ADMISSIONS CHECKLIST: POWERED BY HANDY GUIDE TO IMPORTANT DEADLINES College Guide 2020 NEXT-GEN EDUCATION TOOLS TO HELP MAP YOUR FUTURE + MANAGING YOUR TIME STUDYING ABROAD DEGREES FROM A DISTANCE BOSTON MIT, CAMBRIDGE, MASS. MEET A FEW OF OUR While The University of Alabama is known for its legendary success in athletics, we have many other legends who are making their mark nationally and internationally in other areas. These are just a few of our legendary alumni. AUTHORS Harper Lee Winston Groom Kathryn Stockett Gay Talese Mark Childress Ann Waldron To Kill a Mockingbird Forrest Gump The Help Honor Thy Father Crazy in Alabama Eudora Welty: A Writer’s Life BUSINESS LEADERS Marillyn Hewson Bruce Culpepper Nan Boden Chris Emerson Sam DiPiazza Vicki Hollub Chairman/President/CEO Retired President Head of Global President Chairman President/CEO Lockheed Martin Shell Oil Tech Partners Airbus Helicopters Mayo Clinic Occidental Petroleum Google ENTREPRENEURS Millard Fuller Joe Gibbs John Hendricks Thom Rainer Jimmy Wales Janet Gurwitch Founder Co-founder Founder Retired President and CEO Co-founder Co-founder Habitat for Humanity Golf Channel Discovery Channel LifeWay Christian Wikipedia Laura Mercier Resources Cosmetics STAGE AND SCREEN Sela Ward Jim Nabors Sonequa Martin-Green Michael Luwoye Rece Davis Michael Emerson Emmy Award-winning The Andy The Walking Dead, Hamilton ESPN anchor Lost, actress Griffith Show Star Trek: The Discovery (Broadway) and host Person of Interest UA.EDU/LEGENDS #WHERELEGENDSAREMADE Untitled-2 1 8/26/19 3:37 PM MEET A FEW OF OUR While The University of Alabama is known for its legendary success in athletics, we have many other legends who are making their mark nationally and internationally in other areas. These are just a few of our legendary alumni. AUTHORS Harper Lee Winston Groom Kathryn Stockett Gay Talese Mark Childress Ann Waldron To Kill a Mockingbird Forrest Gump The Help Honor Thy Father Crazy in Alabama Eudora Welty: A Writer’s Life BUSINESS LEADERS Marillyn Hewson Bruce Culpepper Nan Boden Chris Emerson Sam DiPiazza Vicki Hollub Chairman/President/CEO Retired President Head of Global President Chairman President/CEO Lockheed Martin Shell Oil Tech Partners Airbus Helicopters Mayo Clinic Occidental Petroleum Google ENTREPRENEURS Millard Fuller Joe Gibbs John Hendricks Thom Rainer Jimmy Wales Janet Gurwitch Founder Co-founder Founder Retired President and CEO Co-founder Co-founder Habitat for Humanity Golf Channel Discovery Channel LifeWay Christian Wikipedia Laura Mercier Resources Cosmetics STAGE AND SCREEN ON THE COVER ABOUT THIS YEAR’S COLLEGE GUIDE The MacLaurin Buildings at Flip through the pages and find information about Boston MIT, Boston, Mass. featured schools large and small, urban, rural and suburban, across the United States, plus important tips Sela Ward Jim Nabors Sonequa Martin-Green Michael Luwoye Rece Davis Michael Emerson for making the most of your college experience. Emmy Award-winning The Andy The Walking Dead, Hamilton ESPN anchor Lost, actress Griffith Show Star Trek: The Discovery (Broadway) and host Person of Interest STOCK.ADOBE.COM UA.EDU/LEGENDS #WHERELEGENDSAREMADE COLLEGE GUIDE 2020 1 Untitled-2 1 8/26/19 3:37 PM POWERED BY PREMIUM PUBLICATION EDITORIAL DIRECTOR JEANETTE BARRETT-STOKES [email protected] CREATIVE DIRECTOR CONTENTS JERALD COUNCIL [email protected] STUDENT LOANS 101 18 Above and Beyond MANAGING EDITOR Get schooled on how to best 22 Identifying Stressors MICHELLE WASHINGTON choose and manage your education [email protected] costs. PAGE 14 Slay Your Essay 24 EDITORS AMY SINATRA AYRES 4 Deadline Guide TRACY SCOTT FORSON STUDY ABROAD HARRY LISTER 7 Post-Secondary School Paths SARA SCHWARTZ Studying abroad can offer lessons DEBBIE WILLIAMS 10 Digital Degrees beyond the classroom. PAGE 26 INTERN 16 Time Management 28 Scores Matter AMBER TUCKER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS HANNAH ADELY, KAREN ASP, BRIAN BARTH, MARY HELEN BERG, EMILY EILEEN CARTER, KAYCEE HUBBARD, KYNDALL HUBBARD, ADAM STONE PUBLISHER | ADVERTISING SALES DIVISION PRESIDENT Lisa Lickert CREATIVE DIRECTOR/Design Rick Artz PRODUCTION MANAGERS Rick Dammert Jeff Eads EMINETWORK.COM 4440 Creek Road | Cincinnati, OH 45242 PRINTED IN THE USA GRAPHICVILLAGE.COM 4440 Creek Road | Cincinnati, OH 45242 Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved herein, no part of this publication may be reproduced in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written consent of USA TODAY and EMI NETWORK. The editors and publisher are not responsible for any unsolicited materials. STOCK.ADOBE.COM 2 COLLEGE GUIDE 2020 INTERNSHIPS JUNIOR JOURNEY 4-YEAR GRADUATION OUR GUARANTEES Florida Southern College goes beyond the conventional college experience, guaranteeing each student an internship, a travel-study experience, and graduation in four years. These signature opportunities, combined with our devoted faculty and stunning historic campus, create a college experience unlike any other. flsouthern.edu/guarantees USAT_CollegeGuide_FullPage.indt 1 7/17/19 3:48 PM Deadline Guide Follow this schedule to keep your college search on track BY COLLEGE FACTUAL hoosing a college can be may seem obvious, but be sure that each PSAT first in October. If you’re taking overwhelming, and once you’ve school offers the degree program(s) you the ACT route, look into the PreACT to Cstarted your search there are are interested in pursuing. help you prepare. SAT and ACT tests a few key deadlines to keep in mind. • Schedule trips to visit each are offered multiple times throughout Here are priorities for your checklist campus. While the summer may be the year. Take either test once as a and calendar: more convenient for you to do this, junior; then, retake it in the fall of your the optimal time is during the college senior year, if necessary, to improve your ADVANCE PLANNING school year so that you can get a better score. JUNIOR YEAR feel for the campus culture. • Narrow your initial list of colleges FALL to the ones you are most interested in • If you have not already done so, com- WINTER/SPRING attending. pile a list of colleges that interest you. It • If you plan to take the SAT, take the • Research scholarship opportunities. STOCK.ADOBE.COM 4 COLLEGE GUIDE 2020 SENIOR YEAR Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as Oct. 1. TIP FALL The earlier date allows you more time • Meet with your guidance counselor, to prepare your finances and gives who will help you stay on track and colleges more time to prepare financial ensure you create a calendar that helps aid packages. It’s important to you keep track of deadlines. • By September, you should have a WINTER/SPRING stay on top of final list of colleges to which to apply. • Most regular-admission applica- deadlines because The number may vary, depending tions are due in December or January. on how much you want to spend on • College acceptance letters and you will need to application fees (the average fee in financial aid offers generally arrive in juggle studying for 2019 was $43 per school). Your list April. Review and compare financial aid should include two safety schools, two offers with your parents or guardians to tests (high school or three good-fit schools and one or determine which school is offering the and standardized) two reach schools. best deal. If you’ve done your research, • Request letters of recommendation there shouldn’t be too many surprises with completing and work on your essays for colleges in the financial aid packages. applications for and scholarships. • Most schools have enrollment • If you are retaking the SAT or ACT, deadlines of May 1. Let the college colleges and do so no later than December. Have your you’ve chosen know you’re coming and scores sent directly to the colleges you make any necessary deposits. scholarships. want to attend. Applications for scholar- College Factual (collegefactual.com) is a website ships are also due around this time. that helps guide students through the college- • File the Free Application for Federal selection process. STOCK.ADOBE.COM COLLEGE GUIDE 2020 5 STOCK.ADOBE.COM 6 COLLEGE GUIDE 2020 Post-Secondary Paths Not all roads lead to a four-year college eciding the right course of action He notes that students may find while four years of tuition and fees at a for your soon-to-be graduate can their career path while studying at a typical state college average $39,880. Dbe tough. Weighing the cost of community college. Starting salaries, meanwhile, don’t higher education, the job market and There is also a financial benefit. “The vary by much. A general electrician cost of living, families are thoughtfully amount of savings a student can have earns about $57,350 a year, and a considering their options. Here are four during a two-year cycle at a community welder earns more than $40,000 for to consider: college versus starting at a university entry-level positions. That’s not far can add up to over $20,000,” Brasier from the $49,700 starting salary of the COMMUNITY COLLEGE says. “Community colleges also afford average college grad. When deciding if a student is ready students the benefit of residing with Still, trade school has its down sides. for a four-year college, it’s important family to save money, flexible course “Those considering trade school to look at his or her motivation and options and career exploration services may also have to battle the negative academic preparedness. for students who are undecided on a stereotypes that are still out there about “If a student has struggled academi- career path and/or who are looking for blue-collar work,” says Mark C. Perna, cally and does not express interest or a new career path and/or retraining.” author of Answering Why: Unleashing aspirations to attend a four-year Passion, Purpose, and Performance in university, then they may want to con- —Emily Eileen Carter Younger Generations.