Join Rend Lake College in celebrating National College Savings Month this September by getting a start on your higher education journey! This national observance serves as a reminder on the importance of planning and saving for future college costs.
College Savings Month was established in 2003 to encourage students and their families to explore options to make higher education more affordable. RLC provides students opportunities to ease their financial burden, like the Raise A Warrior microscholarship program and scholarships thorough its Foundation. An outside resource that many take advantage of is the 529 college savings plan.
A 529 college savings plan is a state-sponsored investment plan that allows students and families to save for education expenses. The main advantage of a typical 529 plan is that savings are not subject to federal tax and, generally, state tax when used for the qualified education expenses, such as tuition, fees, books, etc.
According to BlackRock, Inc., the sooner you invest, the more likely your 529 plan account will gain in value and grow to the amount needed to cover most, if not all, college expenses.
RLC offers a unique opportunity for in-district students with the Raise a Warrior microscholarship program. This program allows in-district students in 3rd through 12th grades to earn up to 2,000 points—which can be used as credit up to $2,000—towards tuition, fees, books and supplies upon matriculation to RLC.
Parents may register their students on the microscholarship website and update their point total each quarter through periodic forms. Points may be earned through a variety of curricular, extracurricular and community activities. The points earned by any student are capped at an aggregate of 2,000 points. These points will be applied as “last dollar” credit after all other forms of financial aid have been applied to the student’s account.
Let RLC help you Raise A Warrior and start saving today! For more information, visit rlc.edu/raise-a-warrior-microscholarships.
The RLC Foundation is your partner in achieving your academic goals. With 275+ scholarships at your fingertips, you only need one application to unlock countless opportunities.
RLCF is committed to making college accessible and affordable for every student. With a one-application-multiple-scholarships approach, the scholarship application process is simplified to allow student the ease of receiving financial support.
When a student is ready to attend, they should apply for scholarships through the Foundation. The application opens January 1 and closes June 1. Apply by March 1 to receive priority awarding.
For more information about the RLCF, visit rlc.edu/foundation.
Another important step when a student gets close to starting college is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Qualifying students can get grants, work-study and loans. Learn more about types of aid. RLC's financial aid advisors are available to guide students and families through the FAFSA process and help them explore various options.
For more information about financial aid, visit rlc.edu/paying-for-college.
National College Savings Month is the perfect time to take the first step towards your journey in higher education. Whether through federal student aid, a 529 plan, Raise A Warrior, or an RLCF scholarship, RLC encourages students to start planning and saving now!