Financial aid profiles

Careers and Colleges, Nov-Dec, 2005

GOOD WORKS LEAD TO GOOD AID

In high school in Kansas City, MO, Wynter Rice knew she wanted to pursue a pre-med education. She also knew that it wouldn't come cheap. That's why Truman State University in Kirksville caught her attention. As a state school, the cost of attendance was relatively low, and the college offered grants to strong students like Wynter. "Plus, the number of Truman graduates who are accepted into med school is very high," she explains. Wynter received aid from a private scholarship, but like so many awards, it was only good for her freshman year. Fortunately, she applied for a church scholarship for her sophomore year and won it because of her volunteer work at an elementary school and helping with church food and clothing drives. "As Wynter shows, scholarships are often good for just one year," says Melinda Wood, director of financial aid at Truman State, "so you have to keep looking beyond your freshman year."

Here's how Wynter paid for her sophomore year:

Truman Academic Award                                $3,200
  (Must maintain a 3.25 GPA)
Concord Church Cancer Support Ministry Scholarship     $500
Stafford Loan (Subsidized)                           $3,500
Family Contribution                                  $8,818
  (Wynter works summers at Applebee's to help pay
   off her annual costs.)
Total:                                              $16,018

ARTISTIC TALENT PAINTS A PRETTY FINANCIAL PICTURE

Laudina Chioles always had a talent for drawing, but it took a class in graphic design at her high school in Spring, TX to show her that her art could lead to a rewarding career. After winning a medal from the Texas Art Education Association's Visual Arts Scholastic Event, Laudina had the confidence to apply to the Art Institute. A rodeo-themed illustration won her $500 from Al's applicant art show, and her impressive portfolio landed her a $5,000 scholarship ($1,250 each year). With awards in hand, Laudina packed her bags and headed north to the Illinois Institute of Art in Schaumburg. "Now I'm building my portfolio to get a job doing graphic design at a magazine or advertising agency," she says.

Here's how Laudina is paying for her freshman year:

Art Institute Scholarship/HS Senior Competition           $1,250
  ($5,000 total, $1,250 for each year)
Excellence Award (From the applicant art show)              $500
AI Merit Award (Must maintain a 2.5 GPA)                    $900
Klein Collins High School National Art Honors
  Society School Scholarship                                $500
Stafford Loan (Subsidized)                                $2,547
Stafford Loan (Unsubsidized)                              $3,880
Family Contribution                                       $8,949
  (Laudina meets the remainder of her costs with money
  from her family and earnings from a part-time job in
  the college financial aid office.)
Total:                                                   $18,526

SOCCER KICKS IN THE FUNDS

James Hernandez always assumed he would attend a local community college in his hometown of Providence, RI. Although his high school grades were good (A's and B's), his SAT scores were "really, really bad." Friends encouraged Hernandez to look at Dean College, a Division I junior college in Franklin, MA. James, a star soccer player, liked what he saw at Dean--a school that would give him a chance despite his low test scores and a potential pipeline into a four-year college with a top soccer program. But the $30,000 price tag stopped James in his tracks. "I thought I wouldn't be able to come here," he says. "But I met with the financial aid people, and they ended up doing a lot for me."

Here's how James paid for his freshman year:

Dean College Grant                                          $12,000
Dean College Athletic Scholarship                           $5,000
Rhode Island Children's Crusade for Higher Education        $5,000
  (In elementary school, "Crusaders" pledge to stay
  in school, work hard, and avoid negative influences.
  Those who do, like Hernandez, earn hefty scholarships.)
Rhode Island State Grant                                    $5,000
PLUS Loan                                                   $4,000
Pell Grant                                                  $1,500
Stafford Loan (Subsidized)                                  $1,300
Total:                                                      $33,800

A Love OF LAW ADDS TO A DIVERSE PACKAGE

When he was growing up in Easton. PA, Raymond Lahoud watched TV crime shows and followed murder trials on the news. "I guess I always had an interest in criminal justice," says Raymond, who is now a junior at Lehigh in Bethlehem, PA. His passion for school also GPA hovering near 4.0. The only obstacle for this future lawyer was paying for college--he comes from a single-parent household with limited financial resources.

Fortunately, Raymond's top-choice, Lehigh, was able to put together a varied award consisting of federal and state aid, plus a hefty college grant because of his h gh GPA and need. Raymond's interest in being a lawyer helped him win two additional scholarships as well.