Today’s edition of the “Real Life College Student” blog series is by Zachary Stickney of Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.  Zach entered the college world through the Upward-Bound pre-college program and is currently a senior studying Political Science.  For an in-depth description of Zach’s admirable transition from high school to college and his college experience, check out this blog from WSU, “Once-Struggling High School Student Excelling in College.” We hope you enjoy this week’s blog, “King Arthur, Advanced Placement/Concurrent Enrollment Classes and YOU!”

In the movie Monty Python’s Holy Grail, King Arthur of the Britons is charged with taking a sacred journey to recover one of the most revered relics of all time.  He travels to distant lands, forms a band of some of the greatest knights of his era, and withstands wave after wave of ruthless taunting by the French.  True to typical blogging form, I will now explain, through a vague and overextended metaphor, how an awesome parody of an Anglican myth relates to your college experience.

You, of course, are King Arthur of the Britons.  You’ve recently met with Merlyn (your high school counselor or other trusted adult) and know that it’s your destiny to receive Excalibur from the lady of the lake (get your high school diploma).  However, you’re well aware that finding Excalibur will not mark the end of your journey.  Heavens no!  Finding Excalibur is merely the beginning.  Being aware of this, he asks Merlyn how he can prepare himself for the journey ahead.  At this point, Merlyn uses his incredible magical prowess to shatter the illusion of 5^th century England and return us to the present era, where he suggests you take Advanced Placement (AP) and Concurrent Enrollment (CE) courses while in High School.

Advanced Placement (AP) Classes

• Overview: Advanced Placement, or “AP” courses, are administered by teachers who have received special training from the College Board (see their website to learn more).  The classes are geared to cover core information that will appear on the final AP Exam at the end of the school year.  The final exam costs a small fee, which is usually between 80-100 dollars (if applicable, check with your high school for fee waiver options).  Note that the final exam is optional.  This is because in your AP class, the end grade you earn will not appear on a college transcript.  The only thing that matters in terms of college credit is your score on the AP Exam.

• Grading: The grading of AP exams is fairly simple and is based on a scale of 1-5.  1 being “probably not qualified” and 5 being “extremely well qualified.”  Most schools will typically not offer credit unless you receive a score of at least 3, or “qualified.”  It is a smart idea to check with your preferred college about what score will earn you college credit. Many students get nervous when considering taking the AP exam (and rightfully so), but the truth is, you have studied at the college level for a year or more already (so be confident!) and even if you don’t earn a “qualified” score, chances are it won’t hurt you.  Most colleges will appreciate the fact that you took the initiative to take a high level class in the first place.  If you get a 2 or a 1, it’s doubtful it will hurt your college entrance prospects.  And of course, if you get a 3 or higher, you’ll end up saving yourself a lot of money and time!

• AP College Credit: It’s easy to get credit at your preferred college for the AP classes you have passed.  All you need to do is contact the College Board and have them send a copy of your scores to your preferred school.  You can also choose up to 3 schools to send reports to on the day you take your test.  Once your scores are accepted, they will appear on your transcript as “CR” meaning “credit.”  This means that though these classes give you college credit, they don’t affect your overall college GPA.  Don’t you feel like you can conquer some AP classes now?

• Download Advanced Placement course descriptions and learn more about individual courses and exams at CollegeBoard.com.

Concurrent Enrollment (CE) Classes

• Overview: Concurrent Enrollment, or “CE” courses, are another great way to study at the college level in high school while earning college credit.  However, the commonalities between AP and CE end right there.  In CE classes, there is no “all or nothing” type of exam at the end of the year.  Though there will almost certainly be a final exam, this exam will still only make up a portion of your cumulative grade.  The grade(s) you receive on both your high school and college transcript for your CE class(es) will be the same, and will affect both your high school and college transcripts accordingly.

• CE College Credit: Oftentimes, the colleges that offer CE credit at your high school aren’t always the colleges that you want to attend after you graduate.  However, this shouldn’t hurt your prospects of earning early college credit.  All you need to do is contact the admissions department of the school you’ve received CE credit from and have them send a transcript with that information to the college of your choice.

• Transferring CE Credit: One important thing to keep in mind, though, is that these credits are not always transferrable among all colleges due to the different standards and curricula these schools have.  If you’re transferring credit from 2 colleges within the same state, you will usually be fine.  It’s among state-to-state transfers that difficulties may sometimes arise.  It’s important to ask these kinds of questions to whichever college you prefer in order to make sure you’re getting everything you can out of your CE experience!

• It is a good idea to check with your high school to find out which CE classes are available to you.  Utah has over 900 Concurrent Enrollment classes and all Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institutions accept CE credit.  For more information on Utah CE classes, click here to download the CE brochure from the Utah State Office of Education.

Hopefully you’ve found this quick run-down on AP and CE courses useful, but don’t forget about the help that Merlyn, or your high school counselor, can offer you.  Counselors will have the most up to date information and will be able to offer you all kinds of resources to help you succeed at the college level.  So take hold of Excalibur and go forth, young Arthur.  Many unique journeys (and possible French taunting) await!

From UHEAA:  When taking Advanced Placement and Concurrent Enrollment courses, it is a common practice to purchase test preparation materials and attend test preparation courses.  These materials can be (and often are) very expensive.  Do yourself (and your parents’ wallets) a favor and head over to UtahFutures.org.  At UtahFutures you’ll find an abundance of test preparation materials like comprehensive practice tests and full practice courses for absolutely free.  UtahFutures is also available on your iPhone.  Download UtahFutures for free from the App Store.

If you have any questions or comments regarding Advanced Placement or Concurrent Enrollment classes for Zachary, please leave a comment!

Find “Real Life College Student” blogger, Zachary Stickney, on Facebook and Twitter.

Twitter Question: “@uheaa -Have 2 teens headed to college. Any links you suggest for aid if can’t qual for Gov’t help?”

UHEAA Outreach Reply: “Bryan from the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority here.  Thank you so much for reaching out to us.  Paying for college, especially when you don’t qualify for federal aid, can be a challenging road to navigate.  The good news is, there are many great resources out there to help guide you and your college bound students along the way.

The first resource to point out would be the ‘Free Application for Federal Student Aid’ or ‘FAFSA.’  Don’t let the issue that you don’t qualify for Federal Aid fool you;  The FAFSA is the gateway to all things financial aid, not just federal student loans and Pell grants.  In order to be eligible for most school based grants and scholarships and also most general scholarships or grant programs, you must fill out and file the FAFSA.  So, if you have not already, I strongly recommend that you file the FAFSA for both of your children.

The official FAFSA website received a makeover over the past year resulting in a much easier and quicker filing process.  There are many fraudulent FAFSA imitation websites on the net, so be sure that you use the official site to file.

For an explanation of what exactly goes on after you file the FAFSA, take a look at this blog article: “What Happens After the FAFSA?”

Once the FAFSA is filed and processed, the doors of financial aid are wide open for exploration.  Now, where to go to conduct this exploring?

For Utah students, the best place to search for scholarships and aid is UtahFutures.org.  If your children are enrolled in a Utah High School, chances are they already have a profile on UtahFutures.  If not, go ahead and set up a free account to start utilizing the site’s abundance of resources on planning, preparing and paying for college.

• Quick Link (must have/set up UtahFutures account to access): UtahFutures Scholarship Search
• Another good place to look for aid is at the colleges or universities that your children are enrolled in or accepted to.  It is best to call the school’s financial aid office to ask about what sort of school based grants and scholarships are available.
• Fastweb – Fastweb members are matched to relevant scholarship opportunities completely free of charge. With roughly 1.5 million scholarships worth over $3.4 billion, there are scholarships for every student’s educational goals, activities and interests.

In addition to these resources, another place to learn more about paying and preparing for college is at Spring College Fairs.  Our organization is administering six college fairs throughout all of Utah that are completely free of charge to attend (and hey, they’re really fun!).  You can find more info and register for any of our college fairs here.

I hope this information was of assistance to you.  Please let us know if you have any other questions!

Best,
Bryan Lee
Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority – Outreach”

The same goes for you!  If you don’t qualify for federal student aid and have questions, please leave us a comment and we’ll reply quickly.

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Every year particular college majors go “in and out of fashion.” For example, in the 2003-2004 academic year, over 59,000 degrees were awarded in computer science followed by a 33% drop during the years after.  Some years it’s more modern majors that explode in numbers and other years it’s the opposite with more degrees awarded in traditional courses of study like psychology and engineering.  It looks like traditional majors are beating out the modern majors this upcoming year:

Click on the major for: Overview/Description, Utah colleges w/ that particular major, programs of study, program admission details, graduate admission details, available scholarships and even occupations – (To view descriptions: go to UtahFutures.org and click “Browse UtahFutures.org” before clicking the blog links!)

• Accounting
• Finances
• Electrical Engineering
• Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering
• Business (Economics, Management, Marketing)

Also, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting that in 2018 it will be nurses, accountants, teachers, and managers that will be in highest demand.

If you’re looking for job security with decent pay, these are some great options for you but don’t think they are the only ones!  There are tons of college majors out there and the key is to take the time to learn about what’s available to you. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to make the best decision possible!  Where’s the best place in Utah for learning about all the majors available to you? UtahFutures.org

Read the whole story “Hot Majors for 2011″ by Barbara Hernandez by clicking here.

UtahFutures.org celebrates one-year anniversary with 324,000 users

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah’s free website for education and career planning, UtahFutures.org, is celebrating its one-year anniversary by soliciting success stories from its 324,000 portfolio holders.

Any Utah resident can set up a portfolio and/or browse UtahFutures.org free of charge.  Since its October 2009 launch, some 324,000 portfolios have been organized.  Of those, some 280,000 are junior high and high school students.  The remaining 44,000 are adult Utahns registered primarily through Workforce Services and Adult Education.  The website has received nearly two million hits.

Utah is one of the few states in the nation where all major learning institutions and workforce training agencies use the same education and career-planning tool for their students and clients.  This synergy allows for better education and career tracking through online portfolios that students carry from junior high all the way through college and careers.

Founding key partners of UtahFutures.org include the Utah State Office of Education, Utah System of Higher Education, Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority, Department of Workforce Services, Utah State Office of Rehabilitation and Gaining Early Awareness for Undergraduate Programs. The Utah State Library has since joined the partnership.

Students enrolled in UtahFutures.org begin making their education and career plans in 7^th grade as part of their Student Education and Occupational Plan, which is required of all students.  They build this electronic planner and portfolio through high school.  Some colleges have also started using UtahFutures.org.  The vision is for students to continue building their education and career plan/portfolio at Utah colleges and universities and the rest of their lives.  At the Utah Department of Workforce Services, clients use Utahfutures.org to plan their education and career paths.

Now that Utahfutures.org has been operating for a year, the 324,000 portfolio holders are encouraged to submit individual success stories, which the site will share for kudos and inspiration.  Suggestions for improvement and expansion are also encouraged.  Click here to take the three question survey.

The UtahFutures.org philosophy is that the best way to predict a positive future is to plan for it.  Participants can:

• take career interest surveys
• learn about education and training programs all over the country
• figure out how much they need to earn to support their lifestyles
• find scholarships
• write resumes
• take free practice tests for college admissions
• learn all about financial aid and how to apply
• identify the past path for achieving career and education goals

Utah’s nearly 700 junior high and high school counselors and workforce training counselors can provide students customized education and career planning on UtahFutures.org.  For example, they can direct students to more than a dozen assessment tools to identify career options, based on their interests and aptitudes.

Coming soon are business links to connect students with potential employers and internships.  Businesses will also be able to identify school volunteer opportunities custom fit to them.

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Additional information:

The following public education and Workforce Services counselors are available for interviews:

• Lynn Meek, Counselor, Lehi Junior High School
  (801) 768-7010

• Kris Hart, Counselor, Mountain Crest High School
  (435) 245-6093

• Dawn Stevenson, Counselor Coordinator, Utah State Office of Education
  (801) 538-7851, Dawn.Stevenson@schools.utah.gov

• Shane Young, Workshop Trainer/Program Specialist, Workforce Services
  (801) 370-6298, shaneyoung@utah.gov

• Vicki Fenton, Workforce Investment Act Youth Employment Counselor, Brigham City
  (435) 734-4012, vfenton@utah.gov

About The Utah System of Higher Education: USHE includes all of Utah’s eight public colleges and universities: The University of Utah, Utah State University, Weber State University, Southern Utah University, Snow College, Dixie State College, Utah Valley University and Salt Lake Community College. For more information on the Utah System of Higher Education, visit our website at http://www.higheredutah.org.

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UtahFutures is provided free to Utah residents through a statewide collaboration that includes: the State Office of Education, Adult Education, the Utah Department of Workforce Services, the Utah System of Higher Education, the Utah Office of Rehabilitation, the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority (UHEAA) and the federal GEAR UP program.

The entire article can be viewed here.

A new, largely state-funded website is helping Utahns figure out what they want to do when they grow up. UtahFutures.org, which launched in October, is geared toward kids in grades 6-12 and adults and has already had more than a million hits.

Visitors to the free site can fill out questionnaires to help them determine which careers best fit their interests. They can learn about the salaries and requirements of hundreds of occupations — everything from explosives workers to manicurists to software designers. They can even do a “Reality Check,” which involves answering questions to find out how much money they would need to earn to lead various lifestyles in different Utah cities.

“We know that the kids that view their education as relevant are going to be a lot more serious and find education a rewarding experience, and that relevancy really comes about by knowing your direction in life and where you want to go,” William Sederburg, Utah’s commissioner of higher education, recently told lawmakers. “This is really a great tool for doing that.”

The entire article can be read at the Salt Lake Tribune.

I think many people will agree that nobody wants to see tuition raises outpacing inflation, and that it’s an extra difficulty for students who are already feeling the sting of state budget cuts. But until we, as a nation, get that matter resolved (shouldn’t take more than an hour or two, right?), there are some thing you can do in the meantime.

• Start saving. You can open a regular bank savings account, go to your local credit union, or choose a 529 college savings plan like the one offered right here in Utah by UESP. The earlier you can start saving for education, the better off you will be.
• Look for scholarships. Do this early! There are some scholarships that students can win before senior year in high school, and many, many more that can be applied for during a student’s senior year. You can search for many scholarships online at UtahFutures.
• Be prepared to fill out the FAFSA. This single federal form is your ticket to qualifying for grants (which do not have to be repaid), work-study programs, and student loans.
• Communicate. Talk to high school counselors. Talk to college financial aid officers.  Whatever you do, don’t be afraid to ask for help. It can be a really confusing and intimidating process-these people are here to help you make sense of it all.
• Get a job. A part-time job, while perhaps not the first thing many students think of, is a really good idea. If you can work the summer before you go to college and save up money, you’ll probably be able to cover the cost of your textbooks at least! Working up to 20 hours a week during school is an option through work-study programs (don’t forget that you must fill out the FAFSA to qualify for this), and a great way to get hands-on experience.

While it may not make us all happy (I’m sure not thrilled that my tuition for the University of Utah is going up next year), we have a choice to make: pursue education despite the obstacles, or give up. I will be setting aside a little more in savings over the summer to prepare for next year, because I want to finish my degree. What do you want to do?