Mandela International Magnet School:��Getting Ready for the Next Step(s) ��School research and financial aid information

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Doing the “best match” Research

• https://www.collegeboard.org/ The “classic “web site. Good place to start
• https://www.petersons.com/college-search.aspx Another classic, comprehensive site
• https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ Federal site, not slick but lots of data
• https://ctcl.org/ Colleges that Change Lives. Less well-known colleges with FA$
• httphttps://www.collegeboard.org/://college-insight.org/ Detailed profiles with additional emphasis on student and faculty demographics
• https://www.jobsearchintelligence.com/etc/college-rankings.php
• Educate to Career--$ value added: #1 UNC; #2 UCLA; #3 BYU; #4 William and Mary
• https://www.cappex.com/ Social media approach that will be appeal to students
• https://www.unigo.com/ Student reviews of colleges and their experiences.

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Researching Financial Aid and Scholarships

• Need-based and Merit Financial Aid awards. Know the difference.
• FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): You will be able to complete the form using a mobile app starting October 1. Do so as early as you can. See FAFSA slide #5
• CSS Profile (College Scholarship Service) for non-federal aid required by 400 of the most selective schools, especially private colleges and universities. also opens on October 1.
• Federal Pell Grants (comes from your FAFSA application) Maximum award is $7,395 for 2025-2026. Minimum is $470, NM average is $4,467. Grants NOT loans.
• http://blog.collegegreenlight.com/blog/colleges-that-meet-100%-of-student-financial-need/ About 80+ schools. Some also meet the full needs of undocumented students.
• http://www.finaid.org/
• http://Scholarships.com
• https://blog.collegevine.com/15-college-scholarship-resources/
• www.myintuition.org Web site where you can do a quick calculation to determine your EFC, Expected Family Contribution.

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Financial Aid (FA) research websites continued:

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FastWeb: The premier online resource for paying and preparing for college. Fastweb members are matched to relevant scholarships, free of charge.

CollegeBoard: Find scholarships, other financial aid and internships from more than 2,200 programs, totaling nearly $6 billion.

GoodCall Scholarship Directory: Amassed over $40 billion in scholarship data; is considered the leading source for searching for scholarships, grants and FA.

ScholarshipExperts.com: Provides a time-saving, customized list of free scholarships that match your hobbies, interests and academic background.

CollegeNET: A scholarship database of over 600,000 awards. The Profile Search feature looks for scholarships that match your personal profile.

Scholarship America: The nation's largest non-profit, private-sector scholarship and educational support organization.

Chegg.com: A free scholarship search engine used by over 4 million students nationwide, with a database containing over a billion dollars in total scholarships.

CareerInfoNet.org: Search more than 7,000 scholarships, fellowships, loans, and other financial aid opportunities, sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.

Financial Aid and Scholarships FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid

• Mandela typically offers a FAFSA workshop before October 1. You are strongly encouraged to attend.
• FAFSA Available October 1. You should do it as soon as possible after October 1 as many schools, especially NM schools dispense aid on a first come, first served basis.
• Priority Filing deadline for UNM: First week of January
• Apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov
• Grants:
• Do NOT have to be paid back
• Are awarded primarily based on financial need
• Limited number of “incentive” non-need grants
• Loans:
• Money borrowed which requires repayment
• Amount of eligibility determined by grade level
• Subsidized and unsubsidized
• Note that more schools are ending loans and work study
• Recommend that, if possible, avoid taking out loans, or minimize the amounts, if possible as you will carry a significant financial burden upon graduation.

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Tuition Free schools (but not TOTAL costs)

• Schools that are tuition free (but not all costs such as room and board, and typically they have robust student work programs): Curtis Institute of Music (PA); Warren Wilson College (NC); College of the Ozarks (MO); Alice Lloyd College (KY); Webb Institute (NY), with one major only—Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture; Antioch College (OH), Haskell Indian Nations University (KS); Barclay College (KS), Sterling College (VT); Deep Springs (CA) also covers room + board, 26 students total.
• Best example of tuition free: Berea College (KY)—no tuition and $1,000 only to cover all other costs. Students required to do 10 hours of work per week.
• All the service academies are TOTAL cost-free, but they require years of service of course. Consider ROTC programs?
• Universities that are tuition free based on total family income cap: $200K Harvard and if under $150k Harvard is totally free), MIT, UPenn; $160k Princeton; $150k Stanford and Columbia; $100K NYU; $75k Carnegie Mellon, Yale, Cornell. Note that all these schools are THE MOST SELECTIVE SCHOOLS
• The FA package from the following schools are LOAN FREE: Williams, Amherst, Brown, Colby, Bowdoin, Pomona, Smith, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, Grinnell, Davidson, Swarthmore, U of Chicago, Vanderbilt, Emory, Rice, Washington & Lee, and all Ivy League schools. There are more, so google to find more loan free schools.

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• Universities that will cover ALL costs for families, not just tuition, making typically less than $65,000 per year are the wealthiest and most selective schools in the country: Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Colby College (just added) Deep Springs (CA)—only 15 students admitted each year, Williamson College of the Trades (PA), men only.
• USC just announced it is tuition free for families making less than $80,000;

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Tuition Reciprocity Agreements

• Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE): Choose from hundreds of majors at 160+ two and four-year schools in 16 Western states/U.S. territories (Northern Mariana and Guam). You may pay as if you were an in-state resident.
• https://www.wiche.edu/wue

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• Colorado/New Mexico reciprocity agreement:
• https://highered.colorado.gov/Academics/Programs/co-nmrecip-2015-2021.pdf
• Colorado colleges in the program: Fort Lewis College, Adams State, CSU-Pueblo, Colorado Mesa, Lamar Community College, Otero Junior College, Pueblo Community College, Trinidad State Junior College. High likelihood that Mandela students with good GPA (ideally above 3.0) would be accepted.

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UNM—Scholarships to offset total cost of $30,526 (24-25)

• It is essential that you submit your FAFSA as soon as you can after October 1.
• All references to GPA requirements is UNWEIGHTED GPA
• Opportunity Scholarships (tuition waiver) reduces cost by $11.210 leaving balance of $19,316 before other scholarships are considered. Must complete 15 credits (5 classes) each semester with 2.5 GPA
• Regents Scholarship—Approximately $24,000 per year. Requires 3.9+ GPA. Only 12 awarded each year.
• Additional application due December 1
• Presidential– Approximately $14,000 per year. Must have 3.75+ GPA.
• Additional application due December 1
• Woodward—Approximately $4,000 per year. Requires 4.0 GPA. NO additional application required.
• UNM Scholars—Approximately $3,000 per year. Requires 3.85 + GPA. No additional application.
• UNM Achievers $2,000 per year. 3.60+ GPA. No additional application required.
• Bridge to Success--$1,00 first semester only. 3.30+ GPA. Not renewable
• Success Grant: $1,000 for first semester only. 2.50+ GPA. Not renewable.
• Other NM universities: Aggie Achiever Scholarship NMSU $6,500; Green & Silver Presidential Scholarship ENMU $8,000; and others; NMSU Presidential Scholarship up to $7,250/yr, GPA of 3.80+ Must apply

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Scholarships for New Mexico students (slides 11-13 have additional information)

• Daniels Fund Scholarship: www.danielsfund.org A competitive scholarship, it will cover Full COST of attendance at “partner schools”; covers “the gap” between full cost and “Expected Family Contribution” at others. Family income no more than $85,000. Application open between mid-September to mid-October.
• LANL (Los Alamos National Labs) Scholarship: 4-year grants, maximum grant is $5,000 per year. Students pursuing STEM fields are given priority. DACA and undocumented students eligible. www.lanlfoundation.org/our-work/scholarships
• NM Chapter of AVS Science and Tech (Sandia Labs) . Given to 4 NM students. https://www.nmavs.org/avs-new-Mexico-chapter/scholarships
• Santa Fe Community Foundation: The Michael Currier Scholarship for low income Northern NM students. www.santafecf.org/home
• NMAA Foundation Scholarships. Several offered. Application deadline is Feb. 1. http://nmact.powermediallc.org/nmaa-foundation-scholarships/
• Credit Unions: Del Norte. www.dncu.org/home/our-community/scholarships Guadalupe CU: www.guadalupecu.org/member-resources/scholarships
• NM Scholars Program to apply to NM schools. For families with <$60k income

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Scholarships for NM Students continued

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• NIADA Foundation Regional Scholarship--$3,500 to college of your choice
• Elks Lodge #460. “Most Valuable Student Scholarship and Legacy Award contest. www.elks.org/scholars
• Montezuma Lodge Santa Fe for 1st year scholarships montezumalodge.org/charity/
• Albuquerque Community Foundation Scholarships. www.albuquerquefoundation.org/student-aid.aspx
• NM Manufactured Housing Association Scholarship—for students living in manufactured homes www. http://albuquerquefoundation.org/new-mexico-manufactured-housing-association-scholarship-program.aspx
• Albuquerque Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Scholarship www.ahcnm.org/scholarship.html
• HSF/NM Alliance College Scholarship: For Hispanic students to attend any college. Awards range from $1,000 to $2,500
• NM P.E.O. Sisterhood Scholarship, for girls $2,600
• Sussman-Miller Education Assistance Program--$2,000
• Native Scholarships: Eight Northern Pueblos Scholarship: https://pojoaqueeducation.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/enipc2019.pdf
• Also: www.americanindianservices.org www.aigcs.org/

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Contact Information for

College Counseling Coordinator,

Peter Thorp

Peter.Thorp@mandelainternationalschool.us

415-715-4114

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