3 Tips for Earning College Scholarships

Are you planning on college and need scholarships to make that happen? We have some good news for you! There are thousands of great scholarships out there, and all you need to do is apply.

Here are three simple tips to get you started in your scholarship search to help you lower your college costs...

1. Apply for local scholarships: diocesan or parish scholarships such as Council of Catholic Women and Knights of Columbus, parent’s place of employment, Lions Club, Rotary Club, local credit unions, etc.

Here are just a few to start with:
https://www.kofc.org/en/what-we-do/scholarships/index.html 
http://www.clubscholarships.us/lions-club-scholarships/
https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/scholarships

2. Treat applying for scholarships like a part-time job: allocate a certain amount of time each week to research scholarship opportunities and apply for as many as you can. The earlier you start this process the better!

3. Inquire with the colleges regarding their financial aid options often and up until it is time for your first semester to begin: many colleges will offer institutional aid or scholarships. So, keep inquiring about any additional financial aid you may receive up until it is time for the semester to begin.

Free Webinar: The Value of a Catholic Liberal Arts Education

Catholic College Month continues at Homeschool Connections with free webinars for parents and students. All of the webinars are recorded, so you have two options. One, you can attend the live, interactive webinar so that you can ask the presenter questions and get answers right away. Second, you can watch a recording of the event at a convenient time for you.

The Long Term Value of Liberal Arts

(click on the title to register)

Presenter: Dr. David Williams of Belmont Abbey
Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Time: 8:00 pm Eastern
Webinar description:

o   Why Liberal Arts

o   What Liberal Arts does for a  career

o   The unique experience of Belmont Abbey College Liberal Arts

o   The impact of our monastery on the educational experience

o   The Honors Program/Hintemeyer/Thomas More programs

o   The experiential aspects of those programs.

About our presenter: Dr. David M. Williams is the Interim Dean for Academic Affairs at Belmont Abbey College. After earning doctorates in Political Science and Theology, he came to the College as a member of the theology department in 1999. Dr. Williams has served the College in a variety of capacities: as Chair of the Theology Department, and of the Government & Political Philosophy Department, as Chair of the Professional Affairs Committee which reviews applications for tenure and promotion, and as Chair of the Faculty Assembly. Together with Donald Beagle, the Director of Library Services, Dr. Williams was instrumental in the development of the College’s Quality Enhancement Plan, Promoting Information Literacy Over Time (PILOT), as a way of helping students learn to navigate the many streams of information that deluge the 21st century.

How to Prepare Your Homeschool Transcript for College Admission

Catholic College Month is back! We are planning a whole series of free webinars for parents throughout the month of October. We will be posting detailed information about the individual webinars here on the blog over the next several days. To see a complete list, along with a link for registration, please visit:
Homeschool Connections College Month

Our first webinar will be ...

How to Create a Masterful College Transcript

(Click on the title and then click on the Participate Now button to register)

Bring your questions and interact with our presenter at this live event.  
If you cannot make the designated day/time still register. You will then be sent a link the next day to the recording of the event to watch on your own time.

Presenter: Lacy de la Garza, Homeschool Admission Counselor, University of Dallas
Date: Monday, October 13, 2014
Time: 8:00 pm Eastern (7:00 Central; 6:00 Mountain; 5:00 Pacific)
Webinar description: Ever wondered how to create a transcript for college applications? Join Lacy from the University of Dallas as she uncovers how to give an accurate picture of what your student has accomplished in high school. She will discuss using an accredited vs. a non-accredited curriculum, taking co-op classes, taking dual credit classes, and how to keep records through high school to prepare for college applications.

About our presenter:  Lacy de la Garza is the Homeschool Admission Counselor for the University of Dallas. Lacy was homeschooled K-12 with a variety of homeschool programs, all prior to graduating from the University of Dallas in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Having been on both sides of the application process, she offers a unique perspective for homeschool students applying to colleges. Lacy is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Psychology, also from the University of Dallas.

Free Webinars: Preparing Your Homeschooler for College

Refresh! Midwinter Virtual Conference

Katherine O'Brien of Celtic College Consultants will be hosting a series of free webinars designed to help you prepare your children for college enrollment. She'll be tackling the FAFSA, the ACT and SAT tests, and more. Here are the three talks we've scheduled with descriptions and links to register:

FAFSA and PROFILE Tips and Tricks: College Financial Aid Form Help

(click on webinar title to register)

Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Starting time: 8:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (7:00 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Presenter: Katherine O'Brien
Webinar description: Eighty percent of FAFSA forms are still filled with errors, according the the Department of Education. How can you file correctly? I'll identify the most common errors, and teach you how to avoid them. After all, the sooner your financial aid application is in, the more money your chosen school(s) will have available to award you!

Join us for this informative session to get the most $$$ for your student's education!

ACT/PLAN and SAT/PSAT Scores: What Do They Mean and How Do We Prepare?

(click on webinar title to register)

Date: Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Starting time: 8:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (7:00 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Presenter: Katherine O'Brien
Webinar description: In this webinar, we will explore the PSAT and PLAN tests and why (or why not) your student(s) should take them. We will also discuss the ACT and SAT and their similarities and differences. Lastly, we will explore the various methods of preparing for the tests, and which types of students do best with each method.

College Prep Basics for Parents of Children From Newborn to Eighteen

(click on webinar title to register)

Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Starting time: 8:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (7:00 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Presenter: Katherine O'Brien
Webinar description: Research has shown that children decide whether they will go to college before they are ten years old. What factors shape that desire in children? This webinar will discuss how we and prepare our children to be lifelong learners and successful college students. It will also briefly discuss a few financial considerations so we can support our college applicants when the time comes.

Presenter biography: Since 2004, Katherine O'Brien, MA CCPS has been serving families all over the US as they prepare their children and their finances for college. A holistic planner, Katherine combines college selection, student preparation, financial aid, and alternative funding strategies to help each student and family achieve college success.

Katherine earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University and an MA in Catholic Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is the mother of six children, ranging from 7 to 17. She is in her 13th year of homeschooling. She is a Boy Scout leader and serves at her parish as well.

Note: Attendance is limited. If it fills up, you will be placed on a wait list. All webinars are recorded and made available for free viewing within 24 hours.

Refresh! Midwinter Virtual Conference

(click above for these and other awesome webinars -- all free!)

How Do I Make a Homeschool Transcript for College?

Recorded webinar: 

The Art of Bragging: 

Building Your College Application and Transcript

The live webinar (online seminar) went wonderfully. In case you didn't make it, we've made the recording available for you.

I highly encourage this webinar, especially if you're homeschooling high school. This is a great presentation to learn how to create your child's transcript and prepare for the application process. Drew Johnson, Admissions Counselor for the University of Dallas, does an excellent job of giving you exactly the tools you need.

Just click on the hyperlink above and the recording should start in a minute or two.

Title: The Art of Bragging: Building Your College Application and Transcript
Description: Worried about building the transcript? Have questions about applications? Drew Johnson breaks down the parts of the application and teaches you how to build a transcript using real world examples. He answers many common questions on applying to colleges and helps you prepare questions to ask your admission counselor. Concerns such as state laws, curriculum requirements, and are also addressed.
Presenter: Drew Johnson

Paying for College: Plans for Families with Young Children

UPDATE: The webinar went great! You can watch the free recorded event here: Paying for College: Plans for Families with Young Children.

Katherine O'Brien, MA CCPS of Celtic College Consulting has presented several free webinars for Homeschool Connections in the past and she is a treasure trove of information when it comes to information regarding planning for college funding.

This particular free webinar will deal specifically with how create a college plan while your children are young.

Paying for College: Plans for Families with Young Children

(click on title to register)

Date: Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Starting time: 8:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (7:00 pm, Central)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Presenter: Katherine O'Brien, MA CCPS
Description: College costs are daunting! We will address some of the pitfalls of saving for college and outline effective ways to save. It is important to maintain financial aid eligibility AND save. Knowing how to save makes all the difference. Katherine is eager to share her knowledge and experience with other Catholic families, especially those interested in sending their children to the Newman Guide schools. So, get a cup of tea and a pad of paper, hear some stories, learn a lot, and get inspired to create a college fund for your children.
Presenter biography: Katherine O'Brien has a BS in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University and an MA in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is also a certified College Planning Specialist with five years' experience helping families prepare for college. As a mother of six, she understands the need to save for college - and the challenge to do it! With eleven years' homeschooling experience, she also understands the homeschooling lifestyle.

College Connections: Free Recorded Webinars for Parents & Students

Thinking about college for the kids? The grandkids? We hosted a number of free webinars recently to help you with that task. Here are links to the recordings of the events, which are also free.

• Paying for College Without Breaking the Bank
• How to build a legacy of love and learning: a webinar on grandparents and college funding
• Meet Benedictine College
• Meet Franciscan University of Steubenville
• Meet St. Mary's Student Center at Texas A&M University
• Meet University of St. Thomas
• Meet University of Dallas
• Meet Thomas Aquinas College
• Meet Wyoming Catholic College
• Meet Ave Maria University

Benedictine College in Kansas

College Month is almost at an end. I know, it's sad, but we'll do it again next year. In the meantime, join us for our final free webinar and let's go out with bang. Our final College Month free webinar will be with Benedictine College.

I've had the privilege to work with two of Benedictine's professors who teach for Homeschool Connections and have been quite impressed. Benedictine wasn't on my radar before meeting Dr. Jean Rioux (philosophy) and Dr. David Harris (economics). However, Benedictine is definitely on the Wittmann short list of colleges now, especially since learning that they're starting a nursing school.

I hope you all will join me in learning more about Benedictine College. Here's all the information you need. (Just click on the title below to register.)

Meet and Greet Benedictine College

Session date: Thursday, December 10, 2009
Starting time: 8:30 pm, Eastern Standard Time (New York, GMT-05:00)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Presenters: Father Brendan Rolling, Joe Wurtz, and Peter Helgelsen
Description: Fr. Brendan Rolling, Director of Mission and Ministry, Joe Wurtz, Dean of Students, and Pete Helgesen, Dean of Enrollment Management will host a webinar to introduce you and your family to the mission of Benedictine College. We hope you are able to join us!

How Grandparents Can Help with College Funding

Katherine O'Brien, MA CCPS of Celtic Consulting has presented a couple of free webinars for Homeschool Connections in the past and she is a treasure trove of information when it comes to information regarding planning for college funding.

This particular free webinar will deal specifically with how grandparents and others can help a family with college funding. Make sure to invite anone who would like to know more in this area. I'm looking forward to it myself.

Please click on the title below to register:

College Planning: How to build a legacy of love and learning: A webinar on grandparents and college funding

Session date: Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Starting time: 8:30 pm, Eastern Standard Time (7:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Presenter: Katherine O'Brien, MA CCPS
Fee: FREE

Description:
We want to share our love and our values with our grandchildren. How can we best make gifts to our kids and grandkids to support the grandchildrens’ college educations? There are ways grandparents can exercise their generosity which can interfere with the child’s eligibility for financial aid. There are better strategies to reduce one’s estate in favor of one’s grandchildren. This workshop will cover the basics of those strategies thus enabling grandparents to get the most bang for their bucks.

Presenter's biography:
Katherine is an eleven year homeschool veteran with six children. She earned her BS Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University and an MA Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. She founded Celtic College Consultants in 2004 and has been helping students and their families make their college dreams come true without breaking their banks. Katherine holds the Certified College Planning Specialist designation from the NICCP. NICCP advisors are professionals with extensive training and continuing education in college financial planning. She also belongs to the Western Association for College Admissions Counseling. She has expertise both in admissions and college funding.

St. Mary's Student Center at Texas A&M University

UPDATE: The live event was great. You can watch the recording click here: St. Mary's Student Center at A&M Texas

Catholic College Month continues!

Meet St. Mary's Student Center at Texas A&M University

Session date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Starting time: 4:00 pm, Eastern Standard Time (3:00 pm, Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Presenter: Marcel Lejune

Description:
Please join us to learn about St. Mary's Catholic Center - the largest Catholic campus ministry in the country and generally regarded as one of the best, if not the best.

Firmly planted in faith and proximity to Texas A&M University deep in the heart of Texas, St. Mary's Student Center is a wonderful place for Catholics to grow in their faith while attending a public university. Evidence by multiple vocations a year St. Mary's Student Center is vibrantly active community.

Gig 'em and God bless!

Presenter's biography: Marcel LeJeune is the Assistant Director of Campus Ministry at St. Mary's. He oversees the Pastoral Team and the Catholic Center ministries and programs. He holds a Master of Theological Studies, specializing in Pastoral Theology, from Ave Maria University and a Bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University '95.

Meet University of St. Thomas

If you visit UST's website, you'll find a webpage deicated just for homeschoolers. I'm told they are a very homeschool-friendly university. Perhaps that is partly due to the fact that Dominic Aquila, UST vice president for Academic Affairs, and his wife, Diane, are the proud parents of 11 home-schooled children.(Read about their family.) Dr. Aquila will be joining us next week, along with Arthur Ortiz, to fill us all in on what we want to know about the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas.

This webinar, like all of our webinars, will be a very interactive experience where you can ask all the questions you like of Dr. Aquila and Mr. Ortiz. I hope you all will be joining me at this informative event.

To register, simply click on the title below then scroll down to fill in the registration blanks.

Meet UST - The University of St. Thomas, Houston

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Time: 8:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (7:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour

About UST:
The excellence of University of St. Thomas’ programs continue to hinge on one-to-one engagement between faculty and students and the academic leadership of our faculty. Our students are well prepared to go out into the world to take their place as leaders of faith and character. We will continue to grow, to promote academic excellence, and to enhance our service to our community until we take our place among the best universities in the world.

So come and learn more about us!

Presenters' Biographies:
Arthur Ortiz is the Associate Director of Admissions for UST and has been in college admissions for 10 years. Arthur has given presentation at state and national higher education conferences regarding the value of recruiting home school students. A cradle Catholic, Arthur also oversees the Adult Catechism program at his parish - Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.

Dr. Dominic A. Aquila was named Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs on Dec. 1, 2008. He most recently served as Dean of Arts and Sciences from July, 2007 to the present. He brings to the University of St. Thomas 26 years of experience in public and private higher education. Among the institutions he has served are The Rochester Institute of Technology, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Empire State College of the State University of New York, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ave Maria College and the University of Saint Francis (Fort Wayne, Indiana). Dr. Aquila took his Bachelors Degree in Music from The Juilliard School, the MBA from New York University, and his Doctorate in History from the University of Rochester and the University of South Africa. Before his career in higher education, Dr. Aquila performed as a percussionist with the New York City Opera, the American Ballet Theatre, the American Symphony Orchestra, the New York and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestras and a number of Broadway shows. He also managed the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Garth Fagan’s Dance Theatre. In June 2007 he received the Spes Nostra Award for service to Catholic Education from the National Association for Private and Independent Catholic Schools. Dr. Aquila and his wife, Diane, are parents of 11 children.

Meet UST - The University of St. Thomas, Houston

Meet University of Dallas

We are midway through Catholic College Month here at Homeschool Connections. Yay! We have been having a blast bringing America's best Catholic colleges to your living rooms. Next up is University of Dallas and I'm pretty excited about this one. I have a friend who has sent a number of her children to U of D and she can't rave enough about the university so I'm looking forward to learning more straight from their admissions officials.

To register for this free event, simply click on the webinar title below and scroll down to registration form. I look forward to seeing you all there!

University of Dallas: Preserving Western Tradition through Intellectually Rigorous Catholicism

Date: Monday, November 9, 2009
Time: 7:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (6:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

About U of D:
University of Dallas was founded to preserve the Western and Catholic Intellectual Traditions through an intense dialogue of faith and reason. Founders Donald and Louise Cowan nurtured a Great Books curriculum with rigorous inquiry becoming nationally recognized for its commitment to authentic liberal arts and highly ranked sciences and business. UD is true to Ex Corde Ecclesiae, informed by the Cistercians and Dominicans, and has a 40 year tradition of studying in Rome. One of a few with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter and the most NM Finalists per capita of any Catholic school for four years. Veritatem, Justitiam Diligite.

Presenter's Biography:
Drew Johnson is an alumnus (’08) of the University of Dallas with a B.A. in Psychology and concentrations in Theology and Spanish. Raised near Billings, Montana, he attended public and Catholic schools. He converted during high school and was active in UD’s campus ministry. Drew works with all homeschoolers and the Northern Great Plains and Rockies.

University of Dallas: Preserving Western Tradition through Intellectually Rigorous Catholicism

TAC ... Again!

Thomas Aquinas College's meet and greet webinar went fantastic and we're going to do it again!

Please come join us and learn about one of the leaders of Catholic higher education:

Just click on the title below to register:

Thomas Aquinas College A sweeping tour of the greatest and most influential works of Western Civilization

Session date: Monday, October 26, 2009
Starting time: 8:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time
Cost: FREE
Duration: 1 hour
Presenters: Jon Daly and Greg Becher

Description:
Jon Daly, Director of Admission, will introduce the College’s program of genuine Catholic liberal education where “Great Books” replace textbooks and seminar discussions replace lectures. He will also explain how College faculty lead small seminar discussions on seminal works across the disciplines—science, math, language, music, literature, philosophy and theology—and address student life, alumni careers and questions which arise as the presentation pro ceeds!

Greg Becher, Director of Financial Aid, will also participate in the webinar and will introduce and explain the College’s generous and well-ranked financial aid program.

No college ranking system can offer the full measure of an institution, however, each can help to introduce aspects of an institution. Among others, Thomas Aquinas College has regularly earned high praise from many and varied sources including The Princeton Review (where it earned the “Best Value” ranking in both 2009 and 2010), U.S. News & World Report, the Cardinal Newman Society and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. You are invited to read these and other reviews on our website, www.thomasaquinas.edu.

Agenda:
"A sweeping tour of the greatest and most influential works of Western Civilization." (--National Review).

Please join us for a live presentation and discussion of Thomas Aquinas College’s unique program of Catholic liberal education. The College’s Admissions Director, Jon Daly will explain Thomas Aquinas College’s “great books” curriculum and Socratic teaching method, and provide information about student life outside the classrooms. Greg Becher, the College’s Financial Aid Director will describe the College’s generous and well-ranked financial aid program. Thomas Aquinas College is ranked by The Princeton Review as one of the "Top 50" academic programs in the country, and is one of only 13 schools in the country to be named to The Princeton Review’s "Financial Aid Honor Roll." It is truly a “best buy.” Students at Thomas Aquinas College engage firsthand a curriculum made up entirely of the “great books” — the seminal works upon which Western civilization is founded. The students discuss these great works in daily seminars led by members of the teaching faculty. These conversations encourage independence of thought in students and aid them in developing a capacity for critical judgment. Complementing this stimulating and rigorous intellectual life are ample opportunities for recreation. The College is bordered by the Los Padres National Forest — students are just minutes from hiking, camping, and myriad other outdoor recreational activities. The College also has basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts, and a baseball and soccer field. Intramural and pick-up games are daily events. The campus itself has a beautiful forested area with walking trails, ponds, and meadows to help students relax after classes. Outings to the many museums, plays, concerts, and baseball games in nearby Santa Barbara and Los Angeles are scheduled regularly, and the Pacific Ocean is only 25 minutes from the campus.

Meet Ave Maria University

Ave Maria University is on schedule for this Thursday. Join us to learn more about this orthodox Catholic university in beautiful Florida where they built a town around Ave Maria.

Please click on the title below to register:

Meet Ave Maria University

Session date: Thursday, October 29, 2009
Starting time: 7:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (6:00 pm Central)
Duration: 1 hour
Cost: FREE
Presenter: Jason Fabaz

Description:
Come learn more about Ave Maria, a classical liberal arts university in the Catholic tradition in beautiful SW Florida. 10 priests on campus, 3 Daily Masses, daily Confessions, Perpetual Adoration Chapel, Traditional Latin Mass 3 days per week, avg. class size is 17 students, student/faculty ratio: 10:1 92% of faculty has Ph.D. or terminal degree. 10 majors in the classical liberal arts; 3 pre-profession programs: pre-med, pre-law & a certificate of business. 11 athletic teams competing in the NAIA. Over 35 student clubs & organizations.

From the presenter:
I’d love for you to come visit the campus, call or email anytime! Jason Fabaz Assistant Director of Admissions Ave Maria University 5050 Ave Maria Blvd. Ave Maria, FL 34142 239-280-2480 direct line 239-450-1440 cell phone 239-280-2559 fax 1-877-AVE-UNIV (283-8648) http://www.avemaria.edu/ jason.fabaz@avemaria.edu

Meet Wyoming Catholic

UPDATE: The webinar went fantastic! To view the recording of the event just go to Meet Wyoming Catholic College.

This is a busy week for Catholic College Month and I hope you're all up to it. You have the opportunity to meet three great Catholic colleges. Tonight is TAC, Thursday is Ave Maria, and sandwiched in between is Wyoming Catholic College.

If you've not yet heard of Wyoming Catholic, or just haven't explored deeply it as a possibility, I strongly encourage you to join us Wednesday evening. This is your opportunity to speak, listen, and learn.

Just click on the title below to register:

Wyoming Catholic College: Blazing New Trails in Catholic Higher Education

Session date: Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Starting time: 8:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (7:30 Central)
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cost: FREE
Presenter: Mario Coccia

Description:
Learn about Wyoming Catholic College! Wyoming Catholic College is a four-year coeducational Catholic college whose primary educational objective is to offer a traditional liberal arts education that schools the whole person in all three dimensions—mind, body, and spirit. We accomplish this by immersing our students in the beauty of the outdoors, by introducing them to the wisdom of Western tradition and thought as found in the Great Books and Good Books of the past millennia, and by making the best of the Catholic spiritual heritage part of the rhythm of daily life in our close College community. Students graduate with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts.

This unique combination of educational spheres results in graduates who know there is truth and how to seek it, know how to think clearly and express their thoughts eloquently, know how to learn and expect to find delight in learning throughout their lives, and know how to attain a great measure of happiness by a moral life led in relationship with God.

Presenter's Biography:
After working many years in healthcare marketing in NY and NJ, Mario Coccia moved with my family to Austria to pursue advanced degrees in theology and was appointed Assistant Dean of that school. Mario joined WCC in 2007 and live in Wyoming with my wife and 5 children while completing a doctorate in theology.

Meet Thomas Aquinas College

Up next for Catholic College Month is Thomas Aquinas College in beautiful Southern California. If you are not familiar with TAC then you absolutely must make time and join us Monday evening for this free webinar. Gosh, I think all the smartest people I know are TAC grads. Plus, their whole pedagogical approach is Socratic discussion which I love. You read Great Books and then sit around and talk about them. That is my kind of place!

Just click on the title below to register:

Thomas Aquinas College A sweeping tour of the greatest and most influential works of Western Civilization

Session date: Monday, October 26, 2009
Starting time: 8:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time
Cost: FREE
Duration: 1 hour
Presenters: Jon Daly and Greg Becher

Description:
Jon Daly, Director of Admission, will introduce the College’s program of genuine Catholic liberal education where “Great Books” replace textbooks and seminar discussions replace lectures. He will also explain how College faculty lead small seminar discussions on seminal works across the disciplines—science, math, language, music, literature, philosophy and theology—and address student life, alumni careers and questions which arise as the presentation pro ceeds!

Greg Becher, Director of Financial Aid, will also participate in the webinar and will introduce and explain the College’s generous and well-ranked financial aid program.

No college ranking system can offer the full measure of an institution, however, each can help to introduce aspects of an institution. Among others, Thomas Aquinas College has regularly earned high praise from many and varied sources including The Princeton Review (where it earned the “Best Value” ranking in both 2009 and 2010), U.S. News & World Report, the Cardinal Newman Society and the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. You are invited to read these and other reviews on our website, www.thomasaquinas.edu.

Agenda:
"A sweeping tour of the greatest and most influential works of Western Civilization." (--National Review).

Please join us for a live presentation and discussion of Thomas Aquinas College’s unique program of Catholic liberal education. The College’s Admissions Director, Jon Daly will explain Thomas Aquinas College’s “great books” curriculum and Socratic teaching method, and provide information about student life outside the classrooms. Greg Becher, the College’s Financial Aid Director will describe the College’s generous and well-ranked financial aid program. Thomas Aquinas College is ranked by The Princeton Review as one of the "Top 50" academic programs in the country, and is one of only 13 schools in the country to be named to The Princeton Review’s "Financial Aid Honor Roll." It is truly a “best buy.” Students at Thomas Aquinas College engage firsthand a curriculum made up entirely of the “great books” — the seminal works upon which Western civilization is founded. The students discuss these great works in daily seminars led by members of the teaching faculty. These conversations encourage independence of thought in students and aid them in developing a capacity for critical judgment. Complementing this stimulating and rigorous intellectual life are ample opportunities for recreation. The College is bordered by the Los Padres National Forest — students are just minutes from hiking, camping, and myriad other outdoor recreational activities. The College also has basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts, and a baseball and soccer field. Intramural and pick-up games are daily events. The campus itself has a beautiful forested area with walking trails, ponds, and meadows to help students relax after classes. Outings to the many museums, plays, concerts, and baseball games in nearby Santa Barbara and Los Angeles are scheduled regularly, and the Pacific Ocean is only 25 minutes from the campus.

Francican University Steubenville

Addendum: The live webinar with FUS went fantastic. You may watch the recording at Meet Franciscan University.

Catholic College Month is under way. The webinar on how to pay for college without breaking your bank account went great! It's never too early to start planning! If you'd like to view the recording just click on How to Pay for College.

Next up for Catholic College Month is Meet and Greet Franciscan University of Steubenville. This is a terrific opportunity to meet firsthand (electronically at least) FUS's key admissions officials:

Franciscan University of Steubenville Catholic? Absolutely! Typical? Not Even Close!

Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Time: 3:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-04:00)
Duration: 1 hour
Presenters: Margaret Weber and Joel Recznik

Description: A Catholic liberal arts school, Franciscan University of Steubenville integrates strong academic programs and a lively faith environment, educating and forming men and women of hope to be a transforming presence in the Church and the world. This attractive combination draws over 2,400 students from all 50 states and 15 foreign countries. Students choose from over 40 undergraduate and 7 graduate programs, and a popular study abroad program in Austria. Faith households -- small groups of male or female students -- provide positive peer support, while confession, daily Mass, eucharistic adoration, and Festivals of Praise encourage students to pursue ongoing personal conversion in the power of the Holy Spirit. A Great Books Honors Program, NCAA Division III and intramural sports, Works of Mercy and Missions of Peace, and a Human Life Studies Minor are among the many additional opportunities found at Franciscan. Franciscan University is Academically Challenging and Passionately Catholic.

Presenters Biographies: Mrs. Margaret Weber has served Franciscan University of Steubenville in the Admissions Department for over 26 years. The last 18 years she has been the Director of Admissions. Margaret and her husband Gregory have two sons who are graduates of Franciscan University a daughter who is currently a junior.

Mr. Joel Recznik has served Franciscan University of Steubenville for 23 years, and the last 8 have been as VP for Enrollment. Joel and his wife Joan have 12 children and their three oldest are currently attending Franciscan University.

Seating for this event is limited so enroll soon!

Catholic College Month Update

We've scheduled a few more colleges and universities for Catholic College Month. This event is open to all families interested in Catholic higher education. It is also a tremendous opportunity to meet first hand (electronically, at least) with key admissions officials at some of the great Catholic universities and colleges in the country, and it's FREE!

Here is the schedule thus far:

• How to Pay for College Without Breaking the Bank October 5 @ 8:30 p.m. ET
  
• Meet Franciscan University on October 21 @ 3 p.m. ET
• Meet Wyoming Catholic College on October 28 @ 8:30 p.m. ET
• Ave Maria University on October 29 @ 8:00 p.m. ET
  
• Meet Christendom College on November 5 @ 8:30 p.m. ET
• Meet University of St. Thomas (Houston, TX) on November 10 @ 8:30 p.m. ET
• University of Dallas on November 9 @ 7:30 p.m. ET
  

Catholic College Month: Your Chance to Give Us Your Input

I need your input. Remember a few days ago I mentioned Catholic College Month? Well, the response has been terrific. I've been notified by a large number of good Catholic colleges and universities over the past few days who would like to participate.

Here's how you can help: I need to know what topics and what colleges you want to hear about. Please take a couple of minutes to complete this survey: Catholic College Webinars. There are only four questions to complete, but I can't tell you how much that would help everyone involved in this ever growing project. Please tell all your friends!

Thank you!

Catholic College Month

October is Catholic College Month at Homeschool Connections. We are in the midst of scheduling a number of free webinars on the topic of preparing for our children's college years.

On the calendar so far:

How to Pay for College Without Going Broke
http://tinyurl.com/affordcollege
Monday, Oct. 5, 2009, 8:30 PM Eastern
Presented by: Katherine O'Brien of Celtic College Consultants
http://www.celticcollegeconsultants.com/

Franciscan University of Steubenville Catholic? Absolutely! Typical? Not Even Close!
http://tinyurl.com/meetfus
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009, 3:00 PM Eastern
Presented by: Margaret Weber and Joel Recznik
http://franciscan.edu/

Wyoming Catholic College: Blazing New Trails in Catholic Higher Education
http://tinyurl.com/meetwyoming
Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 8:30 Eastern
Presented by: Mario Coccia
http://www.wyomingcatholiccollege.com/