How much should you borrow?

College acceptance letters are being mailed, and many seniors are receiving letters from the office of financial aid from these institutions. These letters are telling parents how much tuition and other fees are going to cost per year, and what type of financial aid their child may be eligible for. Often, loans are an integral part of the financial aid package. Most people borrow money to attend college, but with changes in the economy, borrowing too much can be a costly decision.

In Jeff Smith's website, yourpathahead.com, you can estimate how much money you should borrow based on your major. This information is based on starting salary and average median salary. For example, for students majoring in education, no more than $23,500 should be borrowed. "Exceeding these guidelines will result in lower standards of living," Smith states in his book, Your Path Ahead. This is not engraved in stone, however, Smith takes a look at cost of living vs. salary, showing what is a realistic amount of money to borrow without going into too much debt.

It's a good idea to compare financial aid packages from each institution. Make sure to complete the FAFSA as early as possible in January, 2014, and attend Landrum High School's Financial Aid Night on January 27th.

You may have more Job Experience than you think

Recently I was in classes teaching students how to write a resume and complete a job application. The common thread I found amongst all of the students was that they didn't see the volunteer work or community service that they had performed as actual job experience. Babysitting, taking care of lawns, volunteering within the church, these were just a few of the valuable experiences students shared with me that they almost left off of their resume.

A common misconception is that an experience isn't actual job experience if a paycheck isn't involved. Wrong! If you volunteer, you perform job duties, you have a supervisor, and you gain actual work experience. You have a reference who can attest to your work ethic.These are the type of experiences to tout on a resume, not omit.

Shelving items at Hospice Thrift Barn, stuffing envelopes at your church, or building houses on a mission trip are work experiences. Even if you didn't get a paycheck and you may have volunteered for a limited amount of time, these are important skills that you learned that need to be highlighted on your resume. Let those potential employers know how dynamic you are!

If you need assistance with writing a resume, make an appointment to see your school counselor. 

Mark Your Calendars!

On February 6th at 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Landrum High School is hosting an event related to jobs and skills needed for the future, and why furthering education at a community college is beneficial. Parents and Students will learn more about Spartanburg Community College degree programs, the shift in the job market, jobs that are in demand, and the skills that are needed to obtain a job. We are aware that many of today’s “hot jobs” require training at a technical or community college, and we want our community to understand the benefits of post-secondary education at institutions like these.

Our program will include a few guest speakers who will address these topics. These guest speakers include: Mr. David Cordeau, CEO of Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Scott Simpkins, Director of Swofford Career Center, and Mr. Luke Black, Director of Recruiting at Spartanburg Community College.  After their presentations, parents/students will have the opportunity to visit our gym to meet with faculty from Swofford Career Center, local business owners, and representatives from Spartanburg Community College.

These representatives will be available to answer any questions and distribute pertinent information. This interaction will assist our students/parents in learning more about career opportunities at Swofford Career Center, SCC, and in the local community.

In addition to learning about these exciting career opportunities, students/parents will also learn about the registration process at Landrum High School.

So mark this date/time down on your calendar! We hope to see you there!