What you earn is directly related to what you learn. Education after high school is critical. More and more good jobs depend on the skills and knowledge that education after high school can provide.
| FOR PARENTS: By helping your kids think early about the world of work and what they might achieve, you will be helping them succeed in life. The U.S. Department of Education provides resources about planning for college on its website, Think College Early. |
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS: Workbooks and tests are available ON LOAN from FSS. Call 240-773-9393 to check what is available.
LICENSED TRAINING PROGRAMS: See the lists on the website of MHEC, the Maryland Higher Education Commission at http://www.mhec.state.md.us. They are under Career and Workforce Education. Only MHEC approved programs can be funded by Montgomery Works, although any other program may be renewed by Montgomery Works.
Participants who did not finish high school should consider working for a General Equivalency Diploma. Passing the GED exam is equivalent to earning a high school diploma, and it qualifies you not only for jobs requiring high school education but also to apply for college. Call 301-962-8950. See below for more about the GED. Be aware of the New Evening High School at Albert Einstein 301-929-2200; John F. Kennedy 301-929-2100; Rockville 301-517-8105; Wheaton 301-517-2050; and the External Diploma Program, EDP (410-767-0334). This site summarizes the GED and EDP.
IPEDS College Opportunities On-Line gives information such as enrollment, cost, and financial aid at colleges and vocational schools. This site is mantained by the US Department of Education.
See more about finances below.
There are literally thousands of colleges and universities in this country. The following table shows those in Montgomery County. University of Maryland College Park (UMCP is often called just the University of Maryland.) To be considered for need-based financial aid, a student must complete and submit the FAFSA annually. For maximum consideration, the FAFSA processor must receive and accept the completed FAFSA by February 15. Do not wait to be admitted before submitting the FAFSA. We strongly recommend that a completed FAFSA be mailed as soon as possible after January 1, but no later than February 1 in order to meet our deadline. When completing the FAFSA, request that a copy be sent to the University of Maryland, College Park: 002103. Tuition and mandatory fees can change each year. This link takes you to the UMCP website's current charges. University of Maryland University College (UMUC) File the FAFSA using Title IV Code of 006911. Tuition at MC for credit instruction is based on residency classification, which is determined by information on the admissions application form.
Tuition and mandatory fees can change each year. This link takes you to the MC website's current charges. The Federal Student Financial Assistance Programs are the largest source of student aid in America, providing over $40 billion a year in grants, loans, and work-study assistance. Here you'll find help for every stage of the financial aid process, whether you're in school or out of school. The US Department of Education maintains the official site on federal financial aid. A usual source of loans is the federal government, as above. Talk to an expert at 1-800-4-FEDAID (800-433-3243) about student loans, past or future. FAFSA on the Web applications usually must be submitted before July 1 of the upcoming school year; but individual schools probably have earlier deadlines. You can use FAFSA on the Web to calculate your estimated Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The estimated EFC will print on the confirmation page when you have completed and submitted the application.
Columbia Union College
7600 Flower Ave
Takoma Park 20912
301-891-4000
Fax: 301-270-1618
info@cuc.edu
www.cuc.edu
Foundation for Advanced Education
in the Sciences Graduate School,
National Institutes of Health
1 Cloister Ct, Suite 230
Bethesda 20814
301-496-7976
lyonsa@mail.nih.gov
www.faes.org
George Meany Center for Labor
Studies-National Labor College
10000 New Hampshire Ave.
Silver Spring 20903
301-431-6400
800-GMC-4CDP
Fax: 301-431-5411
www.georgemeany.org
Johns Hopkins University
Montgomery County Campus
9601 Medical Center Dr.
Rockville 20850
301-294-7000
Fax:301-294-7010
www.mcc.jhu.edu
Keller Graduate School
of Management
4550 Montgomery Ave, Suite 100 North
Bethesda 20814
301-652-8477
Fax:301-652-8577
www.keller.edu/locations/centers/loc_bethesda.jsp
The Universities at Shady Grove
9630 Gudelsky Dr.
Rockville 20850
301-738-6000 or 6023
shadygrove@umail.umd.edu
www.shadygrove.umd.edu
Eight institutions from the University
System of Maryland offer some of their
most popular programs in one location.
Montgomery College-
Germantown campus
20200 Observation Dr.
Germantown 20876
301-353-7700
TTY: 301-540-2133
www.montgomerycollege.edu
Montgomery College-
Rockville campus
51 Mannakee St.
Rockville 20850
301-279-5000
TTY:301-294-9672
www.montgomerycollege.edu
Montgomery College-
Takoma Park campus
7600 Takoma Ave.
Takoma Park 20912
301-650-1300
TTY: 301-587-7207
www.montgomerycollege.edu
Montgomery College-
Westfield South Center
11160 Veirs Mill Rd., Suite 306
Wheaton 20902
301-279-5188
www.montgomerycollege.edu
Montgomery College-Gaithersburg
Business Training Center
12 S. Summit Ave., Fourth Floor
Gaithersburg 20877
240-683-1863
www.montgomerycollege.edu
School of Art and Design
at Montgomery College
10500 Georgia Ave.
Silver Spring 20902
301-649-4454
Fax: 301-649-2940
www.mcadmd.org
Strayer University-
Montgomery campus
20030 Century Blvd., Suite 300
Germantown 20874
301-540-8066
www.strayer.edu
The website, Maryland TransPort, gives all you need to facilitate a smooth transfer into a Maryland college or university, either public or private. This is a valuable resource on Maryland institutions whether you are transferring from a Maryland Community College or an out-of-state institution. Among other aids, there are links to all colleges and universities in Maryland, on this page.
OTHER REFERENCE TOOLS: See www.k12academics.com for many issues in education, job tips and salaries info.
Ag-DISCOVERY PROGRAM: Youth 12-17 can learn about careers in animal science, veterinary medicine and plant pathology.
Call 301-734-6312 or see www.aphis.usda.gov/agdiscovery/about_agdiscovery.shtml.
The following table addresses financial information on three local institutions.
Need-Based Financial Aid: Financial assistance offered to students with demonstrated financial need includes loans, grants, scholarships, and Federal Work Study. (Non-need based student and parent loans are also available.)
UMUC is the institution designed specifically for working adults. It offers courses within Maryland and overseas, online and in nearby classrooms.
In addition to tuition, books and course-related supplies cost approximately $50–$100 per course.
You can reduce or eliminate the costs of education through many alternatives.
ELIGIBILITY FOR PELL GRANT FOR FOREIGN BORN: Only US citizens, permanent residents, and eligible noncitizens
are eligible for Pell Grants. Eligible non-citizens include students who are granted asylum or refugee
status and have the appropriate I-94 stamp from DHS. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reviews the
federal financial aid application and sends the college a determination on each student's eligibility. In general,
applicants for permanent resident status, students with work authorization only, & those with student visas are
not eligible for Pell Grants & other federal/state financial aid. But each applicant's eligibility is individually
determined by DHS. Eligible non-citizens are (1) a U.S. permanent resident with a Permanent Resident Card (I-
551); (2) a conditional permanent resident (I-551C); or (3) the holder of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from
the DHS showing any of the following: “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Parolee” (I-94 confirms paroled for a
minimum of one year and status has not expired) or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant.” If you are in the U.S. on an F1 or F2
student visa, a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, or a G series visa (re international organizations), you are not
eligible. If you are neither a citizen nor an eligible non-citizen, you are not eligible.
While sources of information on aid often cover more than one category, this page focuses on these three categories:
(1) You can borrow the money for education.
Ask about loans at the financial aid office of institutions to which you might apply.
The University of Maryland University College offers information about student loans in addition to federal loans.
A number of companies make private loans available to Maryland students. Here is one such site.
(2) Tax Credits for Education
The Hope Scholarship Tax Credit provides up to $1500 per year tax credit for the first two years of post secondary education or vocational school. If you attend college for more than two years, or if you are just taking a few courses to improve job skills, the Lifetime Learning Credits can help. This program can provide credits of 20 % of tuition and fees per year up to $10,000, subtracted from federal income taxes. Only one student per taxpayer household can use these credits each year. New Student Loan Interest Deductions are also available. Early IRA withdrawals without a penalty can now be made for college expenses. For more information on these credits, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.
You can open a Maryland College Investment Plan account with $250. The plan allows you to pay now for future college costs with dollars that are tax deductable, and the withdrawals used for education are not taxed. There are many restrictions and provisions which you need to understand before starting. Visit
collegesavingsmd.org or call (toll-free) 1-888-463-4723.
(3) Scholarships and grants
There is so much free information about scholarships, it is wise to think twice before paying for information. Firms that charge an application fee for conducting a search may be worth it, but check other sources first. (Do not let the multitude of sources confuse you. Many are duplicative. Find a few that make sense to you.)
One good place to start is Maryland's Higher Education Commission (MHEC), which gives information about financial aid for college. See MHEC's description of State programs here or call 410-260-4565 or 800-974-1024. MHEC offers particular tools for advisors. Info available also at 800-974-0203.
"Scholarship help" gives an overview of scholarships and detail on the process of applying for them.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used not only by the Federal government but also by many colleges. The website allows you to complete a standard application for financial aid online.
"Federal Student Aid" offers a tool to help students and their families plan for college. The FAFSA4caster provides students with an early estimate of their eligibility for federal student financial assistance.
Students considering furthering their education beyond high school can use this FREE tool to:
To access the tool, visit FAFSA4caster.
Other particular sources of aid (All dates shown here may change; check with the source.):
MORE MINORITY SCHOLARSHIPS:
And here are some scholarship sites from "Results Master" with their own descriptions:
Search an accurate database of 2 million college scholarships updated daily. Fill out a profile for instant, customized results. Endorsed by Kaplan, etc. Save time & find money for college.
www.scholarshipexperts.com
Need money for college? Register and search over 600,000 scholarships worth more than $1 billion. FastWeb is recommended by more than 2,500 colleges and 12,000 high schools.
www.fastweb.com
Search our database for schools and training programs to prepare you for a rewarding career. Complete our free online form to request more information.
www.search4careercolleges.com
Worried about how to pay for your college education or what options are available to help? Learn about scholarships, grants, loans, and other financial aid programs. Free resource.
www.japersonalfinance.com
Here are other websites about financial aid. The word 'SEARCH' implies that the site allows you to search for a scholarship for which you qualify; THIS MEANS GIVING INFORMATION ABOUT YOURSELF. Which site you choose (if any) is a personal choice. Look at more than one to see how comfortable you are before you use any.
Note also that the web site of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School contains information about applying to college and financial aid.
You can prepare for the GED exam on the web: visit GED online.
You may borrow GED and Pre-GED study and test-prep materials from FSS. Call 240-773-9393.
English language and GED classes previously offered by the County Public Schools have shifted to Montgomery College; call 301-962-8905.
Practice tests are given for the GED the first Saturday of each month at Connecticut Park Center, 12518 Greenly St., Silver Spring. Call 517-8234 for information. Classes to prepare for the GED are offered each summer -- 301-929-2025 for details.
See
www.gedpractice.com for GED practice, www.gedtest.org for the GED description by the American Council of Education, and
www.montgomerycollege.edu/wdce for relevant courses at Montgomery College AND For free GED Practice testing, call 301-962-8943
Most colleges and universities require students who apply for admission to take an examination and submit their scores. Common exams are the SAT and the ACT. In addition to the sites above, visit http://www.testprepreview.com for practice tests you can take online. You may also email gapbuster@earthlink.net.
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