Financial Planning Tools for Students’ Higher Education

Written by KIPP LA | May 16, 2017 12:04:03 AM

KIPP SoCal's Family Ambassadors and KIPP Through College (KTC) counselors are dedicated to supporting families preparing for college with community events, counseling, and financial planning resources.

Photo Credit: Arpit Mehta

KIPP SoCal Family Ambassadors Prepare Families for the Future

The KIPP LA Family Ambassadors, a group of dedicated parents of KIPP LA students, recently hosted the KIPP LA Parent Summit: Our Children Are College Bound for families in the LA region preparing for their children’s future college education.

The event was held in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, April 29th and included panels on Parent Choice and Financial Literacy: Saving for College.

LAUSD Board Members Mónica García and Ref Rodriguez welcomed the attendees and spoke of the importance of quality education. Board Member Rodriguez commented on the significance of events like these, sharing that “my own parents expected more of me and made sacrifices, so that I could have a good education. An excellent education is every student’s right. We must continue to fight together to ensure that this right manifests into an everyday reality for our young people.”

Other panelists included Parent Revolution Director of Programming, Mehul Patel. Parent Revolution empowers parents to advocate for a quality education for their children, children in their communities, and for all children. Parent Revolution’s Choice4LA is a free service helping families find great schools for their children. Eugenia Soto of the Youth Policy Institute, a national nonprofit organization targeting anti-poverty and youth related issues, shared her advice on saving for college. Team and Family members of the KIPP Community, including KIPP LA alumni and KTC counselors, were also represented on the panels.

KIPP Through College Counselors Provide College Tuition Resources

Many of the questions raised at the event by families revolved around college tuition payment options and best practices. KIPP LA’s KTC team shared some of their helpful tips and valuable financial resources below.

Helpful Tips for Scholarships and Financial Aid Applications:

  • Students need to make a list of scholarships they would be eligible for as early as possible.
  • Organize all applications by the deadline and collect all necessary materials.
  • Have at least two other people read and review applications, including personal essays.
  • Treat each application with care.
  • Students should apply to as many scholarships as they are eligible for.
  • Don’t wait until the last minute to apply.

Scholarship Search Databases:

Financial Aid Resources:

And remember, if you are a KIPP SoCal alum, the KTC counselors are here to help! This year alone, they have advised our KIPPsters in securing scholarships and financial aid for top schools across the country like MIT, Georgetown, Duke, Wellesley, and Smith College.

Contact the KTC team at ktc@kippla.org.   

KTC Assistance Includes:

  • Support in completing financial aid applications.
  • Application reviews to ensure families are receiving the most money from schools each year.
  • Help to find and apply for scholarships, fellowships, and grants to cover the costs of college.
  • Personalized feedback on scholarship essays.
  • KTC annual Tuition Scholarship.

Juniors in high school should start developing their scholarship and financial aid plans now for next year. Sign up for our email list and visit our KTC Resources for Alumni & Parents page for additional information.

There are over $3 billion in scholarship money available each year. Be sure you are utilizing all available options as you climb the mountain to and through college!

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