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The College to Career Season is On

by | Aug 31, 2023 | College Planning, Financial Aid, Paying for College

College to career planning begins before the drop of leaves and the shift in the winds. Summer closes, and the seriousness of the Fall returns to households and all who support the education-seeking student. This year, by all indications, will be another fun and exciting experience. To help, I’m flying above the crowd to identify what’s on the radar.

Forty-six million borrowers will return to making their monthly loan payments as the freeze on Federal Student Loan payments ends. Borrowers should assess their financial budgets and eligibility for repayment relief or forgiveness.

A new group of high school seniors are now entering the three-stage, admissions application cycle, hoping to join the incoming Class 2024. Prepare and apply early. Colleges and universities are now making offers to the highest percentage of applicants who apply in November.

Families complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for financial aid from all sources. This year, the application filing date is pushed back from the traditional October start to an anticipated late December-early January 2024. Families should still get a jump on estimating their investment by visiting sampling public and private schools and using their Net Price Calculators.

Pop Quiz – How should you begin the college search process? Answer below

Scheduling campus visits is historically a Fall and Spring activity critical to the evaluation and investigation process when learning about college options. It is an excellent drive by experience for 9th/10th graders, mandatory for 11th grade, and necessary as 12th-grade students and families decide on the final cut.

Families will measure college as a pathway and question if there are other routes to follow after high school. The answer is a resounding yes!

After paying the tuition, college-bound and currently enrolled families should pause and check resources. Recalculating a family’s ability to finance future semesters is critical. Meeting college costs is one of the common reasons students leave school.

Communicating with college-age students can strain parents, especially moms. Creating a plan for when and how to stay in touch can account for the dead space.

Expectations and reality will reset after the first semester, with many students realizing college is more challenging than anticipated. Getting ahead of emotional and academic shifts early can help a student bounce back and feel successful.

Pop Quiz Answer: Traditional guidance given to 10th and 11th-grade families is to run a college list, visit, apply, and hope for financial aid. The first three are accurate steps, but only after pre-determining a family’s ability to meet the cost of education, public and private. You would not buy a $300,000 home without knowing your payment. Finding the college starts here.

The governor’s budget adds juice to making higher education affordable for residents of the Commonwealth. The new Mass Reconnect Program and expanded provisions for in-state tuition recipients provides many ways for students and families to find affordable and achieve education pathways. Learn more with this two minute read – https://wp.me/p7FUFP-2lv

Lifelong Learning – Affordable and Achievable

by | Aug 29, 2023 | Uncategorized

Choosing an education pathway can be a maze of twists and turns that can baffle even the best of individuals. With the recent announcement of the Mass Reconnect Program a new way to make education affordable, lets look at the many ways to find an affordable education pathway after high school here in the Commonwealth..

Attend a four-year in-state public university – choose from one of thirteen state universities or the four University of Massachusetts campuses. Enroll and pay the in-state costs, including tuition and fees, housing, meals, and individual campus fees.

Attending a private college can be an affordable pathway based on a student’s (family’s) overall tuition assistance package, including scholarships, need-based financial aid, and other resources.

Enroll at one of fifteen Community College locations part-time or in pursuit of a degree. Attending community college post-high school is a great option to strengthen readiness, pursue an Associate Degree, or be a Mass Transfer designate. The program empowers students with the ability to transfer and complete their 4-year degree at a public or private college or university.

The recently approved Healey-Driscoll 2024 budget, administration announced the new Mass Reconnect Program. Now residents 25 years and older will have the ability to complete an associate degree or an gain an upskill certification. The Mass Reconnect Program will support students by covering the traditional student (family) contribution determined through the FAFSA application process. Contact your regional Community College’s Enrollment Office  to learn specific eligibility and financial obligation.*

Not to be left to the young, an MA resident 60 years or older, a veteran, and those with other designations may be eligible to attend an MA public college or university free with a Categorical Tuition Waiver.

For individuals looking for information on other career, technical, and workforce development programs, visit the MA Board of Higher Education Continuing Education webpage.

  • Free enrollment is based on completing the FAFSA application and meeting eligibility requirements.