Everyone wants to make paying for a college education as painless as possible, particularly in these economic times.  With proper research and planning, paying college bills doesn't have to be difficult or devastating.  While most are aware of the value of scholarships and financial aid, many may not recognize the financial value of the College Board's Advanced Placement Program (AP), which provides the opportunity to take college-level courses while still in high school and earn college credit.

Most students take five or six years, and sometimes even longer, to earn their bachelor's degrees at public colleges and universities.  Students who take longer to graduate from a public college or university can expect to pay between $8,000 and $19,000 for each additional year - and that figure can easily be over $26,000 at a private institution.  Studies have shown that AP students have significantly better four-year graduation rates than those who do not take AP - a 2008 study found graduation rates for AP English Literature students were 62% higher than for those who took other English courses in high school.*  In addition, many colleges report considering a student's AP experience when making scholarship decisions.  When these facts are taken into consideration, AP just makes cents!

Students at Rivermont Collegiate have virtually limitless options in selecting AP courses.  For the 2010-11 academic year alone, Rivermont students are enrolled in AP Calculus AB and BC, AP English Language and Composition, AP Biology, AP Physics, AP Psychology, AP Environmental Science, and AP U.S. Government and Politics.  Rivermont is especially excited to announce that Roshan Babu, Class of 2010, has qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with scores of 3 or higher.  Only about 18% of 1.8 million students worldwide performed at a sufficiently high level to earn an AP Scholar Award.  Roshan, son of Dr. Hari and Mrs. Shobha Babu of Rock Island, IL, is now attending the UMKC University of Missouri at Kansas City Baccalaureate-MD program.

For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate, contact Cindy Murray, Director of Admissions, at (563) 359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org.

-END-

* Costs include tuition, fees, and books only, and do not include room, board, and other living expenses. Average Estimated Undergraduate Budgets, 2008-09 (Enrollment-Weighted). The College Board,"Trends in College Pricing," 2008.

Students and Their Teachers Compete for Cash Prizes Up to $5,000;

Nearly $115,000 and 54 All-Expenses Paid Trips toNation's Capital to be Awarded

Arlington, VA - U.S. high school students and their teachers are invited to compete for nearly $115,000 in prize money by participating in the Bill of Rights Institute's fifth annual Being an American Essay Contest. Top prize winners and their teachers will also receive all-expenses paid trips to the nation's capital.

The largest high school essay contest in the country, awarding 180 students and teachers with cash prizes and attracting more than 50,000 essays last year, explores the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship. The contest is administered by the Bill of Rights Institute,a non-profit educational organizationin the Washington, D.C. area devoted to educating children about the Constitution and Founding principles. The sponsors include the History Channel and the Stuart Family Foundation.

"This contest is unique in that it gives students the opportunity to think about the important civic values communicated in our Founding documents, and embodied by American civic heroes," said Dr. Jason Ross, Bill of Rights Institute Vice President of Education Programs. "This context is vital to helping students see their own acts of good citizenship as a meaningful part of the American experiment of self-government."

Specifically, students are asked to share their thoughts on American citizenship by answering the following question: "What civic value do you believe is most essential to being an American?"

The top three student winners and their teachers from each of the nine geographical regions will be announced at a special Washington, D.C. Awards Gala in the spring of 2011, where they will be awarded cash prizes of $5,000 (First Place), $1,000 (Second Place), and $500 (Third Place). The winning students willalsoexplore the nation's capital, meet contemporary American heroes and national leaders, and visit national landmarks.

Additionally, the contest will award 126 honorable mention prizes of $100 to seven students and their teachers from each region.

"The contest not only honors and awards sponsoring teachers, but also equips them with free lesson plans and other supplemental materials that meet state and national academic standards so they can easily incorporate the essay contest into their classrooms," said Being an American Essay Contest Director John Croft.

Nearly 100,000 students have participated in the essay contest since it began in 2006. Now in its fifth year, the contest is the largest high school essay contest in the country.

"The Being an American Essay Contest is a wonderful way to awaken students' interest in the ideas of the American Founding. The Stuart Family Foundation is honored to be one of the Contest's supporters," said Stuart Family Foundation Executive Director Truman Anderson.

Complete contest details can be found below. Further information, including submission criteria, lesson plans and background information on the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Founders and other Americans who have contributed to America's shared civic values, are available at www.BeingAnAmerican.org.

2010-2011 SCHOOL YEAR PARTICIPATING REGIONS:

• New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
• Mid-Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
• South Atlantic: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C.
• Mid-South: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee
• South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
• Great Plains: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota,  South Dakota
• Great Lakes: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin
• Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming
• Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, U.S. Territories, American Armed Forces Schools Abroad

SPONSORING ORGANIZATION: Bill of Rights Institute, Arlington, VA.

The Bill of Rights Institute, founded in 1999, is a nonprofit educational organization. The mission of the Bill of Rights Institute is to educate young people about the words and ideas of America's Founders, the liberties guaranteed in our Founding documents, and how our Founding principles continue to affect and shape a free society.

FUNDING PROVIDED BY: History Channel (New York City, NY) and The Stuart Family Foundation (Chicago, IL).

CONTEST GOAL: To explore the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the civic values that unite us as Americans.

ESSAY QUESTION: "What civic value do you believe is most essential to being an American? Trace the enduring importance of this value throughout the American story by discussing: a Founding document that reflects this value; a figure from American history who embodies this value; and examples of how you have and/or could put this value into practice."

ELIGIBILITY: Students in grades 9-12 who are U.S. citizens or legal residents and are either attending public, private, religious, or charter schools, being home-schooled, or participating in a GED or correspondence school program but are no older than 19 years of age. Military bases and U.S. territories are also invited to participate.

• Adherence to Essay Question
• Originality
• Organization
• Writing Style
• Depth of Analysis

JUDGES: High school teachers

STUDENT CASH PRIZES: Ten cash prizes per region will be awarded to students:

• First Prize: $5,000 each
• Second Prize: $1,000 each
• Third Prize: $500 each
• Seven Honorable Mentions: $100 each

TEACHER CASH PRIZES: Ten cash prizes per region will be awarded to the teachers of the winning students:

• First Prize: $5,000 each
• Second Prize: $1,000 each
• Third Prize: $500 each
• Seven Honorable Mentions: $100 each

WASHINGTON, D.C. TRIP: The top three winners (first, second and third places) from each region, their teacher, and a guardian will be awarded an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. in the Spring of 2011.

DEADLINE FOR ESSAY SUBMISSIONS: December 1, 2010. All essays must be submitted by a high school teacher at www.BeingAnAmerican.org.

WEB SITE AND CONTEST GUIDELINES: www.BeingAnAmerican.org

Average 9:1 student to teacher ratio.  Technology and foreign language instruction beginning in Kindergarten.  Extensive, individualized college counseling beginning in ninth grade.  Extraordinary things happen at Rivermont Collegiate!  Join us for Open Tours the first Tuesday of every month to explore our approach to learning.  The next Open Tour will be held Tuesday, September 7th from 8:30-10:00 a.m.  No appointment necessary!  Drop in to explore our philosophy and curriculum, take a tour of campus, see our teachers in action, and get answers to all your questions about Rivermont.

Rivermont Collegiate is the Quad Cities' only private, nonsectarian, independent college preparatory school, serving preschool through twelfth grade.  At Rivermont, we prepare students who are grounded in the basics, yet able to think analytically and creatively to confidently meet the challenges of the 21st century.  Rivermont is proudly multicultural, with students coming from many Quad City area communities.  Rivermont Collegiate is located at 1821 Sunset Drive in Bettendorf, directly off 18th street behind K&K Hardware.  This event is free and open to the public!

For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate or Tuesday's Open Tours, contact Cindy Murray at (563) 359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org.

-END-

Register in September for chance to win a College Savings Iowa account

DES MOINES, IA (09/01/2010)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald announced today that Iowa has joined other states in declaring September as "College Savings Month" in an effort to increase awareness among families about the importance of saving for their children's higher education expenses.

"I want families to know it's never too early to start planning for their child's future education," said Fitzgerald. "As a way to raise awareness about the importance of saving for higher education, College Savings Iowa is giving away a free $529 account. I encourage Iowans to register today for a chance to win and jumpstart their college savings." To register, visit www.iowa529contest.com.

Studies show that children who have money saved for them are almost four times more likely to attend a four-year college than those with no account.* This makes saving ahead of time one of the most significant things families can do to help make college a reality for their children. By starting early and saving regularly, families can watch their savings and their children grow side by side. College Savings Month is a time when families are encouraged to explore the benefits of saving through a 529 plan like College Savings Iowa.

College Savings Iowa is an affordable, tax-advantaged option for families who are saving for their children's college education. It takes just $25 to open a College Savings Iowa account, and investors can contribute as little as $25 when adding to the account. Participants who are Iowa taxpayers can deduct contributions up to $2,811 per beneficiary account from their adjusted gross income in 2010. **

Anyone can invest in College Savings Iowa on behalf of a child. Investors do not need to be a state resident and can withdraw their investment federally tax-free to pay for qualified higher education expenses including tuition, books, supplies and certain room and board costs at any eligible college, university, community college or technical training school in the United States or abroad. *** To learn more about College Savings Iowa, go to www.my529iowaplan.com or call 1-800-523-0644.

*From the Center for Social Development study: The Role of Savings and Wealth in Reducing "Wilt" between Expectations and College Attendance. William Elliott III and Sondra Beverly, 2010.

**If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income.

*** Earnings on non-qualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.