EYE on COLLEGE: Allen University

This week we begin our series "Eye on College." This series of posts will highlight one college or university.

Allen University, located in Columbia, South Carolina is an historically black college serving over 700 undergraduate students. The university was founded in 1870, making it one of the first historically black colleges in South Carolina. With a long history of educating African American students, Allen continues to fulfill it's mission and live up to its motto: “We teach the mind to think, the hand to work and the heart to love”.


Name: Allen University

Private university affiliated with African Methodist Episcopal Church

Location: Columbia, South Carolina

SAT/ACT: No SAT or ACT required unless applying for scholarship or participating in athletics

Did you know?

• Allen University has more legislators in the S.C. General Assembly than any other private university in South Carolina: former Senator Kay Patterson (retired); 1956; Senator Ralph Anderson, Senator Clemente Pinckney; 1995; Representative William Clyburn; 1964; and Representative Floyd Breland; 1955, to name a few.
• Allen University has also produced 9 college presidents
  

Parents: Maybe you have thought about returning to college? Check out Allen's programs for adult learners at the following link: College For Professional Adults

A Major Major!

Many students and parents are concerned about jobs and their future. There is an interesting article on the Encarta MSN about the 5 Most Marketable Degrees in 2009 and the 5 Least Marketable Degrees in 2009. Food for thought.

Maybe you are having difficulty deciding what to study in college. Take a look at some of the websites on the sidebar. Or better yet, if you are a student at Richland Northeast, make an appointment in the Career Information Center.

To See or Not to See

To see or not to see? This is the question. The question facing many a rodent on February 2 that is. Hoards of followers await the woodchuck, commonly known as the groundhog on this day, to come out of his burrow and predict the time left in winter. What a tradition!

There are also many students waiting "to see" if they got into the college of their choice AND "to see" if they received the money they need to attend. So where are you in this process? Have you filled out your FAFSA? This is the form of all forms when it comes to finding money for college.

Perhaps you are one of the many students or parents asking..."what is the FAFSA anyway?" If so, here is a quick tutorial on the FAFSA process

FAFSA is the acronym standing for Free Application for Federal Student Aid

• Filling out the form is FREE so make sure you use the government's website fafsa.ed.gov (other fafsa sites may have fees associated with them)
• Both two and four year colleges require the results of this form for any financial aid
• The FAFSA is filled out after Jan. 1 of a high school student's senior year and every year they are in college.
• It is important to know your college financial aid priority deadline because the maximum amount of aid may decrease if the form is late
• The FAFSA uses the previous year's tax information to make a determination of an "Expected Family Contribution"-how much you and your family will pay toward your cost of college attendance
• The money may come in one of three forms:

1. Scholarships/Grants : FREE MONEY

2. Work Study: basically a job on or near campus that pays the student a real paycheck. The money is expected to be used towards the cost of attendance

3. Student Loans: Low interest federal loans that must be paid back, usually beginning 6 months after student leaves college (either through graduation or through dropping out). Loans may be:

A. Subsidized: interest is paid by federal government while student is attending college

B. Unsubsidized: interest accrues while student is in school and will be added to cost of loan

• Both student and parent will fill out their information on the form, therefore, both student and parent will need a PIN number (the electronic signature required to fill out the form online.
• You will also want to have all the documents ready and the worksheet completed prior to filling out the FAFSA. See the tab on the FAFSA site labeled "Before Beginning a FAFSA"
• The FAFSA site has step by step directions...use them.
• If you do need assistance filling out the form, contact your guidance office, college financial aid office, or attend CollegeGoal Sunday in your area. I have linked the South Carolina information site.

OK, there you go! Now you go and "see" all the possibilities filling out the FAFSA will bring you!