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ik-Kia Thomas, the mother of a high school junior, knows that the road to college N graduation can seem like a steep climb. “I’ll admit that I’m stressing a little bit, but I’m trying not to stress my daughter too much,” says the Tampa, Florida, resident. “I tell her, you’ll thank me later for this insistence on discipline and focus, because it’s all for a purpose.” Nik-Kia and her husband, Tony, attended a college planning workshop led by Thrivent Financial Professional Matt Oleson of Brandon, Florida, and then followed up with him to do more intensive work on creating a higher education plan for their two daughters: Janaya, 11th grade and Zayda, sixth grade. The family then met with Oleson to help them review and update their current plan. “I liked it that he included Janaya in our initial discussion,” ,,%* , Nik-Kia says. “He talked with her about academics and how she #22 was staying focused. Then he gave her a career assessment.” %#2# Oleson explains: “Knowing what path students want to pursue, %"+,!!+, % #, * # and what schools will do the best job of helping them get there, "&!%* ' ensures every education dollar is being spent wisely.”
14 | Thrivent March 2019 Thrivent.com Thrivent.com March 2019 Thrivent | 15 “Scholarships and college admissions offices are looking for Nik-Kia and her family have gotten students who have demonstrated Help for some tools and guidance to make the leadership skills and who were process more manageable, which she involved in giving back, starting Your Family says helped relieve their stress. “It can from an early age,” Oleson says. ! #" ! # seem overwhelming, but I tell myself &## ! "" that we just have to do one thing " $! " ! !% ##$ #" $!" every day,” she says. Your family goal should be to !!"%! &("# #" Like the Thomases, many families borrow as little as possible to pay find that planning for college can for school. Look at education as be stressful. In addition to being the an investment and calculate your # " ! place for setting a lifelong career path, return on investment: Your family’s #! "$ college often comes with a daunting total borrowing should be less than 8LMWMWEKVSYTSJǻRERGMEP price tag. With college tuition rates on you expect your child to earn in the ! "" "& ! the increase, what can families do to first year out of college. ' !#"*& !## prepare themselves? #!"# " "" " " "" ǻRERGMEPEMHǻRERGMEPTPERRMRKERH Own the process & " !#! # +"("!% #)" “Step one—stay calm,” says If you decide to take out a loan % $ ( David Macauley, vice president of to help your child with the cost Thrivent Scholars Advisor Network of education, the loan payment # ! !" " Development. Macauley has worked should not be more than 10 !$ & $( $ with many families, at all levels of “Don’t restrict your thinking only to informs the way we approach this percent of your income, and you # "## " ! income and all stages of the planning schools you know about or are in a process.” He urges families to stop “I tell myself should be able to pay it off in $## process. He says everyone can specific location. You want to keep feeling guilty about getting a late 10 years or less. Staying within "% ""# # !# benefit from the adoption of a “new options open as much as possible start or not meeting savings goals. that we just this guideline will help you and school mindset,” one that comes when your family begins the search “Money and a financial strategy are your child be realistic about what from an attitude of abundance and for a school.” tools to help you live a life that’s more have to do schools to consider. ! ! accessibility, not scarcity. “Remember, He notes that Thrivent offers a authentic to your values, rather than be " %! " ! & you’re the one with the precious unique perspective: “Our position as something that you have to get perfect one thing Nik-Kia has been resourceful at # " !# $# "# resource—your child,” he says. an organization that serves Christians or worry about measuring up,” he says. finding the support she needs for “This process should be serving you, every day.” this journey. She began a private not the other way around.” —Nik-Kia Thomas Facebook group, called “Thinking ! ! Ahead: College Scholarships $! !% # Four steps to a New and Beyond,” and encouraged & !" ( $) %# # Thinking differently about savings plans School Mindset friends to submit ideas, articles #&# #! ! #" ( $! / .!2/ &*+ #,% * /#, %!*+ / +%* ,0%* Oleson says that your values are an and encouragement. She’s even !& ! &# # &# /!%&"#,, # +-$&!#+*# "&%*,#,,%%!'()" #%, "., important part of meeting goals while Your plan should reflect who will be helped Janaya get a head start on ]SYVGLMPHEFSYXIHYGEXMSRǻRERGIW #". , +"02, , *! #+.* ,*/!*+,%+.*, *%0#%12 # staying true to the Wise With Money responsible for paying for college: the college essay writing process. &# %## "" " ĵ±ŸĩŸĀųŸƋÆåüŅų屟ŸĜŸƋĜĹčƋĘåĜųÏĘĜĬÚØƼŅƚ±ĬŸŅƵ±ĹƋƋŅŸååŞ±ųåĹƋŸčåƋ±üåƵ Journey philosophy. “It is possible to your child, you or both of you? “As “Every time she wants a new ǻRERGMEPEMHW]WXIQERHLS[XS ĀűĹÏĜ±ĬƋĘĜĹčŸĜĹŅųÚåųÆåüŅųåčŅĜĹčŸƋų±ĜčĘƋƋŅ±ĂƖĿŞĬ±ĹØŰĘ埱ƼŸţ make wise decisions, like reducing soon as you can, develop a savings phone, special summer camp or #(& "% &! (%*+,*, # %*%#,* ., # ,%-$&!#2%.)!!0#,,%+.*2%.)* costs and choosing the right college, goal for the family,” Oleson says. another extra expense, I make her $# # "#" ! $#" ! "1 # %.,#2*, *"#,+/ # +", *%"#"&!%2*#"1 # %., and to do all that while borrowing as write a persuasive essay about it. "!%"!" ##& !" " %, * , %#! %#,* ., %#+0 !+%#.+%*., %# little as possible.” Here’s how to " % '! ! ! I’m saving them all. It gives her ()! !% # ! ƵĜƋĘŅƚƋƋ±ƻŞåűĬƋƼţŰ get started: Don’t leave free money on the good experience, and I’m hoping #& !"! $ # $ #!( ! .!2+2+, ,-$+(* *,,%%!%*, * ,+ ,., %##, table. Your child should apply for we might find some topics she ! ! $## ųĜčĘƋü±ĵĜĬƼØŰĘåĹŅƋåŸØŮƋĘåųåĜŸĹŅĂƖĿŞĬ±ĹĜĹƋĘåƵŅųĬÚƋʱƋƵĜĬĬĵ±ĩåƚŞüŅų " as many scholarships and financial can use as building blocks for her [LIVIXLI]ƶVIFIMRKSǺIVIHSVXS ü±ĵĜĬƼĵåĵÆåųŸĹŅƋÆåĜĹčŅĹƋĘ埱ĵåŞ±čåƵĜƋĘƋĘåĜųĀűĹÏĜ±Ĭƴ±ĬƚåŸŅųüŅų It’s important to prepare yourself and aid opportunities as possible. One college admission essay.” ! ! $### " # ĹŅƋʱƴĜĹčŅĹåűŸĀűĹÏĜ±ĬĘŅƚŸåĜĹŅųÚåųĜĹƋåųĵŸŅüϱŸĘāŅƵĵ±Ĺ±čåĵåĹƋر your child for the road ahead. Make way to improve their chances for an ! +&# # &!# . ,, ,2%.#+, 0 , #"* #2.##&!# a plan of action for how your family award is to have your child create $ !"! &!#! üŅųÚå±ĬĜĹčƵĜƋĘÚåÆƋţŰ will pay for your child’s education. a leadership and service portfolio. "
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