College Bound The UNH Upward Bound Parent/Guardian Newsletter

Let's face it: we live in an increasingly diverse world. Everywhere we go we are surrounded by different languages, skin color, styles of dress, cultural norms, and personal values. This is as true of recent emigrants to the United States as it is of families who have lived here for generations. There are many ways to respond to all this diversity. The one we adopt at Upward Bound, is to embrace it warmly.

What this means for us is that we seek maximum diversity in our staff and student populations. We encourage applicants from all racial and ethnic groups. We do this because we believe that opening our minds and hearts to different views and values enrich us in the long run. This attitude has rewarded us well. Students and staff from Africa, Central and South America, the former Soviet Union, Eastern and Western Europe and China and Southeast Asia have joined our program and have delighted us with their insights and rich cultural heritages.

But diversity goes a lot further than nationality, language, religion and skin color. Diversity also applies to a person's sexual identity. The fact of the matter is that between 5-10% of the population is gay, lesbian, bisexual or what is currently called "transgendered". Over the years, we have accepted students and hired staff who have been either gay or lesbian, and will no doubt do so in the future. Each of them deserves our acceptance and the opportunities we provide; that is, we will treat each person, staff or student, regardless of sexual orientation, with respect and dignity.

When it comes to staff, we evaluate each applicant on the basis of the quality of their character as well as their quality as teachers, as counselors, as mentors, and ultimately as human beings. So long as we believe a person is highly qualified in their area, responsible, compassionate and of the highest moral standards in terms of how he or she will treat and respect our students, that person may be invited to work at UNH Upward Bound.

I'm telling you this now, so that you will understand our policy and not be surprised if, in the future, you learn that a staff member or members is gay or lesbian. Please let me know if you have questions or concerns. I'll be happy to discuss them with you and can be reached at 862-3268 or dpg@alberti.unh.edu.

- Dan

Opening Ceremonies: Sunday, June 24
Parent Discussion/Visitor nights: Tuesdays 7/3, 7/10, 7/17, & 7/24
Family Picnic: Sunday, July 22 1:00-4:30
Closing Ceremonies: Saturday, Aug. 4

Please plan family vacations after August 4!

Also, schedule appointments on Friday afternoons or Saturday to avoid pulling students from important UB classes or activities.

UB is currently making arrangements with schools to enable students to take finals early if scheduled after UB's opening day - more details to follow soon.

Types of Financial Aid
With all the different types of financial aid available, it is easy to get them confused. Here are some quick explanations of aid you may see listed in your financial aid award packages:

Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan--Money to be paid back when the student is no longer in college full-time. Interest is deferred with a Subsidized Stafford Loan, meaning interest does not accrue until the student is no longer enrolled in college. The loan limit for first year students is $2,625, for second year students is $3,500, and $5,500 for the remainder of the student's college years to a maximum total of $23,000. Disbursements of the loan are sent directly to the school, usually at the beginning of each semester.

Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan--Similar to Subsidized Stafford Loan, but with one major exception: interest will accrue while the student is in school. Annual loan limits for first year students is $6,625, for second year students is $7,500, and $10,500 for the remainder of the student's college years to a maximum of $46,000. The interest rate is variable, but will not exceed 8.25%.

Federal Pell Grant--This type of aid does not have to be paid back. Grants are based on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), Cost of Attendance, and whether the student is a full-time or part-time student. The maximum Pell Grant award is $3,750 for the 2001-2002 school year. Disbursements may be sent directly to the school or to the student, depending on the school's policy.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)--This type of aid does not have to be paid back. Grants are based on extreme financial need, and priority goes to students who have received a Federal Pell Grant. The maximum amount of this type of grant varies between schools, depending on funding.

Federal Work Study--This program provides jobs for students. Students are awarded a financial "ceiling" (usually $1,000-$2,000) which they can reach by working, usually 10-15 hours per week. Each college/university will have a list of work-study jobs, some on-campus, some off-campus. Students receive a check for the hours they worked (just like a regular job). The only difference is that a percentage of the money earned comes from the Federal government, and the remainder is paid by the student's employer. With the Federal Work Study program, employers are able to have students work for them while only paying half of what the student actually earns. The student earns money at an hourly rate until he/she reaches the financial ceiling set in the financial aid award package.

• Make sure that you have received financial aid awards from all schools. If not, call the school's financial aid office immediately to find out why.
• Review and compare financial aid award packages from different school (see Award Comparison Worksheet on next page).
• Continue the college decision-making process. Important points to consider: financial aid, location of the school, majors offered, friends who may be attending the same school, student's enthusiasm about a particular school (this can be a good predictor of whether or not the student will stay at the school), and how you, the P/G feel about the school.
• Continue looking and encouraging your student to apply for scholarships! It is never too late, and many scholarships have a June deadline!
• Before sending a deposit to a school, be sure your student has no doubt that is the school he/she wants to go to. Many deposits are non-refundable!

Oftentimes a student's decision regarding which college to attend depends largely on the financial aid package you (the family) have been offered. As a P/G it is very important that you take time to help your child compare the awards offered by different colleges. Schools may have different formats or use different wording in their award letters which make comparing difficult. The worksheet below is an effective tool and may be used to help you decide which school is the most financially appropriate for you and your student.

Step 1: List the total cost (tuition, room and board, books, expenses, etc.) of each school. You often can get this information from the financial aid award letter or a college catalog or viewbook. If you are unclear about what the costs are or where they may be found on the award letter, call the financial aid office of that school.

School Names _________________ ___________________ __________________

Total Cost of Attendance $________________ $___________________ $___________________

Step 2: List the financial aid awards that are being offered by each school. Remember that there is a difference between grants/scholarships and loans--loans have to be paid back!

A. Grants and Scholarships

Federal Pell Grant _________________ _________________ ________________
Federal SEOG _________________ _________________ ________________
State Grant/Scholarship(s) _________________ _________________ ________________
College Grant/Scholarship(s) ______________ _________________ ________________
Other _________________ _________________ ________________

*Total Grants and Scholarships $_______________ $_________________ $_______________

B. Work Opportunities

Federal College Work-Study ________________ _________________ ________________
Other Work Income ________________ _________________ ________________

*Total Work $_______________ $_______________ $_______________

C. Loans

Federal Subsidized Stafford ________________ ________________ ________________
Federal Unsubsidized Stafford ______________ ________________ ________________
Perkins ________________ ________________ ________________
Other Loan(s) ________________ ________________ ________________
Other Loan(s) ________________ ________________ ________________

*Total Loans $_______________ $_______________ $_______________

Total Financial Aid (*A+*B+*C) $_______________ $________________ $________________

Step 3: What is your Expected Family Contribution (EFC)? This is the amount determined by the school that your family will be expected to pay toward costs beyond what is offered in the award letter. To find this figure, subtract the Total Financial Aid (Step 2) from the Total Cost of Attendance (Step 1).

Total from Step 1 ___________ ___________ ___________

Total from Step 2 ___________ ___________ ___________

Total Expected Family Contribution $____________ $____________ $____________

The Upward Bound Junior Workshop will take place from Thursday, 4/26 to Friday, 4/27 at the Catholic Student Center here at UNH. Juniors will prepare for the SAT and will learn about the college application process. This is an important workshop and is mandatory for all UB juniors except those from the North Country (this is school vacation week for all other NH schools). On Thursday the workshop starts off with some fun events for the students, including dinner and a musical in Portsmouth.

Your student should have received information in the mail at the end of March and they need to reply by April 9.

Also taking place on Thursday, 4/26 is a UB trip to visit the University of Maine at Farmington and Saint Joseph's College in Standish. This is an excellent opportunity for your 10th or 11th grade student to visit two small but competitive Maine colleges. Juniors will join the Workshop activities upon their return that evening.

ALL JUNIORS should register to take the SAT this spring. If your junior still hasn't registered, they should pick up a registration form in their school guidance office and get a fee waiver from their UB advisor if needed. The deadline to register for the June 2 SAT test is April 28.

Now that your students have completed two quarters at school, we thought it time to provide an update about UB's academic standards.

At the close of the first quarter, students with one or more failing grades or whose grade point average fell below a 2.0 were placed on academic warning status and met with their UB advisor to discuss possible reasons for their poor academic performance and to develop strategies to improve their grade(s).

When second quarter grades came out, students with warning status quarter 1 and who had not improved their grade(s) were sent a letter notifying them that they were being placed on academic probation. These letters were to be read and signed by P/Gs, and the student had to work with their UB advisor to develop a contract that described how his/her grades would be improved. In addition, the student did not receive their quarterly stipend, and if he/she shows no academic improvement by the end of the third quarter, UB must make a decision about whether the student can continue in the Upward Bound program. Keep in mind, grades are not the only basis for this decision, but are certainly an important factor.

For Upward Bound to have a meaningful impact on our students, that is, to make them college bound, everyone needs to be involved. Here are some ways you as a P/G can help if your student is struggling in school:

• Talk to your student's teachers and guidance counselor and ask for their advice; this is an important connection to make for your student to succeed in school.
• If your student works, set a limit on the number of hours; UB suggests a maximum of 15 hours a week, with 10 of those hours during the weekend.
• Talk with your student's UB advisor or call the UB office at 862-1563 or 800/270-3848 to speak with Dan, Mary Jo, or Diane. Ask questions or let us know what you think.

April 26-27: Junior Workshop
April 26: Maine Colleges Trip
April 27: Registration deadline for June 2 SATs (fee waivers available through UB advisors)
May 25: Bridge Overnight
May 26: Summer Orientation Day
June 21: Bridge Students Move In
June 24: Opening Ceremonies
July 4: Independence Day (Students stay at UB)
July 22: UB Family Picnic
August 4: Closing Ceremonies

We will be having Summer Orientation Day (S.O.D.) on Saturday, May 26 this year. P/Gs are invited to attend an informative orientation, which includes a discussion with some of this year's Bridge seniors and a chance for P/Gs to ask questions and discuss any concerns about the Summer Program. Students will spend the day doing a variety of activities and completing a series of assessments for summer class placements. P/Gs may leave after their orientation or stay to enjoy a picnic style lunch and UB will provide transportation home for the students. It is sure to be a fun and informative day.

Look for more information in the mail as the day quickly approaches.

The following is a list of colleges to which our seniors have been accepted. Look in the May issue of The Pipeline to see an updated listÉ once all UBers have received their acceptance letters.

Roger Williams University (RI)
Warren Wilson College (NC)
Simmons College (MA)
Rivier College (NH)
Johnson & Wales University (RI)
University of Southern Maine
University of Maryland
Temple University (PA)
University of Miami (FL)
Syracuse University (NY)
Long Island University (NY)
University of New Hampshire
McIntosh College (NH)
New Hampshire Technical Institute
University of Hartford (CT)
Merrimack College (MA)
University of Connecticut
Saint JosephÕs College (ME)
Saint Anselm College (NH)
Wheelock College (MA)
Franklin Pierce College (NH)
Keene State College (NH)
Central Connecticut State University
Mount Ida College (MA)
Plymouth State College (NH)
Southern New Hampshire University
Clark University (MA)
Iona College (NY)
Univ. of New Hampshire Ð Manchester
Endicott College (MA)
Southern Maine Technical College
University of New England (ME)
Castleton State College (VT)
Wheaton College (MA)
Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
Northeastern University (MA)

Upward Bound is College Bound.