EDUCATION
5 things to know about college fi nancial aid award letters
High school students across
the country will soon be
eagerly awaiting financial aid
award letters from colleges.
For many aspiring college
students and their parents,
this is when things can start to
get complicated.
College is a big expense and
it’s important to have a clear
understanding of the financing
options to ensure students
and their parents make wise
decisions. According to a
recent survey from College Ave
Students Loans by Barnes &
Noble College Insights, more
than twice as many parents
(69 percent) found this time
- figuring out how to pay for
college - more stressful than
the college selection process
(30 percent).
Joe DePaulo, CEO and
Co-Founder of College Ave
Student Loans, is here to help
by decoding one of the most
important documents on the
road to college.
1. Financial aid award
letters can be confusing.
Financial aid letters vary
from school to school. There is
no uniform format they must
follow, so each letter can vary
in how they use symbols (such
as L or LN for loans) and even
how they calculate the cost of
college. Make sure to compare
how items such as scholarships,
loans and work-study are
applied to the bottom line.
2. Know the ‘net price’
of college.
Your letter may include
the cost of attendance (COA),
which is an estimate of what
you can expect to pay for one
year of school. Typically the
COA includes tuition, fees,
and room and board. To find
the ‘net price’ at the college,
subtract the ‘free aid,’ or
scholarships and grants, from
the COA. This net price - which
sometimes can be significantly
lower than the ‘sticker’ price of
a college - is the amount the
family is expected to pay.
3. Expect to pay more.
Though financial aid
award letters typically call
out the “expected family
contribution” (EFC), expect
to pay more over the course
of the year. According to the
College Ave survey, 59 percent
of parents said college was
more expensive than they
had anticipated. Parking,
transportation home, club and
organization fees, even dining
out, can add to the bottom line.
Do you know a Student of Distinction?
TimesLedger Newspapers and Community Newspaper Group
invite your school to participate in our feature highlighting
young people who are excellent students as well as
role models for their younger peers.
Nomination requirements are:
A) That the student excel in academics in addition to
participation in extra-curricular school activities.
B) A nominating letter from your school’s guidance
counselor and instructors describing the student’s abilities
and why they would be worthy of this recognition.
C) Please make sure that the student’s bio and a recent
photo are included with the nomination.
D) Categories are:
1) Middle School 2) High School 3) College
Please send nominations and information to:
srossi@cnglocal.com, or mail to:
S. Rossi – 38-15 Bell Blvd., 2nd Floor, Bayside, NY 11361
If you have any questions, you may contact me at:
718-260-4522
4. You can petition your
award letter.
If you felt the financial aid
award letter did not accurately
represent your family’s needs,
you can ask the school to
re-evaluate your financial
aid offer (especially if your
circumstances have changed).
Contact the financial aid office
and request they review your
cost of attendance to ensure it
includes other expenses (such
as childcare) or changes in
your ability to pay (job loss or
medical costs), which may help
you secure more money in
grants, work-study or loans.
5. Keep applying for
scholarships.
While some scholarship
applications have many
applicants, others have little
competition. Be sure to apply
for specialty scholarships
unique to your area of
educational study or even local
area. Every amount helps
and reduces the amount your
family has to pay. One easy
scholarship to apply for is the
College Ave $1,000 Scholarship
Monthly Sweepstakes.
If you find you still fall
short after scholarships and
grants and federal loans in the
student’s name, one option to
consider is a private student
loan. Look for a private loan
with good interest rates and
flexible terms that meet your
family’s unique needs. Check
out the College Ave Student
CHRIST THE KING
HIGH SCHOOL
68-02 Metropolitan Ave, Middle Village, New York 11379 �� 718.366.7400
CK Speech and Debate Team Qualifi es for State
and National Championships
Christ the King Speech and Debate members have once again qualifi ed several members for the State and
National Championships.
The following students have earned the right to compete at the New York State Forensic League’s
Championship Tournament that will be held this year on April 6th and 7th at Hofstra University: Ian Baksh,
Diego Espada, Gregory Jans, and Elvis Soto in Intermediate Public Forum Debate; Krystian Makocki,
Kordian VonCyga and Christian Wong in Student Congress; and Joseph Siguencia in Novice Lincoln Douglas
Debate.
This year the NCFL National Championships will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin during Memorial Day
Weekend featuring the best speakers and debaters from all over the country. CK qualifi ed 5 students: Ian
Baksh, Diego Espada, Gregory Jans, and Elvis Soto in Varsity Public Forum Debate and Krystian Makocki
in Student Congress.
Principal Geri Martinez said, “We could not be prouder of the achievements of all our Speech & Debate
members. We are very thankful for the support of the moderators, Anton Jans, Kristen Tully and Larry Reilly
who have helped and supported the team this season.”
The CK Speech & Debate team will continue working very hard over the next few months to prepare for the
State and National fi nals.
ABOUT CHRIST THE KING REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Christ the King Regional High School is a private, co-educational Catholic High School with a 4-year college preparatory curriculum.
Located in Middle Village, Queens, Christ the King Regional High School draws students from all areas. The school is accredited by The
Board of Regents of the State of New York and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Christ the King’s current
enrollment is approximately 800 students. The faculty numbers 45.
More information is available http://www.ctkny.org/. Find Christ the King on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CKCampus.
TIMESLEDGER,22 MARCH 29-APR. 4, 2019 BT QNS.COM
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