Paying for your Child’s College Finances— Guide for Parents on Student Loan, Scholarship, and Grant

Let's suppose that you have a child who will be graduating soon from high school. Of course, you will feel happy, just like any proud parent who have their children graduating from high school. It is one of the challenges of life that you have successfully surpassed, despite of the financial instabilities that you have probably experienced. It is time to celebrate, for you have fulfilled your responsibility of giving your child a bright future.

But as many would say, a high school graduation is not the end. In fact, it is just the beginning of tougher challenges that awaits you and your child in the succeeding years—college education.

At this point, you should start thinking about how you will finance the studies of your college-bound child. With the increasing cost of tuition fees, you need to plan ahead of time to avoid any misfortune, especially if you have experienced how to be financially-needing. You know how hard it is to have both of your hands tied-up against the increasing cost of your child’s high school education before. The sooner you start planning for the college education of your child, the less you will encounter financially-related problems later on.

If you think you will be faced again with financial problems, it is important that you know the different financial aid programs available for your college-bound child. Continue reading and learn the financial aids to lean on to:

• Grants- it is the first type of college financial aid that you can apply for. It simply requires you to complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form. Once the application has been sent, it will be evaluated and if your child will qualify, he/she will be entitled to the full amount of what he/she qualifies for. At this point, you need not do anything much further except to provide the name of the college or university your child wants to enroll to.

• Scholarships- although scholarship is commonly intended for students who have the “brains” but do not have the “fortune”, not all college scholarships are bounded to academics. Students who do not have the best academic record can still qualify to other multitudes of college scholarships. There you have the college sports scholarships, community service work scholarships, social involvement scholarships, and others. There are just the different types of scholarships for your child if he is not that talented when it comes to academics.

• Student Loans- these type of loans have lower interest rates compared to other types of loans. There are instances where the loans are subsidized, which means that the interest does not accumulate until a student finishes college. Furthermore, these loans does not require a collateral, thus you do not have to worry about putting your own home as a collateral against the student loan for your child. Most of these loans are available on a variety of repayment plans at low interest rates and low monthly installment payments.

If you have not started searching for the various financial aid programs available, it is recommended that you start now. These financial aids will help you in the long run and will provide the funds needed for your child’s college education. Get yourself free from financial worries through these aids.

How to Apply for a Scholarship: College Freshman’s Recipe

How to Apply for a Scholarship: College Freshman’s Recipe


When we speak of college scholarship application, the burden is always on the parents. Since they have the responsibility over the education of their children and they know what will be good for them, parents apply personally for the college scholarship of their children.

What if we turn the tide? From primary to secondary education, your parents accepted the responsibility. But you are old enough to take care of a simple college scholarship application. It takes some courage, self-confidence, and some excellent academic records to apply for a college scholarship. Keep in mind that is you who will utilize the financial aid that comes with the scholarship and not your parents. Thus, applying for a college scholarship is now your business, and you can do it with less supervision from your parents.

The procedure for college scholarship application is similar when you apply for college. You need to learn every scholarship opportunity available and make a list of potential prospects that you think will fit your personal needs. Once through with the list, you need to create an application letter and state your achievements (good high school scholastic records and recommendation letters from your high school director and teachers) and you are now on your way on getting into college for less, if not for free.

The above-mentioned procedure is the most common way of getting a college scholarship. However, the chances of success lies in you, and you need to exert more effort to assure yourself of a financial aid when you go to college. To increase your chances, here are some pointers that you can consider:

• You should start as early as your high school years. There are many college scholarships that open during your senior high school year. In addition, these financial aid programs are only open in a specific period of time. Once the application closes, you have to wait for another year before you can file for your application. Starting early will give you better chances of getting the best financial aid available.

• Give importance to the scholarship requirements. Keep in mind that among all available scholarships, there are only few that will fit your qualifications. Read the eligibility standards of the college scholarship that you want to apply. If you found out that the financial aid does not fit with the qualifications that you have, search for another. Do not insist yourself on scholarships where your chances of success is minute.

• Do not forget to complete the requirements asked by the college scholarship. Prepare the documents that are commonly asked by the scholarship grantee to its applicants.

• Your application letter will be your “speaking alter-ego” to the sponsor of the college scholarship you have applied for. Thus, you need to create an application letter that will convince the sponsor that you honestly need the financial aid and you deserve to get one, state honest information in your application. Never include false information especially if your purpose is just to “flatter” the sponsor with your achievements.

After you followed the aforementioned recipe, you are now ready to submit your application to the scholarship screening committee. Be prepared for other requirements (such as interviews and examinations) that will determine if you are eligible to receive a college scholarship.

Follow the aforementioned college freshman’s recipe when you apply for a college scholarship. And best of all, do not forget to pray that the sponsor would consider you eligible for the college scholarship. Good luck!

Student Loan Debt Consolidation

With the cost of higher education increasing more and more in the past years, the time you graduate from college is no longer just the moment when you plan your career, it has become the moment that your debts start to catch up with you.

To diminish the stress of repaying the student loans you acquired in college it is advisable that you resort to student loan debt consolidation. Whatever types of student loans you may have acquired in time, if they are not consolidated they can have a negative impact on your credit history after graduation, rendering you unable to acquire different kinds of credit like car loans, credit cards or mortgages. To prevent that, your best option is student loan debt consolidation.

The consolidation can be applied to both federal student loan debts as well as private student loan debts, but it is preferable that they are consolidated separately, as these types of loans have different characteristics. The most important difference between the two types of student loans is that the interest on federal student loans is tax deductible, whereas the private student loans offer no benefits. Also, in special cases, a federal student loan can be repaid by joining the army or by doing community service. In these cases the student pays no money, and offers his services in exchange for the entire amount.

How to consolidate your student loan debt - Student loan debt consolidation takes place, most of the times, during the grace period of a loan. This applies to both federal student loan debts as well as private student loan debts. The lower in-school rates of interest are used to calculate an average fixed interest rate that will be applied to your consolidated student loan debts.

A student loan debt consolidation program offers various flexible repayment schedules with lower monthly payments, very attractive rates of interest and only one lender that the student loan debt is returned to. Student loan debt consolidation does not require any additional fees or charges, no credit checks or co-signers, the companies that consolidate student debts only require that you, as a student, have loaned at least the minimum amount available.

How to consolidate your federal student loans - Using federal student loan consolidation you can build up all your federal student loans into just one loan with a single lender and a single schedule of repayment. The advantages do not stop here, as there are no charges, prepayment penalties or fees required after the consolidation of your loans. Also, the consolidation of loans can be made by you personally or by your parents, and it does not require the presence of any co-signers.

Through the federal student loan consolidation program all your debts are acquired by a commercial lender. At this point your account balance with the credit bureaus is zero, and all your debts are rolled into just one debt that you owe to a single commercial lender. All you have to do is sign a new promissory note that contains the details of your current rate of interest and repayment plan, and your federal student loans are consolidated. However, in order to qualify for this consolidation you must be able to prove that you made at least three full and on time monthly payments.

With the federal loan rates of interest at their lowest, this is an especially good time to consolidate your federal student loan debt, as the interest rate for the consolidated loan would be even lower, and fixed for the whole duration of the repayment schedule. And, since financial advisors say that the interest rates have been so low for so long that there is no place for them to go but up, this is probably the best time for a long time to come to consolidate your debts.

A wisely chosen student loan debt consolidation program will help lower your after graduation debt and will have a positive impact on your credit history.

Study Abroad: When it’s NOT cool to look like a Tourist

Many college students study abroad, either because they have the opportunity, or because it’s required for their degree program. Sometimes, it’s ok to look like a visiting tourist, but when you’re spending multiple months in another country, blending in is a better option than sticking out. Here are a few pointers on how to study abroad without seeming like a tourist. Say "Au revoir" to English. If you’re studying in a country that speaks another language, don’t speak English the entire time. Try to speak as much of your host country’s native tongue as possible. Not only will you become proficient in the language, but it will also make communication with locals easier: they appreciate it when you try. Picking up on the dialect of the city or village you now live in will make you seem more like a native and less like a visitor.

Ditch the duds. If your ensemble screams "American," ditch it. Hit up some local shops and thrift stores for a few key pieces to help you blend in with your neighbors in the classroom, workplace, or on the streets; this will help you to feel more comfortable in your new place and will most likely be more climate and culture-appropriate.

Grab a bite of culture. Even if you’re unsure about some of the traditional meals in your new country, don’t seek out familiar chains like McDonald’s. Ease yourself into new gastronomic experiences by sampling some of the standard dishes of your country. These meals, which can be found easily throughout the country, will provide nourishment if you can’t eat the more traditional or odd-sounding dishes.

Travel in style. Learn public transportation systems, especially Metro lines, as quickly as possible. More reliable and less expensive than taxis, public transportation is easy to use and can get you almost anywhere easily.

Get lost. Spend time walking through your new home and getting lost. Carry a map for emergencies, but try not to use it if you can help it. Let yourself wander and then find your way back to your apartment or host house. You’ll get to see some of the main tourist spots and a few off-the-beaten-path ones as well. And you’ll feel especially proud of yourself when a weekend tourist stops you on the street to ask you for directions!

Keep digital memories with you. Carry a camera everywhere you go and take lots of pictures. If you’re taking pictures of monuments, the pictures will be a great reminder of the walk or train line you took to get there. However, try to avoid taking "typical" photographs in front of main tourist spots – take pictures of monuments, buildings, or gardens off the beaten path, like the ones you discovered while you were getting lost.

Be a people person. Make friends! Introducing yourself to neighbors is a great way to meet people and make new friends. Do not feel as if you need to hang out only with your fellow students. Becoming friends with the people in your neighborhood will help you immerse yourself into their culture. Speaking their native language will help you improve the skills you already have from classroom conversations.

Now that you have the skills necessary to survive your semester abroad, remember that you’re there to have fun and to learn, but the point of studying in another country, though, is to become immersed in the culture of their temporary home, not to be a tourist.

Jenny Sweeney is a copywriter for DMi Partner, a full-service digital marketing agency. DMi develops informative websites including eCollegeFinder.org, the best resource to find affordable online degrees .

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Junior Year College Preparation

Junior year is a hectic time. You’re officially an upperclassman now, and a whole slew of new responsibilities are instilled upon you. You probably have your driver’s license by now and may be working and going to school simultaneously. While you will certainly be busy, you need to keep in mind your college goals and what you can be doing now to make them a reality.

Take AP classes.

You may feel as though your life is tough enough, but taking AP (Advanced Placement) classes offer students numerous benefits. Not only does it look good to do well in an AP class, but at the end of the year, you’ll be given the opportunity to take an AP test. If you pass this test, you’ll receive college credit in that course! Just think of it! You’ll have college credit before even setting foot on campus!

Plus, being consistent from freshman year to senior year with high difficulty level courses shows you are dedicated and committed to your education.

When you’re a freshman in college, you’ll be thankful for the rigorous high school curriculum you took. College is entirely different from high school, so you can look at AP courses as a transition.

Take the PSAT

Review your PSAT materials and register for a time and date to take the test. The PSAT doesn’t count toward your college admission, but it does prepare you for the SAT. It is basically a shorter version of the SAT, but provides you with a real test environment in which to practice the questions and types of questions that will be on the real test.

The PSAT also acts as an application for the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. So, if you are interested in this scholarship, you should definitely take the PSAT.

It is true that it is not required to take the PSAT, but if you want to your best on the SAT, the test that really counts, you should try out your test taking skills on this practice test.

Begin your search for scholarship and financial aid money

Since you’re already signed up for FastWeb, you should be in the know about the types of scholarships you can apply for. But you can also contact your counselor about scholarships that may be right up your alley.

You should also discuss your financing options with your parents. College is a major expense and you need to start saving now (if you haven’t already).

Becoming familiar with the other types of aid available can be helpful as well, so you know application deadlines and what information you need to pinpoint ahead of time. Check to see if you are eligible for a grant or scholarship. Also check to see if a loan is a realistic option for you.

Another financial aid option is work-study, where you will pay for your college tuition by working on campus. There are even tax credit programs for getting through college. Do your research and find the financing options that will work best for you and your parents.

Why make this decision now? Because before you know it, financial aid applications will be due. Stay ahead of the game by learning about all of your options now.

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Tacoma Community College For A Rich Learning Experience

If you are looking for a community college in Tacoma then Tacoma Community College is the right option for you. Situated in central Tacoma, this college has its satellite operations in the Gig Harbor and the Tacoma Mall. An easily accessible campus location, a carefully etched out academic structure and adequate scope for recreational activities make the college a great option. Other than serving the Tacoma region, this community college also serves the Pierce County portion of the Kitsap Peninsula.The college dates back to 1962 when it received the authorization of the voters. But it was in 1965 that the first class of the college actually took place. Since the very first day of its existence, the Tacoma community college has been serving not just the local community within the college but outside the college as well. The college is also entitled to the accreditation of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Having found its place as one of the 34 Washington community and technical colleges, the college serves almost 15,000 students on an annual basis.The Tacoma Community College offers a wide variety of programs to choose from. One has the choice of zeroing in on a particular course from a list of twenty-five professional and technical programs. Further on, you could even choose from several short-term courses in the subject of your interest. These could be law enforcement, health care, information technology amidst various others. And each of these courses is available at comparatively lower costs. Less expense and a lot more convenience, TCC is definitely going to be one nice experience. Studying in Tacoma community college becomes an all the more enriching experience because of its small class size. With an estimate of twenty students in each class, learning becomes and easy and comfortable job. All thanks to this small class structure, you get to study in close coordination with your students and teachers. But this excellent academic structure is not just the only highlight of the college. The college is a great option even for the athletic kinds. Whether you are basketball freak or a baseball lover, you get to play it all in this college. And if that was not enough you even have athletic scholarships for almost all sports. The scholarships are given in the form of tuition waivers.On a concluding note, the Tacoma Community College has all that a student would require to study in a comfortable and amicable environment. And you bet, you are going to enjoy each and every single day of your study in the college.

P Abbey owns and operates http://www.communitycollegereviewsgo.com Community College Reviews

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Are You Looking For A College Scholarship

If you are trying to put together a funding package for college then a college scholarship should be top of your list since this is money which you do not have to repay.

Scholarships come in all shapes and sizes and are not simply for academic high-flyers or students with exceptional sporting talents, but are available to just about everyone in any circumstances from children from specific geographic locations to the children of local widows. The big problem with scholarships is simply finding them.

Now it is true that the majority of scholarships are aimed at academic high-flyers with good grades but this is often simply the starting point for selection and, in order to beat others competing for these scholarships with similar grade point averages and SAT scores, you will often need to produce something else to set yourself apart such as an award or achievement or a record of community service.

At this point it is therefore often a good idea to talk to your school counselor who should be able to point you in the right direction. However, do not simply take his or her word for it and, armed with the basic information which they provide, hop onto your computer and search around yourself for the latest up-to-date information.

Two excellent places to start your search are CollegeAid.com and FastWeb.com both of which will provide you with long lists of scholarship programs, together with the amount of each award and brief details of each scheme including the application requirements. You will find that you can narrow your search quite quickly here and reduce your list to manageable proportions as, while some schemes will simply require you to be a US citizen or to have (or be about to obtain) a high school diploma, others will have much more specific and narrower requirements.

You will find some amazing categories of scholarships including those for male students who are residents of western Pennsylvania, students on active military duty in the pay grades of E-4 through E-6 who are studying in an information technology related specialty and the children of an eligible Alabama veterans who are attending college in Alabama. In short, there are scholarships available for a very wide variety of different applicants.

Some scholarships will simply require you to meet particular criteria while others will require you to compete for the scholarship, for example by writing an essay of anywhere between 250 and 5,000 words detailing your personal achievements and outlining why the grantors should award you a scholarship.

One important point to note is that while all scholarships are free in the sense that they do not need to be repaid, some are taxable. The general rule is that a scholarship will not be taxable as long as you are a candidate for a degree at a recognized educational institution and all monies received are used to pay for tuition and other fees directly associated with your enrollment as a student, including payment for such things as books, supplies and other equipment required by your course.

So, whatever your circumstances, there is a good chance that you may be eligible for scholarship funding and the only way to find out is to do your research and ask around.

TheStudentLoansCenter.com provides information on all aspects of college financing including grants for college and getting student loans with bad credit

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How Not To Raise The Necessary Funds For College

When it comes to paying for a college education there is a lot of information about how to go about raising the necessary funds, but there is not a great deal of information about the sort of fund raising efforts which you should avoid. Here therefore we are going to look at two very common methods of fund raising which should definitely be avoided.

The first surprisingly is student loans. Now most students will have at least one student loan and, more often than not a series of student loans, and without such loans many youngsters would not be able to attend college at all. However, student loans should not be at the top of your list and, when you do take college loans, you need to do so with care.

Your starting point should always of course be to use 'free' money, such as grants and scholarships, and then turn your attention to federal loan schemes, like the Stafford loan scheme. Then, and only then, should you turn your attention to private loan funding and you need to take your time and shop around to get the best deal. Most importantly, any private loan funding must be to meet the necessary costs of attending college and should not be inflated to allow for additional expenses.

If you need to borrow $4,000 for college funding it is very easy to push this up to $4,500 or $5,000 to allow for that new iPod or simply some extra spending money. However, that extra $500 or $1,000 added to several loans over the course of a college education can add considerably to your debt and quickly land you in trouble.

Student loans are fine, and indeed essential in many cases, but never borrow more than you need to.

The second common mistake that many students make is to take out a credit card or, in many cases, a series of credit cards. It is all too easy to get a credit card these days and many credit card companies will literally be pressing them into your hands. However, very few students handle their credit cards correctly and the vast majority run their cards up to the limit in no time at all and then find that they cannot even manage to meet the minimum monthly repayments.

If you do want to have a credit card, then limit yourself to just one card and make sure that you use it only for emergencies. Better still, instead of having a credit card get yourself a debit card, leave a reasonable sum of money in your account and again use it only to meet emergencies.

Despite all the talk about how difficult it is to raise the necessary funding for college it is not always as difficult as you might think. The real problem is overstretching yourself, often by borrowing more money than you really need, and then getting yourself into a mountain of debt which you cannot repay. Now that truly is a problem and is something which you want to avoid at all costs.

TheStudentLoansCenter.com provides information on all aspects of college financing as well as additional details of how not to pay for college

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Online University Degree-Top University

US universities have the capacity to accommodate large number of students. However, the number of students seeking admission in US universities is much larger than what these institutions can accommodate. There lies the genesis of Online University Degree.

The US institutions offering Online University Degree present an excellent opportunity for those students who began their education in some junior college, community college, or university, but could not complete it for some reasons. They also offer an excellent opportunity for them who are working. Online courses offer the individuals an option to balance their academic, professional and personal life according to their requirements. Flexibility in pursuing the academic programme is one of the most important characteristics, which attracts students community towards these online courses.

There are large numbers of institutions in US which offer online courses. Some of them are, Regent University Online, ITT Tech, Argosy University Online, National University, I.A Film School, South University Online, Westwood College Online, and so on. These universities have several campuses in US. For example, 18 cities across the United States host branches of Argosy University. The ITT Technical Institute has ninety campuses in US.

The disciplines of study offered under Online University Degree schemes are somewhat restricted. For example, Argosy University Online offers Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Under Master’s programme, it offers MA in Forensic Psychology, MS in Health Services Management, MS in Management, MBA, MAEd Educational Leadership, and MAEd Instructional Leadership etc. Under Doctoral programme, it offers EdD Counseling Psychology, EdD Educational Leadership, EdD Instructional Leadership, EdD in Organizational Leadership, and EdD in Community College Executive Leadership etc. Regent University offers Bachelor’s degree in English, Psychology, Government, Communication, Global Business, Religious Studies, Leadership and Management and Associate’s degree in Business, Psychology, Christian Studies, and General Studies. The number of courses being offered in the field of science, medicine, engineering and technology are insignificant. The ITT Technical Institute in Indianapolis, Indiana offers Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management and Associate’s degree in Web design.

Admission requirements for online courses offered by the US institutions are relaxed in comparison to the requirements for campus based courses. These institutions use modern technology of video conferencing to impart lessons in the virtual class rooms. Effectively, these institutions have made the world a virtual class room which is only good for the humanity. Apart from video conferencing, one to one chatting between the student and the faculty member facilitates the academic interaction, problem solving and assignment based online discussions. These institutions make study materials available online. These study materials include innovative graphics, animations and video clips.

The pace of life is fast. At least, there is an area of life where you may go at your own pace and that is pursuing study online.

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