| A. Should You Start with a Junior or Community | | | | Special circumstances include such things as one-time |
| College? | | | | bonuses, loss of employment, disability and large |
| One way to reduce college expenses is for your child | | | | medical expenses. Be sure and document these |
| to attend a two-year program after high school, and | | | | expenses and notify your financial aid office of these |
| then transfer to a four-year program. Junior and | | | | special circumstances as they occur. |
| technical colleges cost significantly less than four-year | | | | And don't leave out the Bursar's office! |
| colleges and universities, making them a good place to | | | | So, when researching your choice institutions don't just |
| complete general education requirements, such as | | | | pay attention to the traditional search criteria such as |
| math and language courses. | | | | courses offered, academic reputation, geographic |
| Two-year programs also lower your financial risk. Let's | | | | location and athletics. Additionally, be sure to inquire |
| face it -- some students have a hard time to adjusting | | | | about special scholarships, installment plans, guaranteed |
| to the demands of college. A two-year program | | | | cost plans and tuition reductions for good grades. Just |
| provides space to mature, without costing you a | | | | remember, if you don't ask, they can't say yes! |
| fortune if your child struggles academically or even | | | | C. Use this FREE Resource |
| drops out. | | | | "You're not living up to your potential!" This phrase is an |
| Nevertheless, there are two potential problems with | | | | age-old favorite in the parental arsenal of phrases to |
| this plan. First, not all of your child's credits may transfer | | | | use when discussing a child's academic performance. |
| to the four-year program. If they do not, you'll end up | | | | But when it comes to college, how do you truly know |
| paying for your child to take the classes again at the | | | | whether your child is living up to his or her potential? |
| four-year school. | | | | Could your daughter cut it at an Ivy League school? |
| Also, be aware that some schools limit financial aid | | | | Your son dreams of going to a west coast college, |
| packages to transfer students. Before committing to a | | | | but does he have what it takes to compete with the |
| two-year program, check with your child's top choices | | | | region's other applicants and which schools should he |
| of four-year schools to see what limits they place on | | | | apply to? What are the chances of sending your child |
| credit transfers and financial aid packages. | | | | to their chosen college on scholarship money? |
| B. Establish this relationship prior to Admittance! | | | | If these and other questions related to your child's |
| Most parents and students lack an understanding of | | | | college ambitions are keeping you up at night, stop |
| the relationship they should develop with financial aid | | | | losing sleep and start getting answers with the College |
| officers and the role that the financial aid office can | | | | Opportunity Calculator. All you need to get started is |
| play in reducing college costs. | | | | the following information about you child: |
| First of all, it is very important that you establish a | | | | SAT/ACT scores |
| personal relationship with the aid office at your | | | | Colleges in consideration or area of consideration |
| potential schools. The old saying, "It's easier to help | | | | Within minutes, the College Opportunity Calculator will |
| someone you know than a stranger" certainly applies. | | | | determine your child's potential to get into over 3,600 |
| Second, you should understand that college financial | | | | universities or earn over 2,000 scholarships. This handy |
| aid is big business and that the goal of each individual | | | | tool will save you hours of research time into past |
| financial aid office is to meet enrollment goals set by | | | | college admission scores, the highest ranking colleges |
| the institution with the best "fit" student at the least | | | | in a state or region, and college costs. You can search |
| cost to that university. | | | | schools by national rankings, by cost or by your child's |
| That being said, the Director of Financial Aid has broad | | | | best chances of being accepted based on the |
| discretion when it comes to adjustments made to your | | | | information you entered. |
| financial aid application. This is referred to as | | | | So, start living up to your potential as a smart and |
| "professional judgment" and allows the director to | | | | savvy parent of a college-bound student and find your |
| change items as he or she deems fit in order to more | | | | child's potential by using our FREE College Opportunity |
| accurately reflect your financial situation. | | | | Calculator as often as you like. |