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Students get lesson on paying for college
(Pueblo Chieftain, The (CO) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Mar. 10--When two East High School students won $250 scholarships for the college of their choice Wednesday Sallie Mae representative Orlando Espinosa told them, "This is based on luck. Scholarships are based on hard work and determination."
The two, Andrew Gomez and Anthony Nicola, were among 60 juniors and seniors attending an assembly Wednesday afternoon. That evening, Nicola won another $500 scholarship along with Amy Garcia at a meeting for parents and students from throughout Pueblo.
Espinosa, who tours the country in a brightly colored bus on behalf of the company that handles most federal student loans, gave his "Money for College" workshops at Dolores Huerta Preparatory High School Wednesday morning and at East in the afternoon, with an evening program at East aimed at the entire com- munity.
At the evening session, a $1,000 scholarship was awarded.
The son of Cuban immigrants, Espinosa said he had no plans for college when he was in high school. "I had a job and I was making good money," he said. "But I got tired of seeing people promoted over me because they had a college degree."
A college degree can be worth twice as much in wages as a high school diploma, he said.
Too many young people think they can't get that degree, though. "They say they can't go to college because they can't afford it. All of you can go to college.
"Students put limitations on themselves or they let their friends put limitations on them."
Espinosa also urged juniors to start getting ready now for college. His visit was part of a program this week at East to get students ready for college. Because juniors and seniors don't take the Colorado Student Assessment Program tests, they're normally dismissed. However, Principal Alan Nelms said that special programs were offered this week on college preparation, with juniors taking a practice ACT test and seniors the Accuplacer test used by some colleges.
Espinosa said that students need to start contacting admissions officers now to see if the courses they're taking are what's needed to get into college.
"The admissions director is going to be your best friend now," he said. "When you get to college, the financial aid director is going to be your best friend."
He also recommended taking preparatory versions of admission tests, developing an application essay without gimmicks and preparing a resume that shows experience and responsibility.
Because so much communication is done online, he told the students to get an e-mail address, even if it's a free one, and to make it look professional, with their name in it.
"I had a girl come to my office and she said, �You never answer my e-mail.'
"I asked her what her address was and she said �hoochiemama.' I thought it was spam."
The Internet also is a good place to get information about college admissions and financial aid, he told the group, warning them to be wary of pitches from companies trying to sell information that's already free online.
"You and your parents are going to start getting all kinds of mail offering help with financial aid but the moment your parents go to one of those meetings, they find out it's a scam."
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