by Miami college counselor Mandee Heller Adler, founder of International College Counselors
Lawmakers are preparing to make the Bright Futures scholarship more difficult to get and keep. This will happen if a proposal made Tuesday in a Florida Senate budget committee wins favor.
The legislation is an effort to close a $3 billion budget hole.
The Bright Futures college scholarship program was originally designed to pay full tuition costs for top-performing university and state college students.
Changes under consideration this year:
— Increasing the academic standards to qualify for the scholarships, from a 1270 SAT score to a 1290 by 2013 for the top award and from 970 to 1050 for the secondary award.
— Prohibiting students from renewing their Bright Futures scholarships if they lose their eligibility.
— Requiring students to use their scholarships within four years, as opposed to the current seven-year limit.
— Reducing the number of credits covered by Bright Futures from 110 percent of a program’s requirements to 100 percent.
— Maintaining Bright Futures at its current level of $126 per credit hour, essentially making it ‘flat’ award –even though tuition could rise as much as 15%,
— Requiring students to fill out a federal student aid form when applying for Bright Futures scholarships. It would give the state access to financial information on Bright Futures students and their families.
According to The Miami Herald, nearly 185,000 students are attending college with help from the scholarship. More than 95 percent of students at University of Florida use Bright Futures, as do the majority of those studying at FSU.
The changes would make the scholarship more competitive and leave less wiggle room for students who want to take extra classes, said state Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach and head of the Senate’s budget committee.
In contrast to the Senate’s budget team’s sweeping overhaul of the Bright Futures program, the head of the House’s budget committee proposed a simpler change: a 6 percent cut in funding for the scholarship. This means up to $450 less for Bright Futures students next year.
The college advisors at International College Counselors have extensive knowledge regarding the Bright Futures Scholarship. Whether you live in Orlando or Miami, college counselors at International Counselors are available to help you. Please contact us with any questions you may have.
International College Counselors
Main office: 954.253.5719
Mandee Heller Adler
mandee@internationalcollegecounselors.com
Barry Liebowitz
barry@internationalcollegecounselors.com
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Our college advising company works with domestic and international students. Let us help you make the best decisions in choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Make Best Use of Your Summer
Students who want to shine on their college applications should not forget about the summer as well. You don’t need to go to Costa Rica to build huts, but you do need to do something that raises your APA (application point average). If you’re not planning to take classes or attend an enrichment camp—get a job, volunteer or get an internship. Summer is coming up fast so here are some ideas to get you thinking about how to make the most of your summer.
Get a great summer job or internship
There are many opportunities in Miami. And the college counselors at International College Counselors know that summer jobs and internships are great ways to show colleges, and your parents that you are successfully maturing into a responsible adult. And there are few better ways to earn a little respect and gain valuable real-world experience. In a tight job market like the one we’re experiencing now, your best bet may be the internship. An internship is a pre-professional work experience that provides students with an opportunity to gain unpaid experience in a field you’re interested in. So what you don’t gain in cash, you gain in experience. Think of it as a summer course. But with persistence and luck, you can land an internship in your dream career. If you think you might like to try advertising, check with your local agencies to see what internship opportunities are available. Think you want to be a lawyer, see if you can work in a law firm. An internship is also great way to secure yourself a recommendation and get your foot in the door for future networking.
If you’re looking for available internships opportunities here in Miami, college counselors at International College Counselors can help you. Opportunities can also often be found on company websites and social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn.
Volunteering gives back
It can be profitable to work for nothing. You can make a difference, gain experience and explore your interests. For example, if a career in medicine interests you, you could volunteer a few hours a week at a hospital or nursing home. Interested in animals? Volunteer at the local animal shelter. Feeling entrepreneurial? Start a non-profit of your own. The choices are endless and all your hard work and time can pay off. Colleges and universities truly adore students who can demonstrate that they make the effort to help others. You may not be making money but you can make friends, and networking connections. You’ll also be creating fodder for those application essays. Then there’s always the fact you will be doing good — a wonderful reason to volunteer in itself.
Take a Virtual Class or Try Dual Enrollment
Flush out your resume and explore something new. Virtual classes and dual enrollment programs offer you a chance to choose something you want to learn. Try out a course from a major you’re interested in. Explore aeronautical science or 17th century literature. At some schools taking a virtual class or participating in a dual enrollment program can even help raise your GPA . Both can also help save you time and money if you take classes that count both for high school credit as well as college credit. Depending on their school, students who enter college with credit can reduce their course load per term or even graduate early.
Enjoy your summer – wisely!
About International College Counselors
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. Mandee Heller Adler, lead college admissions consultant and Founder of International College Counselors tailors her wide range of college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each individual student, whether Florida college or Ivy League university. Our college advising company, based in Miami-Dade, Florida, works with domestic and international students. We also work with high schools in Miami, Boca, Broward and Palm Beach. Let us help you make the best decisions choosing, getting into, and paying for college.
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