Ask You Shall Receive

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE

“The blessing of the Lord brings wealth…” Proverbs 10:22

By Tenia Clayton, Esq.

f there’s one thing the pandemic taught us, it’s that we have to be resourceful. We know God can open doors to places beyond our imagination, but sometimes, this requires work on our end. College is a prime example of this. As parents, we do all we can to make sure our children are learning everything they need to succeed in school and at life. We pray for them to do well, and when they do, we eventually have to start thinking about how to help them pay for college. Most of us don’t have thousands of dollars to put towards school. The good news is that you don’t have to! There are scholarships, grants, etc. that can lower out-of-pocket costs for college. With the Lord’s help and a few tips I’ll share, college can be attainable. I was fortunate enough to go to a private Christian school from kindergarten through twelfth grade. We had counselors and were prepared for the college application process. I knew that Emory University was my first choice, but a private school that cost $60,000 per year seemed daunting. However, Emory met 100% need, and I got an early decision acceptance. My parents ended up paying manageable amounts just for my books and a portion of my campus housing costs each semester. I graduated in 3.5 years with a degree in

IHuman Health and went on to Belmont Law with a full tuition scholarship. I still applied to my church’s Sunday School scholarship, a bar association scholarship, and a $10,000 law firm diversity scholarship. I graduated cum laude, ranked 10th in my class, and now work as an attorney at that law firm. These scholarships can lead to more opportunities beyond just the money.

1. Consider costs before your child even begins applying to schools

You’re probably thinking that your child should apply to any and every school and if they get accepted, then you can worry about whether you can afford it. This could lead to disappointment if the finances don’t pan out. Additionally, schools have application fees that add up, so it’s best to prioritize. However, it is also helpful to ask for fee waivers. Almost all of my law school applications were free, and it can often be as easy as just emailing the admissions office, asking if they would consider waiving the fee. Sometimes, you may even automatically qualify for a fee waiver.

When thinking about schools, consider whether they’re public or private. Private schools have a lot of funding to offer big financial aid packages, but

they’re also much more expensive. If the school is public, you also have to think about whether it is in your state of residence, meaning you’ll have the benefit of the in-state tuition price. Public schools typically have a higher tuition rate for out-of-state students, so this could be a determining factor.

Additionally, if your child is fairly certain about a school, consider applying early-decision. Some schools give scholarship priority to early-decision students because early decision is often binding, meaning if your child is accepted, they are committed to attending.

Another thing to think about when deciding on schools to apply to is whether they meet 100% need. This means that the school meets 100% of your family’s demonstrated financial need based on the amount you are deemed to be able to pay.

2. Complete FAFSA as soon as possible

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and is an application that is completed every year to assess eligibility for grants, work-study, and student loans. This is key because grants don’t have to be paid back and work-study is a way for your child to work part-time on campus, which can allow them to contribute. FAFSA is free to complete and opens on October 1. Every state and college has a different deadline for financial information, so complete FAFSA as soon as possible. Another reason to do this early is that schools offer acceptances and scholarships on a rolling basis, so being on the earlier end of the process can maximize potential aid. Remember that you have to renew FAFSA every year, and the hard Federal deadline for FAFSA is June 30, 2023.

Another form that you may have to complete is the CSS Profile. CSS stands for College Scholarship Service, and it is unique because whether you have to complete it depends on the school. FAFSA is for federal assistance whereas CSS is used by universities to determine how much aid you need. FAFSA is tedious, but, in comparison, the CSS Profile is Goliath and FAFSA is little David. CSS can take 45 minutes to two hours to complete. It asks about income, account balances, investments, etc., and it does not replace FAFSA. CSS is meant to help supplement any Federal aid you qualify for. It is especially helpful at schools that meet 100% need because it is detailed enough to show just how much you need to be able to pay for college after considering any expenses and existing debts.

3. Negotiate school-sponsored scholarships

Let’s say your student gets accepted to the school of their dreams, and the school even offers them a decent merit scholarship. Merit scholarships are based on academic achievement, but they are not set in stone. Many people don’t realize that it is possible to negotiate scholarships. If your child is a highachiever and well-rounded candidate, the school may be willing to accommodate reasonable requests for more money. For example, a friend of mine applied to a newer, private law school after graduating from a top 20 university with a business degree, good GPA, and decent test scores. The law school offered him a 50% tuition scholarship. He pushed back and requested more. The school realized that as a successful Black man, other schools would want him. They adjusted his scholarship offer to 100% tuition.

I’m not saying that it is always easy to get a full ride, but it doesn’t hurt to ask if the school can offer you more—especially if you are a minority with offers from other schools. This holds true whether the scholarship is based on sports or academics.

4. Apply for all the external scholarships you can find

In addition to money the schools can offer, try to apply for scholarships from external organizations. This could be your church, your child’s high school, or local non-profit organizations. Think about your child’s interests. Certain organizations offer scholarships for students interested in studying the organization’s industry. Many places also offer diversity scholarships now that can really benefit Black students. This will take some research and some digging, but can be worth the trouble.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tenia Clayton, Esq. is a transactional healthcare attorney, a wife, and a new mother. She attends Greater Christ Temple Church in Nashville, TN.