EducationQuest Foundation



Financial Aid Choices

Students will see how decisions they make can impact the money they can receive to go to college!

For an active version of this activity see KH2GO activity “Scholarship Race”.

Instructions

1. Collect needed materials and pass out to each group of about four players:

• “Snakes and Ladders” game board sheet (page 2 of this activity)

• A game piece for each player, e.g., coins, multiple colored pieces of paper, stickers with the backing

• A set of playing cards (page 3), shuffled and stacked text-side down in a deck

2. Tell the group of students they will play a board game that will introduce them to financial aid (money that will help them pay for college). Some students think they don’t have the funds to go to college, but this game will show them ways to prepare to earn money. Choices they make now can impact the financial aid they receive later.

3. Share game instructions:

• The youngest player goes first, and play continues clockwise.

• Like the child game “Chutes and Ladders,” students will draw the top card off the deck, read the scenario and action out loud, and move the game piece.

• Then the student must share why that action would warrant their game piece moving forward, back, or staying where they are. For example, “You are worried because you think you can only apply for scholarships if you have good grades, so you ask a teacher for help. Move forward 2 spaces.” This student moved forward because rather than not doing anything, the student asked the teacher for help.

• If the game piece’s ending landing spot is at the bottom of a ladder rung, the game piece gets to follow the ladder up the higher space. If the game piece lands on a snake head, the game piece must follow the snake to the end of the tail, to a lower space.

• The first to reach the end of the game board wins.

4. After all students have played the game or as students are nearing the end, briefly reflect on the game with your students. The decisions on the cards were luck of the draw, but students choose the decisions they make – and those decisions may impact their future financial aid. When a student was allowed to move forward, it was typically due to a positive action. But when a student moved backward or stayed on the same spot, it was typically due to inaction or laziness. In the same way, students must take action to prepare to earn scholarships, and fill out appropriate applications to receive financial aid.

A similar activity is Step to the Top of the Class, another movement activity to help students understand how choices they make in high school will impact their future.

The game was adapted from “Financial Aid Choices Game,” UC Berkeley, Center for Educational Partnerships, 2010.

|You decide to check out what new |You decide to create an EducationQuest |Your counselor has just given you a |Your college’s deadline for Financial |

|scholarships are on the Internet. |ScholarshipQuest account, to find which |scholarship application because of your |Aid has passed. As a result, you decide |

| |Nebraska-based scholarships you’re |heritage, and you apply for it. |not to apply because it is too late. |

|Move forward 1 space. |eligible for. | | |

| |Move forward 2 spaces. |Move forward 3 spaces. |Stay where you are. |

|You found a scholarship where you have |You are worried because you think you |Your parents said you need to look for |One of your friends is afraid to apply |

|to draw a picture. You know this is |can only apply to scholarships if you |scholarships because they cannot pay for|for scholarships because she is an |

|perfect for your friend because he loves|have good grades, so you ask a teacher |everything. Instead of listening, you |illegal immigrant. But you tell her |

|drawing, so you give it to him. |for help. |decide to play video games. |there are scholarships available, and |

| | | |help her search. |

|Move forward 1 space. |Move forward 2 spaces. |Move back 2 spaces. | |

| | | |Move forward 3 spaces. |

|You received a phone call to go for a |Your parents do not speak English, so |You’ve never entered a science fair, but|You check out loan options because you |

|scholarship interview, but you forgot |you decide to find a scholarship that |you decide to enter because you could |are concerned scholarships, grants, and |

|what time the interview was scheduled |requires you to be bilingual. |win a scholarship. |savings won’t cover all your college |

|for. | | |costs. |

| |Move forward 2 spaces. |Move forward 3 spaces. | |

|Stay where you are. | | |Move forward 1 space. |

|You forgot to send an essay with your |Your teacher suggests you try out for |Your part-time employer offers |Your friends tell you they don’t need |

|writing scholarship and now you have to |the school play because you could apply |scholarships. You decide to not ask |good grades to get scholarships, so they|

|wait a year to apply to the scholarship |for theatre scholarships. You decide not|about it because you are intimidated by |decide to stop studying. You do the |

|again. |to do it because it’s not “cool,” even |your boss. |same. |

| |though you like acting. | | |

|Stay where you are. |Move back 1 space. |Move back 1 space. |Move back 2 spaces. |

|You ask a teacher for a letter of |You create an Activities Resume, in |You give a classroom presentation about |Counselors are giving an evening |

|recommendation for a scholarship |preparation for scholarship applications|the different types of scholarships and |presentation about financial aid, but |

|application at least two weeks before |and asking for recommendations. |how there are scholarships for everyone.|you decide to go to a movie with |

|it’s due. | | |friends. |

| |Move forward 2 spaces. |Move forward 3 spaces. | |

|Move forward 2 spaces. | | |Move back 2 spaces. |

|You volunteer to help a youth soccer |You and your parents complete the FAFSA,|You join the public library summer |The store near you is offering a |

|team after school because you know there|a free application to see what financial|reading program to improve grades and be|scholarship, but you can’t apply because|

|are scholarships for volunteering. |aid you qualify for. |eligible for more scholarships. |you have no extracurricular involvement.|

| | | |You decide to lie on the application. |

|Move forward 3 spaces. |Move forward 3 spaces. |Move forward 2 spaces. | |

| | | |Move back 4 spaces. |

|You spend your summer playing video |You were having trouble filling out the |You decide to apply only to one |You get a part-time job and save most of|

|games and not looking for scholarships. |FAFSA, a free application to qualify for|scholarship because if you win it, your |every paycheck for college. |

| |financial aid, so you don’t complete it.|entire education will be paid for. | |

|Move back 2 spaces. | | |Move ahead 2 spaces. |

| |Move back 3 spaces. |Move back 1 space. | |

| | | | |

|You and your parents save money for |You missed the application deadline for |You know loans can be an option for |Because of too many truancies and |

|college, but when a new game system |the scholarship you really wanted. |paying for college, but are overwhelmed |absences, you have to take summer school|

|comes out, you have to have it, and | |by where to find information about them,|to make up credits. |

|spend all your college savings. |Stay where you are. |so you do nothing. | |

| | | |Stay where you are. |

|Move back 2 spaces. | |Move back 1 space. | |

|Your parents tell you they will never be|You pay a service that promises you |You start to explore tuition assistance |You begin checking for scholarships as a|

|able afford college, so you give up on |“guaranteed” scholarships/scholarship |programs at colleges you are interested |junior, so are still able to do new |

|school and get bad grades. |results. They don’t deliver. |in. |activities that make you eligible for |

| | | |more scholarships as a senior. |

|Move back 2 spaces. |Move back 1 space. |Move forward 3 spaces. | |

| | | |Move forward 2 spaces. |

|You’ve had a rough week and really want |You get a jump-start on scholarship |You grab a meal with a good friend who |You sign up for a tough class that will |

|to call in sick to your part-time job, |applications by crafting a couple essays|is now in college, and get advice on |allow you to experience college |

|but go anyway – the cash is going in |and ask your English teacher to review |what to do and what to avoid as you |coursework and earn college credit – and|

|your college savings account. |them. |prepare to pay for college. |you complete paperwork to get a |

| | | |scholarship to cover the cost. |

|Move forward 2 spaces. |Move forward 2 spaces. |Move forward 1 space. |Move forward 2 spaces. |

|On a campus visit, you ask for a list of|You get a big check from your grandma |You receive notice of verification is |You are confused about types of |

|scholarships available for freshmen and |for your birthday. Instead of spending |needed to complete your FAFSA (a free |financial aid to pay for college |

|identify those you will apply for – and |it all, you put half of it in your |application to qualify for need-based |(grants, scholarships, work-study, |

|add the deadlines to your calendar. |college savings account. |aid). You are confused so you call |loans), so you read about the options on|

| | |EducationQuest for help. |the EducationQuest website. |

|Move forward 1 space. |Move forward 1 space. | | |

| | |Move forward 1 space. |Move forward 1 space. |

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