Dear Mikey,

Alexandra Soto of Desert Vista High School has been named the recipient of the USDA/NIFA A-UBET Scholarship.

Alexandra Soto of Desert Vista High School has been named the recipient of the USDA/NIFA A-UBET Scholarship.

The number of children being taken into Child Protective Services’ custody continues to escalate each year in Arizona, but the minors are not the only concern. After age 18, college-bound individuals who were essentially raised in the system still need the support — like any young adult — to have a successful future.

Arizona State University is now prepared to more clearly inform students about the cost of their education after the institution pushed for a nationwide reform program to improve financial transparency.

Sophomore, Sarah Galvin, 16, is hard at work preparing for her oral presentation to the United States military at the national Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), to take place next month. Galvin’s presentation of an Android application to control a robot took first place at last weekend’s state competition and she took home a $2,000 college scholarship and an all-expenses-paid invitation to the national finals.

“How to Pay for College Without Going Broke” is the title of two free financial aid nights coming to Mountain Pointe High School March 1 at 7 p.m. This workshop reveals little known secrets to getting the most money possible from financial aid sources.

It’s that time of year, and creating competition between schools is important as you help your child apply for colleges and universities. Your child should apply to anywhere between six and eight schools.

The Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education (ACPE) has coordinated its 16th annual Arizona College Goal this weekend, a free statewide initiative providing students and their families on-site professional assistance in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

While evaluating options for furthering your education and starting your career, you should place colleges into three different categories:

"How to Pay for College Without Going Broke" is the title of two free financial aid nights coming to Chandler's Perry High School on Thursday, Jan. 12 or Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.

College Depot, located on the second floor of Burton Barr Central Library at 1221 N. Central Ave., will host 6 free workshops in January.

"How to Get the Maximum Money for College" is the title of a series of free financial aid nights coming to Hamilton High School Aug. 11 and 18 and Gilbert High School Aug. 25 and Sept. 1. All four will begin at 7 p.m.

Summer is in full swing! The weather's hot, the days are long and you'd kill to be doing anything outside. Camping trips, weekends at the beach and barbecues abound during this eventful time of year. It's a time to relax, rejuvenate and, most of all, have fun. Kids know how to do this best. After they've been studying at school all year they just want to have fun all summer long. It's good for them to get all that pent up energy out and recharge their batteries. It's good for you, too. You'll need the rest when fall comes around and the school schedule makes demands on your time and focus.

With the pace of higher-education costs consistently on the rise faster than the general Consumer Price Index (CPI), understanding the alternatives and opportunities you and your child or grandchild may have regarding financial aid is more important than ever.

With the pace of higher-education costs consistently on the rise faster than the general Consumer Price Index (CPI), understanding the alternatives and opportunities you and your child or grandchild may have regarding financial aid is more important than ever.

Here we go again! State budget cuts could lead to more tuition increases for college students. Arizona's three public universities are proposing tuition hikes of approximately 15 percent for next year. The recommendations were made to the Arizona Board of Regents, which plans a hearing on the proposed hikes March 28. Families are wondering if they can afford to send their children to our state colleges. What can you do?

Here we go again! State budget cuts could lead to more tuition increases for college students. Arizona's three public universities are proposing tuition hikes of approximately 15 percent for next year. The recommendations were made to the Arizona Board of Regents, which plans a hearing on the proposed hikes March 28. Families are wondering if they can afford to send their children to our state colleges. What can you do?

On Jan. 1, the 2011-12 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be available for students seeking college financial assistance. FAFSA is not only used to determine eligibility for Pell Grants and Stafford Loans, but also by colleges and universities to determine eligibility for grants and scholarships. Many colleges and universities require the FAFSA even for non-need based sources of funds.

Tuesday, Dec. 8

Friday, Dec. 4

Wednesday, Dec. 2

Friday, Nov. 27

Phoenix hosting NSTA Area Conference on Science Education

It may be early into summer, every student's official sabbatical from thinking about, caring about or worrying about education, but for high school upperclassmen the time is right to start thinking about college. Starting as early as July and August, experts say students would do well to start setting a schedule that begins with checking out prospective campuses. Dr. Raymond Huntington, founder of the Huntington Learning Center and an expert in ACT and SAT test preparation, said laying out a college-centric calendar for the rest of the year can keep higher-learning hopefuls focused and on the right track. "If you're going to be a junior or senior in the fall, you might already have some prospective colleges in mind," Huntington said. "If so, you need to pay a visit to these schools in person. "While the best time to visit a campus is during the school year, when student activities are under way, many students may only have time to do this during the summer months, particularly if they have to travel to a school in a different state. If you're one of them, make sure you contact the school ahead of time to find out which activities are in session and to arrange your tours." September and October, Huntington said, is for testing. "In September, sophomores and juniors should register to take the PSAT," he said of the pre-SAT. "Seniors who have not taken the SAT or ACT (or those who want to take them again in hopes of higher scores) should sign up for the SAT Reasoning Test and/or SAT Subject Tests, which should be taken in October and November, or the ACT, which should be taken in September or October." October is a good time to visit college fairs and start getting things like character recommendations and references in order for schools that might ask for them. It's also the month to start thinking about financial aid, if necessary. "In November, all students in need of financial aid should be searching for grants, scholarships and work-study programs, with help from counselors and other sources," Huntington said. "If you're hoping for federal aid, you'll need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid." Before the holidays hit, the results of PSATs and entrance exams should come back and be looked over. "Review the results carefully to determine the skills and knowledge that you need to strengthen prior to taking the ACT or SAT," Huntington said. "If you're planning to take the ACT in February you should register now. "If you're a senior, make sure you send your official test scores to the colleges and universities you're considering. " The fun doesn't stop there, of course, but it certainly lays the groundwork for avoiding a safety school. "While it's easy to become overwhelmed with the college preparation process, being well-organized and well-informed will lessen the pressure considerably," Huntington said. Month-by-month college planning • July and August: Juniors and seniors should visit potential campuses, especially those out-of-state. • September: Sophomores and juniors should register for the PSAT. Seniors who haven't taken the SAT or ACT should register to do so and make sure they have all of the applications for targeted schools and the forms needed for financial aid. • October: Attend college fairs. • November: Start seeking grants; check with counselors and Web sites like National Research Center for College and University Admissions (www.nrccua.org) and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (www.nacacnet.org). If necessary, fill out the FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov). • December: Sophomores and juniors should review PSAT results; seniors should send SAT and ACT results to schools. • January and February: Continue visiting potential campuses now that classes are in full swing. If you've already completed your FAFSA, you might receive your Student Aid Report (SAR) in February, so check it for errors. • March and April: Sophomores should register for the June SAT Subject Tests. Juniors should register for the May or June SAT Reasoning Test and/or the May/June SAT Subject tests. Seniors should be reviewing college acceptances and financial aid awards. • May and June: Sophomores should be thinking about summertime activities that will build skills suited to the academic tracks or careers they're considering. Juniors should be looking at activities that strengthen their academic records. Seniors should decide by May 1 which college they want to attend. Jason Ludwig can be reached at (480) 898-7916 or jludwig@aztrib.com.