Technical Certificate

Technical certificates provide specific job training fast, typically from a few months to two years. These certificates are granted by career-technical centers and community colleges.

Associate Degree

Associate degrees provide specific job training or allow you to transfer to a university for a higher degree. It usually takes two years to complete an Associate degree at a community college. Most community colleges are non-competitive. Florida’s community colleges guarantees admission to a college credit program if a student has earned a high school diploma, earned a high school equivalency diploma, or previously demonstrated competency in college level coursework. There are three types of Associate degrees:

1. Associate in Arts (AA) – designed for transfer to a four-year college or university. The AA degree requires completion of 60 credit hours, including 36 credits of general education classes and 24 credit of general electives and the achievement of at least a 2.0 grade point average in all courses attempted.
2. Associate of Science (AS) – designed to prepare students to enter a career upon completing the degree with no further study required. This degree can be transferred to a four-year college or university.
3. Associate of Applied Science (AAS) – designed to prepare students to enter into employment with specialized skills. This degree does not transfer to a state university, and additional work may be required at the freshman or sophomore level if a student decides to attend a university.

Undergraduate Degree

The Bachelor’s degree is awarded for successful completion of undergraduate curriculum at a four-year college or university. There are several types of Bachelor’s degrees including the Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS), Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS), and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA).

Entrance into a four-year college or university is competitive. Those wishing to attend will need to complete an application which will be screened by admissions personnel. GPA and college entrance exam scores will be evaluated. College entrance exams include the SAT and ACT and are generally taken by students in the 11th or 12th grade of high school.

Graduate Degree

Graduate degrees are offered by state universities and private colleges and universities. Graduate degrees include Masters (Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Education, and Master of Business Administration) and Doctoral (PhD, MD, EdD, and JD) degrees.

Admission to a graduate degree program entails an application, review of undergraduate GPA, work experience, and graduate admissions exams.

Graduate admissions exams include:

• GRE – general graduate exam
• LSAT – Law School Admission Test
• GMAT – Graduate Management Admissions test (advanced business degree)
• MCAT – Medical College Admission Test

College expenses can be stressful for any family, no matter their financial situation. Understanding how to pay for college now can provide you with the tools you need to prepare a plan for reaching your financial aid goals.

Types of Financial Aid

The term financial aid is generally used to indicate money provided by a third party to help students meet the costs of attending college. Financial aid can be provided by various agencies including federal, state and local governments, universities, community organizations, and private corporations or individuals.

Work-Study

Get money for education expenses paid by the school for on-campus or community-based employment. Work-study is usually a part-time paid job located on or near campus.

Loans

Loans are borrowed money that must be repaid with interest. Both undergraduate and graduate students may borrow money. Parents may also borrow to pay education expenses for dependent undergraduate students. Maximum loan amounts increase with each year of completed study. Often, repayment is deferred until after graduation, withdrawal, or termination of attendance. Federal loans and some state financial aid programs, require the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Loans can be subsidized or unsubsidized. A subsidized loan is awarded on the basis of financial need. You will not be charged any interest before you begin repayment or during authorized periods of deferment. The federal government "subsidizes" the interest during these periods. An unsubsidized loan is not awarded on the basis of need. You will be charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. In other words, your interest can grow while you are in school. If you allow the interest to accumulate while you are in school or during other periods of nonpayment, it will be capitalized. The total amount of your loan will be bigger! If you choose to pay the interest as it accumulates while you are still in school, you will pay less in the long run.

***Remember, loans must be repaid, with interest, so exhaust all other sources before taking out a student loan.

Grants

Generally, grants are for undergraduate students and the grant amount is based on need, school cost, and/or enrollment status. Grants do not have to be repaid.

Scholarships

Scholarships come from many different places including national, state, public and private sources. Scholarship money can be awarded based on a variety of different factors such as financial need, academic or athletic achievement, program of study, and background. Every scholarship has its own set of criteria. Florida has many state scholarships for eligible students, including Bright Futures Scholarship. Students seeking state scholarships must complete a Florida Financial Aid Application during their senior year of high school before graduation. Scholarships do not have to be repaid.

Scholarships are sometimes referred to as "gift aid" or “free money” because they don't have to be paid back. Many scholarships are not college or university specific, so you can start applying for some scholarships well before you apply to a college or university.

Scholarship search websites:

• FinAid on the Web
• The College Board
• FastWeb
• GoCollege: The Collegiate Websource
• Weird Scholarships
• There is also a comprehensive scholarship search engine in MyCareerShines.
  • Log on to your MyCareerShines account.
  • Select “Plan for Education.”
  • Review the “Learn about Financial Aid” and “Search for Scholarships and Grants” sections.

One very important point: You should never have to pay to search for scholarships. If you have to pay money to get money, then it is probably a scam!