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Week of August 18, 2008
Week of August 11, 2008
When communicating with college couselors, advisors, recruiters, scholarship organizations, etc. it is important to make a good first impression. Here is what to do to create a good first impression, for high school and throughout college. 1) Create an e-mail address that is as professional and straightforward as possible, such as johndoe3@.....". 2) Make sure your voicemail message is also straightforward and professional. Keep your voicemail message as simple as "Hi, this is _ , I am not at my phone presently, so please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible." Stay away from messages with music and tricky messages. 3) Edit your written communications and essays to make sure there are no grammatical or spelling errors, and use professional layouts in communications such as trancripts and e-mails. 4) Monitor your online profiles such as facebook, myspace, zinch, etc. to make sure there is nothing that may be deemed offensive or that may reflect badly on you.
News about college loans: Read this article with important information concerning student loans!
Are you a woman 40+ years of age and looking for more scholarship opportunities? Check out the site http://www.aarpfoundationwlc.org/ for informaiton on a scholarship for female non-traditional students such as yourself.
Week of August 4th, 2008
Facebook and Myspace: Free advice isn't the only way to obtain valuable information. The Scholarship Foundation has pages on both Myspace and Facebook where students may interact with another to share useful tips and advice on how to survive college. For Myspace, type in the url http://groups.myspace.com/scholarshipfoundation and join the group. You must have a Myspace account to do so. For Facebook, enter through your account and type in SFSTL under "search," and simply join the group. You must also have an account under www.facebook.com in order to join. We welcome any and all of our students to join and share experiences in creating a helpful dialogue. The websites are excellents forums for discussion. We welcome you to join our network and branch out to your fellow Scholarship Foundation students.
MODELS NEEDED!
On September 25, 2008, the Scholarship Foundation is holding a volunteer luncheon/ fashion show to honor the volunteers who work throughout the year at the Clayton and Webster Grove Scholarshops. The 2008 volunteers of the year will be announced along with volunteers with milestone anniversaries. This year’s them is “Dreams Really Do Come True.” The volunteers not only love the fashions they work with but also the students whom they are helping. What better way to support our volunteers than with a fashion show, modeled by recipients of the Scholarship Foundation? It would be an honor for everyone at the luncheon for you to be a model in our fashion show. You will also be a guest at the lunch and you will only have to model one set of fashions. A short bio of you will be written up and we would love to hear of your “Dreams Really Do Come True” stories. The luncheon will be held on September 25, 2008 beginning at 11:30 and ending no later than 1:30. It will be held at Ces and Judy’s Catering – Le Chateau Village,
10405 Clayton Road.
If you are interested in being a model please contact us 314-725-3456 x 353 and ask for Ganelle, or e-mail Tina@sfstl.org (volunteer coordinator). Thanks!
Dealing with summer heat: Summer is in full swing, and for those who don't have air conditioning or are at high risk for heat stroke now have assistance to help cool down. Visit the site http://www.ameren.com/meettheheat for tips on how to stay cool. Another good resource to beat the heat is Cool Down St. Louis, an organization that provides donated air conditioners to those in need. Contact the organization at 314-241-7668. If you are interested in being a model please contact us 314-725-3456 x 353 and ask for Ganelle, or e-mail If you are interested in being a model please contact us 314-725-3456 x 353 and ask for Ganelle, or e-mail If you are interested in being a model please contact us 314-725-3456 x 353 and ask for Ganelle, or e-mail If you are interested in being a model please contact us 314-725-3456 x 353 and ask for Ganelle, or e-mail
Week of July 28, 2008
Don't make these finacial mistakes!
Are you struggling with the rising cost of food prices? Share foods is a non-profit food cooperative that works as a cheaper means of buying food. Each month a different box of food is prepared for about $18.00, and extra optional boxes are available. The only requirement is that one eats! Menus include vegetables, fruit, meats and other food items to suppliment and greatly reduce a month's cost of groceries.
There are two locations in St. Louis that offer Share Food:
Timothy Lutheran Church Share
6704 Fyler, St. Louis 63139
314-781-8673
The registration deadline (the time to to decide what packages you want and then pay) is August 10th, and the time to pick up groceries is August 23rd. Call the site for more information.
The other location for Share Foods in St. Louis is:
Mt. Olive Lutheran Church
4246 Shaw, St. Louis, MO 63110
314-771-5714
Week of July 21, 2008
Important News for College Freshman, please read all the information:
If you are a recent high school graduate…
If you received a letter from the MDHE stating we received conflicting information that currently renders you ineligible for Access Missouri or Bright Flight funds for the 2008-2009 academic year, you must submit necessary corrections by the deadlines noted below. July 31, 2008 – the preferred deadline for Access Missouri and Bright Flight. The MDHE cannot guarantee that corrections to Access Missouri eligibility made after July 31 will be received in time to affect your final eligibility.
September 30, 2008 – the deadline for Bright Flight students who took the ACT in June 2008 or missed the July 31 preferred deadline. If you do not provide all necessary information to the MDHE by September 30, you will be considered a late applicant and your award will be subject to funding availability, even if you have previously received an approval letter.
If you filed a FAFSA, corrections can be made through the FAFSA correction process. If you did not file a FAFSA, corrections can be made by contacting your college or the MDHE. PLEASE NOTE: The FAFSA is required to apply for the Access Missouri program; Bright Flight students are NOT required to complete the FAFSA but may choose to do so to apply for need-based aid. If the FAFSA indicates you are no longer an undergraduate student, Missouri resident or U.S. citizen, your Bright Flight eligibility can be affected.
Contact your school’s health center to find out about health care procedures on campus. Some schools require a physical in addition to immunizations such as the meningitis shot or a tuberculosis test. Also, plan for transportation; some schools do not allow freshmen to have cars. Whether it is the bus, a bike, or even walking, make sure that you have a plan for getting around campus, as well as around town.
Scholarship opportunities may still exist to help you finance future academic terms. Check out the National Association of Student Aid Administrators’ “Tips on How to Get Scholarships” to learn more. Know all the facts before signing on the dotted line for an “alternative” student loan. The Federal Trade Commission, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education, recently published guidance for “How to Spot Deceptive Private Student Loan Practices.”
Having problems paying for college books? Learn how to save money with this article on innovative strategies for obtaining cheaper textbooks.
Week of July 15, 2008
Check out this helpful link with information on how to avoid scholarship scams:
Week of July 7, 2008
Check out these links for advice and new information on federal financial aid:
Week of June 24, 2008
To new students: if you are interested in spring semester funding, beginning August 1st you may apply for spring ONLY funding for 2008-2009 school year. The deadline for the applications is November 15th. If you have any questions feel free to contact Julia, the advisor, at 314-725-7990 x 310 or at julia@sfstl.org. Don't miss out!
Do you know…
The difference between an unsubsidized and subsidized loan? The conditions of a PLUS loan?
All
Stafford
Loans are either subsidized (the government pays the interest while you're in school) or unsubsidized (you pay all the interest, although you can have the payments deferred until after graduation).
These days the PLUS loan is referred to as either the Parent PLUS or Grad PLUS loan. The original name, Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students, is no longer used, not even in the Higher Education Act. Repayment begins 60 days after the funds are fully disbursed, and the repayment term is up to 10 years. There is no grace period as there is with the
Stafford
Loan program. PLUS loans are the financial responsibility of the parents, not the student. If the student agrees to make payments on the PLUS loan, but fails to make the payments on time, the parents will be held responsible. You can learn more about PLUS loans for parents from Citi Student Loans or www.finaid.org under loans.
The interest rates on existing variable rate
Stafford
and PLUS loans will continue to change annually on July 1, based on the last 91-day T-bill auction in May. The current interest rates on the
Stafford
Loan are 6.62% during the in-school and grace periods and 7.22% during the repayment period. The current interest rate on the PLUS Loan is 8.02%. These rates are expected to decrease significantly on July 1, 2008. FinAid recommends that students who have not yet consolidated their variable rate loans wait until after July 1, 2008 to do so. Interest rates are likely to drop enough by then to make it worthwhile to wait to consolidate. There are only 7 days left before interest rates change. Remember, do not consolidate your Scholarship Foundation loan
Week of June 2, 2008
Looking for more resources for student loans? Check out the webpage www.myrichuncle.com and learn how you can receive federal and private funding. The website is also full of imformation to better help you understand the financial aid process. You can also call them at 1-888-MY-RICH-UNCLE. Looking for more resources for student loans? Check out the webpage and learn how you can receive federal and private funding. The website is also full of imformation to better help you understand the financial aid process. You can also call them at 1-888-MY-RICH-UNCLE.
Week of May 26, 2008
- If you are a recent college graduate and borrowed a federal student loan, you have a 6-month grace period before your first payment is due. Use this time to get prepared for successful repayment. Make a plan for saving a portion of the money you earn at your summer job, and be ready to head back to school in the fall with a personalized budget in place. Make a plan for saving a portion of the money you earn at summer jobs. To see how money in your savings account can add up over time, check out this savings calculator
- If you are taking summer courses, you already know that it's a great way to keep on track and make sure you graduate on time (or even early). It also provides the opportunity to let you really concentrate on just one class at a time, which can be ideal for tough courses. If you're not currently enrolled in summer classes, keep an open mind for future summers. Stay active and involved in extracurricular activities. Summer is also a great time to join community organizations.
- After you've explored all other methods of financial aid – grants, scholarships, work-study – that do not have to be repaid, you should make any decisions about taking out a student loan very carefully. Know your rights as a borrower:
o You have the right to choose your lender. Schools have a "preferred lender list" but you have the right to choose a different lender if it is a better deal for you.
o You also have the right to choose the guarantor of your loan. All FFELP (Federal Family Education Loan Program) loans must have a guarantor – which really just means they “guarantee” payment to your loan holder by agreeing to buy the loan if you default. The Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE) is
Missouri
's designated guaranty agency. When you choose the MDHE as your guarantor, all earnings are reinvested into the state of
Missouri
, not corporate shareholders or stakeholders in another state.
o Be informed and know which providers have the best interest rates, borrower benefits, repayment plans, and customer service. Helpful calculators can help you keep the information organized. You should also investigate whether a lender offers discounts or forgiveness plans for your particular field of study. Note: Schools are required to work with ALL eligible lenders. |
