A Scholarship Tip

Ready for another scholarship tip? I just noticed a blog called The Scholarship Coach on the U.S. News & World Report education web page.

This particular scholarship blog caught my eye because it currently features a story called "Buckle up for Auto Industry Scholarships", which is right up Kettering's alley, so to speak. Kettering University is a leading STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) school and offers much more than automotive engineering, including majors such as computer science, applied physics, chemistry, and business. But everyone knows about this institution's famous history as GMI (General Motors Institute). Kettering remains one of the best schools in the nation for automotive engineering. 

I can't guarantee that your child will receive or even qualify for the scholarships that we discover for you... my goal here is to provide you with powerful information that you can hopefully use.

Is your son or daughter activitely looking for scholarships? Don't forget Scholarships360.org and Zinch.com. We occasionally provide more scholarhip listings on our Office of Admissions Facebook page as well.

"Mathletes" and Gadget Kids also like Performing Arts

One of the students who writes for Kettering University's student newspaper The Technician recently submitted a story about performing arts opportunities on campus. She writes, "One of Kettering's best-kept secrets is its performing and fine arts programs. Check out what exciting opportunities Kettering has to offer, all free of charge!"  

Students and parents often ask me about this. Kettering University does not offer music or dance performance courses as a part of its curriculum, but some students do participate in after-school and evening activities that are provided through the Student Life office. 

For example, this term a director from the Flint Institute of Music leads the Kettering Choir in rehearsals on Thursday evenings. There is a Kettering Band that practices once a week and will perform a concert during 10th week. (At Kettering, events and activities are tracked by the week of the term during which they take place. "10th week" is classic Kettering verbiage.)
 

Students may sign up for piano lessons, or even a dance class. The class has apparently finished learning the tango this term and has now moved onto the waltz. I do hope to see some tango demonstrations in the Great Court of the Campus Center soon! 

Reprise: What is A Section? What is B Section?

Kettering University's uniquely structured professional cooperative education program divides the entire student body into A Section and B Section. Students alternate between classes and co-op jobs every other 11-week term. Kettering's academic calendar is unique and well-suited to students like ours--students who appreciate a hands-on environment that puts their education immediately into practice!

Read more about Kettering's award-winning co-op progam program here.

Click here for a glimpse of the current Kettering University calendar.

Kettering University has the professors, the labs and the experiences that bring knowledge and practice together better than any place else.

The Words of a Kettering University Freshman

Read Life as a (Working) College Engineer, a story by freshman Chaz Mancino from Fredonia, New York. A guest blogger on Kettering University's Life at Kettering blog site, Chaz describes his co-op work experiences at Tenneco with excitement and enthusiasm.  Already on his way to an exciting future!

And now, a word from our professors...

At Kettering University, we speak a great deal about cooperative education, our partnership with more than 500 companies, and the real, paid work experience that is a part of every Kettering student's education. Reason enough for your son our daughter to strongly consider enrolling here.

Let me also draw your attention to our professors.

When you visit Kettering University, you will meet some of the award-winning professors who teach the courses here. Professors, 90% of whom hold a Ph.D., teach all of the lectures and labs at Kettering. Professors who are committed to teaching, mentoring and working one-on-one with students. 

These are the folks with whom your student will spend a great deal of time at Kettering University, starting immediately in freshman year. I encourage you to read their words:  And now, a word from our Professors...

Financial Aid Discussions: It's Never to Early to Start!

Ah... October... the season of gorgeous Michigan fall colors, high school football, homecoming dances, and admissions applications from high school seniors!

October is also a very good time for you and your college-bound student to begin discussing how to pay for college. Don't limit your son or daughter's application choices if the published costs of certain colleges or universities look too high, but don't wait until spring rolls around before weighing the financing options. Through a combination of scholarships, grants and sensibly-managed student loans, your student may be able to afford the college of his or her choice.

Do some financial aid homeword now. The topic may seem daunting, but I've listed a few web sites below that may assist you.  These sites break down the information into easily digestible chunks.

studentaid.ed.gov  Provided by the office of Federal Student Student Aid and the U.S. Department of Education, this site describes the various types of financial aid, provides information on how to apply, and includes great info about student loans. It even includes a student loan repayment calculator that lets you plug in dollar amounts to determine what a loan repayment plan would look like.

bigfuture.collegeboard.org  Under the "Pay for College" tab, this site has a Financial Aid 101 segment complete with video discussions conducted by financial aid experts from around the country.

Kettering University's own scholarship page. Learn how your student may qualify for an
academic scholarship by using our calculator.

Did you know that the wages our students earn as a result of Kettering's co-op program can be used to off-set costs?  Click here to review Kettering's Co-op Wage and Benefits Survey

Look around your local community for scholarship opportunities from banks, foundations, or organizations such as Rotary or Kiwanis.  It takes a bit of time, and there are no guarantees, but it couldn't hurt to dig into some scholarship search engines as well. Here are a few:

www.scholarships360.org
www.scholarships.com
www.zinch.com
www.fastweb.com

Autumn News for Parents

Welcome to fall and the new school year! Has your high school senior started to work on his/her college applications? Kettering University is accepting applications and will begin sending acceptance letters in mid-November. Please encourage your senior students interested in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and even business to learn more about the Kettering program.

Remember that Kettering University practices "rolling" admissions, meaning that there are no application deadlines. But we still encourage your student to apply early, thereby giving us plenty of time to assist with the application, campus visit, financial aid, and co-op preparation process.

Below are links that may be of interest to you and your student:

Crash For Science (live car crash - pretty cool)

Amazing Merit Scholarships (valued up to $67,500.00)

Dog Days Visit Event (Monday, October 8 — this is Columbus Day)

Discover Kettering Open House (Saturday, November 10)

Industrial Engineering Program (#1 ranking by U.S. News & World Report)

Co-op/Experiential Learning (Kettering students succeed!)

Did you know Kettering University offers:

Guaranteed Fixed Rate Tuition

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Programs

Enjoy the rest of the fall season and if you have questions, please call me at (800) 955-4464 ext. 7865, or e-mail kfull@kettering.edu.

The Kettering University Return on Investment

On a national level, recent college graduates face a job market that is tenuous at best. This is definitely not the case for graduates from Kettering University! Here's why:

• 98% of Kettering graduates are employed or go to graduate school in their fields within six months of graduation.
• Through Kettering's cooperative education program, students gain up to 2 1/2 years of paid, professional experience in their field of study. Kettering partners with over 500 companies and organizations that employ our students in co-op.
• Kettering University is ranked #1 in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and #7 in Mechanical Engineering in the country among non-Ph.D. granting universities – U.S. News & World Report.
• Kettering students learn in state-of-the-art labs starting in their freshman year. Our students learn "hands-on" from professors -- not from teaching assistants.

Kettering is a nationally-recognized STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and Business university and a national leader in combining a rigorous academic environment with rich opportunities for experiential learning and cooperative education. Companies from around the U.S. and world seek out Kettering students because they are trained and prepared to meet the challenges of today's technological industries.   

Employable people in today's competitive work environment need to be skilled at how to network and "market" themselves. Through partipation in the co-op program, Kettering students build resumes that place them well ahead of their peers from other institutions. As students, they are already building a valuable system of contacts in their field and also have multiple ways to network with Kettering’s outstanding alumni population, who are some of the most successful business and manufacturing executives in the country.  The average salary for year 2011 Kettering graduates was $58,698, based on the most recent graduate survey.

This is the Kettering University return on investment!

Learn more at www.kettering.edu.

Our Nation's STEM Challenge and Opportunity

Technology and innovation are key to America's future and growth, yet so many students are ill-prepared to meet these challenges.

Did you know:

• The U.S. ranks 23rd among developed nations in the number of science and engineering graduates.
• U.S. students are ranked 31st in the world when it comes to math.

Did you also know:

• In 2009, the average salary of a person employed in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) was $77,000.
• The national average for everyone else was $43,000.
• By 2014, 2.5 million job openings in STEM occupations will be created.

Kettering University students are part of the solution!  As a Kettering student, your curious, problem-solving son or daughter will be trained to work on practical solutions to real-world problems.

The talent pipeline in the U.S. most definitely needs to grow.  Kettering University is helping to make that happen.  For more on this topic, I invite you to take a look at this compelling video produced by Raytheon.

Learn more about amazing opportunities at Kettering University for your son our daughter. Schedule a campus visit at kettering.edu/visit.

Award letters are in the mail!

The Office of Financial Aid has now begun to mail out award letters to students who have been admitted to Kettering. I encourage you to contact our offices if you need further clarification about what is contained in your award package.

Students who have not yet filed a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) may still do so! Kettering will continue to process awards as needed.

For answers to your questions call toll-free Monday through Friday at 1-800-955-4464.

Next Up: Get Hired at the Kettering Co-op Employment Fair!

Students who have been accepted to Kettering for the summer/fall of 2012 are invited to attend Kettering's next employment fair!  It takes place on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 in Kettering's Recreation Center.

This is a great way for students to learn more about Kettering's co-op employment partners. Students may distribute their resumes at the fair, and some may even be called back the same day for on-the-spot interviews.

Registration information is available on our co-op web pages.

Spring 2011 Employment Fair

This Kettering Student has a World-Class Benefit at his Co-op Job

Senior James McClaren has a world-class benefit at his co-op job at Delta Airlines: flying around the world!  He works as an interior engineer for Delta. Watch his story here:http://www.kettering.edu/future-students/kettering-video-zone/cool-co-op

Kettering in the Media

Kettering in the Media is a page on our new web site that features recent Kettering University media hits and other news. Compiled by the Office of PR and Communications, this site showcases Kettering students, employees, alumni and corporate partners. 

Kettering students, faculty and alumni are making news!  Take a look at Kettering in the Media.

Do you have a Twitter account?  Follow us @Ready4Kettering.  We post Kettering news, admissions updates, scholarship information, and just some fun stuff about our students.

If your student has been accepted to Kettering, register now to attend an Admitted Student Program on February 25th or March 10th.

Mid-February: What's Next in the Timeline?

Many of you are in the process of filing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.  Remember that you can submit your FAFSA earlier using an estimate of your 2011 earnings, and then make the correction once you have secured your official earnings information from your W2 or other tax statements (Kettering's FAFSA code is 002262).

If you have not yet done so, there is still time to register for Kettering's Admitted Student Program on February 25th or March 10th.  Talk to your student about attending this, if possible!  These visit days provide your student with the opportunity to learn much more about Kettering: the co-op job search process, the labs, classes, and overall "student life" at Kettering! You may register here to attend an Admitted Student Program.

Even if your student cannot attend an Admitted Student Program day, you may schedule a personalized campus visit and daily tour any day during the week.  I encourage your student to visit!  Meet Kettering faculty, take a tour of the labs and facilities, meet with an admissions or financial aid counselor to discuss costs, financial aid, and other questions you may have.  Let us know how we may help you in this process!

Next in the pipeline: watch for information about your financial aid award letter.

Co-op: why it's a good thing!

What makes Kettering's co-op program such a good thing?

1. Your son or daughter will be earning a salary.
2. Your son or daughter will break the cycle of "you need experience to get the job, but you need the job to get experience".
3. Your son or daughter will learn in the classroom and the workplace, and will unite theory with practice and knowledge with experience.
4. Your son or daugher will be way ahead of the professional curve by graduation time.

Kettering's brand new web site just launched today!  Take a few minutes to view the video on the home page and see how we bring knowedge and practice together better than anyplace else. http://www.kettering.edu/

Admitted Student Days in February and March!

The Admitted Student Program at Kettering University is designed to provide students with the tools and information necessary to help them take the next step toward Kettering.  Students will mix and mingle with Kettering students, meet their co-op managers, learn about the co-op job process, and spend time with professors in the academic departments.

Parents: There will be opportunities for you to ask questions and gain answers. You will learn everything you need to know as you walk the college selection pathway with your student!  

Admitted Student Days will take place on February 25th or March 10th.  Register here!

How much do students earn in co-op?

Parents:

By now you probably know that part of your student's educational experience at Kettering University includes a paid co-op experience designed to allow your son or daughter to put classroom learning to use in a real job setting. Students typically earn between $40,000 and $65,000 throughout their educational career at Kettering.

Our most recent Co-op Wage and Benefits Survey provides more detail on what Kettering students currently earn.

Think about this: your student will gain REAL job experience in a challenging engineering, science, computer science, mathematics or business field. The wage that he or she earns is a good salary that can be used to offset tuition and living costs. Take a look at some of the Kettering University employer partners.

Kettering's professional Co-op Managers are here to assist your student with his/her co-op job search!

Learn more about the co-op program at Kettering here.

What will college cost? Where do we find scholarships?

Parents:

What do you need to know about the cost of attending Kettering University? Who determines the types of financial assistance your student can expect to receive in order to help pay for college?

Last year, 98% of our entering class received some form of financial aid to assist with costs. Financial aid may consist of a combination of grants, merit scholarhips, federal work-study, or loans. Remember that Kettering students currently earn between $40,000 and $65,000 in co-op job wages over the duration of their program of study. Your student may very well use these earnings toward future tuition payments. This is a huge benefit that makes Kettering unique!


Students attend classes for two terms per year. (Students do not pay tuition for the terms during which they work their co-op jobs.) 

Let me re-emphasize that your student may qualify for aid to greatly reduce costs. How does this work? Here is a short explanation:

1. Kettering offers generous academic or "merit" scholarships, based on each applicant's GPA and best SAT or ACT scores. Students are automatically considered for this scholarship upon admission to Kettering.  Use our merit scholarship calculator at to determine eligibility. Accepted students are notified of their award by letter.
2. FAFSA filing. We encourage you to fill out and submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) on http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/, available after January 1, 2012. This form costs nothing to file and determines your student's eligibility for need-based grants, loans and federal work-study on campus. Help us give you the maximum assistance by filing the form and listing Kettering University (our FAFSA code is 002262).  
3. Additional scholarship searches (scholarships that your student earns on his/her own, which can be applied toward Kettering tuition). Some additional scholarships and search engines can be found as you scroll down our scholarship calculator web page.  Each year, many students submit applications and essays for the scholarships listed on this page.  Other scholarships that students earn from their schools, communities, and other organizations may also be applied toward Kettering's cost.
4. Important to know: Starting mid-March our Financial Aid Office will send your student his/her financial aid award letter in which you may view all of the aid (based on the FAFSA information) for which your student is eligible. This letter will help you determine your final Kettering cost for next year.

The admissions staff and financial aid counselors at Kettering are ready to answer any questions that you have about this process!  Please get in touch with us if you need assistance (toll-free at 1-800-955-4464, ext. 7865.

Listed below are a few federal government web pages that provide helpful information. I encourage you to take a look at these sites and read up on the financial aid process. It may be well worth your time.


http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/funding.jsp#02

http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/repaying.jsp


Here are a few additional sites that may be useful for scholarship searches:

http://www.zinch.com/
http://www.scholarships.com/
http://www.scholarships360.org/