Meredith Patton,
Midstate College

Meredith Patton is a Vice President at Midstate College in Peoria. In addition to serving on the college's board of directors, she manages its marketing and web-based education. She has also been an instructor and the director of Enrollment Management. Patton holds a bachelor of arts degree from Bradley University in Spanish and secondary education, and a master's degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix. Midstate College is online at www.midstate.edu

Will Illinois Monetary Award Program Grants be available this year?

The answer for this question can be found from the Monetary Award Program Update which is listed below:

MONETARY AWARD PROGRAM UPDATE

Each year, after the Governor signs the annual appropriation bill, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission meets to review and update the Monetary Award Program (MAP) formula. A meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 28th in Deerfield to finalize this year’s formula. FY2003 presents challenging allocation decisions for the Commission related to MAP.

This year presented a difficult legislative session in which the Governor and General Assembly had to resolve a projected $1.3 billion revenue shortfall. The final FY2003 MAP appropriation was reduced $38 million from the previous year’s appropriation. Included in this reduction was the elimination of $20 million for awards to students who are considered fifth-year undergraduate students.

When the Commission meets this Friday, they will consider two further options. Neither is desirable compared to the level of funding provided to students in the past. Option 1 provides funding to students at the same level as last year’s MAP amount with an application deadline moved up from the end of August to the end of July. Option 2 would provide awards to more students with an application deadline of mid-August but all MAP awards would be reduced by 5% from last year’s funding levels. Both options eliminate MAP for fifth-year recipients.

Where can I access websites that list colleges and universities by price range?

Below is a list of websites which can be used to obtain information about colleges, universities, and their price ranges.

This website identifies colleges by location, major, tuition, sports and more.

www.petersons.com

These two websites provide search capabilities by tuition.

www.collegexpress.com/collegesearch/

apps.collegeboard.com/search/advhome.jsp

This website provides a form for choosing the criteria which fits your preference.

nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool/Search.asp

The first website allows a complete search to be completed, and the second has rankings listed.

www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/tools/cosearch_advanced.htm

www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/eduhome.htm

This website can be helpful in planning for college.

www.collegeboard.com

How do web-based classes compare to the traditional classroom?

Web-based courses are an excellent alternative for students who need a flexible class schedule and have the ability to work well outside the traditional classroom environment. Students participating in web-based courses will interact with the instructor and fellow classmates via the internet. In Midstate's case, weekly participation is expected, although students can log into the classroom any time, day or night. Technological support is available around the clock. The initial entrance requirements for distance classes are the same as entrance requirements for on-campus classes, and a certain grade point average must be maintained to stay in the program.

Where can I find help paying for college?

There are many grants, loans, and scholarships available to help students and their parents pay for college. The financial assistance office of the school you are interested in can help you determine if you qualify and in filling out the paper-work. Some of the sources available include:

Pell Grant, a federal grant that varies from year to year depending on annual government appropriations and student eligibility.

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need.

Federal Work Study Program gives students a chance to earn money to help pay their educational expenses.

Perkins Loan is a low-interest loan made through the school's financial assistance office.

Stafford Loans are federal loans secured through banks, savings & loan institutions, or credit unions.

Scholarships are gifts offered by community and civic organizations, as well as private businesses and corporations. They vary widely from one area to another and one school to another, so get all the details from the financial assistance personnel at your school.

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