Teacher College Comparison Project Example

My personal goals are to achieve high honors throughout high school, to be employed this summer, and later in life obtain my bachelor’s degree in elementary education. To become an elementary teacher I will be required to take courses on how to teach math, English, science, and social studies, as well as courses in human development, child psychology, curriculum design and literacy instruction. My academic strength is my ability to do well in English and math, specifically Algebra. My main weakness is history because I dislike having to memorize dates and events.

I value my family, religion, and friends. In my free time I enjoy reading, walking my dog, playing computer and video games, and volunteering at the Animal Friends Humane Society with my mother and, occasionally, even my younger sister. My family fully supports my career choice in teaching, though my Dad wishes I would pursue a career in pharmacy. My family doesn’t have any specific college preferences for my education. My parents have money invested for college tuition for me; financial need will depend on which school I choose to attend.

The worst-case scenario for college would be if I decided to attend Xavier University for $15,115 year. This would be for twelve to eighteen-credit hours as a full time student. If I decided to go to Xavier, I would need financial aid or a scholarship. I would apply for the St. Francis Xavier and Chancellor academic scholarships, Dean's, Buchman and Leadership Awards, and/or National Merit Scholarships. Each of these scholarships offers between $1,000 and $13,000, and is renewable each year.
Another tuition option would be to obtain a loan from Xavier’s William D. Ford Direct Loan Program. The amount ranges from $5,000 to $12,000 depending on if you are a dependent or independent and what year of college you are in.
I could also choose to be part of the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant. The TEACH grant is a federal grant program that awards $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary school.

The final option would be to apply for on campus student employment.

When I attend college in two years, I wish to attend a university that fits my needs. In my opinion the most important thing for a university to have is my major; either elementary education or middle age education. If a college does not offer my major, then there is no point in considering it. Another important aspect of a university is that it is commutable for me. I would choose a small or medium campus that offers a reduced student to teacher ratio. I would prefer that because if I start to fall behind I can obtain individualized assistance with the topic.
If I end up attending a school out of state, I would more than likely need to apply for scholarships, loans, and/or grants. In that event I would want to begin with scholarships because you don’t have to repay that money. My first choice would be an academic scholarship or one specifically designated for teaching. Some options would be Straightforward Media Teacher Scholarship, The Coca-Cola Foundation Teacher Scholarships, and/or Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation Scholarship.
When going to college if I needed a loan, it would depend on the college as some have programs that offer lower interest rates. Another option would be to secure a student loan through a lending institution. If the college I choose has a program that offered elementary or middle child education grants, then I could obtain financial aid through that college.
I would like to attend Miami University in Hamilton beginning in 2013. Miami has a major program in Middle Childhood Education, which allows you to teach math, English, science, and social studies for grades fourth through eighth. The Hamilton campus is located twenty-two minutes from my home and, therefore, easily commutable. Miami’s tuition for in state residents is affordable at $4,500 a year, plus an additional $1,460 for the required books and materials. Miami is a relatively small campus with about 4,489 students enrolled.
I have decided that when I go to college I want to attend a college that has my major, is commutable, a good student to teacher ratio, and is affordable. Completing this project has broadened the category has far as affordable goes, I now am aware of multiple scholarships and grants that I am capable of applying for, due to this I am now considering Xavier University. I hope to graduate college with minimal loans, so as to not be overweighed with debt when I start my new occupation.