Instructions: Preparing for postsecondary life after high school can be overwhelming with the numerous options and associated costs. More than ever before, students are increasingly
open to more educational and vocational paths that will expand their economic opportunities, but the requirements, earnings potential, and costs can vary widely.

Refer to the resources and links below to fill out the 'Comparison' tab, which allows you to easily organize and compare your options to better inform your decisionmaking.

1) College/University: an academic organization that grants undergraduate, 4-year
programs and advanced graduate degrees in a variety of fields.

1) Annual Tuition & Fees: the cost a student incurs to receive teaching and varies widely based
on the reputation of the school and if: 1) if you're in or out of state and 2) if you're a part-time
or full-time student

https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/

https://collegecost.ed.gov/net-price

https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/

https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-local-training.aspx?newsearch=true

https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

go directly to school's website

2) Community/Junior Colleges: 2-year institutions of higher learning that
provide vocational/trade training and confers associates degrees and certifications.
Academic programs designed to lead into a 4-year program at a university

https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/

2) Room & Board: food and lodging. Costs can vary widely depending on:
1) if you're living at home; 2) are living on-campus (more expensive & convenient)
or off-campus (less expensive and convenient)

https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-local-training.aspx?newsearch=true

Off-campus housing budgeting tips: https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/off-campus-housing/

On-Campus costs: go directly to school's website and search 'room and board'

3) Vocational/Technical Schools: a 1-2 year institution that offers terminal occupational
programs and certifications intended to prepare students for immediate employment
in technical fields.

https://www.trainingproviderresults.gov/#!/

3) Books & Supplies: these costs can quickly add up depending on the number of classes you're taking in a semester

https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-job-finder

go directly to school's website, typically under cost of attendance section

https://www.mynextmove.org/

4) Transportation: depends heavily on if you're living on or off campus, parking fees, commuting & gas costs

Research parking and transportation services directly on the school's website

4) Military (Enlist, ROTC, Academies): The U.S. Armed Forces consist of 6 branches
(Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard),
all which have different requirements and commitment levels.

1) Self-paying savings: a tax-advantaged 529 college savings account is a great way to plan
ahead for college expenses

Junior ROTC in high schools: https://veteran.com/high-school-jrotc/

https://www.fidelity.com/529-plans/what-is-a-529-plan

5 Military Academies prepare you for a career in the military:
https://www.gainserviceacademyadmission.com/service-academies/#ftoc-heading-29

Employment services for Veterans: https://www.careeronestop.org/Veterans/default.aspx

2) Parents or Relatives: support networks can pay all or a percentage of the costs.
Their total income and assets will factor into whether you're eligible for financial aid.

5) Alternative Post-Secondary Transition Programs: designed to serve high functioning,
limited learners and lower functioning students with disabilities. Usually have their own
self-contained facilities and have a strong focus on vocational training.

3) Grants: sources of financial aid that generally don't have to be repaid and are typically awarded to
students with financial need. They can come from the federal government, state government, school, or
a private or nonprofit organization.

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transitionguide.html

Grant Overview - https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grants-apply.html?src=ft

https://www.navigatelifetexas.org/en/transition-to-adulthood/college
-and-alternatives-for-students-with-disabilities

Federal Pell Grants - usually awarded to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need.
Must fill out a FAFSA form

https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell

6) Direct Work Placement: this can include apprenticeships, internships, on-the-job training,
temporary work, and volunteer work. While you will have less educational costs, you need to
pay more attention to the average salary and earnings trajectory for the position you're wanting.
Can this can sustain your lifestyle long-term?
Typically with more training comes more earnings potential.

https://www.careeronestop.org/JobSearch/job-search.aspx

4) Educational Loans: money that is borrowed for educational purposes and must be repaid with interest

https://www.onetonline.org/

Start by filling out a (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) FAFSA form* by Oct.1: any student,
regardless of income, should fill out this form to be considered for federal, state, and school financial aid,
including grants, scholarships, and loans.

https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-job-finder

*This is a good first step to complete before you start applying for loans to help you minimize the amount you
need to borrow.

Loan Types: 1) Federal (Direct Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized, Direct PLUS) and 2) private loans from banks,
credit unions, and other lenders. Federal loans are a better option, they cost less and are easier to repay.
If you still need a private loan, shop around for the best interest rates

1) School Accredation: ensures the institution meets or execeeds an established
set of educational standards. Can be important for transfers and recoginition by employers.

5) Scholarships: free money that is awarded based on merit/academic performance to help pay for education.
Over $100 million in scholarships go unclaimed each year!

https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home

https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-scholarships.aspx

2) Degree Ranking: You can search rankings by college, university, region, and
program name

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings

6) Military Funding: The military offers a variety of tuition assistance programs for actively serving
military personnel.

*You can also use the search icon and type in specific programs to see
how they are ranked

Tuition Assistance:

https://collegerecon.com/tuition-assistance/

3) Student Graduation Rate: this rate could indicate a lack of student support services or
guidance. You can search by school and/or program, but pay attention to the mid point
to understand the averages

https://www.usa.gov/military-tuition-assistance

https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/

GI Bill: The GI Bill provides educational assistance to servicemembers, veterans, and their dependents.
Flexibility with how it's used

https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

https://www.va.gov/education/#get-gi-bill-and-other-educatio

https://tmd.texas.gov/gi-bill#:~:text=The%20GI%20Bill%20is%20designed,decide%20where%20it's%20needed%20most.

4) Average Salary in Career Field: it is important to understand how much your desired
career field pays, particularly in the area you want to end up in.

*Google 'average wage of (occupation) in (location)'

7) Employer Sponsored: some companies offer tuition reimbursement if you can prove that the company will benefit
from the skills you're acquiring

Glassdoor, indeed, and other job search engines will give you a rough estimate

12 companies that will pay for your college: https://www.investopedia.com/companies-pay-college-6829220

8) Job Earnings: given the rising costs of education, many young people work while attending school full or part-time

Please note that this is the net price for one year. Most financial aid applications require you to submit
a new application every year, and costs usually increase every year, so your net price should be re-calculated
every year.

https://collegecost.ed.gov/net-price

Rule of Thumb: You should not borrow more than the first year salary you can expect in your chosen field.
I.e. If you expect to earn $40,000 in your first year of your career, you should borrow less than $40,000
for your ENTIRE degree.

-->Your average salary > net price

Calculate your student loan payments:

https://studentaid.gov/loan-simulator/