Military Handbooks – 2010 Military Children’s Scholarship Handbook
2 Education After High School – The Basics Questions to ask when considering a college: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
10. 11. 12. 13.
Does the school offer the program and courses that I’m interested in? Do I meet the admissions requirements? Does the school offer a quality education at a reasonable price? Does the school offer the services I need and activities I’m interested in? What are the job placement rates for students who have recently graduated? What is the school’s accreditation, licensing? What is the student loan default rate? What type of security does the school have and is a copy of the most recent campus security report available? What type of financial aid is available from the school? Federal, state, local, private and institutional financial aid programs? a. How does the school determine my financial aid need? b. How are financial aid recipients selected? c. When will I receive any financial aid that I’m awarded? What is the percentage of a graduating class that completes the school’s program and the percentage of those students who transfer out of the school? What is the size of the student body? What is the demographic breakdown of the most recent class to be admitted? What are the graduation rates?
Types of Higher Education There are many types of institutions that offer higher education. You will need to determine which type of school is best for you:
Liberal Arts Colleges: focus on the humanities, social sciences and sciences Universities: typically offer a greater number of majors and extensive research facilities Community or Junior Colleges: Usually involve 2 years of full-time study for technical programs Agricultural, Technical or Specialized Colleges: Usually prepare you for a specific career choice in art/music, business, health science, or teaching.
You will also need to decide if you want to go to public school or private school. Public schools typically get most of their funding from the state or local government, while private institutions rely on endowments, tuitions and private contributions. Resources for finding the right college:
College fairs High school guidance office Online college fairs/Internet Public Library
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