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Workshops help parents, students plan and pay for college

Three programs to help parents and high school students select and pay for college, plus a fourth to guide parents on educational options for younger children, will be held by Emory WorkLife Resource Center during July.

The College Admission Process: Planning Workshop for High School Students & Parents” will be held Thursday, July 9, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Oxford Road Presentation Room at the Emory Bookstore.

The session will be conducted by Timothy Fields from Emory’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

High school students and their parents will learn about admission factors that many institutions consider during the college application process.

The session will also review curriculum rigor and give tips for essays, standardized testing and how to stand out in the application process.

“Overall, the college admissions process is becoming more and more competitive every year,” says Fields, noting that it is important to give parents good information about the process in light of the third-hand information and rumors that they often hear.

In particular, Fields says, this program will answer questions on the relationship of Emory faculty or staff members to the admissions process for their children.

“There’s a lot of anxiety around this and we provide answers to questions,” Fields says.

Navigating the School Selection Process: 5 Tips to Consider When Exploring Schooling Options” will be Thursday, July 16, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room 360, the Rita Ann Rollins Room in the School of Public Health’s Grace Crum Rollins Building.

Independent educational consultant Jennifer Long will offer perspective and insights on different schooling options including public, charter and private schools.

Long, who is a former associate admissions director at one of Atlanta's progressive K-12 independent schools, will help parents identify factors for a good school fit as well as the goals of different types of school settings to help make a more informed decision about the best choices for their children.

"Finding the right school fit for your student can be daunting. My objective is to provide parents with a practical approach to identifying schooling options in Atlanta," Long says. "The session will be rich with resources designed to inform and lessen any anxiety associated with the school selection process."

Saving for College: Understanding 529 Plans” is Thursday, July 23, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room 201 of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.

Nancy Farmer will explain 529 plans, which are sponsored by states and private colleges and universities and designed to encourage families to save for or prepay higher education.

Farmer will discuss the common benefits and requirements for all plans and the significant differences. The workshop will also introduce options for saving for college.

"This session will focus on the tax-advantaged 'Qualified Tuition Plans,' commonly known as 529 Plans,” Farmer explains. "Contributions to 529’s are post-tax, but earnings are tax deferred and distributions are federal tax free.  529 savings plans, including Georgia’s Path2College and Private College 529 prepaid tuition plan will be explained."

A Guide to Paying for College: Savings, Loans, Grants, Scholarships & Financial Aid Thursday” is Thursday, July 30, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Oxford Road Presentation Room at the Emory Bookstore.

This session, to be led by Erik Lips, senior assistant director in Emory’s Office of Financial Aid, is designed to help families understand the terms they will encounter when exploring how to finance college and help them navigate the financial aid process. Topics include accessibility, trends in both admission and financial aid, and the differences between grants, scholarships and loans.

See the events page on the Emory WorkLife Resource Center for more information.


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