office know you?re coming
    • Visit on a day that classes are in session
  • Make stops to:
    • A dorm
    • A class
    • The student center
    • The library
    • The financial aid office
    • The cafeteria
    • A campus activity like a game, concert, or play

*This information was reprinted with permission from Education Assistance Corporation (www2.eac-easci.org).

 

Ask a professor

Want to know more about your a college's or university's program of study but aren't sure where to find the answers? Call a professor at the college or university you are interested in attending!

Many college professors help recruit good students and provide advising. And, since professors are the ones teaching the courses in your area of interest, they may have the most complete answers to your questions. Before you start dialing the phone, here's some tips to remember:

  • Do some research first. Visit the school web site and find out about the program to make sure you're even interested in the school. The web site also will provide you with basic information so you can ask more specific questions, and you may find the contact information for a professor.
  • Be polite. Introduce yourself and explain why you're calling (especially important if you have to leave a message).
  • Tell the professor what high school you attend (he or she may know other students from your high school with whom you can speak).
  • Be prepared with your questions. You may want to ask about the program of study requirements, the typical class size, and what makes the university's program unique.
  • If you think you might have follow-up questions or want to schedule an appointment, be sure to ask the professor's hours. Many professors do not work traditional business hours. Many teach courses throughout the day or evening or do off-site research.
  • Keep your appointment. If you make an appointment, keep it or make sure to notify the professor if you can't keep the appointment for some reason. Don't assume the professor is there anyway so it doesn't matter. Professors do have busy schedules, and it's just plain rude to not show up for an appointment.
  • Say thank you. Let the professor know that you appreciate the time he or she has spent to answer your questions. If you just have a phone conversation, a verbal thank you is sufficient. However, if the professor takes time to meet with you (and possibly your parents), be sure to send a written thank you via e-mail or regular mail.

 

Mapping Your Future's top 10 early awareness tools

10. CareerShip - Middle and high school students can use this free tool to review careers by cluster, visit the featured career, match careers to their interests, or search for a particular career. For each career, students have access to a variety of information, including tasks, wages, career outlook, education, knowledge, skills, and similar careers.
mapping-your-future.org/features/careership/

9. Saving for College page - With the increasing cost of higher education, saving for college becomes even more important. Parents can use this content to develop a savings plan for their students.
mapping-your-future.org/paying/saving.htm

8. Planning a Career page - Students can visit this page to review the steps they should take to achieve their career goals.
mapping-your-future.org/planning/

7. Selecting a School page - There are many things students need to consider when selecting a postsecondary school. These steps will help.
mapping-your-future.org/selecting/

6. Paying for School page - Students and parents can learn about programs, such as grants, scholarships, and loans, that help with the cost of education.
mapping-your-future.org/paying/

5. Webcasts - Visitors can view Webcasts to receive advice about career and college planning, as well as financial management. Webcasts are Internet broadcasts that combine visuals and audio commentaries to present information.
mapping-your-future.org/features/webcast.htm

4. Chat Events - Mapping Your Future offers chat events on various subjects throughout the year. During these events, students and families can ask questions live, with educated counselors on hand to provide answers.
mapping-your-future.org/services/chatnight.htm

3. Budget Calculator - High school students will want to work with their parents to develop a realistic budget before starting college. This online budget calculator is the key.
mapping-your-future.org/features/budgetcalc.htm

2. Financial Fitness Tools - Visitors can determine if they are financially fit, get advice on the wise use of credit cards, learn how to managing debts, and access information on credit reports and investment options.
mapping-your-future.org/features/dmtensteps.htm

And the number one early awareness tool is . . .

Make High School Count - This program provides information about planning for education after high school - beginning in eighth grade. The online version includes free guides for students, parents, and school counselors.
mapping-your-future.org/features/mhsc.htm

 


Mapping Your Future is a national collaborative, public-service project of the financial aid industry - bringing together the expertise of the industry to provide free college, career, financial aid, and financial literacy services for students, families, and schools.

The purpose of this newsletter is to provide you with free college, career, financial aid, and financial literacy information, tips, and ideas for your work with middle and high school students and families. You are welcome to share articles with your students, families, and colleagues. Encourage them to get more information by visiting Mapping Your Future at mapping-your-future.org.

Mapping Your Future sends this newsletter each month, with additional issues occasionally to let you know about important issues such as site outages. This newsletter is a project of the Mapping Your Future early awareness team.

We encourage counselors and others in the early awareness field to subscribe to the Early Awareness E-News. If you received this edition from a colleague and would like to receive it directly in the future, you can subscribe at mapping-your-future.org/services/awarenessnews.htm.

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Mapping Your Future, Inc.
PO Box 5176
Round Rock, TX 78683-5176