Tips Toward Planning and Paying For Your Vet Tech Education Part II
Planning for your vet tech college education is both wise and more than likely quite necessary in this day of competitive searching for financial assistance. By following the tips outlined in Part I and the ones that follow, both students and parents can learn the necessary fundamentals that will translate into an excellent college education preparing a student for an exciting career as a vet tech.
6. Watch Out for Scholarship Scams
In your search, you may come across individuals and organizations offering to secure a scholarship for you or your child requiring that you pay an upfront fee. Keep in mind that no one can promise that you will receive a scholarship. You should never be required to pay a fee for scholarship services. Remember the old cliché that if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Here’s some more vice about scholarships and how to avoid the scams:
• FinAid!: Scholarship Scams
• Federal Trade Commission: Scholarship Scams
• Federal Student Aid: Looking for Student Aid … Without Getting Scammed
7. Know What Your College Costs Will Be
There will be additional costs associated with your college education beyond tuition and room and board. These additional costs will include a number of different fees, books, personal expenses and transportation. Some of these costs you’ll have no power controlling. Others like personal expenses you may. Some of these additional costs can be considerable especially when comparing a public school to a private school. Additionally, the school’s published rates and fees may be different depending upon whatever financial aid package you put together. You can get college cost information at the following places online:
• The College Board: College Costs
• College Answer: Understanding College Costs
8. Check into Federal and State Aid
Throughout the country, more than two thirds of all undergraduate students receive some kind of financial aid. Therefore, the odds are in your favor you also will be eligible for some kind of financial aid. The federal government has created a formula that determines the amount your family can be expected to contribute to college costs. Any of the costs examined above this amount may be covered by financial aid programs. Check out the following websites to gain more information about college financial aid:
• Federal Student Aid: Funding Your Education
• Mapping Your Future: Pay for College
9. Complete an Annual FAFSA Form
The federal government makes available the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and it is required by all students seeking federal assistance. Additionally, more than a majority of colleges, state agencies and scholarship organizations throughout the country require this form. It should be completed early in the spring semester of your senior year in high school and once thereafter every year you or your child is in college. The form is updated every year and is available in January, so the sooner you apply the better your chances of receiving a maximum amount of federal assistance for which you can be eligible. For more information, go online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
10. Do Not Overlook Obtaining Loans for Your Education
As important as it is to prepare early seeking as much financial assistance as possible in the form of grants and scholarships, you should also prepare for the reality of having to borrow money to complete your college education. That being said, only prepare to borrow what you need. You may receive financial assistance in the form of grants and scholarships, but this may not amount to all your funding needs. Begin by exploring federal student loan programs because these generally offer the best terms available. Two types of federal loans are available, the fixed rate Federal Perkins for students with high financial needs or the Federal Stafford loan which is a low-interest loan for students attending school at least half-time. To obtain more information about these loans go online to:
• Federal Student Aid: Stafford Loans
• FinAid!: Student Loans
Proper planning will allow you and your parents the opportunity to discover all the different aspects that go into successfully selecting and paying for a veterinary technician education.