Why you should ask your child "Why?"

Recently, a parent was talking to her 7th-grade son about the need to get good grades. It occurred to her that maybe her son didn't know why good grades were important. When she asked him why it was important to get good grades, the son replied, "Because you want me to. It's good to have good grades." The mother realized that her son didn't see the big picture.

It's never too early to explain the big picture to your child, to show how hard work in school leads to more choices in the future.

Don't just stop at "good grades get you into a good college." Consider sharing these additional points with your child:

• Learning well in the early grades prepares you to take advanced classes later in high school.
• Taking advanced classes prepares you to do well in college.
• Being prepared to do college work eliminates the need to take remedial classes in college to catch up.
• Being prepared to do college work also improves the chances that you will graduate from college.
• Doing well in the core classes (English, math, social studies and science) gives you more choices for careers later on.
• Work hard and try your best. If you need help, ask for it.

Don't believe college financial aid myths

College application season is in full swing. As your child applies to college and you see how much it costs, don't let your fears overshadow an otherwise exciting time in your child's life. The key is to not believe the financial myths surrounding the price of a higher education.

Myth #1: You can't afford college.
Many students add the tuition price, textbook fees and the cost of living and say there is no way they can afford college. The truth is most college students require some form of financial aid. Don't ignore college because of its "sticker price." Your child can receive a combination of grants, loans, scholarships or work study jobs to help reduce the cost.

Myth #2: You have to be very poor, very smart or very talented to qualify for financial aid.
Financial aid comes in many forms—grants and scholarships that don't have to be repaid, and loans, which do have to be repaid. There is need-based aid for students of lower income families, and merit-based aid for students who excel in athletics, music, community service and many other areas. Financial aid sources are as varied, too—the federal government, the college or university itself, your employer, and others. Explore all the possibilities; you'll be surprised.

Myth #3: Your child can get more scholarships by paying someone to search for you.
Scholarship scams are everywhere. Beware of any group or individual that guarantees a scholarship if you pay a fee. There are many good and FREE scholarship sources on the Internet. Check out www.fastweb.com or www.finaid.org for more information, and check out the free scholarship search at www.collegenet.com.

Myth #4: If your child pays for college, your salary doesn't matter.
Most need-based financial aid is based on the student's and parents' income and assets. Most schools require students to fill out the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, in order to qualify for need-based aid. The form, available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, asks for information similar to what's needed for income taxes. After submitting the FAFSA, your child receives a report that shows how much the government expects you to pay toward your child's education. If you aren't ready to file yet, visit www.act.org/fane/ to get an estimate of your expected family contribution.

Myth #5: You can wait until your child gets accepted to a college before worrying about financial aid.
Most financial aid is given out on a first-come, first-served basis. Don't wait to get started. Looking for financial aid probably isn't your child's idea of a good time, but it's better than graduating from college with a huge debt.

Get ready for the FAFSA

January is fast approaching and that means it's time for seniors to apply for college financial aid for the upcoming school year.

Federal financial aid is available for students attending four-year, two-year, public or private, career or trade schools. The aid is intended to cover school expenses such as tuition, room and board, books and other supplies, and transportation. Most students receive the aid because of financial need.

Students can receive financial aid in the form of grants, loans or work-study. Grants are financial awards that do not have to be repaid. Examples include Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants. Loans are money you borrow and must repay. The best loans are those that are subsidized by the federal or your state government. These generally carry lower interest rates. Work-study provides jobs, usually on campus, so students can help pay for education expenses.

To find out about federal financial aid programs and your rights and responsibilities under these programs, read "Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid" from the U.S. Department of Education at http://studentaid.ed.gov/guide. You also can request a free paper copy by contacting the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-4-FED-AID. The guide is available in English or Spanish.

Also, be sure to check out the financial aid information from ACT. You'll find a good financial aid overview in easy-to-understand language, plus a list of resources to contact for more information on loans, scholarships, government programs and financial aid.

How to apply for financial aid

You can get the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA:

Myth of the month

In this and following issues, we'll dispel some common college planning myths students, and maybe some parents, believe.

If your teen says, "I need a high ACT test score to get accepted into college."

Here's information you can share:

Your ACT scores will tell you how prepared you are for college work and what academic areas may need strengthened. Schools will have an open, liberal, traditional, selective or highly selective admissions policy and different expectations regarding test scores. Check out the average test score of entering freshmen at the schools you're interested in to give you a rough idea. Still, your test score is just one piece of information admissions counselors consider when looking at your application. Colleges look at a number of performance factors. The test score is one of those factors. Colleges don't disqualify an applicant on the basis of test score alone. And they don't admit an applicant based on test score alone. Colleges use an integrated approach to make sure the college will be a good fit for you and that you have a likelihood of success.

ACT test date reminder

The next national ACT test date is Feb. 9, 2008. The regular registration deadline is Jan. 4 and the late registration deadline is Jan. 18. Create an account for online registration and test date information. Students registering online should register early to avoid heavy Web traffic and delays.

ACT offers an optional Writing Test. Find out about the Writing Test on the ACT student website, including which colleges require or recommend the test.

The website also provides test prep aids, including free sample test questions, and ACT Online Prep™, an online ACT test prep program. You'll also find test day tips, a list of items to bring to the test, and details on what types of calculators are allowed on the Math Test.

For questions about the ACT test, visit ACT's student website.

See also:

ACT's Information for Parents

The ACT

PLAN

EXPLORE

Financial Aid

College Search

Careers