Resources

Info for Parents

The Talent Search Program is designed to:

  • Identify qualified youths with potential for education at the post-secondary level and encourage them to complete a secondary school and undertake a program of post-secondary education
  • Publicize the availability of student financial assistant for persons who seek to pursue post-secondary education
  • Encourage people who have not completed education programs at the secondary or post-secondary level, but have the ability to do so, to reenter these programs

Academic Planning

If you want to help your child keep options open, you must become familiar with the academic requirements of most colleges. However, keep in mind that some colleges require more than the minimum. Taking additional courses will preserve more options for your child.

Finding the Right Level

Parents are usually concerned that their children perform as well as possible and get the highest possible grades. At the same time, parents may wonder about how their child's level of course work might affect college admission. In other words, "is it better to have a B in an honors course or an A in a regular course?" The answer is not straight forward, but usually a B in an honors course is preferable.

Parents and Paying For College

Carefully planning to pay for your child's college education is specially important. Since it is surely the biggest investment you'll ever make, the planning should begin at birth or at least soon after reading this. 

The Early Years (up to eighth grade)

Save as much as you possibly can without shorting your necessities.
Do NOT save the money in your child's name. The financial-aid formulas will take 35 % of the student's money as opposed to only 6% of your own.

Freshman Year

This is the time to start fiddling with your income. Some schools may ask you for tax return documents from the past two years, so you have until December of your child's sophomore year to make some extra money without it affecting your child's financial package.
Sophomore year

Start spending any money that may be saved in your child's name. Try paying for things using their money, while saving that same amount of your own.

Junior Year

Spend some time searching for scholarships. Start now because this will be very time consuming. Begin by going to the library or making some phone calls.

Senior Year

IN JANUARY, fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Never assume you are ineligible for financial aid.

College

Stop by the financial aid office and plead for more money. Schools do a lot of reevaluating for the January term.

FINANCIAL AID

SOURCES OF FINANCIAL AID

Although paying for college is a family's responsibility, there are other resources available to help, including:

The government (community, state, federal)
Private organizations, national and local
The colleges themselves. Each one has a financial aid office; if you're admitted to the college, it's financial aid office will work with you and your family to try to make attending affordable.

Types of Financial Aid:

Scholarships & Grants: These are typically called gift aid because you never have to repay them, or work a job to earn them.

College Loans: Loans are usually subsidized by the state, federal government, or by the college. They are repaid when you're no longer enrolled as a student; interest rates are reasonable; and you can pay back the lender over many years.

Student Work Programs: Campus jobs may involve working 5 to 15 hours a week, within various departments at the college. Generally your pay can be used for incidental expenses- the cost of buying supplies, books, etc.

Federal Aid Programs:


Pell Grants: Grants open to all students in need who have been accepted at an institution of higher education.

Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant: Grants to students with exceptional financial needs, who could not otherwise attend college.

College Work - Study Program: Federal program that provides part-time on-campus work opportunities for students.

Perkins Student Loan Program: Designed to make low interest, long term loans directly to students in need.

Stafford Student Loan/Plus Loans: Loans from private lenders (financial institutions, insurance companies, etc.) are guaranteed by the federal government.

State Aid Programs:

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): For eligible NYS residents attending in-state postsecondary institutions. Awards are based on NYS taxable income.

Higher / Education Opportunity Program (HEOP): State supported program that provides grant assistance to students who demonstrate academic and financial need, available in public and private colleges and universities.