50 top colleges for African Americans: our exclusive ranking yielded some surprises and some staples. And this year, after we show you the best schools, we take a comprehensive look at how to make college affordable.FOR A KID GROWING UP IN THE INNER city, visiting a college campus can be an eye-opening a. 1. Causing one suddenly to learn or understand what was not previously known; as, an eye-opening look into the private machinations of the governor s>. experience. At any given moment, you may find yourself on a winding path with large sycamores, fallen pine cones pine cone Noun the woody seed case of a pine tree pine cone n → piña pine cone n → pomme f de pin , and ivy-covered Adj. 1. ivy-covered - overgrown with ivy; "Harvard's ivied buildings" ivied leafy - having or covered with leaves; "leafy trees"; "leafy vegetables" buildings, leaving behind a life of loud streets and overcrowded o·ver·crowd v. o·ver·crowd·ed, o·ver·crowd·ing, o·ver·crowds v.tr. To cause to be excessively crowded: a system of consolidation that only overcrowded the classrooms. schools. The experience was no different for Michael Michael, archangel Michael (mī`kəl) [Heb.,=who is like God?], archangel prominent in Christian, Jewish, and Muslim traditions. In the Bible and early Jewish literature, Michael is one of the angels of God's presence. E. Adams Adams, town (1990 pop. 9,445), Berkshire co., NW Mass., in the Berkshires, on the Hoosic River; inc. 1778. Its manufactures include chemicals, textiles, and paper products. The Berkshire region attracts tourists year-round. , a Princeton University Princeton University, at Princeton, N.J.; coeducational; chartered 1746, opened 1747, rechartered 1748, called the College of New Jersey until 1896. Schools and Research Facilities student, originally from Chicago Chicago, city, United States Chicago (shĭkä`gō, shĭkô`gō), city (1990 pop. 2,783,726), seat of Cook co., NE Ill., on Lake Michigan; inc. 1837. . "I applied to the school for an early decision because I went on a tour during the spring of my junior year," says Adams, a 19-year-old sophomore studying economics. "I did an Ivy League Ivy League Group of eight universities in the northeastern U.S., high in academic and social prestige, that are members of an athletic conference for intercollegiate gridiron football dating to the 1870s. tour, and Princeton Princeton, borough (1990 pop. 12,016) and surrounding township (1990 pop. 13,198), Mercer co., W central N.J.; settled late 1600s, borough inc. 1813, township est. 1838. A leading education center, it is the seat of Princeton Univ. was one of the friendliest campuses. And it was the most welcoming." That wasn't was·n't Contraction of was not. wasn't was not wasn't be the only reason Princeton caught Adams' eye. "It's it's 1. Contraction of it is. 2. Contraction of it has. See Usage Note at its. it's it is or it has it's be ~have great for academics, obviously, and the social life. I don't don't 1. Contraction of do not. 2. Nonstandard Contraction of does not. n. A statement of what should not be done: a list of the dos and don'ts. feel like you have to be popular or in the social scene to have fun." There were just 116 African Americans African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. in his freshman class, but that doesn't does·n't Contraction of does not. bother Adams in the least: "When there are African American get-togethers, it seems like a lot of people. It's not huge, but it's not minute." Choosing the right college is anything but minute. It's one of the most important decisions a young adult can make. How to finance that education is just as much a concern to many parents. To help you make the right choice, BLACK ENTERPRISE offers our ranking of the 50 Top Colleges for African Americans. In addition, we've included a financing guide in which you'll find everything you need to know about grants, loans, and scholarships. This year, our team of writers, editors, and researchers updated and improved the selection process for the list, which was last compiled in 2004. First, we expanded our pool of survey reviewers, which now includes more than 500 higher education higher education Study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. professionals. These professionals reviewed more than 1,400 schools, whereas previous reviewers were sent a list of schools specific to their region. In addition, we conducted the survey online, yielding a better, faster response. The new approach--combined with giving more weight to graduation Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the associated ceremony. The date of event is often called degree day. The event itself is also called commencement, convocation or invocation. rates and other necessary adjustments to the criteria-bumped some longstanding schools off the list. Nevertheless, all of the top 10 schools returned. Perennials such as Stanford and Howard universities Howard University, at Washington, D.C.; coeducational; with federal support. It was founded in 1867 by Gen. Oliver O. Howard of the Freedmen's Bureau, to provide education for newly emancipated slaves. A normal and preparatory department was opened the same year. , which are lauded for their academic and social environments, continue to do well. Seventeen schools that made the list this year didn't appear in 2004, including Mills College Mills College, at Oakland, Calif.; for women; est. 1852 as the Young Ladies' Seminary at Benicia, Calif., moved 1871, chartered as Mills College 1885. The first women's college in the Far West, it has programs in English literature and creative writing, foreign and Northwestern University Northwestern University, mainly at Evanston, Ill.; coeducational; chartered 1851, opened 1855 by Methodists. In 1873 it absorbed Evanston College for Ladies. . Morehouse, which had been the top school on the last two listings, slipped 44 spots, from No. I to No. 45, primarily because its graduation rate fell from 56% to 49% over the last two years. Several of the newcomers, such as Dickinson and Babson colleges Babson College, located in Wellesley, Massachusetts (zoned as "Babson Park," ZIP code 02457),[1] is a private business school that grants all undergraduates a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. The F. W. , have black graduation rates of 90% or higher, so schools with rates below 50% were pushed farther down or off the list completely. However, larger HBCUs like Florida A&M University did well, even though they had black graduation rates of less than 50%, because they benefited from having higher black enrollment numbers. Celebrating its 125th anniversary, Spelman has consistently ranked in the top five of our listing. "After attending a predominantly pre·dom·i·nant adj. 1. Having greatest ascendancy, importance, influence, authority, or force. See Synonyms at dominant. 2. white school all of my life, I chose to go to Spelman College Spelman College: see Atlanta Univ. Center. Spelman College Private, historically black, women's liberal arts college in Atlanta, Ga. Its history is traced to 1881, when two Boston women began teaching 11 black women, mostly ex-slaves, in an Atlanta for the social change," says Aarica J. Blackett, a third-year economics major. "My senior year in high school, I was a debutante for the Links Incorporated. The more and more I bonded with these girls, the more I realized how much potential I had to become more than what I was." More than 83% of full-time Spelman faculty hold doctoral degrees. In addition, the school offers rich cultural programs such as The Sumiko Takahara Japan Studies Program, in which students can study Japanese history and culture. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Thomas (language) Thomas - A language compatible with the language Dylan(TM). Thomas is NOT Dylan(TM). The first public release of a translator to Scheme by Matt Birkholz, Jim Miller, and Ron Weiss, written at Digital Equipment Corporation's Cambridge Research Laboratory runs A. LaVeist, Ph.D., CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of DayStar Research and the compiler compiler Computer software that translates (compiles) source code written in a high-level language (e.g., C++) into a set of machine-language instructions that can be understood by a digital computer's CPU. of the list, the reason for so many changes has less to do with any one variable than with the combination of all of the new adjustments. Several historically black colleges and universities Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the African American community. They are often liberal arts colleges or universities. , such as Johnson C. Smith and Clark Atlanta universities Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is a prestigious, private institution of higher education in Atlanta, Georgia. It is an historically black university formed in 1988 by the consolidation of Clark College (est. 1869) and Atlanta University (est. 1865). , which had been on the list since its inception in 1999, didn't make the cut. Crunching the NUMBERS To develop the 2006 BE 50 Top Colleges for African Americans list, we surveyed more than 500 African American higher education professionals including presidents, chancellors, and directors of student affairs Student affairs staff are responsible for academic advising and support services delivery at colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. The chief student affairs officer at a college or university often reports directly to the chief executive of the institution. for their assessments of the social and academic environments for African American students at the nation's colleges and universities. A total of 1,423 colleges met our criteria based on their status as accredited accredited recognition by an appropriate authority that the performance of a particular institution has satisfied a prestated set of criteria. accredited herds cattle herds which have achieved a low level of reactors to, e.g. four-year colleges with African American student enrollments of at least 3%. In addition, schools needed to have enrollment data submitted with the U.S. Department of Education. Each school was rated on a five-point scale from 1 (strongly recommend) to 5 (strongly don't recommend). The schools were sorted into seven categories: historically black colleges and universities, national universities, national liberal arts colleges It may never be fully completed or, depending on its its nature, it may be that it can never be completed. However, new and revised entries in the list are always welcome. Liberal arts colleges , regional universities in the Northeast and Midwest, regional universities in the South and West, regional liberal arts colleges in the Northeast and Midwest, and regional liberal arts colleges in the South and West. The list was derived using the following variables: * Black student graduation rate * Average survey score for the school's academic environment * Average survey score for the school's social environment * Total black undergraduate enrollment Black undergraduate students as a percentage of total undergraduates (credit for this variable was capped at 50% for HBCUs) * Ranking on the 2004 BE Top Colleges list The criteria was established by BE and Thomas A. LaVeist, Ph.D., CEO of DayStar Research. The variables given the heaviest weighting were black graduation rate, followed by the average academic and social environment scores. Additional reporting by Michelle J. Nealy, Tennille M. Robinson, Tykisha N. Lundy & Stephanie Young Stephanie Young is an American voice actor working for Funimation. She will be voicing Nico Robin in the upcoming Funimation adaptation of the popular anime One Piece. Roles
50 Top Colleges for African Americans
2006 Colleges & Universities Web Social
rank City, State Address Score
1 Florida State www.famu.edu 44.2
University,
Tallahassee, FL
2 Howard University, www.howard.edu 43.3
Washington, DC
3 North Carolina A&T www.ncat.edu 42.0
State Univ.,
Greensboro, NC
4 Harvard University, www.harvard.edu 36.4
Cambridge, MA
5 Spelman College, www.spelman.edu 43.2
Atlanta, GA
6 Hampton University, www.hamptonu.edu 42.8
Hampton, VA
7 Stanford University, www.stanford.edu 35.7
Stanford, CA
8 Columbia University, www.columbia.edu 36.2
New York, NY
9 University of www.upenn.edu 36.8
Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA
10 Wesleyan University, www.wesleyan.edu 38.6
Middletown, CT
11 Dickinson College, www.dickinson.edu 38.3
Carlisle, PA
12 Wellesley College, www.wellesley.edu 38.0
Wellesley, MA
13 Amherst College, www.amherst.edu 38.9
Amherst, MA
14 Duke University, www.duke.edu 34.7
Durham, NC
15 Smith College, www.smith.edu 43.3
Northampton, MA
16 Barnard College, www.barnard.edu 38.6
New York, NY
17 Tennessee State www.tnstate.edu 40.0
University, Nashville,
TN
18 Georgia State www.gsu.edu 35.2
University, Atlanta, GA
19 Brown University, www.brown.edu 36.7
Providence, RI
20 Yale University, www.yale.edu 34.2
New Haven, CT
21 Georgetown University, www.georgetown.edu 36.6
Washington, DC
22 Wake Forest University, www.wfu.edu 40.0
Winston-Salem, NC
23 Babson College, www.babson.edu 38.3
Wellesley, MA
24 Williams College, www.williams.edu 37.5
Williamstown, MA
25 Florida State www.fsu.edu 35.2
University,
Tallahassee, FL
26 Cornell University, www.cornell.edu 31.2
Ithaca, NY
27 Prairie View A&M www.pvamu.edu 38.8
University, Prairie
View, TX
28 Jackson State www.jsums.edu 40.0
University, Jackson, MS
29 Oberlin College, www.oberlin.edu 41.1
Oberlin, OH
30 North Carolina Central www.nccu.edu 38.1
University, Durham, NC
31 Mills College, Oakland, www.mills.edu 42.0
CA
32 University of North www.unc.edu 37.6
Carolina, Chapel Hill,
NC
33 Grinnell College, www.grinnell.edu 38.3
Grinnell, IA
34 Morgan State www.morgan.edu 40.4
University, Baltimore,
MD
35 University of Virginia, www.virginia.edu 30.6
Charlottesville, VA
36 Mount Holyoke College, www.mtholyoke.edu 41.3
South Hadley, MA
37 Emory University, www.emory.edu 38.6
Atlanta, GA
38 Princeton University, www.princeton.edu 32.8
Princeton, NJ
39 Swarthmore College, www.swarthmore.edu 38.6
Swarthmore, PA
40 University of Michigan, www.umich.edu 37.1
Ann Arbor, MI
41 Temple University, www.temple.edu 37.3
Philadelphia, PA
42 Washington University, www.wusti.edu 33.7
St. Louis, MO
43 Davidson College, www.davidson.edu 31.4
Davidson, NC
44 Simmons College, www.simmons.edu 37.5
Boston, MA
45 Morehouse College, www.morehouse.edu 41.5
Atlanta, GA
46 Johns Hopkins www.jhu.edu 35.0
University, Baltimore,
MD
47 Dartmouth College, www.dartmouth.edu 30.4
Hanover, NH
48 Vassar College, www.vassar.edu 36.7
Poughkeepsie, NY
49 Northwestern www.northwestern.edu 30.5
University, Evanston,
IL
50 University of Maryland, www.umd.edu 36.7
College Park, MD
Total
2006 Colleges & Universities Academic Undergrad.
rank City, State Score Enrollment
1 Florida State 43.8 11,450
University,
Tallahassee, FL
2 Howard University, 42.6 7,112
Washington, DC
3 North Carolina A&T 41.6 9,121
State Univ.,
Greensboro, NC
4 Harvard University, 45.9 9,519
Cambridge, MA
5 Spelman College, 43.0 2,186
Atlanta, GA
6 Hampton University, 41.5 5,315
Hampton, VA
7 Stanford University, 45.4 6,555
Stanford, CA
8 Columbia University, 42.1 7,233
New York, NY
9 University of 43.6 11,958
Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA
10 Wesleyan University, 47.1 2,777
Middletown, CT
11 Dickinson College, 43.3 2,321
Carlisle, PA
12 Wellesley College, 42.0 2,289
Wellesley, MA
13 Amherst College, 45.6 1,640
Amherst, MA
14 Duke University, 43.1 6,301
Durham, NC
15 Smith College, 43.3 2,692
Northampton, MA
16 Barnard College, 40.0 2,287
New York, NY
17 Tennessee State 39.6 7,257
University, Nashville,
TN
18 Georgia State 34.2 19,889
University, Atlanta, GA
19 Brown University, 43.5 6,014
Providence, RI
20 Yale University, 45.8 5,319
New Haven, CT
21 Georgetown University, 42.6 6,522
Washington, DC
22 Wake Forest University, 42.9 4,128
Winston-Salem, NC
23 Babson College, 37.1 1,697
Wellesley, MA
24 Williams College, 43.8 1,991
Williamstown, MA
25 Florida State 35.5 30,373
University,
Tallahassee, FL
26 Cornell University, 41.5 13,625
Ithaca, NY
27 Prairie View A&M 38.8 6,324
University, Prairie
View, TX
28 Jackson State 38.5 6,605
University, Jackson, MS
29 Oberlin College, 47.8 2,837
Oberlin, OH
30 North Carolina Central 40.0 6,028
University, Durham, NC
31 Mills College, Oakland, 43.3 762
CA
32 University of North 40.0 16,525
Carolina, Chapel Hill,
NC
33 Grinnell College, 44.0 1,556
Grinnell, IA
34 Morgan State 38.8 6,243
University, Baltimore,
MD
35 University of Virginia, 41.9 14,129
Charlottesville, VA
36 Mount Holyoke College, 45.0 2,143
South Hadley, MA
37 Emory University, 42.1 6,346
Atlanta, GA
38 Princeton University, 44.4 4,678
Princeton, NJ
39 Swarthmore College, 48.6 1,474
Swarthmore, PA
40 University of Michigan, 42.5 24,828
Ann Arbor, MI
41 Temple University, 37.3 23,429
Philadelphia, PA
42 Washington University, 36.3 7,350
St. Louis, MO
43 Davidson College, 44.3 1,714
Davidson, NC
44 Simmons College, 42.0 1,874
Boston, MA
45 Morehouse College, 42.6 2,891
Atlanta, GA
46 Johns Hopkins 43.0 5,710
University, Baltimore,
MD
47 Dartmouth College, 40.4 4,079
Hanover, NH
48 Vassar College, 44.2 2,475
Poughkeepsie, NY
49 Northwestern 38.6 9,115
University, Evanston,
IL
50 University of Maryland, 37.5 25,140
College Park, MD
Black Black
2006 Colleges & Universities Undergrad. Grad.
rank City, State Enrollment Rate
1 Florida State 10,731 46%
University,
Tallahassee, FL
2 Howard University, 5,975 62
Washington, DC
3 North Carolina A&T 8,409 43
State Univ.,
Greensboro, NC
4 Harvard University, 641 97
Cambridge, MA
5 Spelman College, 2,058 77
Atlanta, GA
6 Hampton University, 4,980 54
Hampton, VA
7 Stanford University, 698 92
Stanford, CA
8 Columbia University, 511 90
New York, NY
9 University of 790 90
Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA
10 Wesleyan University, 190 90
Middletown, CT
11 Dickinson College, 88 100
Carlisle, PA
12 Wellesley College, 135 95
Wellesley, MA
13 Amherst College, 148 91
Amherst, MA
14 Duke University, 682 86
Durham, NC
15 Smith College, 153 95
Northampton, MA
16 Barnard College, 112 100
New York, NY
17 Tennessee State 5,896 47
University, Nashville,
TN
18 Georgia State 6,765 48
University, Atlanta, GA
19 Brown University, 383 93
Providence, RI
20 Yale University, 413 92
New Haven, CT
21 Georgetown University, 424 85
Washington, DC
22 Wake Forest University, 249 89
Winston-Salem, NC
23 Babson College, 56 100
Wellesley, MA
24 Williams College, 192 86
Williamstown, MA
25 Florida State 3,607 68
University,
Tallahassee, FL
26 Cornell University, 634 88
Ithaca, NY
27 Prairie View A&M 5,795 46
University, Prairie
View, TX
28 Jackson State 6,388 40
University, Jackson, MS
29 Oberlin College, 175 78
Oberlin, OH
30 North Carolina Central 5,182 50
University, Durham, NC
31 Mills College, Oakland, 68 89
CA
32 University of North 1,794 70
Carolina, Chapel Hill,
NC
33 Grinnell College, 61 91
Grinnell, IA
34 Morgan State 5,782 39
University, Baltimore,
MD
35 University of Virginia, 1,193 87
Charlottesville, VA
36 Mount Holyoke College, 88 82
South Hadley, MA
37 Emory University, 585 78
Atlanta, GA
38 Princeton University, 385 90
Princeton, NJ
39 Swarthmore College, 96 82
Swarthmore, PA
40 University of Michigan, 1,875 69
Ann Arbor, MI
41 Temple University, 4,666 53
Philadelphia, PA
42 Washington University, 691 90
St. Louis, MO
43 Davidson College, 107 91
Davidson, NC
44 Simmons College, 121 88
Boston, MA
45 Morehouse College, 2,731 49
Atlanta, GA
46 Johns Hopkins 472 81
University, Baltimore,
MD
47 Dartmouth College, 274 91
Hanover, NH
48 Vassar College, 128 83
Poughkeepsie, NY
49 Northwestern 498 90
University, Evanston,
IL
50 University of Maryland, 3,047 57
College Park, MD
Type Tuition
2006 Colleges & Universities of In/Out
rank City, State School of State *
1 Florida State Public $2,958/$14,949
University,
Tallahassee, FL
2 Howard University, Private 12,295
Washington, DC
3 North Carolina A&T Public 3,114/12,556
State Univ.,
Greensboro, NC
4 Harvard University, Private 32,097
Cambridge, MA
5 Spelman College, Private 15,945
Atlanta, GA
6 Hampton University, Private 14,182
Hampton, VA
7 Stanford University, Private 31,200
Stanford, CA
8 Columbia University, Private 33,246
New York, NY
9 University of Private 32,364
Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA
10 Wesleyan University, Private 32,976
Middletown, CT
11 Dickinson College, Private 32,120
Carlisle, PA
12 Wellesley College, Private 31,348
Wellesley, MA
13 Amherst College, Private 32,395
Amherst, MA
14 Duke University, Private 31,420
Durham, NC
15 Smith College, Private 30,754
Northampton, MA
16 Barnard College, Private 30,676
New York, NY
17 Tennessee State Public 4,414/13,726
University, Nashville,
TN
18 Georgia State Public 4,464/15,378
University, Atlanta, GA
19 Brown University, Private 32,974
Providence, RI
20 Yale University, Private 31,460
New Haven, CT
21 Georgetown University, Private 32,024
Washington, DC
22 Wake Forest University, Private 30,210
Winston-Salem, NC
23 Babson College, Private 30,496
Wellesley, MA
24 Williams College, Private 31,548
Williamstown, MA
25 Florida State Public 3,208/16,340
University,
Tallahassee, FL
26 Cornell University, Private 31,467
Ithaca, NY
27 Prairie View A&M Public 4,906/13,186
University, Prairie
View, TX
28 Jackson State Public 3,964/8,872
University, Jackson, MS
29 Oberlin College, Private 32,724
Oberlin, OH
30 North Carolina Central Public 3,778/13,522
University, Durham, NC
31 Mills College, Oakland, Private 29,990
CA
32 University of North Public 4,613/18,411
Carolina, Chapel Hill,
NC
33 Grinnell College, Private 27,060
Grinnell, IA
34 Morgan State Public 6,110/13,520
University, Baltimore,
MD
35 University of Virginia, Public 7,370/24,290
Charlottesville, VA
36 Mount Holyoke College, Private 32,598
South Hadley, MA
37 Emory University, Private 30,794
Atlanta, GA
38 Princeton University, Private 31,450
Princeton, NJ
39 Swarthmore College, Private 31,516
Swarthmore, PA
40 University of Michigan, Public 9,213/27,601
Ann Arbor, MI
41 Temple University, Public 9,640/17,236
Philadelphia, PA
42 Washington University, Private 32,042
St. Louis, MO
43 Davidson College, Private 28,667
Davidson, NC
44 Simmons College, Private 24,880
Boston, MA
45 Morehouse College, Private 16,016
Atlanta, GA
46 Johns Hopkins Private 31,620
University, Baltimore,
MD
47 Dartmouth College, Private 31,770
Hanover, NH
48 Vassar College, Private 33,800
Poughkeepsie, NY
49 Northwestern Private 31,789
University, Evanston,
IL
50 University of Maryland, Public 7,821/20,145
College Park, MD
SOURCE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION
STATISTICS: THOMAS A. LAVEIST, PH.D.
* PRICES FOR FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATES FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2005-2006
Guide To College Financing NOW THAT YOU KNOW THE 50 TOP COLLEGES FOR African Americans, how do you go about paying for such top-notch educations? This was certainly an issue for Michael Adams
Michael Adams (born November 17, 1971 in Truro, Cornwall, England) is an International Grandmaster of chess. and his family. Before Michael enrolled at Princeton University, his parents sat down to figure out how they were going to afford the $31,000-a-year college education. "We worked out a budget. My salary goes to paying his schooling and his sister' school loans," says Karen Adams, while her husband, Edward, covers the household bills. "We were sending Michael to private high school, so we couldn't really save anything," Karen explains. To prevent students from graduating with thousands of dollars in debt, Princeton funds education primarily through grants and offers loans only to parents. Karen admits that she was initially surprised by the school's "Graduate Debt Free" promise, "out the way they have it set up, and how they handle financial aid compared to other schools, is pretty good," she says. The Adamses took out $80,000 in loans to divide over four years. They make a monthly payment of $628 because Princeton doesn't allow parents to defer de·fer 1 v. de·ferred, de·fer·ring, de·fers v.tr. 1. To put off; postpone. 2. To postpone the induction of (one eligible for the military draft). v.intr. payment. While Michael was still in middle school, the Adamses paid off their home using money from Karen's 403(b) in preparation for his private schooling. "I know you're not supposed to do that, but I knew I would pay myself back," Karen says. Although using retirement money to pay for your child's education is unwise, many families are forced to be creative with their finances to meet the rising cost of education. According to the College Board, over the last 10 years, fees and room and board for full-time undergraduates increased by 31% at four-year private colleges and by 42% at four-year public institutions. As a result, middle-class families are most likely to feel the pinch pinch, n a small amount of chewing tobacco (snuff) an individual takes to use the substance for its desired effect. A “pinch” is called a quid in Britain. . That's why we've created this comprehensive guide to college financing. In it, you'll find everything you need to help you identify a plan of action, whether your child is in the first grade or in the last year of high school. Scholarships From the time Christopher Phelps Christopher Phelps (born 1965) is an American intellectual and political historian of the twentieth century. The subjects of his research and writing include philosophical pragmatism, the fate of the American left and the socialist ideal, and ideas of race and African , a senior at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) is a land-grant doctoral/research intensive university located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1891, NC A&T now (fall 2005) enrolls 11,103 students from across the United States and 33 foreign , was in elementary school elementary school: see school. , he knew that academic scholarships were going to be his golden ticket to a free college education. His parents, Norman and Connie Phelps, made sure all three of their sons excelled academically every school year. "We did not have a college fund established for our boys. We kept our sons on a strict academic regimen regimen /reg·i·men/ (rej´i-men) a strictly regulated scheme of diet, exercise, or other activity designed to achieve certain ends. reg·i·men n. 1. ," says Norman. "They knew that school, community service, and leadership activities were the priority." During his junior year in high school, Christopher, who won more than $150,000 in scholarships, spent at least one hour every day researching and filling out college applications. The Phelps family required that each child mail off at least one scholarship application a week. In fact, the other two brothers, Norman and Calvin, received more than $350,000 in scholarships. For Christopher, who boasted a 4.2 grade point average in high school and averaged five to 10 hours of community service a week, finding scholarships to apply for was easy. In all, Christopher won 13 scholarships from various organizations including Alpha Kappa Alpha Kappa Alpha may refer to:
The Scholarship Box The key to scholarship success is taking the time to fill out applications completely. Marianne Ragins, founder of The Scholarship Workshop (www.scholarshipworkshop.com), an educational and consulting service Noun 1. consulting service - service provided by a professional advisor (e.g., a lawyer or doctor or CPA etc.) service - work done by one person or group that benefits another; "budget separately for goods and services" that gives presentations on college topics, suggests creating a scholarship box to hold all application materials. In the scholarship box, students should arrange the applications to their top 15 scholarships according to deadline. Here are the other components: * Student activity list This is a list of all the things the student has done from the ninth through the 12th grades. It should state any awards, honors, and participation in academic contests. * Official transcripts The student should request five to 10 copies. High schools have different criteria for obtaining this document, so students should visit their guidance counselor guidance counselor Child psychology A school worker trained to screen, evaluate and advise students on career and academic matters for help. * Essays Most scholarships require essays. Ragins suggests that students complete two basic essays: one that describes who he or she is and another that describes future career goals. * Recommendation letters Students should ask for recommendation letters at least two months prior to the application deadline. Ask people who have worked closely with the student and can give a strong recommendation about his or her character and work ethic work ethic n. A set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence. work ethic Noun a belief in the moral value of work . Striking Gold The National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), as part of the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES), collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States; conducts studies reports that there are 750,000 scholarships earmarked annually for qualified students, totaling $1.2 billion. So how do you find them? According to Gen and Kelly Tanabe, founders of SuperCollege.com and authors of Get Into Any College and Get Free Cash for College (SuperCollege L.L.C.; $16.95 and $22.95), it's a matter of doing your homework. "Most students search for scholarships on the Internet Internet Publicly accessible computer network connecting many smaller networks from around the world. It grew out of a U.S. Defense Department program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), established in 1969 with connections between computers at the and think that they are done. This is a huge mistake," says Gen. "We've discovered scholarships in the dusty collection of books at our library, in newspaper announcements, and on a supermarket shopping bag." Try these places to find scholarships: * School High school students should visit their guidance counselor to discuss financial aid. Students should think about their family's background, the type of college they want to attend, and special interests that make them eligible for certain scholarships. * The community Call all the local clubs, organizations, unions, and fraternities and sororities
The terms "fraternity" and "sorority" (from the Latin words frater and soror . Some organizations include local NAACP NAACP in full National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Oldest and largest U.S. civil rights organization. It was founded in 1909 to secure political, educational, social, and economic equality for African Americans; W.E.B. Du Bois and Ida B. chapters, Boys & Girls Clubs Girls Club is a 2002 American television series created by David E. Kelley, who was also it's producer and executive producer. Only two out of a total of thirteen episodes created were broadcast on Fox Television in the United States and Global Television in Canada. of America, and the Urban League. * The library Try scholarship directories such as Peterson's Scholarships, Grants & Prizes 2006 (Thomson Peterson's Guides; $32) and The Scholarship Search: A Guide to Winning Free Money for College and More (iUniverse Inc.; $9.95). Resources WEBSITES www.fastweb.com www.collegeboard.org www.scholarshipworkshop.com www.finaid.org BOOKS Beckham's Guide to Scholarships for Black and Minority Students by Barry Beckham (Beckham Publications Group Inc.; $17.95) College Board Scholarship Handbook
This article is about reference works. For the subnotebook computer, see .
n. Archaic A wood or grove; a copse. [Middle English, from Old English.] holt Noun the lair of an otter [from & Co. Inc.; $27.95) Scholarships for African-American Students by Peterson's (Peterson's Guides; $14.95) The Everything Paying for College Book: Grants, Loans, Scholarships, and Financial Aid--All You Need to Fund Higher Education by Nathan Brown Nathan Brown may refer to:
ORGANIZATIONS NAACP (www.naacp.org) National Urban League (www.nul.org) Elks Club (www.elks.org) American Red Cross American Red Cross: see Red Cross. (www.redcross.org) The Lending Tree When used wisely, loans can be an effective method of paying for college. Use this guide to determine whether a loan will be beneficial to you. Federal Perkins Loans A Federal Perkins Loan, or Perkins Loan, is a need-based student loan offered by the U.S. Department of Education to assist American college students in funding their post-secondary education. The program is named after Carl D. Perkins, a former member of the U.S. are available to part-time or full-time undergraduate and graduate students with great financial need, although Federal Pell Grant The Pell Grant program is a type of post-secondary, educational federal grant program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. It is named after U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell and originally known as the the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant program. recipients receive top priority. The loan amount is determined by your financial need and the school's available funds. School receive financial aid funds annually from the U.S. Department of Education. When all available funds have been distributed, no more are given for that academic year. This is why it is important to submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid (US Department of Education) ) early. With a subsidized sub·si·dize tr.v. sub·si·dized, sub·si·diz·ing, sub·si·diz·es 1. To assist or support with a subsidy. 2. To secure the assistance of by granting a subsidy. Stafford Loan A Stafford Loan is a student loan offered to eligible students enrolled in American institutions of higher education to help finance their education. The terms of the loans are described in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (with subsequent amendments), which guarantees , the Department of Education pays the interest while the student is in school, for six months after he or she leaves school, and during a deferment period Deferment Period The period after the issue of callable security during which it cannot be called by the issuer. Notes: Different types of securities will have a call option allowing the issuer to buy them back at a predetermined price. . Eligible students can borrow a Direct Loan or a Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL FFEL Federal Family Education Loan ) to cover some or all of their need. Direct Loans are borrowed from and must be repaid to the Department of Education, while FFEL loans are borrowed from and must be repaid to private lenders. Depending on which program the school participates in, students may receive a Direct Loan, an FFEL Loan, or both. With an unsubsidized Stafford Loan, the student is responsible for paying interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. This loan is available only to part-time or full-time students Full-Time Student A status that is important for determining dependency exemptions. An individual enrolled in a post-secondary institution may be eligible for certain tax breaks. Notes: The full-time status is based on what the individual's school considers full time. without financial need. Students can receive a subsidized loan and an unsubsidized loan for the same enrollment period as long as the total does not exceed the annual loan limit, which is $18,500, depending on the grade level. A Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) is subsidized by the Department of Education. Parents must fill out the loan application form as well as a promissory note promissory note, unconditional written promise to pay a certain sum of money at a definite time to bearer or to a specified person on his order. Promissory notes are generally used as evidence of debt. , which lists specific conditions, such as interest rates, grace periods, and repayment plans. Keep this document handy as you may need to refer to it throughout the course of the loan. The school will distribute the loan application, process the loan, and distribute the funds. An FFEL PLUS Loan is subsidized by a lender or guaranty As a verb, to agree to be responsible for the payment of another's debt or the performance of another's duty, liability, or obligation if that person does not perform as he or she is legally obligated to do; to assume the responsibility of a guarantor; to warrant. agency--an organization that administers FFEL loans by state. Parents are responsible for finding a lender that serves their state of residence. For the name, address, and telephone number of the agency serving your state, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800-433-3243. To qualify for a PLUS Loan, you must have a good credit history and cannot be in default on your own student loan or owe a refund TO REFUND. To pay back by the party who has received it, to the party who has paid it, money which ought not to have been paid. 2. On a deficiency of assets, executors and administrators cum testamento annexo, are entitled to have refunded to them legacies on any federal student aid program. If you are worried about your credit history, someone else can co-sign for the loan, but he or she will be responsible for repaying the loan if you are unable to do so. You can apply for an FFEL PLUS for one child and a Direct PLUS for another; one child cannot receive both types of PLUS loans. The school will automatically credit the amount of the loan toward tuition For tuition fees in the United Kingdom, see . Tuition means instruction, teaching or a fee charged for educational instruction especially at a formal institution of learning or by a private tutor usually in the form of one-to-one tuition. ," fees, and room and board. You will receive the remainder via cash or check, unless you request that the funds be given directly to your child, Both Stafford and PLUS loans have a fee of up to 4%, meaning you will receive slightly less than the amount you are borrowing. Most loans are paid via check in at least two installments per year. Keep in mind that loans can only be cancelled within two weeks of the date you receive your award letter or by the first day of the payment period. Because loans are legal obligations that must be repaid with interest, failure to pay a loan can negatively affect your credit rating. To learn more about financial aid, visit www.student.ed.gov. Grant Me A Wish "If I had not been awarded grant money," says Emory University Emory University (ĕm`ərē), near Atlanta, Ga.; coeducational; United Methodist; chartered as Emory College 1836, opened 1837 at Oxford. It became Emory Univ. in 1915 and in 1919 moved to Atlanta. senior Christopher Williams The name Christopher Williams may refer to:
With more than $29,000 in institutional funding and $2,000 from federal work-study, nearly 80% of Williams' financial aid package is need-based aid. The rest is a small, yet helpful, group of scholarships and loans. Emory's tuition for the 2006-2007 school year is $32,100, while the total costs are estimated at $44,844. According to Jean Farnsworth, Emory's associate director of financial aid, 14% of the 1,890 aid applicants for the 2004-2005 school year were black. "All of our aid awarded is need-based," she says. "Emory wants students who are qualified to come. The school does not want money to be the deterrent de·ter·rent adj. Tending to deter: deterrent weapons. n. 1. Something that deters: a deterrent to theft. 2. ." The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used by nearly all colleges and universities in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education to distribute aid to students based on financial need. Filled out yearly, the information students report on their FAFSA is used to calculate their family's financial strength based on their income and assets. Unlike FAFSA, the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE--the College Board's aid application service, used by more than 600 schools and scholarship programs--requests information about home equity and also makes allowances for things such as debt against the home, private school tuition for a younger sibling sibling /sib·ling/ (sib´ling) any of two or more offspring of the same parents; a brother or sister. sib·ling n. , and medical expenses. For example, a family of four that earns $50,000, owns a home, and has some equity is different financially from a family of four that makes $50,000 and rents. With financial aid, Williams has only to pay for his food, books, transportation, and personal expenses. He takes on this responsibility himself, to lessen less·en v. less·ened, less·en·ing, less·ens v.tr. 1. To make less; reduce. 2. Archaic To make little of; belittle. v.intr. To become less; decrease. the burden on his parents, through an on-campus on-campus adjective Referring to an on-site site of a medical complex with multiple buildings. Cf 'Off campus.'. federal work-study, a job with the student newspaper, and by cutting hair in the lobby of his residence. "I do this so I don't have to ask my parents for money all the time," he says. "They've done more than enough with just raising me." Getting the most out of financial aid With no repayment required, grants can greatly offset the cost of a college education. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that in 2007, Federal Student Aid (FSA FSA Financial Services Authority FSA Food Standards Agency (UK) FSA Farm Service Agency (USDA) FSA Financial Services Agency (Japan) ) programs will distribute $12.7 billion to fund Federal Pell Grants, $770.9 million for Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, more commonly known by its acronym FSEOG, is a federal assistance grant reserved for college students with the greatest need for financial aid to attend school. (FSEOG FSEOG Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant ), and $980.4 million for the Federal Work-Study Program Noun 1. work-study program - an educational plan in which students alternate between paid employment and formal study didactics, education, educational activity, instruction, pedagogy, teaching - the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart . Students should keep the following in mind when applying: * Be mindful mind·ful adj. Attentive; heedful: always mindful of family responsibilities. See Synonyms at careful. mind of deadlines. You could be penalized pe·nal·ize tr.v. pe·nal·ized, pe·nal·iz·ing, pe·nal·iz·es 1. To subject to a penalty, especially for infringement of a law or official regulation. See Synonyms at punish. 2. if your application is late. * Turn in all requested documents. "if we've asked for it, we need it. We're not just trying to be nosy nos·y or nos·ey adj. nos·i·er, nos·i·est Informal 1. Given to prying into the affairs of others; snoopy. See Synonyms at curious. 2. Prying; inquisitive. . We want the information to make an award," says Jean Farnsworth, associate director of financial aid for Emory University. * Take some personal responsibility, Know how to apply for aid and be an active and informed participant. The goal is to understand your package and be able to talk about it. "It's much easier to help a student that is aware than for us to help a student that says, 'I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. , my parents do that,'" Farnsworth says. "Students need to be a part of the process." * Know your financial aid counselor. During your first few weeks, stop by to introduce yourself. Don't be afraid to visit the office when you are not having an issue. When there is a problem, remain courteous cour·te·ous adj. Characterized by gracious consideration toward others. See Synonyms at polite. [Middle English corteis, courtly, from Old French, from cort, court; see . And if you don't understand, ask for further clarification. * Don't let costs be a deterrent. If you really want to go to a high-cost school, apply for it. But also apply for financial aid and do it before the deadline. In addition, apply to other schools that may be more affordable so that when you get your acceptance letters and financial aid letters, you can review your options. Family Financing For parents Karen and Derek Adams Derek Adams (born June 25, 1975 in Aberdeen) is a Scottish footballer who is currently player-caretaker manager at Ross County. Adams has previously played for Aberdeen, Motherwell, Burnley and Ayr United. , paying for their daughter's collage collage (kəläzh`, kō–) [Fr.,=pasting], technique in art consisting of cutting and pasting natural or manufactured materials to a painted or unpainted surface—hence, a work of art in this medium. education was less about choice than about duty. A native of Trinidad, Derek was sent by his parents to Howard University to get an education and pursue a better life. It would make perfect sense that he would do the same for his only child, Brittany, a 20-year-old junior at Hampton University Hampton University, at Hampton, Va.; coeducational; founded 1868, chartered 1870 as a normal and agricultural school; known as Hampton Institute 1930–84. . "When she was born, I started putting money away every paycheck through sayings bonds. At the time, I worked at a bank, so they allowed me to make automatic deductions," says Derek a 45-year-old senior vice president of information systems and technology at PRG PRG Parti Radical de Gauche (French: Left Radical Party) PRG Purge PRG Programming Research Group (Oxford University) PRG Preliminary Remediation Goal PRG People's Revolutionary Government Schultz. His plan was simple: first save $50 per paycheck, then $100, and eventually up to $150 per paycheck. He did that diligently dil·i·gent adj. Marked by persevering, painstaking effort. See Synonyms at busy. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin d from 1986 to 2003, saving $54,000 in after-tax dollars. "You'd be amazed a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. at the power of compounding," he says. Derek kept the money in savings bonds Savings bond A government bond issued in face value denominations from $50 to $10,000, with local and state tax-free interest and semiannually adjusted interest rates. savings bond A nonmarketable security issued by the U.S. for years before transferring it into a 529 plan. Even if you didn't start saving early like the Adamses, there are creative ways to finance your child's education. Here are some practical things you can do to offset the high cost of college: * Have your child take the SAT early. Since there are more merit awards than need-based awards, students have to take the SAT seriously. Most money is given out on a first-come, first-serve basis, so the earlier your child takes the SAT, the better the chance to receive an award. * Send your child to the school's summer program. Some colleges offer high school students summer enrichment enrichment Food industry The addition of vitamins or minerals to a food–eg, wheat, which may have been lost during processing. See White flour; Cf Whole grains. programs prior to admittance Admittance The ratio of the current to the voltage in an alternating-current circuit. In terms of complex current I and voltage V, the admittance of a circuit is given by Eq. (1), and is related to the impedance of the circuit Z by Eq. (2). . It's a great way for the student to get to know faculty and financial aid administrators and become a more appealing candidate. * Know the types of aid prospective colleges offer. When visiting a campus, stop by the financial aid office. Also search the financial aid section of the school's Website, call and request information, or speak to a financial aid counselor. * Be clear about your financial situation. "Schools want to see how financially savvy you are," says Sterling Laylock, the Adamses' Atlanta-based financial adviser. "At some universities, parents must answer hundreds of questions that are at the discretion of the school." Those questions, which include the cost of your mortgage, allocation The apportionment or designation of an item for a specific purpose or to a particular place. In the law of trusts, the allocation of cash dividends earned by a stock that makes up the principal of a trust for a beneficiary usually means that the dividends will be treated as of investments, and make and model of your car, can weigh heavily on the type of financial aid you receive. If you start early, a good place to begin is with a savings plan. No matter which plan you choose, keep it in your name so you control the money. Also, if the money is in the child's name, it may make him or her less eligible for aid. Here's a quick breakdown of your options: * The 529 Plan is an attractive savings vehicle because the money grows tax-free and withdrawals used for college expenses are not taxed. "Most of the 529 plans offer tax credit to their residents. However, if your state doesn't have a 529 plan, you may participate with another state that does have a plan, but you won't get the tax credit," says Vicki Brackens, a financial planner Financial Planner A qualified investment professional who assists individuals and corporations meet their long-term financial objectives by analyzing the client's status and setting a program to achieve these goals. with MetLife in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse (IPA: . However, she does advise everyone to seek tax advice before choosing the plan. * The Coverdell Education Savings Account Coverdell Education Savings Account A special individual retirement account opened on behalf of a child under age 18. Contributions of up to $2,000 annually may be made by anyone who meets specified income limits. , formerly known as the Education IRA Education IRA A savings plan for higher education. Parents and guardians are allowed to make nondeductible contributions to an education IRA for a child under the age of 18. , allows you to save up to $2,000 a year tax-deferred. What's great about the account is that you can use it for elementary and secondary school as well as college. Unfortunately, these funds are considered student assets, so when financial aid is calculated, it could reduce your child's aid. * State prepaid pre·pay tr.v. pre·paid, pre·pay·ing, pre·pays To pay or pay for beforehand. pre·pay  ment n. tuition programs allow you to lock in current
tuition rates for future use. The tuition rate is an in-state public
college rate, so if your child attends a private school, be prepared to
pay the difference.* The Uniform Gifts to Minors/Uniform Transfers to Minors Acts allow you to give your child $11,000 without getting hit with taxes. It's more flexible in the way it can be used, but at age 18, your child assumes complete responsibility, so be careful. For more ways to make college affordable, log on to www.black enterprise.com/payforcollege. Know Your Limits
Here is a breakdown of the federal loans:
Perkins Subsidized Stafford
Loan Loan
Min. amount -- $2,625
Max. amount $4,000 for undergraduate $8,500
students $6,000 for
graduate students
Interest rate 5.0% 5.3%
Grace period Nine months Six months
Repayment Up to 10 years 10-30 years
Unsubsidized Stafford Direct & FFEL PLUS
Loan Loan
Min. amount $2,625 --
Max. amount $18,500 Cost of attendance
minus additional
financial aid
Interest rate 5.3% 6.1%
Grace period Six months --
Repayment 10-30 years None specified
SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FEDERAL STUDENT AID
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion