UNH Upward Bound Parent/Guardian Newsletter

College Bound

The UNH Upward Bound Parent/Guardian Newsletter

December, 1999
Volume 1, Issue 1

Dear Parents/Guardians (P/Gs)

Last year when we were writing our grant proposal we realized we needed to open more channels of communication to our parents. So we created a Parent/Guardian (henceforth, P/G) page on the UB web site and this newsletter. Both will serve to link UB to P/Gs to inform them of what we are doing and why. And it will provide vital information that P/Gs, particularly those of seniors, need. In addition, we want a place to highlight some of the great things our P/Gs are doing, and the ways in which they are contributing to Upward Bound.

This, our first newsletter, will focus on the Bridge program and what the P/Gs of seniors need to know about financial aid. This doesn't mean, however, that this information is not relevant to you if your student is not a senior. Financial aid is a complicated topic and the sooner you begin reviewing the ins and outs of the process, the better off you will be.

Essentially, the great bulk of student aid comes from the federal government. It is in the form of federal grants or scholarships which do not have to be repaid; federal loans, which do have to be repaid but are low-interest and generally subsidized so long as the student is in school, and federal work-study, which provides on-campus jobs to students who qualify.

The bad news is that the process is complicated. The good news is that it is totally do-able, especially with the help of a UB advisor. Please do not waste money on one of the scholarship services that are rife through unsolicited mail or e-mail. For the most part they are bogus and will not offer more than you can get through program advice.

Remember: regarding financial aid or any other topic related to your student, don't hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns. Working with you to improve your student's chances of success is exactly what UB is all about.

-- Dan, Diane, MJ & Lisa

The Bridge Program

Seven seniors completed the UB summer Bridge program here at UNH, where they got a jump start for college by:

Taking a freshman English class taught by a UNH professor. This was paid in full by UB, and the seniors earned 4 college credits for the course.
Working part-time on or near campus to save for college.
Their fundraising activities netted $400 each to use for school.
Leading community meetings, attending workshops, and traveling together on a four day Discovery trip to Montreal.

UB seniors need to apply to be part of the summer Bridge program, and because of space limitations, not all seniors who apply will necessarily be accepted. More information will be offered this spring.

Our 1999 graduates are attending:

Massachusetts: UMass Amherst and Northeastern University in Boston

New Hampshire: Saint Anselm College, Plymouth State, Keene State, and UNH

Vermont: Bennington College and the University of Vermont

New York: Keuka College and NYU

Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago

IMPORTANT FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION FOR SENIORS

Steps for Financial Aid:

1. Complete the Admissions Application for each school. Financial Aid offices won't process your Aid application until your student has been accepted but you should apply for aid before they are accepted.

2. Complete an Institutional (college-based) Financial Aid form, if required, and send to the school.

3. Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as soon after January 1 as possible. This year fill out the pink sections with student's information and the purple sections with parent's information. It is acceptable to estimate your income to meet the deadline.

4. Register for the CSS Profile (if required). NOTE: The cost for the Profile application is $16.00 per school. UB provides fee waivers for up to 2 schools. Complete the customized Profile form that is sent to you by the earliest deadline.

5. Wait and look for notification by mail from:

The U.S. Dept. of Education which will send your student the SAR, or Student Aid Report, showing your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC is used to determine your student's eligibility for all federal student aid programs. Review the SAR to be sure the information on it is correct. If so, do nothing. If not, make changes and send to address instructed A.S.A.P.
Finally, the school's Financial Aid office which will send an award letter outlining your student's aid package, usually a mix of grant, loan, and work-study offerings. This comes after your student's acceptance to a school.

6. Respond to the financial aid award letter of the school your student plans to attend by the May 1 deadline.

Types of Financial Aid

Federal sources provide the most aid available - grants, loans, and work-study.

Some colleges offer institutional aid.

Community, business, & civic group scholarships may be available.

The state of NH awards grants to students based on need.

Keep in mind that most aid now is in the form of loans, but they are well worth it!

Use the Internet to connect to the UB web site at www.upwardbound.unh.edu, where you can access financial aid resources such as Embark.com (see article below).

What You Should be Doing Now

Collect the following information and documents now in preparation for completing the FAFSA at the beginning of January:

Student's driver's license and social security card
Student's income tax returns, W-2 forms, and 1099 forms for previous year
Parents' income tax returns, W-2 forms, and 1099 forms for previous year
Current bank statements and mortgage information
Records relating to stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other investments
Documentation of non-taxable income, such as Social Security income, AFDC, and Veterans Benefits
Business and farm records

Records relating to any unusual family financial circumstances, such as medical and dental expenses not covered by health insurance, tuition expenses at elementary or secondary schools, unusually high child care costs, death, divorce, and loss of unemployment.

Scholarships

For a free scholarship search contact:

NH Higher Education Resource Center

P.O. Box 877

Concord, NH 03302-0877

(603)225-6612 or 1-800-525-2577, x143

Ask to be sent a free profile to complete for a private scholarship search.
(Check with your student. He or she may already have done this).

Private Aid

Investigate possible sources of aid, including churches, business groups, & civic organizations for scholarship opportunities. Any grants received can't be used to reduce your family contribution, yet many schools will reduce the amount of loan or work in your student's financial aid award. Information will be available in your local schools, so contact your student's school guidance office for postings and lists.

UB Financial Aid Assistance for Parents/Guardians

For those P/Gs who need help with their student's financial aid paperwork, UB advisors will be available in January to meet individually with P/Gs to answer questions and help fill out the necessary forms.

Please call the UB office at 862-1563 or 800/270-3848 (if out of calling area) to schedule an appointment with your student's advisor.

MJ, Diane & Dan will be available to meet with you individually at the AEC's, at our offices, or in your home, if necessary.

North Country P/Gs will be contacted soon to let you know when Dan will be visiting your area.

About the SATs

UB seniors should have taken the SAT in October, November, or December. Be looking for those scores. Verify that official scores were sent to each of your student's schools. UB juniors should have just taken the PSAT, and should be preparing to take the SAT in the spring. P/Gs of juniors, you should look for those scores. Juniors will be attending a mandatory UB Junior Workshop in the spring to help them prepare for the SAT and introduce them to the college application process.

What's on the UB Web site for Parent/Guardians

Calendar of Events : Where you can find out about academic year events including college visits and fairs, AEC activities and special events that your student can attend.

Family Support: Where you can find out what you can do to support your student's college goals and where to look for help.

UB Graduates: Read about where Upward Bound students went to college and what they're studying.

P/G Newsletter: Read UB's p/g newsletter online!

P/G Resources: Link to web sites to research careers, colleges or scholarships, and get help with SAT preparation.

Embark.com

UNH Upward Bound has access to an amazing resource on the Web called Embark.com. While using this web site, you can find out which careers and colleges suit your student's interests, needs and abilities. Your student can learn about hundreds of careers, majors and colleges. Embark.com is also a good place to search for scholarships and to learn about financial aid. This program will compare their grades, coursework and SAT scores with colleges' admissions criteria so that they see whether their college choices are reasonable for them. With a simple click of the mouse, they can access college web sites and e-mail colleges for information and applications.

Your student already has their own personal "locker" where they can save any information that they want. Most students began working on Embark.com with a college research counselor during this past UB summer. P/Gs, you can help your student by encouraging them to utilize this program, on their own or at their UB Academic Enrichment Center.

Embark.com can be reached as a link from the parent/guardian or student page on UB's web site (just click on name). P/Gs, you will need your student's password to access their "locker," which contains their information.

Don't miss out on this amazing resource for your college-bound student!

How P/Gs help support UB

Parents borrowed a van from their community parks & recreation department and drove UB students from the North Country to the holiday reunion party on December 11. The students had fun and the parents fit in some holiday shopping!

A UB student's family member collects educational and culturally relevant magazines that would otherwise be discarded at work and donates them to our enrichment centers for student use.

Parent/Guardians donated to and/or bought items from the auction at the family day picnic this summer, an event that raised more than $1,200 for the Bridge senior scholarships.

Our sincere appreciation to all of the P/Gs who continue to support Upward Bound.

Attention Parents/Guardians: UB Needs Your Help for Recruitment 2000!

Would you be willing to:

•Post flyers at work or other public places?

•Talk about your student's UB experiences to potential new UB parents in schools and at other recruitment forums?

If so, contact your student's advisor or call Robinson House.

Do you know of a student who may be a good candidate for UB? Let your student's advisor know or refer their P/G to our office at 862-1563 or 1-800/270-3848 (if out of calling area).

Computers available for loan during the academic year

UB has several Macintosh Classic computers and Apple ImageWriter printers that UNH Upward Bound students can arrange to use during the school year. These computers are not fast enough for Internet use but are great for word processing those English papers. Microsoft Word is installed on them, which means they even come with Spell Check capabilities!

If you're in need of a computer at home and are interested in borrowing one of ours, please call Lisa in the UB office at 862-1563 or 800/270-3848 (if out of calling area).

Don't have the Internet at home? Don't worry!

Your local library should have computers with access to the Internet, and most even offer free classes on surfing the web.

Your student's school may have computers available at certain times; call the school office for information.

At the Durham & Gorham Academic Enrichment Centers, your student can show you the results of all their hard work on Embark.com.. The UB staff will be available also to show you what the AEC's have to offer to parent/guardians.

Encourage your student to achieve in school by:

Regularly asking them about school and listening to what they say

Providing them with a quiet place to study and do homework, and setting limits on extracurricular activities

Sharing stories of your positive school experiences, such as favorite subjects or outstanding teachers you remember

Limiting the number of hours your student works to 15 hours per week during the school year, with 10 of those hours on the weekend

Telling them that you are proud of their academic achievements

Encouraging your student's full participation in Upward Bound activities both during the summer and the academic year

Encouraging your student to ask questions. Be proactive (about classes, grades, schedules). Their education belongs to them, but they must claim it.

Who can help you:

School counselors can answer many of your questions about education and careers

Public libraries & community education agencies can provide information about colleges and financial aid

Admissions and financial aid offices at colleges in your community can give information and advice

And, of course, Upward Bound can assist you in getting answers to your questions.

Upward Bound is College Bound.