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Jewish World Review July 1, 2008 28 Sivan 5768 What do we do? My daughter didn't get a scholarship By Gail Marks Jarvis
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT) Q. My 18-year-old daughter is going to college this fall. I was sure the college would just hand us a scholarship because she's smart and was home schooled. We also have a handicapped child on a ventilator. But we didn't get help. I know we were dumb. But now what do we do? College is more than we can afford. -- B.J., Moline, Ill. A. I wouldn't say you were dumb. You were naive, and you made the same mistakes that most families make. Busy parents assume they will get financial aid if they need it or if their child is smart or has a certain talents. What they don't realize is that winning aid - especially scholarships or grants - takes research and effort. It requires that you understand the quirky formula that your college financial aid office will use to determine what you can afford to pay for college. The formula is embedded in the FAFSA and PROFILE forms colleges require you to fill out when applying for aid. Parents that don't understand the formula make themselves look richer than they are. For example, they might report 401(k) retirement savings like they are regular household savings, and consequently undercut their financial aid by thousands of dollars. Families can keep from making mistakes if they study Kalman Chany's book, "Paying for College without Going Broke." In addition, parents can greatly enhance the opportunity for winning grants and scholarships if they have their children apply for admission to many colleges, including public and private colleges and colleges in distant states. The reason: Often private colleges give more aid than public colleges, even though public schools seem cheaper on their face. A specific college might sweeten aid if they need a student with your child's talents, gender or background, while another might not need someone like your child that particular year. Likewise, at a distant location the admissions staff might be attracted to a student who will bring geographic diversity to the class. They also look for other diversity - everything from race to unique features like home schooling. If one school offers a sweeter deal than another, the student can often approach their favorite college, tell the financial aid staff about a better offer, and get more aid. You lost most of your power to do that when your child agreed to attend a college without first working out the aid. But you still might have options. Here's what to do: First understand how colleges will look at your finances by doing what's called an "expected family contribution" calculation at http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp. Use the "federal" formula for students going to a public college and the "institutional" for private colleges. Then call the director or assistant director of financial aid at your child's college; not the student who answers the phone in the financial aid office. Explain your financial needs, especially if the care of your child on a ventilator creates financial stresses on the family budget. Ask about both "need-based aid," or grants for families who can't afford college, and also "merit" scholarships, which are aimed at inducing desirable students to attend. Although families might not qualify for "need-based" if their family income is over $150,000 at a private college or $70,000 at a public college, unusual factors such as extraordinary medical expenses can make a difference. You might be asked to write the financial aid office "an appeal," in which you would explain unusual financial matters not reflected in the FAFSA. Parents, who lose jobs, should always contact financial aid offices and explain that their aid application is out of date. While you missed opportunities for merit scholarships during the college application process, this is a good time of year to check again. Frequently, in the summer, students change their minds about attending college. That means that scholarships that had been awarded for the upcoming school year, might suddenly be available after all. Also, if your child anticipates a certain major, contact that department and see if scholarships are available. Even if you fail to get help now, keep checking back throughout the college years. And if your child gets a work-study job in the department where she will major, that puts her in the catbird seat to watch for aid that might become available. Have her tell the department director, professors and secretaries that she's watching for scholarships. You have another option available, but it's more radical. Ken Richard, a Roseville, Minn., financial planner, was unsuccessful in convincing Middlebury College to give his daughter grants. So after her first year in college, he had her transfer to Rice, where she received several thousand dollars. Meanwhile, aside from aid, realize that you can finance college with federal student loans, which are much cheaper than going to a bank and getting a private loan. At your daughter's financial aid office, ask for a subsidized Stafford loan, available for up to $5,500 this year. The interest rate should be 6 to 6.8 percent. Parents can also get federal PLUS loans at 7.9 percent, to cover remaining tuition and other college expenses. Besides federal loans, some states offer low-interest student loans. Contact the department of education for the state where you live or the state where your child will attend college. And seek scholarships for college at www.scholarships.com or www.fastweb.com. Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. Gail Marks Jarvis is a personal finance columnist for the Chicago Tribune and author of "Saving for Retirement without Living Like a Pauper or Winning the Lottery." Comment by clicking here.
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