Backstage with Tracee
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away you dreamed about college, imagined the adventures you would have, the friends you would make, the place you would live, the parties you might attend and lived in blissful ignorance about what this beautiful future might cost. When your star cruiser landed on planet Earth, you came to realize that dream might be complicated by the cost of higher education. Never fear, as a self-proclaimed member of the rebel alliance and wannabe Jedi, I am here to help you navigate this complex, often intimidating part of the journey.
Let’s start with pure honesty on this topic: college is expensive. It’s also complicated and complex to both understand and navigate the cost because it’s not something you can fully determine or comprehend when you start your application process.
Over my years in this profession, I have assisted students with applying for financial aid, allocated scholarships, reviewed/granted appeals, and determined institutional admission and tuition goals. Even with all this knowledge and expertise, I still get confused. You are not alone, and there are many people who can support you in this process.
When navigating this process, it’s important to understand the big picture before getting lost in the weeds.
High level, here’s where to start:
• What is the estimated tuition and total cost of attendance before aid?
• Does the institution offer financial aid and scholarships?
The above are questions to ask as you begin your research and application process.
I want to pause here and give you some really important information/advice:
1. The actual cost of attendance will likely be less than what you find in your initial research.
2. Apply for the FAFSA*.
3. Apply for scholarships.
*Check here for FAFSA eligibility
When researching schools, the estimated cost of attendance does not tell the story of what you will pay after you receive scholarships and financial aid. Many universities have cost of attendance calculators, and I recommend using them as a tool, but remember they don’t always personalize the estimate to you. Depending on your financial aid eligibility and/or any scholarships you receive, your out-of-pocket expenses will be variable.
Most students don’t actually know their true cost of attendance until after they receive their admissions offer and financial aid award. This is especially true for performing arts students as there are often talent scholarships awarded. Here’s another moment for me to be a Star Wars nerd. As Yoda might say, ‘Wait, you must,” to receive all this information before making decisions.
What does this mean in the big picture? Don’t rule out the school because you think it will be too expensive. Focus first on applying, navigating the audition/interview process, and then once you have your decisions and award packages you can compare cost. When you reach this point, I encourage you to talk to admissions and financial aid representatives if you have any questions. If the cost is a bit too expensive, but you really want to attend that institution, sometimes you can also appeal for additional aid. Don’t close doors until you truly understand what is on the other side.
I am sure this still feels intimidating and overwhelming, and I want you to know I’m here to help and really dig into the details. My goal in this work is to break down barriers and support students as you pursue your dreams. Reach out to me any time if you want to learn more about the work we can do together, and stay tuned for more backstage tips. Remember to be bold, brave and confident. May the force be with you!