College Prep Guide Spring 2015

spring 2015 Extracurricular Activities

Meeting New People

Smart Packing Tips

college

prep guide Outreach Managers

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College Prep Guide Spring 2015

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Extracurricular activities ........................ 4 Tax deadline is looming ......................5-6 Montana Money Magic ......................... 7

CASPER COLLEGE STUDENTS

learn from the best

Application Timeline ........................... 8-9 How to manage student loan debt ..... 10-11 Smart packing tips .............................. 12 SAF Outreach Managers ...................... 13 Meeting new people ............................ 14

INSIDE

General Manager Dave Worstell Special Sections Coordinator Linsay Duty Section Designer Christine Cleveland

The College Prep Guide is a special

2015 WACCT Faculty M emb of the Ye er ar

Heath Hornecker, Agriculture Instructor Jared Bowden, Physics Instructor 2014 WACCT Faculty Member of the Year

Kent Sundell, Geology Instructor 2012 WACCT Faculty Member of the Year

Garth Shanklin, Addictionology Instructor 2011 WACCT Faculty Member of the Year

Four out of the last ďŹ ve years, independent panels of judges for the WACCT (Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees) have selected Casper College faculty members as best of the best.

advertising publication of The Billings Gazette.

Access The College Prep Guide at www.billingsgazette.com/specialsections

Faculty excellence, driven by the

Spirit of the Thunderbird College Prep Guide Spring 2015

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Extracurricular Activities Performing well academically in high school is half the battle in getting accepted into college.

Extracurricular activities go a long way, as well.

Playing sports and volunteering your time to charitable causes are only a couple of examples of activities you should be participating in to increase your marketability to college admissions leaders.

Ask your high school guidance counselor what type of activities are available in both your school and the community, and the process for pursing these opportunities.

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From the business world to the teaching industry, candidates with sports backgrounds can leverage their experience to convey a competitive, team-oriented spirit.

Playing sports also teaches you how to manage your time and work with diverse personalities to achieve common goals.

Other In-School Functions

Most high schools offer plenty of options for students, no matter what major they plan on pursuing in college.

Tutor Theater, drama, Do you excel in a particular subject? If so, then yearbook and the you should consider lending your smarts to the school newspaper are cause of developing students who aren’t quite as activities that can teach proficient in that area. you skills that are highly Tutoring shows off your leadership, patience transferable onto a college and organizational abilities – all key attributes that college recruiters and admissions officials are application. But be careful not to load up on too many activities just to have a more impressive seeking in prospective students. submission.

Pick a few options and do them well.

Play Sports Sports mean teamwork and teamwork translates to collaboration with fellow students, profes- Volunteer Many college and scholarship applications sors and other college officials. prefer some form of community service experience from their candidates.

Reach out to local soup kitchens, nursing homes or wildlife refuges for short-staffed organizations always looking for extra help. Devote at least a few months to the cause to show college officials that you were willing and dedicated to helping those in need.

Try to keep accurate, organized records of all duties and projects you are involved in.

(Thinkstock) (Fotolia/AP)

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College Prep Guide Spring 2015

Students and parents: Tax deadline is looming

(Thinkstock)

Courtesy of SAF

Tax information plays a critical role in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and the April 15 tax deadline is just around the corner.

“Although the priority FAFSA deadline has passed for most schools in Montana, it’s still worthwhile for students and parents to complete the FAFSA,” said Schylar Canfield-Baber, Student Assistance Foundation’s campus outreach manager in Butte. “Use the information from your taxes as you complete them, and get your FAFSA submitted. Next year, make the process smoother by completing your taxes early.”

To fill out the FAFSA, students and parents will each need a Federal Student Aid PIN — a number they will use every year to electronically apply

for federal student aid and access federal student aid records online. To get one, visit pin.ed.gov.

Then, go to fafsa.gov to complete the FAFSA. Students and parents who have not filed their 2014 taxes can use information from their 2013 tax form as they fill it out to complete the FAFSA. However, they will need to go back to the FAFSA site at a later date to transfer official tax information using the IRS data retrieval tool to finalize the document.

In addition to using tax information to complete the FAFSA, Canfield reminds parents and students to make the most of education tax credits available to them.

Continued on page 6

Get smart about college.

Making plans for college?

Student Assistance Foundation can help you get there!

FAFSA completion assistance

Paying and planning for college counseling

Scholarship searches and application help

Money management assistance (Ask if Montana

Kalie Porter

Money Magic is right for you!)

Billings outreach manager

Career and college exploration

And much more!

(406) 247-3034 or (877) COLG4ME (265-4463)

Press option 1, option 3

Visit SmartAboutCollege.org/outreach

kporter@safmt.org College Prep Guide Spring 2015

5

TAX DEADLINE continued from page 5

Available education tax credits include:

 The American Opportunity Credit — Designed to help

parents and students pay part of the cost of the first four years of college. Eligible taxpayers may qualify for the maximum annual credit of $2,500 per student.

 The Lifetime Learning Credit — Designed to help pay

for undergraduate, graduate and professional degree courses, regardless of number of years in a program.

Eligible taxpayers may qualify for up to $2,000.

 Tuition and fees deduction — Students and parents

may be able to deduct qualified college tuition and related expenses of up to $4,000.

For more information about these programs, visit with your tax professional.

“About $150 billion in federal grants, loans and workstudy funds is available each year, and that doesn’t include the state and institutional aid that is out there,” Canfield said. “It is well worth your while to complete the FAFSA by the priority deadline. Just make it a habit to get your taxes completed as soon as possible, and estimate on your FAFSA if you can’t.”

For free help completing the FAFSA, contact the SAF outreach manager in your area by calling (877) COLG4ME.

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College Prep Guide Spring 2015

save this earn this

Students who save $450 through the program can earn the maximum match of $1,350.

Montana Money Magic: A worthwhile effort

Courtesy of SAF

Poised to attend school at Nebraska Wesleyan University, 18-year-old Pamela F. has cash saved to help her pay for her postsecondary education thanks to the Montana Money Magic program.

Pamela was one of a group of students who participated in Student Assistance Foundation’s Montana Money Magic program recently, gaining financial literacy through several hours of instruction, along with a 3-to-1 match of her savings up to $1,350.

“This program will help me because I will be able to continue to save money for the rest of my life,” she said. “And I learned how to pay back loans if I have to take them.”

Montana Money Magic is an effort that will help qualifying students save for college, and learn how to manage their financial resources. To qualify, students must be between the ages of 16 and 19; in high school; and from a family with an income of less than

185 percent of the federal poverty level.

Matched funds can be used to pay for a variety of items to help students gain access to higher education including dual enrollment, tuition and fees, tutoring, test fees, computers, and more.

Pamela said she heard about the program from the education coordinator at Impact for Learning when she was a student at Valley Oak Academy/ Hamilton High School. Given her goal of attaining a double major in Forensics and Musical Theater, she thought that any help she could get saving money for her future would be beneficial.

In order to save the money for the program to match, Pamela set aside half of her earnings each month.

In addition, Pamela said she took away plenty of useful information from the course instructors, SAF’s Mary Howard and Greg Kolwicz.

“It taught me how to organize my money, and how to save money in a realistic timeframe,” she said.

Montana Money Magic is provided to Montana students in six regions across the state courtesy of a $1.68 million contract from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).

Participating counties include: Gallatin, Park, Meagher, Glacier, Toole, Pondera, Cascade, Choteau, Teton, Sweet Grass, Yellowstone, Stillwater, Carbon, Bighorn, Broadwater, Jefferson, Lewis and Clark, Missoula, Ravalli, Mineral, Silver Bow, Deer Lodge, Beaverhead, Madison, Powell, and Granite.

If you, or anyone you know, is interested in participating in the Montana Money Magic program, contact the SAF outreach manager in your area by calling (877) COLG4ME.

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College Prep Guide Spring 2015

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(Stockbyte)

How to manage student loan debt Thanks to student loans and other financing options, a college education has become much more attainable for a wider array of students. Student loans may make it possible for millions of students to attend college when they otherwise could not afford tuition, but such loans also can put borrowers in financial hot water if they’re not careful.

Just like any other form of credit, a student loan is usually easy to spend but not as easily repaid.

Add to that the fact that most educational loans do not require payment until after graduation, it could seem to a student that he or she is attending classes with no strings attached. Some students also use loans to finance their living arrangements and pay for their book, making it easy for loans to add up quickly.

Another potential pitfall of borrowing to finance your education is the uncertainty

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many people have with regard to the terms of their loans. Many people sign on the dotted line of their lending agreements without ever reading the fine print, which may dictate repayment terms and interest rates.

But students need not succumb to student loan debt shortly after they don their caps and gowns.

The following are a few ways to avoid financial struggles that stem from student loans.

Learn your loans

Learning the terms of your loan is the first step to avoiding delinquency or default. Take the time to fully understand the type of loan you are receiving as well as when repayment begins and how much your monthly payments will be. Loans may be backed by private lenders, but many Continued on page 11

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College Prep Guide Spring 2015

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AskMSU.com We maintain an unwavering focus on our students—their wants, needs and aspirations. Our students excel through uncommonly strong, one-to-one relationships with highly-talented, energetic faculty and staff. They graduate as educated citizens that possess a life-long devotion to the common good and the welfare of others.

Montana students pay in-state tuition.

LOAN DEBT

continued from page 10

student loans are issued through federal government programs.

Each type of loan has its own set of regulations. It’s also important that you understand the details of loan forgiveness and what happens should you miss a payment.

EXPLORE

If you find you have extra money on hand, make larger payments toward the loan and ask that this money be applied to the principal. Paying down the principal can significantly reduce the loan and reduce the interest you’re paying as well.

MONTANA

STATE UNIVERSITY BIG IDEAS AND BOLD ADVENTURES

Familiarize yourself Choose an with the loan repayment schedule employer wisely Every student loan comes with a grace period, or the time between when you graduate and when the first payment must be made. Grace periods typically range between six and nine months for federal loans, while privately issued loans may have a different grace period. If you have yet to secure steady employment when your first payment comes due, contact your lender to see if payments can be deferred a little longer.

Negotiate payment options

According to The Project on Student Debt, some jobs offer loan forgiveness. After 10 years of qualifying payments for people in government, nonprofit, and other public service jobs, loans may be written off. There are additional federal loan forgiveness options available to teachers, nurses, AmeriCorps and PeaceCorps volunteers, and other professions, as well as some state, school, and private programs.

Use your In-State Advantage* at MSU, Montana’s premier university.

Don’t ignore problems

If you are falling behind on your loan payments, take action Some lenders simply follow a standard formula for determining right away. Doing something is a repayment schedule, which typi- better than doing nothing at all.

An inability to repay your student cally lasts 10 years. If that payloan debt can cause problems ment amount or schedule seems later in life, so don’t allow the unattainable, consider speaking problem to snowball before you with the lender about changing your payments. Repaying the loan do anything about it. over a longer period of time will lower your monthly payments but result in you paying more interest over the life of the loan.

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*In-State Advantage: Costs for Montana students at MSU are significantly less than attending college out-of-state.

College Prep Guide Spring 2015

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Smart Packing Tips In the rush and excitement of leaving home for college, many students have also accidentally left behind toothbrushes, clothing and gadgets.

Don’t fall into this trap. Think of packing as your first big exam.

Put in the preparation for optimum results. Failing to do so could lead to a long day, a busted budget and a failing grade from those who are helping you with the process.

Green Shoot Media

Think Small

Stick to the essentials when packing for your dorm.

If your new room comes under-furnished, find new, affordable furniture at local consignment shops near campus. This will cut down on clutter inside Plan Ahead your truck or moving Having a plan of action and a to-do list will help lead to a relatively van, and will also stress-free moving experience. keep you from Start collecting free, foldable boxes months in advance to help retaking furniture duce the cost of packing materials. If you have items that you know will away from mom be making the trip with you that you don’t necessarily use every day – and dad. like trophies or other keepsakes – pack and store them for easy access Find great come moving day. deals on couches The more preparation you put in now, the easier your move will be. or chairs, and customize them with slipcovers or a throw. This is a good way to stretch your budget and exercise your creative muscles.

Stick to a Budget

Moving expenses can add up quickly, eating into the money you have saved for college. Develop a simple budget and stick to it.

Factor in packing supplies, meals and gas into your budget, and try not to splurge on extras that can bust your budget in a hurry.

Coordinate with your roommates to make sure you’re not all bringing a refrigerator or couch set.

Share decorating ideas and plan what items each roommate will bring.

This will keep you from spending money on duplicates.

(Fotolia/AP)

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College Prep Guide Spring 2015

SAF Outreach Managers: New digs, new opportunities

Courtesy of SAF

Many of Student Assistance Foundation’s eight outreach managers are receiving a warm welcome as they move into offices in high schools, or community centers, across the state.

“We are thrilled to add the College and Career Center to the campus of Bozeman High School,” said Kevin Conwell, principal at Bozeman High School.

“One of the key domains of our overall counseling program is postsecondary counseling. This center adds a tremendous asset to assist with this effort. We are also very excited that helping make this possible is our partnership with the Student Assistance Foundation program.”

Managers at SAF’s offices provide money management counseling, scholarship search and applica-

tion assistance, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion help, resource referrals and more.

In addition to assisting students and families, outreach managers are available to visit classrooms and other youth groups to provide presentations on the steps to get to college, how to use financial aid to help pay for college, and financial literacy topics.

“I’m so excited to be working in an office based out of Bozeman High School,” said SAF outreach manager, Nolan Glueckert. “It allows high school students to have easy access to the services I provide.

Plus, I’m centrally located so that students from other area schools can make appointments or I can travel to them.”

To date, these are the outreach managers who have moved:

a Mary Howard — a a a a

Big Fork High School, Big Fork Nolan Glueckert — Bozeman High School, Bozeman Greg Kolwicz — Big Sky High School, Missoula Allen Heisler — Columbus Building, Great Falls Schylar Canfield-Baber — Butte High School,Butte

For a full listing of SAF’s outreach managers and their locations, visit: http://smartaboutcollege.org/outreach.jsp or call (877) COLG4ME.

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College Prep Guide Spring 2015

13

Meeting New People

Green Shoot Media

Sure, college is primarily about advancing your knowledge and catalyzing your career. But it is also about meeting new people.

And it is never too early to start. You can make college-level connections well before you leave high school.

Participate in activities and events at your college of choice, and volunteer to work at events. College professors, students and staff members are likely to be at these same events, and you never know what kind of connections you can make.

Put Yourself Out There

Your future, our focus

(Thinkstock)

Whether you are a high school student entering college for the first time or a non-traditional student seeking to advance your education, have confidence when interacting with new college connections.

Introduce yourself as a prospective college student and ask questions related to the university.

Keep in mind that not every interaction is going to lead to a lasting relationship or a dynamic internship. But by simply putting yourself out there, you will meet interesting people with diverse skill sets and interests.

Attend Sporting Events

A college baseball, football or volleyball game presents the perfect opportunity to experience the collegiate culture.

Sit near student sections to meet present attendees and ask them what they like and dislike about their college.

Remember that you are in control of your educational future. You owe it to yourself to research your prospective college choices and make your final decision as painless as possible.

Sporting events can be a great place to do just that, as students are in a social, exciting environment.

NWC IS AN EOI

Social Media

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Montanans automatically qualify for scholarships valued around $3,000 . We suggest you ASSUME NOTHING and visit campus to SEE FOR YOURSELF what Northwest offers.

800.560.4692 / 307.754.6101

College Prep Guide Spring 2015

The advent of social media has opened a whole new world of connections – literally. You can interact with people from across the globe with a simple click of a mouse or tap of a keyboard.

Follow your targeted universities on Twitter and friend them on Facebook. You will find updates on campus events, news and developments.

You can also find professors and students on social networking sites who share valuable knowledge pertaining to your field of choice.

College Prep Guide Spring 2015

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The path to success starts at MSUB APPLY TODAY!

Find us on:

Save the Date!

Fall 2015 Freshman Orientation Dates Five Sessions to choose from:

June 4th & 5th • June 18th & 19th • July 9th & 10th July 23rd & 24th • August 6th & 7th

Register for orientation or find out more at msubillings.edu today!

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College Prep Guide Spring 2015