Attention High School Seniors!
Horizons in Hemophilia, February 2010
By Alan Shier, LMSW, Social Worker
The class of 2010 will be graduating at a time when the job market is especially challenging. A high school diploma is essential but by itself is not always enough to compete in today’s job market. Unemployment among teens now stands at 40%. Young adults who don’t attend college or technical school often find themselves without health insurance coverage. Yikes! Let’s face it, when you have a bleeding disorder, health insurance is your best friend.
So it makes good sense to plan to further your education. Even a two-year program in a field that is in high demand can be a ticket to success. But at this point you might be wondering how to pay for higher education. Some of your options include:
Grants: Depending of your family’s income, you may qualify for a Pell Grant. A grant does not need to be paid back. Ask your high school guidance counselor about completing a form called “FAFSA” (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The federal government uses this form to determine your eligibility for college financial aid. Or you can visit: www.fafsa.ed.gov/ to check out the information on your own.
Loans: Student loans are sometimes necessary if other forms of financial aid fall short of covering educational expenses. However, they need to be paid back so I recommend keeping loans to a minimum. If you do need to borrow money for college, make sure you understand your repayment obligation. Depending on your expected future salary, it may not pay to take out loans at all.
Scholarships: Like grants, scholarships don’t need to be repaid. Some, like Georgia’s HOPE scholarship, are awarded based on academic performance. Others take into account financial need or medical conditions such as; you guessed it, bleeding disorders. Here’s a homework assignment: type hemophilia scholarships (or von Willebrand or bleeding disorder scholarships) into the browser on your laptop or cell phone and you’ll find a list to start investigating. Of course if you check out www.hog.org you will see that Hemophilia of Georgia offers the John Youtsey Memorial Scholarship. You can request an application by calling HoG at 770-518-8272 and asking for Patricia Williams.
Your HoG social worker is eager to advise you as you plan for your future. We are easy to reach and yes, we do make house calls. Hopefully, this article has encouraged you to get started today on your journey to an exciting career.