programs Education

Introduction to the Compendium

Data appearing in this Compendium has been compiled from questionnaires sent earlier during the year to Admission Officers and Financial Aid Officers at the colleges and universities listed. This information may have been superseded by enactment of legislation at college, state and national levels after this Compendium was printed. Such legislation could affect both college costs and financial aid.

Further, all students may not be eligible for all the types of financial aid available which are discussed; availability and eligibility are determined by the Financial Aid Officer at a particular institution. Since approximately 90% of all financial aid available to students at the post-secondary level is channeled through the Financial Aid Officer, you, the student, must rely on his/her knowledge, specialized training, and expertise in the field of student financial assistance.

Street addresses and telephone numbers for colleges/universities have not been included in the Compendium. At many institutions the Financial Aid Office, the Admissions Office, and Scholarship Office each have different addresses and telephone numbers. Mail addressed to a college or university with only city, state, and zip code should reach the proper destination.

Regarding this Compendium, the headings under each college listed are self-explanatory, beginning with Requirements for Admission. This section may include which high school course units are required, which assessment tests are required, and the deadline dates for applying for admission. Remember these are "deadlines." You should not wait until the last day to apply!

It is fairly standard a completed application is required for admission. Many institutions, with the exception of those instituting their own Test-Optional policies, will also require test scores; e.g., "College Board-Scholastic Assessment Test" (SAT®) and/or related SAT®: Subject Tests scores. Others will require the ACT Assessment Test Administered by ACT, Inc. Some colleges require a departmental test; e.g., an Art Aptitude Test for the field of Commercial Art. If these tests are required, take them early in order to assure that your scores reach the college admission officer before the deadline date. See College Entrance Exam and Dates for information.

The summer after your junior year is an ideal time to take tests and begin the process of applying to various colleges and universities, for admission as well as financial aid.

The next section lists tuition and fees and estimated lump-sum totals of what it will cost you during an academic (9 months) year at the college, unless otherwise specified. Amounts listed for "Tuition and Fees" are for two 15 hour semester course loads. "On-Campus Budgets" include tuition and fees, room and board for on-campus housing, and estimated cost for books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. "Off-Campus Budgets" include the foregoing, except room and board is an estimated allowance for such costs as living in off-campus housing or living at home with parents, if indicated. A "Commuting Budget" would also include additional transportation costs between home and school, and should be used only if you do not intend to live in on-campus housing during the academic year.

The third section indicates which financial aids are available to you at each college. Generally, each institution has its own application form for requesting financial aid. This form must be obtained from the Financial Aid Officer at the college you wish to attend. Write to him/ her and request the application for financial aid. Some forms are long and involved. You should allow enough time to gather the information requested on the form, complete the form, and return it well in advance of the deadline date.

In addition to any specific institutional application forms, the "Free Application for Federal Student Aid" (FAFSA) is the form most Texas institutions require, and the most important. You must submit your FAFSA in order to be considered for federal student aid. Apply online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa beginning October 1 of your senior year. After completing and sending in the FAFSA form, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) which is used by the Financial Aid Officer to determine your financial need. The SAR will also tell you if you are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant. Some institutions also require a copy of your parents' and your income tax return. Take careful note of what is required and get it in early. Much work is required of the Financial Aid Officer in coordinating and arranging the financing of your college expenses.

To list each and every financial aid available at each and every college in Texas would require book-size publications. Each institution offers some form of financial aid: scholarships, grants, loans, and part-time work. When you apply for financial assistance at the particular college you seek to attend, you will be sent the application(s) for financial aid mentioned earlier, together with specifics on what aid is available. Most institutions will send a letter to the student listing names of programs and amounts of monies he/she has been granted after the file has been reviewed. These "Award Letters" will usually be sent out in late Spring or early Summer.

Should there be anything in the Compendium which is not clear to you, please consult with your counselor for clarification. Do not hesitate to contact us if we may be of assistance.

Student Aid Center
Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation
1250 N.E. Loop 410, Suite 810
San Antonio, Texas 78209-1539
(210) 525-8494

You may be interested to know that within our offices, is a complete and up-to-date collection of college catalogs from most senior colleges in the United States and from all colleges, junior and senior, throughout Texas. We also have an extensive collection of sources of financial aid which lists scholarships, fellowships and loans available from national, state, and local organizations, as well as a section devoted to a wide range of career opportunities. This vast array of information, and more, is available to you should you wish to visit our library.

If you want to go to college and are qualified, there is little reason why you cannot. This Compendium of Texas colleges and universities points out the requirements for getting into a particular college, how much it will cost, and how you might pay for it. We hope you will take full advantage of this information and; thereby, effect a more satisfying life for yourself through higher education.

THIS GENERAL INFORMATION APPLIES TO INCOMING FRESHMAN AT THE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY LEVEL.