UTAH HIGHER EDUCATIONThere's a college in Utah that's right for you.

March 4, 2016

Preparing for college can feel overwhelming , but it doesn't have to. Use this guide to learn about college and what you need to do to get there.

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It’s up to you to support your child’s journey. Start talking to your child about college and achieving their dreams when they’re young. That way, by the time they’re ready to go to college, they’ll be prepared. Use stepuputah.com to start discussions, encourage exploration, and do whatever you can to ensure your child knows they have options when they grow up.

1 $Prepare financially

3 .Use checklists

2Local options

Start saving for college early. A good place to start is college savings

plans (529 plans) such as the Utah Educational

Savings Plan. Learn more at uesp.org.

Use grade-by-grade checklists to help your child stay on-track

for college (see page 5).

Encourage your child to look at local college/university options.

College is much more affordable if your child stays in Utah. In-

state tuition is generally 50% less than out-of-state tuition.

Parents: How you can help your child prepare for college

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1 $Prepare financially

3 .Use checklists

2Local options

] College is any kind of education you get after high school.] Anything from a certificate in medical billing to a bachelor's degree in information systems and beyond.] Explore college majors and certificates at utahmajors.org

What is college?

College can help improve your life. College-educated people:

On average live longerand have healthier lifestyles.

Have time to be involvedin their community.

Know how to help their children be better prepared for college.

Tend to gethigher paying jobs.

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The Regents’ Scholarship encourages Utah high school students to prepare for college by taking the right classes and saving for college. You’ll apply for the Regents’ Scholarship during your senior year in high school, but you need to start planning now. You could earn as much as $6,400* for college — so aim high and challenge yourself! To learn about the requirements, such as the classes you need to take, ACT score, grades and GPA you need to qualify, visit regentsscholarship.org and check out the program guide.*Award amounts are subject to legislative funding and may vary from year to year.

How can I prepare for college?

English

Follow HighSchool Course

RecommendationsBy taking these courses in grades 9-– 12 , you may also

qualify for the Regents’ Scholarship.

Learn more at regentsscholarship.org.

4 credits of English

3 credits of lab-based science (one of each of

biology, chemistry, physics)

Science2 credits of world language, other than English, taken in

a progressive manner

Foreign Language

4 credits of Math taken in a progressive manner

(Secondary Math I, II, III, plus one course beyond)

Math

3.5 credits of social science

Social Science

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What to do each year in high school to be ready for college:

9th grade. Start thinking about what you want to study in college.. Take the “Reality Check” assessment at utahfutures.org. .Make sure you’re taking the right classes. (page 4).Get involved in school programs, after - school programs and volunteer opportunities.. Look into the Regents’ Scholarship at regentsscholarship.org.

10th grade. Work hard, get good grades and try taking some more challenging classes.. Plan ahead and make sure you’ll have taken Math 3 by the end of 11th grade.. Stay involved in school and after - school programs and start volunteering — this will help you

develop your skills and talents.. Ask teachers, counselors, your parents and people you know who have gone to college about

their experience.. Contact the Regents’ Scholarship office if you're pursuing the scholarship to make sure you're

on track.

1 1th grade. Talk to your school counselor about colleges you’re thinking about applying to and ask them

to help you plan how you’ll get there.. Visit a college campus and see what it's like to be a college student.. Take the ACT in the spring. Get free ACT prep resources and take free practice tests at

utahfutures.org.. Look into ways to pay for college such as scholarships, grants, work-study and student loans.

Learn about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that you’ll fill out when you’re in 12th grade at stepuputah.com.

. Attend a You CAN Pay for College event in your area. Utah’s financial aid experts will tell you all about ways to pay for college. Find an event near you at stepuputah.com/events.

. Make sure you’re on track for the Regents’ Scholarship if you’re pursuing it.

12th grade. Apply for college admission. Ask your counselor if your school is part of Utah College Application

Week.. File your FAFSA to see what types of financial aid you’re eligible for to help pay for college at

fafsa.gov..Attend a FAFSA Completion Open House event for FAFSA help. Find an event near you at

stepuputah.com/events.. Take the ACT again if you want to improve your score.. Apply for scholarships. Search on the web, in your community and through your parents’

employer to see what scholarships you find.. Apply for the Regents’ Scholarship if you’re pursuing it.

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Logan

Ogden

BountifulSalt Lake City

Roosevelt

Tooele

Ephraim

Cedar City

St. George

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Utah’s Colleges and UniversitiesUtah State University ON THE MAP: 80 percent of USU students live away from home, making USU Utah’s largest residential campus. Logan has been ranked as the No. 2 “Best College Town” in the nation.

Weber State University ON THE MAP: WSU offers more than 215 undergraduate programs, including the Bachelor of Integrated Studies program, which allows you to create a degree as unique as you.

LDS Business College ON THE MAP: Weekly devotionals are held in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square.

Salt Lake Community College ON THE MAP: The college ranks third in the nation in the number of associate degrees awarded.

University of UtahON THE MAP: What will you find on campus? A Nobel Prize winner, 15 Guggenheim fellowship recipients and the largest student-run venture fund in the United States.

Westminster College ON THE MAP: Westminster has more than 60 different student clubs and organizations.

Utah Valley University ON THE MAP: Several times throughout the school year, you can enjoy some of the best dining around by visiting Restaurant Forte — a fine-dining restaurant located on UVU’s campus and featuring some of the latest creations of its award-winning culinary arts program.

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*UCAT campuses: Bridgerland, Ogden-Weber, Davis, Tooele, Mountainland, Uintah Basin, Dixie

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Logan

Ogden

BountifulSalt Lake City

Roosevelt

Tooele

Ephraim

Cedar City

St. George

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Utah’s Colleges and Universities 8

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Brigham Young University ON THE MAP: Cougars once terrorized the campus (this was back in 1924, and the incident was quickly remedied).

USU Eastern ON THE MAP: Home of the Utah Raptor made famous in the movie “Jurassic Park.” If you dare, you can visit this nimble and vicious predator in the college’s world-class Prehistoric Museum.

Snow College ON THE MAP: Snow College is surrounded by world-class rock climbing, golfing, fishing, ATV/snowmobiling, heritage-rich history, and is only a short drive to most of the state’s premier national parks and major cities.

Southern Utah University ON THE MAP: With national and state parks surrounding SUU on all sides, the university has more than 150 chartered clubs and student organizations devoted to exploring our world.

Dixie State University ON THE MAP: Enjoy 300+ days of sunshine and an average temperature of 70 degrees. St. George is ranked by Forbes Magazine as the #1 Happiest City in the US for college graduates.

Utah College of Applied Technology* UCAT’s applied technology colleges have an 88 percent placement rate among students who completed certificate programs. These students were hired in their field or placed in additional education during 2013.*UCAT campuses: Bridgerland, Ogden-Weber, Davis, Tooele,

Mountainland, Uintah Basin, Dixie

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High School v.s. College: What to expect

College classes can start anytime between 7 a.m. or 8 p.m. You might have one class on one day and four on another day.

In high school, people structure your time for you. In college you’re expected to manage your own time and be responsible for your successes and failures.

In high school, teachers usually cover all homework and reading material in class. In college, you’ll have to do reading that wasn’t covered in class and you will be expected to know it all for exams and final papers.

Due dates are VERY important in college. Professors don’t accept late homework or papers and won’t let you make up the work you missed.

Scholarships and financial aid are generally awarded each semester so you’ll have to apply for them each year. Stay in touch with your college’s financial aid office to learn what you need to do to keep receiving financial aid.

Take 30 credits each year or 15 credits each semester, so you’ll be on track to graduate with a bachelor's degree in four years. Did you know that at most Utah public colleges the cost of taking 12 credits is the same as taking 15? That means you can take 3 credits each semester for free! Taking 15 credits a semester or taking 30 credits per year will not only save you money, but it’ll help you be on track to earn your degree on time, so you can start your career sooner.

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1. Work-Study_____

2. Concurrent enrollment _____

3. Applied Technology College (ATC) _____

4. Utah Educational Savings Plan _____

5. Transcript _____

6. FAFSA _____

7. Advanced Placement (AP) program _____

8. American College Testing (ACT) program _____

9. Grant _____

10. Bachelor’s degree_____

11. Merit-based aid _____

12. Community college _____

13. University _____

14. Associates degree _____

15. Need-based aid _____

16. Certificate _____

17. Master’s or professional degree _____

Match each definition to its term by writing the letter on the line.A. A four-part test that measures a student’s

academic development.

B. College-level high school classes that will give college credit if a test is passed at the end of the school year.

C. A college that prepares technically-skilled workers for specific occupations that don’t require a more advanced degree.

D. A two-year degree earned at most colleges and universities.

E. A four-year degree earned at most colleges and universities that provides in-depth, specialized knowledge in a particular field.

F. Generally a one-year program for a specific occupation.

G. A two-year college that serves the residents ofa community and offers certificates, associate degrees and opportunities to transfer to a university.

H. Courses taken in high school that can also be counted toward college credit.

I. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

J. A form of financial aid that doesn’t have to be paid back or earned by working.

K. Additional degree earned after graduation from a four-year program, to prepare a student for a particular occupation.

L. Financial aid given based on academic, artistic or athletic excellence.

M. Financial aid given based on a student’s lack of financial resources.

N. A student’s official report card.

O. This type of school usually offers two andfour-year degrees as well as post-graduate degrees.

P. Utah’s tax advantaged 529 savings plan that helps you save for the future cost of college.

Q. A part-time employment program funded by the government that helps students in need work while they attend school.

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U N G Y S S Y E I V N J R H G

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ENCOURAGE

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NURSE

BIOTECHNOLOGY

SCIENTIST

Step Up to Your Dreams Word Search

WORD SEARCH

For tools and tips, visit StepUpUtah.org

DREAM BIG!

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Answers

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How to pay for collegeCollege can be affordable if you plan ahead.

8-1 1th gradersLook into 529 college savings plans such as the Utah Educational Savings Plan which can help pay for qualified higher education expenses.

You can’t file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) until you’re a senior in high school, but you can use the FAFSA4-Caster which will estimate what types of financial aid you might be eligible for to help pay for college. Go to fafsa.gov to find theFAFSA4Caster.

Look for scholarships. Many scholarships will hold your scholarship until you’re ready to start college, so it’s never too early to apply.

File the FAFSA which is the gateway to financial aid and some scholarships. The FAFSA determines if you’re eligible for grants (free money), work-study (on-campus jobs) and federal student loans.

Learn more about the FAFSA and get help with yours from Utah’s financial aid experts. Find upcoming FAFSA completion open house events at stepuputah.com/events.

Make sure you file the FAFSA every year you’re in college.

Apply for scholarships.

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Scholarships

Scholarships:Security Service Federal Credit Union provides an annual scholarship program for high school seniors. This year, the Security Service Scholarship Program will award $50,000 to help 20 deserving young people pursue higher education. Security Service will accept new applications from high school seniors from September 1 to November 1, 2016 for the 2017 scholarship. To learn more, visit ssfcu.org/scholarships.Loans:If traditional student loans are not enough to cover the cost of your college tuition, another option is to check out the Smart Option Student Loan® by Sallie Mae® offered at Security Service Federal Credit Union. To find out more about the benefits of a Smart Option Student Loan®, visit ssfcu.org/salliemae. Saving:There are several affordable ways for parents and teens to start saving early for higher education. Some options to keep in mind include opening a youth savings account or investing in a college savings fund like a 529 Savings Plan or a Coverdell ESA account. Another way to save is by opening a certificate of deposit that pays interest. To learn more, visit ssfcu.org. Financial Literacy:The key to financial success is financial literacy. The more you know about managing money and saving, the easier it will be for you to manage college expenses. Through a partnership with Junior Achievement, Security Service Federal Credit Union is helping to bring financial literacy to the classroom in Utah schools.

Need more help?

Finding scholarships:. Check with your high school counselor for scholarships.. Check with the college you plan to attend. They usually have scholarships on their financial aid website and on

department websites.. Look in your community: Check with community, cultural and religious organizationsfor scholarships. Your

parent’s employer might also have them.. Sign up for scholarship alerts with websites such as mycollegescholarship.org, fastweb.com.. Beware of scholarship scams! Never pay to apply for scholarships.

What to do when you apply for scholarships:. Understand what you’re applying for: Why is the scholarship offered and how do you fit the need?. Follow the scholarship application instructions carefully. Only include what they want.. Be professional in your application.. Have a teacher, parent, counselor or friend proofread your application.. Submit your application before the scholarship deadline.. Call the scholarship contact if you have questions about the scholarship.. Make a copy of your scholarship application for your own records.. To successfully apply for scholarships, go to stepuputah.com to download the scholarship toolkit.

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