College-Got admitted, can't afford it-now what?

Hello Class of 2008!

Great news, you are being accepted to the colleges of your choice, you are picking out your dorms and residence halls...and you are getting your award packages in the mail...and the gap between what you can afford and what you need to attend is enormous. What do you do?

First of all...DON'T PANIC!

There are options. Contact your Admissions representative at your university of choice (there should be several universities of choice) and tell them your problem. See if there are merit scholarships within the university that you are eligible for that can begin to fill the gap.

Go to Fastweb.com and look at at scholarships that you can apply for with immediate deadlines and money that is disbursed before August 1, 2008...around the time you will need to have your gaps filled.

Okay, so you're a good student, fine in sports, but not the top NCAA recruit. That doesn't mean you can't play college sports. Let's suppose that you play basketball at your high school (men or women), and you don't play well enough for consideration for a scholarship to your university. Look at some of the other sports...fencing, rowing, etc. Maybe they have some spots open in those areas because there are not enough student athletes to recruit for that particular sport at that particular school.
Contact the Athletic Director, or the coach in that sport. Find out if they need what you have to offer, and let them tell you what you need to do to get in the NCAA Clearinghouse. You may have enough talent, or they may be willing to work with you, and give you some athletic grant-in-aid to meet the gaps in your education funding.

Look at organizations in your community for scholarships: Elks, Rotary, local unions, etc. There may be some scholarships that you or your student may qualify for that could reduce those costs.

Also, some universities have their own financing programs.. You and/or your parents sit down with your prospective university's financial aid representative and see if they can come up with monthly payments you may be able to afford. Do this before going to some predatory lender.

As a matter of fact, if the Financial Aid Package contains an extraordinarily large portion of outside lending (beyond the university and federal loans and grants), I would seriously reconsider that university for myself and /or my child.

If you/your student is a good student (3.5 or higher GPA, good SAT/ACT scores, plenty of leadership skills and great AP/IB test scores), your student should look at all awards packages from every university they applied to very, very carefully. One of the points of consideration should be: how deep in debt am I going to get sending myself/my child to this school?

There are great schools with great names, and then there are great schools who may not be as well known, but are fully capable of meeting your student's needs, as well as giving them an attractive financial aid package (awards package). Small, private universities can be very competitive in terms of offerings in the classroom, and for the pocket. Hear everyone out, and see what they are willing to do for your very good student. Don't be afraid to tell a university that you prefer that another school has offered more merit money than they have. If they are worth their salt, they will at least try to match that offer.

There is no way we can afford the university I got in to...now what do I do?

Don't panic. There are a lot of fine universities that take students on a Rolling Admission basis. Even at this late point, there are schools that you can apply to that will give you an admission decision in weeks, not months. From there, they may have sufficient merit aid to help you. Many smaller schools are very generous. Keep applying to independent scholarships! Ask for an application fee waiver if you can't afford to pay yet another application fee.

The key is to not give up! Keep your head up. If you have been accepted to a college, you know that you have done what is necessary. Now, the key in this tough financial climate is to go where you can afford to go, and to a university that will give you the skills and the business connections to be successful; that combination does exist!

Good luck!
Peace,
Falcon and Dove

Randy Pausch-The Last Lecture

Hey Brothers and Sister!
If any of you watched the ABC network tonight at 10pm, you saw a show on Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University professor facing the difficulty of pancreatic cancer with a Tigger smile, and the courage of Aragorn. His new book, The Last Lecture is out today. We hope you get a chance to pick up a copy, read it, and hopefully, find some wisdom to give your own life some extra sparkle.

If you don't know about Randy, please go to You Tube and put his name in the search. You will get one of his many interviews, but also his last lecture last fall at CMU. Please watch it, and you will understand what a special spirit he is. Not a flawless one, and that is really his greatest gift for us all: his honorable nature that is human, not super-human. Although, I think his courage is extraordinary.

We here at Falcon and Dove have our own Randy Pausch story. He created a program called Alice, (you can download it for free) that is designed to help girls with learning the basics of computer information technology, and get more of them in the computer fields as they go through school. Dove has the program (and an Alice tee-shirt), and loved it! It was great that CMU made the program available to Home School students. Now, everyone can get it, so if you have kids...go for it! It's a lot of fun: storytelling creative software.

Randy, we would like to say thanks. It is a simple word, but the most appropriate. Thanks for caring about students, thanks for sharing your journey, thanks for taking time away from your family to share that sacred time with all of us.

Our prayers are with you and your family.

Oh, and by the way...the cancer didn't win, you did. Rest assured, my Brother, you have won.

Peace,
Falcon and Dove

Guillermo Del Toro should Direct THE HOBBIT

Hey everyone!
This is Falcon...I hope you had a great weekend! Okay, this one has crossed my desk one too many times, and there seems to be some negotiating going on that is causing some doubt as to whether GDT will in fact direct JRR Tolkien's "The Hobbit', set to be released in 2011, with a kind of Red Book of Westmarch connector film to "Fellowship" in 2012.

I am going to keep this simple: Guillermo should direct the films, period. He is immensely talented. He has a bunch of Oscars, and he is a truly passionate student of mythology and lore.

Yes, I am one of those hard-core Tolkien fans that can barely watch the theatrical version of "The Two Towers" because about 80 minutes into the film it takes a hard right turn into the proverbial woods, breaks an axle, and never comes out of the dark corner of ridiculous revision again. The Battle at Helm's Deep saved me from actually leaving the theatre the first time I viewed it in a press screening. There is a difference between artistic license and derailing the plot. There is plenty in that particular middle-child project that suffered immensely from a misunderstanding, or an uninformed impression of how Middle-earth functions, which led to major plot flaws that should have never happened. Everyone knows it; this is the 9000 pound gorilla in the living room...(wow, I guess that film was the next project, wasn't it?)

I know that in the hands of GDT, The Hobbit would be safe from this kind of chicanery. He is well-informed, creative, sensual, and most of all, sees the wisdom of writers' myth as sacred and would never play with it. He has the skill and tenacity to adapt a book without violating its content.

I have every confidence that he would do these projects justice of the highest measure, if simply allowed to do so.

He seems ready to get started. Hopefully, in the near future, we will her a confirmation of his signing on to direct the films. MGM/New Line/Warner Bros. should be extremely happy to have him, and celebrate this blessing.

Spring Celebration of the Arts in Wilkinsburg-FREE!

Hello Brothers and Sisters,
If you live in the Pittsburgh area, or will be Pittsburgh the end of April, this will be a fun family event you should not miss. You know Falcon and Dove love environmental events, but we also love the arts...and it's free!

On Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 7pm in the Wilkinsburg High School Auditorium there will be a performance from the district's music students: choirs, elementary and high school bands, Steel Pan Ensemble, African Drumming Ensemble, and artwork on display. There will be a reception immediately following, so there will be an opportunity to meet these talented young people. Sounds like a great way to bring in May and celebrate spring with the entire family.

Need more information? Contact the Instrumental Music Director, Shawn van Mastrigt:
svanmastrigt@wilkinsburgschools.org

Come out and have some fun, and see some talented artists!
Peace,
Falcon and Dove

New Scholarship just announced!

Hi Global Family!
Falcon here. We hope you had a great Spring Break and Easter holiday. Now, it's back to work, and I have information on a new scholarship that is available to Pennsylvania Seniors and those already in college majoring in areas that focus on Environmental Sciences. Good luck!

Also, I know this is Official College Announcement Week, so for those of you who just found out if you have been accepted to the university of your choice...congratulations!!! If you didn't get in, don't sweat it; there are lots of excellent schools out there, and there are always other options. The sun will still rise tomorrow, and you are much too talented to be thwarted by one admissions committee, right?

Smile through it, and don't think it's the end of the world. Regardless of what your parents, guidance counselors, and friends may say...there are more important things in the world. The important part is that you find your passions and find a way to get the proper training and support to make your dreams come true. There is only one you, and you are here for a special reason. Find it, and don't let anyone get you down.

Now, on to that new scholarship...
The Wyona Coleman Scholarship

The Sierra Club - PA Chapter has established the Wyona Coleman Scholarship Fund, which will offer one, (1) $1,000 scholarship for the 2008-09 school year. (There will be more next year).

Wyona Coleman spent her childhood on a farm, and developed a love of the outdoors early on. She joined the environmental movement during the first Earth Day, 1970 and was instrumental in starting her own Sierra Club Group and then the Pennsylvania Chapter.

Her concern about surface mining destroying farms and forests led to her work on the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, which was passed in 1977.
When emphasis changed from surface mining to longwall mining in southwestern Pennsylvania, she organized the Tri State Citizens Mining Network (now the Center for Coalfield Justice).

Wyona’s other love was reading. As a librarian, she held learning in high esteem. It is a fitting tribute to her memory to encourage students to pursue environmental education.

The scholarship is open to all Pennsylvania residents who are seniors in high school or above and accepted or enrolled into any college-level program in environmental studies.
Applicants should have a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher.

Applications can be down loaded from the Sierra Club’s Web site at: http://Pennsylvania.sierraclub.org/

Applications should include:

1. A letter of application indicating the student’s academic record, contact information, and a copy of the acceptance letter for high school seniors.
2. Two letters of support: one academic and the other from a community group in which the applicant has done volunteer work, and

3. A 300-word essay on how the student intends to use their environmental education to protect the environment.

Applications are due May 15 and should be submitted electronically to:
pennsylvania.chapter@sierraclub.orgPlease place the word “Scholarship” in the subject line.

The scholarship will be awarded by May 30, 2008.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Movies

Hello Brothers and Sisters,
Silante! We hope you are having a great St. Padraig's Day, whether you are Irish or not. Enjoy some Colcannon, dance a wee bit, and enjoy one or all of our favorite top five films of Irish heritage, humor, and culture:

Waking Ned Devine
Can a dead man win the lottery? He can in this film of fun and frolic!

The Secret of Roan Inish
This is a wonderful film for the entire family, centered in the early 20th century of coastal Ireland, directed by John Sayles. You just have to see it! Get the family together, sit back, and enjoy.

Some Mother's Son
This is the story of two moms and their sons during the hunger strikes of the late 1970's and early 1980's. I know, it sounds depressing, but it really is worth the viewing. The acting is strong, and the story is eomething that should be known. Bobby Sands and his story are only part of the equation.

In the Name of the Father
Until you have heard Jimi Hendrix' "Voodoo Child" played with some of these images, you have not yet seen everything cinema has to offer. This is a dramatic adaptation of the trial and eventual dismissal of the Gilford Four: four teenagers, an aunt, a father, and some children, charged with an IRA bombing that they of course, did not commit. Emma Thompson and Daniel Day-Lewis are part of an exemplary cast of actors who have dotted the Oscars, Empires, and BAFTAs for years. A great soundtrack and powerful performances make this a must-see film.

Michael Collins
This film stars Liam Neeson (born in Belfast) and as I understand it, shot during the hottest summer in Dublin, while the actors had to wear wool suits. That alone gets some of my high respect. This is a film that explains the equation: 26+6=1.
If you don't know what that means, you might want to see this film.

Enjoy the holiday with a little less brew and some good films. Stay safe, everyone.
Peace,
Falcon and Dove

College Loans bound to get tighter

Hi Everyone!
Attention all parents and students with college private or government loans: things are changing rapidly, and it is not good. The mortgage mess has been bundled with some student loans, and none of it could be sold at a recent auction, meaning that banks now have less money to loan students. This could spell disaster for some, so please contact your university's financial aid officer immediately so that you know where you stand...and do it now.

Here's the problem: without more cash, some major lenders are getting out of the loan business, even refusing to carry guaranteed student loans. Credit is getting tighter, and it will be harder to get money even from those costly private lenders. Get your FICO score up, because you are going to need a good 689 or better for lending. Students without credit will need a co-signer with a good FICO score.

Now here is where Suze Orman and I differ; I think it's fine to co-sign for your student because the loan they carry will have a lower interest rate than the loan you would get as parents, and the loan payments start 6 months after graduation for your son or daughter. The key is making sure that they understand that they are responsible for that loan, period. You know your child. If you think they aren't capable of that kind of trust, tell them to ask a relative you aren't too crazy about to be the co-signer, and see what happens. What Suze may not be seeing in this equation right now is that there could be thousands of young people who may not be able to attend college, or attend where they would like to because of this debacle.

So here is Falcon's latest rant: there is corruption spread throughout the industry, and it's terrible what is happening to our economy. Let me summarize. Greedy selfish originators wrote predatory loans to unsuspecting clients without sufficient income to support their 2/28 scam loans (who would have been fine in a classic FHA loan), and hoped that housing values would increase enough so that those caught in the trap would at least be able to sell their homes for a profit, or refinance their loan before the balloon came up (yeah, a balloon the size of a zepplin).

But here's the result: the housing bubble broke, and people in homes in neighborhoods historically red-lined for decades found themselves sitting on homes that had been appraised probably close to true market value, but would never get that in their neighborhoods. Home values began to fall like a rock and lendees found themselves 'upside down'. No sense in being in a home that has negative equity that you can't afford, so the slide begins...en masse.

Loans made by those who bundled student loans with other products like mortgages suddenly find themselves very unwanted. No sales at auction, no money to do new loans. Private lender credit terms will tighten, and their rates are likely to increase, as if it wasn't bad enough.

Oh, and one more thing about corrupt: many universities had 'relationships' with some private lenders, steering students away from government loans to private loans that are more expensive, and can raise rates and are largely unregulated. Some of those loans have also been descripbed as predatory. Greed created the crisis, and the price may be the quality of life and education of the American family. These loans are impossible to discharge, not even in bankrupsy.

PHEAA in Pennsylvania is no longer doing lending after March 7. They will service loans, but not issue new ones. Students and their families who thought that they would be able to get grants and loans through this agency may be very surprised. Grants, yes. Loans...er...um, no.
This is happening all over the country and the letters are going out to families now.

What can you do?
Well, if this is the first year you will have a child in college, I seriously suggest you take a look at your credit report (which you should do regularly anyway), your child's credit should be checked (to make sure no one is using their name and information fraudulently), and get ready to dig deep. Your home equity may be an education source to keep the loans away from your child, but banks are tightening up on that, too. Start now, so that you and your student will know where you stand.

Community colleges and for-profit schools may feel the burn first, because they depend more on private lenders. So , instead of looking at local community colleges to save money, look at small, private universities with Rolling Admission; they are usually very well funded and have lots of merit scholarship money to offer your brilliant son or daughter.

Outside scholarships are always around, and if your son or daughter is in eighth grade or higher, I suggest that they register on: www.fastweb.com. This is a free scholarship search website with around $22 billion dollars in scholarships listed. Register and get going! The more scholarships you earn sooner, the less loan money you will need. Here's the list:

Outside Merit Scholarships first

University merit scholarships

Local Organization Scholarships (local Rotary, clubs, businesses, etc.)

Athletic Grant-in-Aid (NCAA or NAIA athletics)

Grants-state and federal

Guaranteed federal student loans

Last resort: Private student loans

Students: Update your resume, do some commmunity work if you can, and get used to writing essays. This is no longer an option; scholarships are a must and the earlier you start, the better it will be for you and your family. This is your future; do it.

Alright, Falcon's rant is done, for today. We will talk more about this I am sure. Don't panic...call the admissions rep at your student's school, or financial aid officer, look at scholarships (even if you are already at a university), and make a Plan B.

Keep the faith.
Peace,
Falcon and Dove