Academic Financial Aid

NARRATOR:Listen to a conversation between a student and a financial-aid official.

FEMALE OFFICIAL:Hi, can I help you?

MALE STUDENT:Yes. Um, I'd like to get help with the, uh, you know, payment for my classes-ah some sort of financial aid.The-the problem is, I don't know much about it, so I don't really know where to begin...I saw this poster about work-study programs...can you tell me something about that?

FEMALE OFFICIAL:Well, I-I think you're talking about the government-sponsored work-study program.It works like this.You work on campus and get paid an hourly wage, just like a regular job.However, instead of getting a paycheck, the money goes directly to your bill for your courses.But, almost all work-study jobs pay minimum wage,which is usually pretty low.The truth is...you might do better getting a job off campus, since you can do whatever you want with the money, like paying your rent or-or buying textbooks.

MALE STUDENT:Thanks! That's very useful. So how do I find out what's out there?

FEMALE OFFICIAL:Let me show you our catalog of various programs, as well as scholarships offered here.That's your best bet, really, if you can find a good scholarship, because you don't have to pay the money back-you might qualify if your grades are good enough, or if you have the right background...

MALE STUDENT:Yeah, that sounds like something I should try for.

FEMALE OFFICIAL:Now, this is my desk copy of the catalog, but I can give you your own copy, if you want.Oh yeah, be sure to visit the university library, too. There's a whole section on financial aid, including application forms.

MALE STUDENT:Why isn't all the information listed in the catalog? It'd be so much easier.

FEMALE OFFICIAL:Oh, if we did that, the catalog would be too heavy to pick up!Civic clubs, foundations-organizations from all over the country offer scholarships or other financial assistance to college students.And all kinds of companies have programs to help their employees' children go to college.If either of your parents works for a large corporation, have them check to see if their companies do that.

MALE STUDENT:OK, good idea.Hey, my dad works for a big accounting firm, and he's a member of a professional accounting organization-do you think they'd offer financial aid?

FEMALE OFFICIAL:Yes, that's fairly common.Especially if you were planning to go into accounting ... what are you studying? What do you plan to do after you graduate?

MALE STUDENT:I wanna become a dentist. I'm enrolled in the pre-med program for dentistry.

FEMALE OFFICIAL:OK, so I'd suggest looking in the library for information on organizations that have to do with dentistry.Any number of them might offer scholarships to students planning to join their profession.

MALE STUDENT:[Excited; he’d rather get free money than work] I'll definitely investigate that one.

FEMALE OFFICIAL:Great, but be sure to talk to one of our librarians too.They get the same questions over and over, so they can save you a great deal of time.