The mission of Bootstraps, with the support of the community, is to eliminate financial barriers to
continuing education for students of the mountain area.
BOOTSTRAPS CLASS OF 2018
All families want a better life for their children. Having a college degree, or some type of further education or training, is fundamental to getting ahead in today’s world. Though numerous students qualify for financial aid, many families are still hard pressed to keep up with the ever-increasing financial burden of sending their children to college. Bootstraps assists families in alleviating some of this financial burden.
The College Funding Gap
There are many factors that play into the cost of college and paying for it.
The cost of attendance (COA) for college is comprised of tuition and fees, room and board, books, transportation, insurance, and personal expenses. Using Colorado public colleges as an example, the COA can range from $15,000 (Red Rocks Community College) to almost $34,000 (Colorado School of Mines).
There are many sources of funds to cover the COA. Ideally, parents contribute a part of the cost. For a typical Bootstraps recipient that contribution is just under $10,000. Students can borrow about $5,500 per year from the federal government at a rate of 4.45%. Last, a student will hopefully set aside about $1,300 from summer work.
The amount a student is short is called the Funding Gap. The Funding Gap is the reason Bootstraps exists.
The cost of attendance (COA) for college is comprised of tuition and fees, room and board, books, transportation, insurance, and personal expenses. Using Colorado public colleges as an example, the COA can range from $15,000 (Red Rocks Community College) to almost $34,000 (Colorado School of Mines).
There are many sources of funds to cover the COA. Ideally, parents contribute a part of the cost. For a typical Bootstraps recipient that contribution is just under $10,000. Students can borrow about $5,500 per year from the federal government at a rate of 4.45%. Last, a student will hopefully set aside about $1,300 from summer work.
The amount a student is short is called the Funding Gap. The Funding Gap is the reason Bootstraps exists.
