Funds For College Available Locally
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Every year, thousands of high school seniors across the country compete for financial assistance to attend the college of their choice.
Every year, thousands of dollars are never claimed.
Kosciusko County alone has approximately $250,000 a year to offer its local students.
"I'm just amazed at the level of support that our local community gives. We're just a very blessed community," Warsaw Community High School Guidance Counselor Rick Swaim said.
The resources to find and claim that money are bountiful, if the student makes an effort. Those students who do make an effort do not always make it as early as they should, however.
Swaim said students should begin looking for scholarships the second semester of their junior year at the earliest. Preferably, seniors need to start their search at the beginning of their senior year, he said.
Information on scholarships, colleges and admissions is available through the WCHS guidance office or library.
The Warsaw Community Public Library also has several resources to help students begin their search. Books, the Internet and pamphlets are just a sample of the information the library has for seniors.
Library personnel notice when students start looking for college money.
"It's funny. A few start now, at the beginning of their senior year. Others start when they are urged by their guidance counselors or teachers," WCPL Public Relations Assistant Jo Ann Byers said.
"It's pretty heavy at the end of the year, in the spring, when the federal financial aid packets come in."
Byers said many students search for scholarships in the spring after the packets come in because students are looking for more money to pay for expenses that the federal aid will not cover.
The federal aid a student receives is determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Students must fill out the application to receive federal assistance. The deadline for aid for the 1999-2000 school year is March 1.
WCHS offers FAFSA assistance every year to its seniors. This year, on Jan. 26 a representative from Manchester College will go line by line through the application and answer any questions students and their parents or guardians might ask.
A "College Goal Sunday" is also offered in Warsaw and Fort Wayne the first or second week of February. Students can again get assistance with their FAFSA line by line.
The federal aid application requires information about the applicant's personal information and taxes. If the student is a dependent, their parents' information is required. The Department of Education will then determine the amount awarded based on the information provided.
Swaim said students should consider loans as an option to pay their college tuition. The federal government is going away from gift-aid to loans more, he said.
With tuition rising every year, more students may need those loans.
Another factor to consider when students are looking at loans is whether or not they plan to attend private or public institutions.
Swaim said that tuition, not including room and board, for a public college in Indiana is about $4,000 per year.
Indiana University South Bend charges $95.80 per credit hour. The IUSB brochure says approximate full-time annual tuition is about $2,900. IUSB does not have room and board yet. An additional $400 per semester covers books.
"Any financial aid office will try to work with the student to make them aware of all of the options available to them," Rose Marie Hengesbach, director of financial aid for IUSB, said.
Swaim said a private school may run as much as $10,000 to $15,000 a year for tuition.
The tuition for Grace College, a private institution, for the upcoming year is $10,106. Room and board will be $4,432. The average cost of books is an additional $450.
"The one thing we try to do is put our best offer first," Dawn Weaver, director of financial aid for Grace College, said.
Based on the 1997-98 figures, Grace gave out $1.8 million to $2 million dollars in institutional aid. The aid consists of academic, leadership and performance aid. State or federal aid to students amounted to $3.5 million, she said. Figures do not include outside scholarships.
Other factors a student should consider when preparing for college is the location of the school, student population, if they plan to live on or off campus and how many roommates they will live with. Some colleges offer rooms for one to three students.
Students may look elsewhere for help on making the tough decisions. It is then that they and their parents must be aware of scams.
Many of the scams promise that if the student pays a sum of money, the company will guarantee financial assistance. Many students don't realize, Swaim said, that the assistance may come in the form of loans. The FAFSA already offers that option, he said. If the company does locate scholarships for a student, they are usually scholarships that the student could have found himself.
"Almost anything you pay someone else to do, you can do yourself," Swaim said.
"Local scholarships, that's where you're going to get the money. You can find them on your own."
Swaim said that if a student decides to pay someone else to do the work, the company or organization should define what they mean by financial aid.
Before engaging in any financial endeavor regarding scholarships, the student should contact their local Chamber of Commerce and ask if any complaints have been filed against the business, Swaim said.
Internet sites with valuable information on colleges, financial aid, scholarships, admissions or application forms can be found, at www.fastweb.com, icpac.indiana.edu or www.FinAid.org.
Byers advised, "Start early, don't put it off until the last minute. Look ahead, think ahead." [[In-content Ad]]
Every year, thousands of high school seniors across the country compete for financial assistance to attend the college of their choice.
Every year, thousands of dollars are never claimed.
Kosciusko County alone has approximately $250,000 a year to offer its local students.
"I'm just amazed at the level of support that our local community gives. We're just a very blessed community," Warsaw Community High School Guidance Counselor Rick Swaim said.
The resources to find and claim that money are bountiful, if the student makes an effort. Those students who do make an effort do not always make it as early as they should, however.
Swaim said students should begin looking for scholarships the second semester of their junior year at the earliest. Preferably, seniors need to start their search at the beginning of their senior year, he said.
Information on scholarships, colleges and admissions is available through the WCHS guidance office or library.
The Warsaw Community Public Library also has several resources to help students begin their search. Books, the Internet and pamphlets are just a sample of the information the library has for seniors.
Library personnel notice when students start looking for college money.
"It's funny. A few start now, at the beginning of their senior year. Others start when they are urged by their guidance counselors or teachers," WCPL Public Relations Assistant Jo Ann Byers said.
"It's pretty heavy at the end of the year, in the spring, when the federal financial aid packets come in."
Byers said many students search for scholarships in the spring after the packets come in because students are looking for more money to pay for expenses that the federal aid will not cover.
The federal aid a student receives is determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Students must fill out the application to receive federal assistance. The deadline for aid for the 1999-2000 school year is March 1.
WCHS offers FAFSA assistance every year to its seniors. This year, on Jan. 26 a representative from Manchester College will go line by line through the application and answer any questions students and their parents or guardians might ask.
A "College Goal Sunday" is also offered in Warsaw and Fort Wayne the first or second week of February. Students can again get assistance with their FAFSA line by line.
The federal aid application requires information about the applicant's personal information and taxes. If the student is a dependent, their parents' information is required. The Department of Education will then determine the amount awarded based on the information provided.
Swaim said students should consider loans as an option to pay their college tuition. The federal government is going away from gift-aid to loans more, he said.
With tuition rising every year, more students may need those loans.
Another factor to consider when students are looking at loans is whether or not they plan to attend private or public institutions.
Swaim said that tuition, not including room and board, for a public college in Indiana is about $4,000 per year.
Indiana University South Bend charges $95.80 per credit hour. The IUSB brochure says approximate full-time annual tuition is about $2,900. IUSB does not have room and board yet. An additional $400 per semester covers books.
"Any financial aid office will try to work with the student to make them aware of all of the options available to them," Rose Marie Hengesbach, director of financial aid for IUSB, said.
Swaim said a private school may run as much as $10,000 to $15,000 a year for tuition.
The tuition for Grace College, a private institution, for the upcoming year is $10,106. Room and board will be $4,432. The average cost of books is an additional $450.
"The one thing we try to do is put our best offer first," Dawn Weaver, director of financial aid for Grace College, said.
Based on the 1997-98 figures, Grace gave out $1.8 million to $2 million dollars in institutional aid. The aid consists of academic, leadership and performance aid. State or federal aid to students amounted to $3.5 million, she said. Figures do not include outside scholarships.
Other factors a student should consider when preparing for college is the location of the school, student population, if they plan to live on or off campus and how many roommates they will live with. Some colleges offer rooms for one to three students.
Students may look elsewhere for help on making the tough decisions. It is then that they and their parents must be aware of scams.
Many of the scams promise that if the student pays a sum of money, the company will guarantee financial assistance. Many students don't realize, Swaim said, that the assistance may come in the form of loans. The FAFSA already offers that option, he said. If the company does locate scholarships for a student, they are usually scholarships that the student could have found himself.
"Almost anything you pay someone else to do, you can do yourself," Swaim said.
"Local scholarships, that's where you're going to get the money. You can find them on your own."
Swaim said that if a student decides to pay someone else to do the work, the company or organization should define what they mean by financial aid.
Before engaging in any financial endeavor regarding scholarships, the student should contact their local Chamber of Commerce and ask if any complaints have been filed against the business, Swaim said.
Internet sites with valuable information on colleges, financial aid, scholarships, admissions or application forms can be found, at www.fastweb.com, icpac.indiana.edu or www.FinAid.org.
Byers advised, "Start early, don't put it off until the last minute. Look ahead, think ahead." [[In-content Ad]]