Parents of Sophomores and Juniors:
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💰Along with earning merit aid and being awarded scholarships to pay for college, there are two ways to apply for college financial aid: the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the CSS Profile (College Scholarship Service Profile).

There are about 400 colleges, universities, and scholarship programs that require families to complete the CSS Profile to award institutional aid.

Knowing what to expect will help you avoid scary surprises if your student is interested in Baylor, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Duke, Hillsdale College, Patrick Henry College, Michigan, Notre Dame, or hundreds of others.

😨Don’t be scared; be prepared!

📌Firstly, know that the CSS Profile is a more detailed look at your family’s finances.
Among the larger differences between the FAFSA and CSS Profile are how they treat your assets (ex. FAFSA ignores home equity), your income (ex. CSS expects students to contribute up to $6,000 per year), and your family (ex. FAFSA considers income and assets of custodial/non-custodial parents/stepparents).

😨Don’t be scared; be prepared!

📌Secondly, know that you will need a lot of your financial documents and information.
These include your tax returns, W-2 forms, untaxed income and benefits, assets, and bank statements (cash on hand). A complete list will be given after you register.

😨Don’t be scared; be prepared!

📌Finally, know that the CSS Profile is not free like the FAFSA.

Along with the college application fees, the College Board charges an initial $25 registration fee with one free school report. Beyond that, you will be charged $16 for each additional report required.

Visit https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org for more information.

All of this to say…

🏫You and your college-bound teenager need to start considering potential colleges today. For a sophomore and junior, an ideal list would have 4-10 options. For the colleges that require the CSS Profile, you can plan ahead and be prepared.

To all of the members of the military who have served our country, thank you and Happy Veteran’s Day.

I am grateful to my father-in-law, an uncle, and my cousins who served in the armed services.

🧇While our veterans are receiving FREE waffles, FREE coffee, or FREE dinners today, high school students will receive a FREE college education by attending one of the military academies.

Even if you don’t want a military career, you should consider joining the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) in high school.

JROTC will prepare you for ROTC in college (where 64% of active duty generals got their start).

💰There are at least three benefits to joining the ROTC in college:

1. You’ll earn partial to full-tuition college scholarships and living expense stipends.
2. You’ll develop career and leadership skills.
3. You’ll enter the military at a higher rank upon completion of the ROTC program.

TodaysMilitary.com offers the following descriptions for the three ROTC programs:

💥The Army ROTC is one of the most demanding and successful leadership programs in the country offered at more than 1,000 colleges. The training a student receives in Army ROTC provides leadership development, military skills and career training. Courses take place both in the classroom and in the field, and are mixed with normal academic studies. Additional summer programs, such as Jump School, may also be attended. Upon completion, an Army ROTC graduate is commissioned as an officer in the Army.

💥The Navy ROTC and Marine Corps ROTC is offered at 77 colleges and offers a mixture of military training and normal academic study. Courses take place both in the classroom and in the field. Upon completion, an NROTC graduate is commissioned as an officer and has the ability to choose an officer career in surface warfare, naval aviation, submarine warfare or special warfare. The Marine Corps–option requires classes in national security policy and the history of American military affairs.

💥The Air Force ROTC is offered at more than 1,100 colleges. Air Force ROTC offers a four-year program and a three-year program, both based on Air Force requirements and led by active-duty Air Force officers. Courses are a mix of normal college classes and the Air Force ROTC curriculum, which covers everything from leadership studies to combat technique. Upon completion, a student enters the Air Force as an officer.

📃If interested in the ROTC, join your local JROTC and contact each of the colleges on your list about their program. Some ROTC programs serve multiple colleges in that area. For example, the University of Texas at Arlington hosts the ROTC classes for students enrolled at five local universities and two community college districts.

🤷🏿‍♀️Which ROTC program would help you life out your higher calling?