The Arrow

ARROW MARANATHA

BAPTIST

UNIVERSITY

A PARENT RESOURCE

ENCOURAGE

YOUR STUDENT THROUGH CARE PACKAGES Get ideas for contents inside

SENDING LOVE

over 3,700 miles

TACKLING COLLEGE TUITION Paying for college is possible

contents THE ARROW

on the cover Encourage students through care packages. Get ideas for package contents on page 7.

2014-15

features

4

10

12

Your School Leads to Your Success

Tackling College Tuition

MBU Navigators

7 Parent to Parent

Paying for college is possible

11 Sending encouragement over 3,700 miles

Regional Accreditation

Freshmen, meet your super heroes

14 A Moment with Mrs. M

8 You Win!

Executive Editor Dr. Jim Harrison Communications Director Peter Wright Writer/Editors Karen Hansel Grace Peters Graphic Artist Kristina Hendrickson

What difference does it make?

Bank college credits with online learning, dual credit, CLEP exams, and AP classes

2

15

The Arrow is a college guide produced by Maranatha Baptist University. Correspondence and address changes may be sent to The Arrow, 745 West Main Street, Watertown, WI 53094. You may also email us at admissions@mbu.edu or call 1-800-622-2947.

College Calendar

Š2014 Maranatha Baptist University.

All rights reserved. MARANATHA COMMUNICATIONS 14-014

Dear friend, Welcome to The ARROW, a Maranatha Baptist University resource for parents preparing children for college and for high school students considering Christian colleges. Much has happened at MBU, including our name change, the unveiling of our brand identity, and the introduction of the Sabercats and our new mascot “B. Snarly” (the “B” is in honor of Dr. B. Myron Cedarholm, MBU’s founder).

Maranatha’s commitment to biblical principles and the Baptist distinctives remains steadfast, and we’re excited to engage students in our mission to develop leaders for ministry in the local church and the world “To the Praise of His Glory.”

Is your child ready to explore Christian colleges? Are you guiding your student toward a Christian college that would strengthen his or her relationship with God? We partner with you before your student has graduated from high school, as you will see in the following articles “You Win!” and “Tackling College Tuition.”

And we help in the ministry of encouragement once your student is on campus. We share some ways to encourage through articles such as “MBU Navigators” and “Your School Leads to Your Success.” Parents can receive tips about encouraging their students in our “Parent 2 Parent” and “A Moment with Mrs. M” sections.

As you read, we trust you will see the benefits of attending a Christian college.

We encourage you to direct your children to Maranatha Baptist University.

In His service,

Dr. Jim Harrison Vice President for Institutional Advancement

3

YOUR

Leads to

R U YO

M

“

y biggest struggle when first getting here was getting adjusted to the fast pace of college,” shared MBU senior, Amily Reynolds. “I had a job, a school bill, classes (harder than I’d ever had), and on top of everything I was trying to make a ‘name’ for myself by creating a friend group.”

The thought of going to college can be daunting to any high school student. Students coming from public schools, Christian schools, or homeschools ask themselves the same question: “Will I be successful at college?” The students of Maranatha Baptist University represent backgrounds in all three of these high school categories, yet they prove that anyone from these backgrounds can be successful.

By cultivating an environment that partners quality academics with caring and empathetic faculty and staff, Maranatha promotes student success in the area of freshman integration on campus. Faculty from every Maranatha college and department promote God as the center of each class, while staff serve—often “behind-the-scenes”—to make a student’s transition from high school to their first year at Maranatha as smooth as possible.

4

Before a student ever arrives on campus, he or she has already interacted with Maranatha’s staff. Each applicant is assigned an Admissions Counselor to help them through the process of coming to campus. Counselors use various ways to contact applicants and let them know what types of scholarships might be available for them, what admissions requirements the applicant still needs to submit, and what the applicant needs to know about coming to campus their first weekend.

Recent 2014 graduate Philip Jukkola, from a Christian high school background, said, “I don’t think I would have even made it to Maranatha without [my admissions counselor’s] assistance. [She was] extremely helpful to me during this time of change.”

Thankfully, Jukkola did make it to Maranatha—he was given special recognition from the Bible faculty and his peers during the spring semester of his senior year. Only two male senior Bible students are chosen each year to preach to the student body during a chapel session. College of Bible and Church Ministries Director, Brian Trainer, said Jukkola was chosen because of his maturity in understanding the Bible and his knowledge of the biblical languages.

In addition to staff service, faculty members incorporate godly advice and counsel to students through lectures and personal lifestyles. MBU students who took the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey during the spring semester of 2014 rated their satisfaction with Maranatha’s “concern for the individual” at a 5.97 out of a 7-point scale. Faculty like to keep their doors open when they are in their offices, letting students know they can come in and talk when they need to. “Their open door policies always make me feel welcome to come to them directly to ask questions,” noted Reynolds. “The ratio of students to teachers is great for really getting to know your professors and knowing they truly care about you as a person.” Faculty members often stay in their classrooms after classes so as to avail themselves to students who may have questions about homework assignments or the lectures. “My school used the A.C.E. curriculum, so the learning was similar to correspondence courses,” said Jukkola.

“Once I came to college, I found that I liked the classroom environment a lot better. I appreciated

the opportunity to develop relationships with my professors, and I felt that I learned more than just academics by studying under wise men and women.”

Maranatha also creates an environment where Christians can gather in one place and establish godly relationships. Dominique Stewart, senior Music Education major, says she was “exposed to a lot of sinful behavior” at her public high school, so one of the things she loved most about being at Maranatha was the ability to make godly friends. “In high school, I had many friends, but was not always close to them because they did not share my faith,” Stewart explained. “Here at MBU, I have been able to connect with people in ways I never dreamed possible while I was in high school.” Melody Steinbart, home schooled in high school, also shared her love for godly friendships she has been able to make while being a university student. “I love the challenge and encouragement that my classmates are to me spiritually,” she said.

Maranatha has created a “sub-culture” on campus based on God’s Word to push students to excel and focus on their relationship with God and their academics.

Marc Suderman, a senior Marketing Management major 5

from Kansas, stated that the first difference he noticed between his Christian school background and Maranatha was the campus mindset.

“Everyone here is on the same page,” he shared. “We live here so we begin to think and grow together. Here at Maranatha we all follow one set of standards that helps keep us on the same page.” Sophomore Biblical Counseling major Sara Winterfeld came from a public school that allowed students to live however they wanted. Coming to Maranatha gave her organization. “I love that Maranatha has rules/regulations that we are to abide by. I believe it adds structure to my life and I appreciate that.”

From an internal perspective, student leadership fosters spiritual success in the dorms. The Student Life Office has designed dorm leadership structure so that each dorm room has an upperclassman room leader who can help and encourage his or her roommates. Each dorm floor is given one Resident Assistant (RA), also an upperclassman, to monitor his or her floor and help room leaders. A dorm supervisor lives in an indorm apartment and oversees the entire dorm. Many supervisors also have “open-door policies” that allow students to come in and talk or get counsel. “Our dorm leadership assist our freshman in adjusting to life at Maranatha,” said Dean of Men Timothy Johns. “Each of our student leadership were chosen because they display a heart and desire to minister to their brothers and sisters in Christ.”

Winterfeld relishes the godly dorm leadership that surrounds her at Maranatha. “If it wasn’t for the constant encouragement I received from my room leader, friends and sisters in Christ, I wouldn’t have made it my freshman year,” Winterfeld said. “We have a tight-knit group from my dorm that likes to sit with each other, eat together, and pray together. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Those coming from Christian schools or homeschools can also be strengthened and encouraged spiritually through student leadership.

Reynolds came from a Christian school that she felt fully prepared her academically for college. The older friends she made at Maranatha, however, helped her make wise decisions in the practical arena. “The upperclassmen friends I had had a great impact on the decisions I made,” Reynolds stated. “Through their advice I didn’t stay up until 2 a.m. doing New Testament reading, and I didn’t overwork myself constantly the first couple of weeks. Upperclassmen are a huge benefit for freshmen.”

In its mission to “develop leaders for the local church and the world ‘To the Praise of His Glory,’” Maranatha creates an atmosphere where students from any high school background can succeed.

6

PARENT 2 PARENT

Sending encouragement over 3,700 miles

Parents who “know the ropes” can offer insight to those considering Maranatha Baptist University for their children. Michael and Linda Ruffridge, from Kenai, Alaska share an answer to a question we’ve been asked about college life.

Question: How can I encourage my student during a busy semester when she is so far away from home? What can I do that would help her during some of the stress and busyness of school?

Answer: Since our daughter Megan lives so far away, she is not able to come home for weekend visits.

To encourage her, we have sent cards, care packages, and ordered birthday cakes to be delivered for her birthday. We also call to see how a test went or send encouraging texts

or emails if we know she is struggling with something.

We send packages because they are fun.

Everyone likes to get a package and “treats” from home. It also shows that they are loved, because you took the time to shop or make the special items in the box, package it up, and take it to the post office.

We highly recommend ordering the birthday cake or cookies through the college. Megan loves being remembered on her birthday, and she gets a whole cake to share with friends.

“Top Five” list: Meet the Ruffridges: We were looking for an accredited Christian college that held to the same doctrinal standards that we hold dear.

Megan went to MBU her first year with money that she had saved, but planned to come back to Alaska where she had a University of Alaska scholarship waiting for her. She tried UAA for one semester and although she did well there, she missed the caring staff at Maranatha. She truly feels that people care about her at Maranatha.

What students want in a care package • Quick-fix food for the dorm room (mac-n-cheese, soup, instant oatmeal, Ramen, etc.)

• Granola bars or Pop-Tarts • Individually-packaged snacks (crackers, cookies, Pringles, or chips)

• Quarters for laundry • Gift cards (Walmart,

McDonald’s, Applebee’s, etc.)

Spoil Your Student You can order treats from campus to be delivered directly to your student!

Pioneer Catering, from Maranatha’s Dining Complex, puts together care packages of snacks, fresh fruit, or freshlybaked goodies (cookies and birthday cakes).

Parents can also add credit to their student’s ID card (“Flex Dollars”), allowing their student to purchase treats and drinks at the Old Main Café.

See mbu.pcconline.net.

7

You

Win! Bank college credits with online learning, dual credit, CLEP exams, and AP classes

B

rynn Fitzsimmons graduated from high school in May of 2014, yet she started her first year at Maranatha as a junior. By taking advantage of “jump-ahead” options, such as CLEP tests and online dual-enrollment classes, she was able to complete two years’ worth of college credits while still in high school.

“Between MBU online and CLEP tests, I came into college with 63 credits. I will finish my four-year degree in two years,” Fitzsimmons said. “That is very possibly the biggest blessing of Maranatha online.”

Let’s take a closer look at options for accumulating college credit while still in high school.

Online Learning Online learning, already a cost-effective option at Maranatha, is even more attractive when you consider the 50 percent scholarship for high school juniors and seniors who qualify. Fitzsimmons noted how appealing this scholarship made online classes. “With the 50 percent tuition discount for high schoolers, doing Maranatha online gave me a Christian education that was cheaper than doing community college.”

Maranatha Online offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate courses, and its programs are constantly being expanded. More than 50 of those classes are at the freshman and sophomore levels, allowing high school students to get ahead on their required courses before coming to campus.

8

Perhaps a student isn’t sure the Lord is leading him or her to Watertown.

Maranatha’s regional accreditation allows its credits to transfer to nearly every college in the country.

So, even students who don’t plan to attend Maranatha can pick up credits that will put them ahead at the colleges of their choice.

CLEP Exams The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) allows students to demonstrate their ability to complete college work by taking timed multiple-choice exams. A passing score on an exam converts to college credit—at a significantly lower cost.

costs $80, plus a fee charged by the test center (usually $10-$20). When compared with college tuition, this could translate into hundreds of dollars in savings for a three-hour course. “It ended up being $100 for 3 college credits, or $33 per credit,” Fitzsimmons said. “That is way cheaper than taking an actual class.”

“Online classes cover the same material on-campus classes do, but in half the time,” explained Fitzsimmons. “Learning to keep up with that pace greatly aided in preparing me for campus classes.”

For more information on Maranatha Online, go to mbu.edu/online.

Maranatha students may accumulate 30 hours of CLEP credits by the end of their freshman year, with no more than 12 in a single field. There are 18 different courses that can be replaced by CLEP credits, all at the freshman and sophomore levels. CLEP gives new students a chance to finish their core requirements more quickly and get an early start on advanced courses and upper-class electives (the fun stuff!).

Advanced Placement Classes Incoming Maranatha freshmen can also earn credit by enrolling in Advanced Placement courses and examinations while in high school— up to 40 credit hours, and up to 12 in one field. The courses are taken through the student’s high school, with examinations given at the end of the course to determine whether college credit will be granted.

Dual Credit Dual credit options have become attractive, particularly to those interested in online learning or those who live near a college that offers classes to high school students.

Many states allow students to earn both high school and college credit for the same course. Some will even help the student pay for the class.

Homeschooled students, including those under the supervision of a public or Christian school, may also find earning dual credit to be a possibility. “As a homeschooler, college classes counted for high school and college,” Fitzsimmons noted, “so my junior year of high school was about half college classes and half high school classes, and my senior year was completely college classes and CLEP tests.”

“CLEP tests were honestly the best choice I ever made,” said Fitzsimmons. “I tested out of 7 classes (21 credits) during my senior year of high school. It let me come straight in to upper-level classes since my prerequisites were completed either through CLEP or through Maranatha Online.”

The financial aspect of taking CLEP tests is certainly a plus. Each test

Olivia Mueller (’12) earned her Applied Science: Pre-Med degree from Maranatha in three years. She came to college with 20 AP credits earned while in high school. Mueller estimated that she spent about $500 for the classes but saved nearly $10,000.

“I would strongly recommend taking AP classes,” Mueller said. “They help prepare you emotionally, mentally, and academically for college. It’s a win-win situation.”

According to the Education Commission of the States, 46 states have established policies offering at least one dual enrollment option.

In the other four, dual enrollment policies are determined by the local school districts or colleges.

Check with your state department of education or local school district to see how dual credit is made available where you live.

9

H

igher education comes with a higher price tag these days.

Fortunately, help is available.

Maranatha’s regional accreditation allows it to offer more options than many nonaccredited Christian colleges.

There are several methods available to families of any income level.

Grants The most popular federal grant, the Pell Grant, was worth up to $5,730 during the 2013-14 academic year and does not need to be repaid. Students applying for the Pell Grant and other types of federal aid must fill out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which can be completed online at fafsa. ed.gov. Questions about Pell Grants and other federal financial aid options can be answered at studentaid.ed.gov.

Tackling College Tuition Paying for college is possible

Loans Federal loans, particularly the Perkins, PLUS and subsidized Stafford loans, generally have the lowest interest rates.

Many private banks also have education loan programs. Some loan programs allow the student to defer interest or payments until their education is completed.

Scholarships Millions of dollars of scholarship money are available to students who meet the criteria. It’s often just a matter of finding the scholarship that matches your student. Two free scholarship search tools are fastweb.com and zinch. com, which help match student profile information to scholarship criteria.

Maranatha offers many institutional scholarships, which are designed to be reoccurring for a certain amount of time, so long as the student maintains eligibility. The two most popular of these scholarships have been the Bible and Church Ministries Scholarship (up to $20,000 over four years) and the Teacher Education Scholarship (up to $14,000 over four years). Scholarship recipient Allie Hull is a junior Elementary Education major. “The teacher scholarship has helped relieve some of the burden of my school bill so that I am 10

able to focus on my studies instead of trying to work more,” she noted.

“When it’s all said and done, the scholarship pays for over a semester of tuition and room and board.”

Maranatha also partners with organizations and individuals who have set up privately-funded scholarships for students. Ariel Moore, a Biblical Counseling major, was awarded the Byers-Price Memorial Scholarship during the spring of 2014. In addition to this one-time private scholarship, Moore also receives the reoccurring institutional Bible and Church Ministries Scholarship. “If the Lord wants you to be at Maranatha, He will provide for you to be there and I think scholarships are a great way of providing,” Moore said. “The scholarships give students hope of affording it.”

Jobs Even busy students can fit in 10 or 20 hours of work each week to help pay for their education. More than 410 Maranatha students worked on-campus jobs in 2013-14 and many others worked at Watertownarea businesses. Students are allowed to work up to two jobs on campus, giving them variety and increased rapport for future resumes.

“The best advice I can give parents is to start saving early,” said Financial Aid Director Randy Hibbs. “Remember, not all financial aid is free money.

Parents need to be on a disciplined college savings plan and be prepared when that time comes.”

What Difference Does it Make? “

T

he first thing you need to know about any online school you’re considering is whether or not it is certified by one of the six U.S. accrediting bodies. This is called regional accreditation, and it’s the highest form of accreditation a college or university can possess,” said U.S. News and World Report, in an article about online bachelor’s degrees.

Maranatha has been regionally accredited since February 26, 1993.

Its graduates often write to thank the University for taking this step to ensure that alumni won’t face difficult hurdles while attempting to secure a spot in the workplace or a graduate school.

When considering a college, be sure to find out whether it is regionally accredited. It’s an important question.

It’s the right question to ask.

Portability One positive of regional accreditation is portability—that is, the ability for credits to transfer between colleges. When transferring from one regionally-accredited university or college to another, the only issue (normally) is whether parallel courses exist in both places.

When attempting to transfer from a nationally-accredited to a regionally-

accredited institution, however, the student is often gambling on whether a friendly relationship exists between the two schools.

Recognition When the student graduates, recognition is what he will depend on to land a job in his career field.

Graduates of regionally-accredited universities should experience no problems having their degrees recognized by potential employers.

The issue of recognition is especially compelling for those seeking a job in education, nursing, or business.

Financial Aid Students from regionally-accredited colleges and universities can be confident that their academic credentials will not be called into question when they apply for financial aid. Maranatha students are eligible for nearly all federal and Wisconsin aid programs. Many of these programs are restricted to regionally-accredited colleges.

Maranatha students are also eligible for Pell Grants, loans, scholarships, and other aid programs.

Accountability Accrediting agencies place their stamp of approval on colleges

that have attained a high level of educational quality. More than 3,000 of the roughly 4,000 collegiate institutions in the United States have regional accreditation. The Higher Learning Commission is the regional accrediting body that determines whether Maranatha is fulfilling its promise to its students to provide them with a quality education.

The Higher Learning Commission does not dictate policies relative to student life and behavior standards or limit the University’s ability to make God’s Word the center of every course.

The Final Word Maranatha cares about its students.

The University began its quest for regional accreditation to enable its graduates to enroll in postgraduate studies and professional fields without their options being limited. In the fall of 2014, 83% of Maranatha’s incoming new students rated regional accreditation as an important factor in their college decision. When considering any college, be sure to ask if it is regionally accredited. Of all the questions you ask about your choice, this one may be the most important.

Maranatha Baptist University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. hlcommission.com Phone: 312-263-0455

11

U B M

O T A G NAVI Freshmen, meet your super heroes!

I

n 2012, Maranatha introduced the “First-Year Navigator Program” for all incoming new students. Faculty and staff volunteer to be a part of this program, and the University partners them up with five to ten first-year students.

The faculty and staff “Navigators” provide interaction with the new students (called “Navigees” by our Vice President!) in hopes to make the students feel like they are a part of a “campus family.”

12

ORS Dr. Kevin Montney recently began his third year of participation in the Navigator program. “I love our mission of developing leaders ‘To the Praise of His Glory,’ and this program is an opportunity to do just that,” Montney shares. As Director of Human Resources, Montney works primarily with faculty and staff at Maranatha. The Navigator program gives him the opportunity to interact with students. “This program has really allowed me to connect with students on a more personal level. I have been amazed by the spiritual maturity of some of our incoming students. I try to be an encouragement to them and push them to continue growing and seeking the Lord.”

Often the first week of school proves to be the most challenging for incoming new students as they face a new schedule, new living arrangements, homework, and more busyness than some have ever faced before. Faculty and staff Navigators are encouraged to meet with their students before the end of the first week of school to establish friendships and share encouragement. “For our first meeting we had a meet and greet in the Heritage room. I brought ice cream, and we all got to know each other,” Montney explained. “During this meeting we also exchanged contact information, and each Navigee gave me something I could pray for them about.”

First-time Navigator, Grace Peters, shared that she wanted the new students in her Navigator group to feel comfortable sharing prayer requests with her and coming over to her house nearby. “I invited my group to come over for freshly-baked banana bread and coffee during the first week of school so I could get to know them. Everyone laughed together as we shared our ‘most embarrassing school moments,’ complete with my own humbling incidents as a student at Maranatha.

After the initial ‘breaking the ice,’ the students asked for tips on time management and homework.”

The first week of school is not the only time when students can feel overwhelmed, so keeping in contact with students throughout the year is also important to a Navigator. “I always like to get to know my Navigees, so I make it a point to have a one-on-one lunch with every Navigee early in the year,” Montney said. “After that, I kind of play it by ear. I usually plan a couple of cookouts at my house, and invite students over on Sundays to hang out and watch football.”

“Since I recently graduated myself, I know how nice it is to receive things in my school post office box,” Peters said. “I’ve made an effort to put a snack in my Navigees’ boxes once a month, and I always include a note with a verse or some sort of encouragement.”

The Navigator program provides on- and off-campus support for students by linking them with a family from Maranatha. Vice President Dr. Matt Davis said a Navigator’s job is three-fold: to listen, support, and refer students to others who can also help them. For freshmen, he said, “It’s like having your own personal Maranatha super hero!”

13

H

ow can heartstrings stay connected when such long distances separate us from our loved ones? More than anything else, prayer will span those miles! Even though your young person is advancing into adulthood, they still need you, your love, and your encouragement. You see, the enemy of our children’s souls uses discouragement, disappointments, and pressures to drive them in a totally wrong life direction.

Their futures are at stake! We as parents must pray specifically and frequently for our children.

A suggestion for praying specifically is to pray through a Scripture passage and relate it to our children. For example, use Philippians 2: “Today Lord, please remind our son to live peaceably with others, not causing strife or promoting his own glory. Let him esteem others better than himself. May he labor in the fear of God, remembering that His Father is at work to assist him to do all for God’s good pleasure!”

A Moment

Mrs. M

with

To remind us to pray frequently, it might be wise to set the alarm on your phone, especially during trying times. Though our children may be miles away, they are still in our hearts. Let’s make sure they know it. And remember, one encouraged student encourages many others. The gift just keeps on giving.

Prayer Covers the Distance

Having had three children in college miles away from us, God taught us to pray earnestly for them!

Here are a few things we prayed for our children: • Make their relationship to Christ the priority, allowing nothing to hinder their daily time in the Word and in prayer • Seek to humbly serve others in love, making time for the needs of roommates, etc.

• Make academic progress—be able to keep up with all aspects, be organized and working ahead • Have and create opportunities for witnessing

14

• Know wisdom in seeking a possible life’s mate (one who is godly, growing, and useful to Christ)

When sick: • Sense the presence of the Lord • Become more compassionate towards others who suffer regularly

When lonely: • Use the loneliness as an indication that they should seek God more • Use as a signal to minister to others

When tempted: When in a trial: • Remember that our God is able • They would be strong in the Lord When struggling financially: to do beyond anything they can • They would apply Scripture to • Ask God for great things! daily living and see the bigger now imagine and that He will get • Be frugal, hard-working, and yet picture: how sin will entangle the glory for it (Eph. 3:10-21) generous, seeking to meet the and destroy their life and • Be greatly strengthened in needs of others also potential patience and longsuffering with joyfulness (Col. 1:11)

YEAR-BY-YEAR

CALENDAR

Check out our college calendar. We’ll help you stay on track through high school graduation. See you soon!

Sophomore Year • Take the pre-ACT PLAN test.

• Plan the remainder of your high school courses with the help of a counselor.

Junior Year • Begin visiting colleges.

• Take the SAT or ACT. • Take the PSAT/NMSQT to qualify for the •

•

National Merit Scholarship.

Begin considering sources of financial aid.

You can also check the FAFSA4caster at www.

FederalStudentAid.ed.gov to determine how much federal aid you might receive.

Investigate opportunities to earn college credit while in high school.

Senior Year August • If you have a summer job, save some money for application fees.

• Register to take the ACT or SAT if you did not do so as a junior or wish to retake the tests.

September • Ask for catalogs and applications from colleges in which you are interested.

• Begin researching scholarships— private, institutional, and federal (www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov).

• Meet with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission requirements.

October • Obtain a PIN on the website for federal student aid (www.pin.ed.gov) to allow yourself easy access later.

November • Check financial aid and admissions deadlines for colleges to which you may apply.

December • Take the SAT or ACT. • Begin applying to colleges in which you are interested.

• Encourage your parents to complete income tax forms early. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms should be filed as soon as possible after Jan. 1.

January • As soon as you and your parents have all tax information together, begin filling out the FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov).

• Many colleges have financial aid deadlines in early February, so don’t delay. If you have questions about federal financial aid, call 1-800-4-FED-AID. • Complete and return all forms requested by the colleges to which you have applied.

February • Correct any errors in your FAFSA report and re-submit.

• Complete and submit applications for institutional scholarships.

March • Complete forms arriving from colleges.

• Submit copies of documents requested by the financial aid office.

• Compare financial aid packages of colleges to which you have been accepted.

• Begin looking for summer employment.

15

MAKE IT MBU

YOUR FUTURE IS WAITING FOR YOU You have a cure to discover, patients to care for, a business to run, students to teach, or a church to pastor. Discover God’s plan for your life. Come study hard, grow your faith, make new friends, minister together, and explore all you can do to go, serve, and lead in a world that needs all you can give.