Counselors:  Wanda Bird and Amy Gogas
 

March - April 2010

Thomas Memorial Hospital’s Volunteer Services Department is now accepting applications for the Junior Volunteer Program for the summer of 2010.  Teens (boys or girls) who are 14 by December 31^st, 2009, up to 17 years of age, are eligible.  Full time students who are interested in healthcare as a career and who are sincerely interested in helping others will be considered.  For more information, you may call the Volunteer Services Department at 304-766-3787.  Ask Ms. Bird for an application.

Juniors—Bezos Scholars Program@the Aspen Institute seeks applications from public high school juniors.  To be eligible, applicants’ schools must be public high schools (including charter and magnet schools) where at least 25 percent of students are eligible for the free/reduced lunch program.  Potential scholars must be legal U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents in their junior year with a GPA of 3.5 or higher and be taking Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate classes.  Scholar applicants should demonstrate leadership in school and community and have scored exceptionally well on PSAT/SAT/or ACT.  Twelve top public high school juniors and twelve dynamic educators from their respective schools to receive seven-day, all-expense-paid scholarships to attend the Aspen Ideas Festival, July 5-11, 2010.  For more information contact:  www.bezosfamilyfoundation.org/scholars/eligibility.html.  Deadline:  February 12.

WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY—Are you an incoming WVU Freshman interested in a Science, Engineering, or Mathematics related major?  Earn up to 7-credit hours before your first semester at NO COST TO YOU!  The WVNANO/LSAMP Summer Launch will be held July 12-July 30, 2010.  Who may apply?  Females, Black/African Americans, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Hispanics or Latinos, First Generation College Students, Students with Physical Disabilities, and Students from Disadvantaged Regions (i.e. Appalachian Counties, Mississippi Delta).  How many will be selected?  Up to 20 Students that apply and qualify will be selected.  Application review begins April 15, 2010.  Applications accepted on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.  Notification of acceptance will be sent immediately upon review of your application.  Apply today at http://wvnano.wvu.edu/LSAMP. 

BEST BUY @ 15 SCHOLARSHIP—9-12 grade students living in the U.S. & Puerto Rico are eligible to apply for the $1000 scholarship.  Students need solid grades.  Students involved in volunteer community service or work experience.  Visit our websites to apply on-line at www.bestbuy.com/scholarships or www.at15.com.  Deadline:  Apply Dec. 28, 2009-Feb. 15, 2010.

SCHOLAR ATHLETE MILK MUSTACHE OF THE YEAR (SAMMY) 2010 AWARD—Recognizes Outstanding Scholar Athletes In Grade 12 From High Schools Throughout The Contiguous United States. 25 winners will receive the following:  $7500 scholarship, an invitation for winners, parents and/or guardians to attend a SAMMY 2010 weekend at the Disney World Complex in Orlando, FL AND an opportunity to be pictured in a special congratulatory Milk Mustache ad in an edition of USA TODAY.  Deadline:  All high school senior athletes can apply at bodybymilk.com until March 5, 2010.            

2010 LITTLE GENERAL STORE INC. SCHOLARSHIP – amount:  $1000.  Deadline:  all applications must be postmarked no later than Friday, April 2, 2010.

BOONE COUNTY FRIENDS OF MARSHALL SCHOLARSHIP---Amount: $500.  Detailed requirements are listed on the application.  Deadline:  must be postmarked no later than March 31, 2010. 

MADISON ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP—The purpose of the MADISON ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP is to provide Boone County high school seniors financial assistance to attend the college of their choice.  Deadline:  April 30, 2010.

THE BOONE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM---The scholarship program has two scholarships funds now.  They are the Dora Jo Byrnside Scholarship and the BCCF Rotary Scholarship.  Students apply to the program and, if eligible, may be awarded a scholarship from one of the scholarship funds.  Additional information is available on the application.  Deadline:  must be received or postmarked by April 2, 2010.

JAMES “JIM” BAILEY SCHOLARSHIP—in 1999, the Jim Bailey Scholarship Fund was formed to provide assistance to the youth of WV who will be attending an accredited vocational or technical school program of no more than two years issuing a degree or certification.  Deadline:  postmarked by April 15, 2010.         

ALBERT YANNI SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 2010-2011 – for outstanding Secondary Vocational-Technical education graduates wishing to pursue additional education at the postsecondary level in the same or related career field.  Amount:  $2,000.   Deadline:  must be postmarked by March 31, 2010.

WEST VIRGINIA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION SCHOLARSHIP—Amount:  $4000.  All graduating high school seniors attending school in Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln, Putnam or Wayne counties may apply by establishing a membership ($1 investment), if not currently a member.  Scholarship requirements include completion of entry form, resume, and one essay (1200-1500 words).  For details and to access entry form, go to www.wvfcu.org.  Along with submitting the entry form. please attach your resume and essay as a Microsoft Word document in an email to anna.campbell@wvfcu.org.  Please include your name on your essay.  Deadline:  All entries must be received or postmarked by Friday, April 2, 2010.

BOONE COUNTY SCHOOL NUTRITION ASSOCIATION –Amount $500.  One scholarship will be presented to a graduating senior from each of the three high schools in Boone County.  Deadline:  April 1, 2010.

BOONE COUNTY SCHOOL SERVICE PERSONNEL ASSOCIATION “SERVICE AWARD 2010”—Applicant must be a graduating senior and have a family member that is employed by the Boone County Board of Education and is currently a member of the Boone County School Service Personnel Association or a retired Boone County employee who was a member of the BCSSPA when they retired.  (Family member will include:  Father-Mother-Grandparent-Brother-Sister-Uncle-Aunt)  The applicant must be enrolled in one of the following.  Accredited college, accredited Junior college, or accredited Trade school.  Amount:  $400.  Deadline:  Application must be received/postmarked by Monday, April 12, 2010.

THE WEST VIRGINIA PUMPKIN FESTIVAL---is open to any senior graduating this year from a WV high school and planning to attend a Public WV college or university and needs financial assistance to complete his or her studies.  Amount: $2000.  Deadline:  March 31.

2010 WEST VIRGINIA DESK AND DERRICK SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM—High school seniors planning to attend a four-year West Virginia college or university are eligible to receive a one-time only $1000 scholarship.  Other eligibility requirements are found on the scholarship application.  Deadline:  must be postmarked no later than April 15, 2010. 

GARNET CAREER CENTER—Is accepting application through April 7, 2010 for their LPN Program.  Go to www.actstudent.org for review and preparation.  Go to www.garnet.edu for information about the LPN program and other programs.

SPENCERIAN COLLEGE—There are 2500 reasons you should attend Spencerian College’s Scholarship Testing Event on Saturday, April 3 from 9AM-1PM.  You could earn up to a $2500 scholarship in one of these fields:  Computer Graphic Design, Computer Aided Design Drafting, Computer Engineering Technology & Computer Information Systems Management, Electronic engineering, and Allied Health.  Students not participating in one of the above areas are eligible to compete by taking a standardized exam.  Deadline:  RSVP by Thursday, April 1^st.  You may email:jcarpenter@spencerian.edu or call 800-456-3253.

WV WESLEYAN COLLEGE—2010 CULPEPPER SCHOLARSHIP.  To be eligible for the award, candidates must have a cumulative high school grade point average of 3.75 or above and a strong extracurricular record along with a minimum ACT score of 27 or a minimum SAT verbal and mathematics combined score of 1200.  Applicants must be accepted for admission at WV Wesleyan College.  Applicants must be a resident of Boone, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha, Putnam, or Roane Counties.  Deadline:  A completed application must be submitted before March 1.

JACKSON-NEWCOMB SCHOLARSHIP – Include page one of your parents 1040 for 2009 tax year, from the parents(s) who claimed the student.  If parents do not file a 1040, a copy of the summary page from the student’s completed FAFSA must be attached. A complete list of criteria is to be found on the application.  Deadline:  March 31.

Parents of Seniors may get help filling out either the online version of the FAFSA form or the paper version of the FAFSA form---FAFSA on the Web is once again being offered at SWVCTC, MT Gay Campus in Logan County.  At this time, parents may ask questions that they have in regard to filling out the FAFSA form.  Parents receive help in filing the FAFSA online.  Parents who want to file the FAFSA on paper may do so by bringing the paper version with them.  Bring proof of your income for 2008 with you.  Cindy Whitlock is available Monday-Thursday between the hours of 7AM-5:30PM.  Parents may call Ms. Whitlock at 304-896-7382 to make an appointment.         

THE DIVISION OF FINANCIAL AID AND OUTREACH SERVICES—will have Saturday hours in January and February to assist students and parents with the FAFSA..  Assistance, by appointment only will be available beginning on January 23 and continuing through February 27.  Appointments will be available from 9AM to 2PM.  Appointments may be made by calling Vickie Hairston at 888-825-5407 or 304-558-4417.  Monday through Friday, parents and students may get assistance, by telephone or in person.  An appointment is not necessary during regular business hours.    

ALTERNATIVE LOAN GUIDE

What is an alternative loan?  An alternative (aka: private) loan is a loan through a commercial lender (e.g., a bank).  Unlike most government aid, eligibility is based on your credit history and not financial need.  Consider an alternative loan only if you’ve maxed out on free aid (scholarships and grants) and low-interest government loans.  While alternative loans might be the difference between attending college or not, use them only as a last resort.

Why you might want an alternative loan…

Variable interest rates:  Because private loan providers offer variable rates, you may find a more competitive rate between other providers.  If interest rates are low, a variable rate might be preferred.  If interest rates rise, you may be better off with a fixed-rate loan.

Cost:  While the cost of private loans generally won’t be able to compete with a fixed-rate government loan, their cost is generally cheaper than credit cards or even the rate of a personal loan that would be offered by your local bank.

Credit-based, not need-based: You qualify for alternative loans based on credit history and credit score (a measure of creditworthiness), not financial need.  Generally speaking, the better your credit history, the lower your interest rate.

Higher loan limits: You may be able to borrow more through an alternative loan vs. a federally-funded student loan.

In-school deferment: Many private education loans allow you to defer the repayment obligation until after graduation, but the catch is that the interest is capitalized—that is, the interest becomes part of the principal loan balance, which means a bigger loan and more to repay.

Pay for more: Use an alternative loan to pay for ineligible federal loan expenses, such as a laptop, study abroad, etc.  Federal student loans can only be used for educational expenses (tuition, fees, room and board, etc.).

Deductible interest: Deduct up to $2500 on your federal tax return.  This benefit covers both alternative and government education loans.

Student obligation: Alternative loans are consumer loans, meaning you must repay (however, a parent co-signer would be come liable if you can’t pay).  Shared responsibility may be more appealing than the Parent Loan for Under-graduate Students (PLUS), where only the parent pays.

…and why you might not.

More expensive: Government loan interest rates are so low, private loan providers might not be able to offer a competitive rate.  Alternative loans also charge fees that government loans do not, further increasing the cost of borrowing.

Tougher terms: While you can defer payment on an alternative loan until after graduation, you must still pay the interest.  If the interest is capitalized (see above), you may end up paying even more.  Subsidized government loans cover the cost of interest while you’re in school.

Hard to compare offers: All things being equal, which is a better offer, the 7% interest loan with 4% fees, or the 6% interest loan with 6% fees?   (Answer: the second one costs less.)  Understanding the relationship between interest, fees, number of years and discount rates can be confusing.  (Check www.collegegold.com/toools for info on how to analyze these numbers!)

Good credit is key: The advertised rates are generally for customers with excellent credit records.  If you or your family’s credit history is poor, the interest and fees you pay could be more than the advertised rate.

Comparing Financial Aid Award Letters

You may receive award letters from different colleges.  Keep the following in mind when making your final decision:

Look Carefully at your award letters: Letters from different schools will probably have their figures and costs in different formats.  Compare award letters to see how their offers measure up.  Ask if outside scholarships will affect your aid.

Compare loan offers: Interest rates, how interest compounds, repayment terms and cancellation provisions can vary widely from loan to loan.

Compare affordability of aid offers over time: Ask how your financial aid package will change over time.  The aid package made available to you in your senior year may look very different from the one you were offered freshman year.

Look beyond the “sticker price”: The school with the lowest cost of attendance may not be the most affordable.  The amount and type of aid offered will influence affordability.

Don’t accept an offer just because it has the lowest “unmet need”: You may save more by accepting an offer with a higher unmet need, if the aid package offers scholarships, grants and work-study instead of loans.  Unmet need is equal to the Cost of Attendance less the total of expected Family Contribution and total aid amount. 

Compare like terms: How do the schools determine cost of attendance:  Do they all include direct costs as well as indirect costs?  How do they handle outside scholarships?  What work-study options are available?  What are wages like?  Can you substitute work for a loan?

***THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE POLICE JUNIOR TROOPER ACADEMY—is pleased to announce the 15^th WV State Police Junior Trooper Academy to be held July 12-16 at the West Virginia State Police Academy.  The Junior Trooper Academy is designed to familiarize participants with the WV State Police and the criminal justice community in general through relevant classroom lecture and interactive participatory programs.  Students 14-17 years of age are urged to apply.  All applicants accepted to the program will be required to submit a doctor’s statement indicating that they can participate in the physical conditioning program associated with the Junior Trooper Academy.  Each nominee selected must write a letter (maximum 250 words) expressing why he/she believes they should be selected to attend this Academy.  One student will be nominated.  Deadline:  Nominations are due to the West Virginia State Police Academy April 30.  Therefore, Interested students must submit their letters to Mrs. Bird by April 1.

VFW VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE U.S.—Amount:  $500.  Scholarship money will be sent to the West Virginia College or University of your choice upon receipt of a copy of your acceptance letter.  One scholarship will be awarded for each Boone County School.  Deadline:  Return to VFW Post 5578 no later than April 16.

MICHAEL DAVID HALL WVU MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP—This is a $500 non-renewable scholarship awarded to a student who is attending a high school in Boone County.  Requirements are a 3.0GPA and acceptance to WVU with a copy of the acceptance letter attached.  Deadline:  April 1.

CEDAR OF SOUTHERN WV, INC., 2010 SCHOLARSHIP PORGRAM AT SWVCTC—Ten $1000 scholarships will be provided to students from the CEDAR participating counties (Mingo, Logan, Boone, McDowell and Wyoming).  All applicants must be citizens of the United States of America on the date the application is filed.  Additional requirements are found on the application.  Deadline:  April 17.

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