CAMPS SCHOOLS AN ANTON MEDIA GROUP SPECIAL
JANUARY 27 FEBRUARY 2, 2016
&
A Year-Round College-Planning Calendar BOCES Appoints For Parents And Prospective Students New LIHSA BY NATHANIEL SILLIN
SPECIALSECTIONS@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM
Preparing your kids for college isn’t just about the money you’ve put aside for tuition, room and board. It’s about making deadlines, making the right choices and making sure your teen has the proper life and money skills to make college a success. Consider a college-planning calendar you and your university-bound student can follow. Here are some seasonal activities to consider adding to yours:
affording college and strategies to secure grants and scholarships. Resources like www.finaid.org and www.edvisors. com are good resources for ways to afford college, but it also helps to have face-to-face expertise. Start evaluating potential schools with your teen. The U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and
Winter
No matter how you’ve prepared financially for your teen’s college education, kick off the year with a visit to a qualified financial and tax professional. You might also consider paying for a separate advisory session for your teen so they know how to handle money before they leave for college. January is also a good month to learn about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as the FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov), as it’s best to fill out the form right after Jan. 1 to avoid missing out on available federal and state aid going into your teen’s freshman year (www.fafsa.ed.gov/deadlines. htm). That first FAFSA filing will give you an idea of what your Effective Family Contribution (EFC) (www. practicalmoneyskills.com/collegeaid) will be. Consult trusted friends and family members for their advice on
your teen to contribute some part of their earnings or savings for future college costs, it’s worthwhile to review earning, spending, budgeting, tax and savings fundamentals they’ll need to manage money in school. Also, if your teen hasn’t been exposed to banking on a regular basis, it’s time. Work with them to compare fees and services on various checking and savings accounts, and consider whether it might be wise for you to bank with the same institution to allow for easier transfer of necessary funds from your account to theirs. Also encourage them to find an organized way of keeping track of their finances on paper, on computer or online (www. mint.com).
Summer
Transparency Center (www.collegecost. ed.gov) features a range of calculators and resources to help you narrow down school choices with the chance for your teen to secure the most scholarships and grants—money that doesn’t have to be paid back.
Spring
Springtime is a good season to start talking about summer jobs and internships (www.practicalmoneyskills. com/summerjob) that will make for a more attractive college application. Internship application periods may be year-round with many deadlines happening in the fall. If you are expecting
Summer is a time for fun, but it’s also a good time to research potential schools and scholarship programs, and even take a quick campus tour. The U.S. Department of Education’s scholarship site (www.studentaid. ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/ finding-scholarships) offers basic guidance in finding such money, and local companies and organizations—including places where your teen can work or intern—may offer local awards. If your teen is heading into their senior year, the fall is going to be busy. Get admissions test dates and college admissions deadlines down on your calendar as soon as possible. Also
Music Teacher
The newest addition to the faculty of the Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts (LIHSA) is Chris Scher. “Chris has tremendous potential for success,” said LIHSA Interim Principal Jack Lenson. “His enthusiasm, knowledge and diverse skill set are an ideal combination for an educator. He is a team player who works well with colleagues and he has a strong rapport with his students; they’re drawn to him. I believe that Chris has the ability to attract additional interest to the music program and to help us build it into the future.” He has taught guitar at the Rock Underground in Commack, saxophone at the Knox School in St. James and general music at Gil Breines Music in Deer Park. He will also direct the classical instrumental ensemble, drawing from his background as music director for the Sagamore Children’s Psychiatric Center and classical guitar director for the TriCommunity Youth Agency in Huntington. LIHSA is located at 239 Cold Spring Rd., in Syosset.
see YEAR PLAN on page 12A
summer 2016 A T C O L L E G E A T & F A R M I N G D A L E
20camps 516.876.3490
O L D W E S T B U R Y S T A T E C O L L E G E
WEEKLY SESSIONS Boys & Girls Grades K-12 Jun 29 - Aug 21
OPEN HOUSE
Sat, Jan 30 & Sun, Jan 31 10am – 2pm
fscamps.com
SAVE $50 p/week
on or before Feb. 1
145298 C