Press on with college plans

Dear residents of Saipan and Tinian:

I am sorry to hear about the tremendous difficulties you are facing in the recovery from the recent typhoon. I did want to let you know that if you are preparing to attend, or continuing to attend a college in the United States and are nervous about the impact of the typhoon on your plans, don’t give up hope yet. If you contact your college’s financial aid office and explain to them your difficulty, they can recalculate your award and perhaps give a little more assistance. They may ask for proof of expenses and other documentation, but usually they are reasonable in their requests. In a situation where they do not recalculate your award, you can ask for a deferral of admission for a semester or a year, which will hold your place in college until you can get your finances back in working order. If you aren’t a freshman, you could ask for a leave of absence. Don’t let the opportunity go too easily!

J. Robert Kelley
Director of College Guidance
St. John’s School
Tumon, Guam