Showing posts with label education 2020. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education 2020. Show all posts

Monday, January 2, 2012

The Benefits of Getting a College Education in Another Country

Choosing the right college and degree, is a constant pre-occupation of millions of people throughout the World. But what if you are making another decision- whether to study abroad or in your home country?
Traditionally there has always been a high percentage of students who choose to study outside their country, and this number has steadily increased in an era of globalization.
In the early 2000's, this movement was towards the developed countries, which were mainly Australia, Britain, Canada, Germany, Japan, and the USA. But as the global economy changed, there were also regional educational hubs like Egypt, India and Singapore.
Students went to these nations to primarily study, perhaps also work to pay for their degree, with a plan to probably stay permanently after graduating. Students on government sponsored programs usually came to gain knowledge, and establish a relationship between both countries.
Economic events, and the need to pay more for an education have changed this recent trend, towards a potential student focusing on studying where they can still find work, and perhaps after graduating stay and do business/or work.
This has led to a trend where the best Universities in Australia, Asia, Europe and North America still attract paying students, but middle income students are focusing on growing regional hubs like Brazil, China, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russia, and Singapore.
So what are the advantages of studying abroad?
It really all depends on what you expect from studying in another country, whether it is the experience of living in another place, the specialized skill's you learn, or the affordability of a degree compared to an equivalent university course in your home country.
A Vietnamese student could benefit from studying management in a Malaysian or Singaporean University, because there is a pressing need for specialized Asian managers in their home country. And there is always a chance they can work for a regional multinational, after graduating.
Students from the once affluent Europe and United States, also are slowly choosing the option of being educated in some of these regional hubs. One reason is the lower cost, but another is that they could be connected to local businesses that are expanding globally.
Language students on the other hand benefit greatly from studying in a country were the first language is the choice of study. Many students study in Chinese and Japanese Universities, because they become more fluent and develop a cultural understanding of the language. The same applies for undergraduates who study in English speaking countries.

Online College Education and Its Advantages

Online college learning is already used in modern times as an answer to the call of a lot of people who are willing to equip themselves with additional knowledge and skills. Online college classes can benefit a lot of people.
First of all, online learning is very accessible. You can do it anywhere especially in the comfort of your own home as long as you have your own personal computer. School dress code is no longer a concern. In fact, it can be done anywhere as long as there is a good internet connection. Then, you don't have to worry anymore about being in a particular school where distance is a problem. It can save a lot of effort and it also gives everyone the opportunity to choose from a wide variety of accredited online college courses which may not be offered in your own place. One can venture from a wide array of courses which will suit the person's interests and needs.
Next thing is that it doesn't give us a lot of pressure when it comes to time. Online college classes give us the chance to control our own time. Hectic class schedule is not a hassle anymore. Exhaustion from waking up first thing in the morning just to arrive early is no longer a problem. This is a solution for people who are working and going to college at the same time. It is easier for them to fit education in their busy world. It might be stressful to work and learn simultaneously. But, balancing of time for work and learning can be done. In online classes, we can formulate our own routine in studying and monitor our own study habits.
Moreover, online college education is technologically updated. Due to advancement in technical knowledge, trainings programs are in multimedia forms, videos and downloadable online. It is convenient for slow learners or those who cannot catch up on actual lectures by just reading the modules all over again through the internet and can watch the video clips in repetition. It can also be conducive for fast learners because they can do it in a faster pace.
In addition, online college learning is not that costly. The student can save financially and at the same time can avail of quality education just like what is given in colleges and universities. You don't have to worry about purchasing the required textbooks because resources are readily available online. Assignments and lectures are provided and just ready for download.
Lastly, it can develop your interpersonal skills even through online. There are online college classes which allow you to chat and share with your online classmates. This allows you to relate with other people from different places. Aside from the possible communication with other classmates, the student can also relate with the instructors as well. Through electronic mails, one can have immediate contact with the online instructors.
To have a college degree is a great achievement. Not only does it give the person a chance of availing a lot of job opportunities but it most especially makes us satisfied that we got what we really wanted in life.

Single Mom Grants - College Education For Single Moms

An preparation is an critical thing for anybody. But a college education, even a tall propagandize education, there have been unequivocally couple of jobs out there which will suggest we a monetary fortitude indispensable for your future. An preparation for singular moms is generally critical since not usually do we have to deflect for yourself financially, though we additionally have a singular or may be some-more young kids to take caring of. Juggling a pursuit as well as perplexing to take caring of a young kids during a same time can be a daunting process, as well as it is needed which we find a approach to get an education.
It is substantially loyal which if we have been a singular mom, removing an preparation is something which we unequivocally want, though substantially do not have time nor a money. There have been special tutorial grants, scholarships, as well as pick monetary resources which have been out there, though they will not come to you, we have to go out there as well as find them. Go online or speak to a monetary assist military officer during your internal propagandize as well as you'll be means to find a module which will fit in to your budget, if not your time. There have been additionally a little village colleges who suggest giveaway selling opportunities for impending students. If we find which your internal college does not suggest a services, there have been multiform supervision programs which will compensate a prejudiced or full volume of kid caring whilst we have been in attendance school.
An preparation for singular moms is unequivocally important. As well as usually when we get a career which we want, will we have a some-more secure destiny in which to lift your child. You'll additionally be a purpose indication for your kid as they turn older. A kid of a college graduated mother is some-more expected to go to college themselves than if their mother had a tall propagandize connoisseur preparation or GED.
Time government is your greatest emanate after your finance government have been covered. How can any lady conduct a child, a household, an education, as well as a job? It can be finished with a right management. Join a network of pick singular moms which have pick schedules. We can take caring of their young kids whilst they have been during propagandize as well as we can have your kid taken caring of whilst we have been in school. If there is not a singular mother network inside of your college, emanate one. Put up flyers as well as have a meeting. You'll find which there have been a lot of people in your incident which have a same difficulties with finance government as well as time government which we do.
Use family members if they have been available. Take value of a event but receiving value of a people around you. Show them which you're obliged as well as which we wish to have an education. They should assimilate which we know an preparation for singular moms is a contingency if we have been to have a financially secure family. Sit down as well as speak with your family as well as contend to them which we wish to connoisseur from college to have your hold up improved as well as your child's hold up better. Tell them which once we have a pursuit as well as connoisseur from college which we will retaliate all a assistance, adore as well as a understanding, as well as may be a finance government which they give you.

College Education For Single Moms

An education is an important thing for anybody. Without a college education, even a high school education, there are very few jobs out there that will offer you the financial stability needed for your future. An education for single moms is especially important because not only do you have to fend for yourself financially, but you also have one or maybe more children to take care of. Juggling a job and trying to take care of the children at the same time can be a daunting process, and it is imperative that you find a way to get an education.
It is probably true that if you are a single mom, getting an education is something that you really want, but probably do not have time nor the money. There are special educational grants, scholarships, and other financial resources that are out there, but they will not come to you, you have to go out there and find them. Go online or talk to a financial aid officer at your local school and you'll be able to find a program that will fit into your budget, if not your time. There are also some community colleges who offer free shopping opportunities for prospective students. If you find that your local college does not offer the services, there are several government programs that will pay a partial or full amount of child care while you are attending school.
An education for single moms is very important. And only when you get the career that you want, will you have a more secure future in which to raise your child. You'll also be a role model for your child as they become older. A child of the college graduated mother is more likely to go to college themselves than if their mother had a high school graduate education or GED.
Time management is your biggest issue after your finances are covered. How can any woman manage a child, a household, an education, and a job? It can be done with the right management. Join a network of other single moms that have alternative schedules. You can take care of their children while they are at school and you can have your child taken care of while you are in school. If there is not a single mom network within your college, create one. Put up flyers and have a meeting. You'll find that there are a lot of people in your situation that have the same difficulties with finances and time management that you do.
Use family members if they are available. Take advantage of the opportunity without taking advantage of the people around you. Show them that you're responsible and that you want to have an education. They should understand that you know an education for single moms is a must if you are to have a financially secure family. Sit down and talk with your family and say to them that you want to graduate from college to make your life better and your child's life better. Tell them that once you have a job and graduate from college that you will reciprocate all the assistance, love and the understanding, and maybe the finances that they give you.

Getting the Best Online College Education

While there is always a lot of debate as to whether an online college education is as good as a traditional college education, the answer is really very simple; there are good institutions that offer an online college education and there are bad establishments that offer an online college education. The same holds true for traditional college degree programs.
So, just as when you are looking for an offline course, you need to do the same kind of your research when you are looking for the best place to pursue an online college education.
Of course, you normally won't care where the college is located unless part of the online program involves off-line meetings. Usually the physical location just doesn't matter. However, a lot of the other points that you would consider before attending a traditional offline college or university should also be considered before you enroll with any organization offering an online college education.
The growth in the numbers of people pursuing an online college education has led to increased competition among institutions to attract students. The best way to assess the credibility of a site advertising that they have the best online college education is to ask about the accreditation of its courses. Accreditation means that some governing body for a particular field has endorsed the course. This can be extremely important in helping you to decide who to trust with your online college education. If a course is not accredited then you need to find out why.
There may be a number of courses that have not yet received accreditation from an appropriate association or governing body but still offer a good online college education. For example, the establishment may have applied for accreditation but not yet been assessed. In that case you can actually check with the particular accrediting agency to be certain that they actually are in the process of assessing the application for accreditation. Another reason may be that there is no appropriate accrediting body for a course. This is less likely but, nevertheless, could be a valid reason and doesn't necessarily indicate that the course offered is not going to be worth taking to advance your online college education.
If, however, you find that the online college education institution has been refused accreditation, then they are likely to try to tell you that accreditation is not important. And that simply isn't true. An online college education from a non-accredited institution is not going to be viewed as positively as one from an accredited establishment. Choose where you go to get your online college education with care to ensure that you are not wasting your time and money by having a nearly worthless qualification.
Another factor related to accreditation has to do with professions requiring some form of governmental license or certification. You need to be certain that any college degree or other course certification will be acceptable to whatever licensing body has authority over the profession in the location you live and work in. For example, a course which is accepted in one state, may not be accepted by the authorities in another state.
You need to think of the online college education arena as a marketplace. You are the consumer and as in any marketplace, you need to check the quality of the product and the 'merchant' according to the circumstances that apply to you and your area of study. While this may seem like a lot of work at times, it is your future, your time and your money that are involved. So take a little extra time and verify the value of any online college program (or any type of online learning) that you are considering.

Creative Ways to Finance Your College Education

College educations cost money, and depending on your school of choice, it can mean big money. Here's a quick snapshot of college tuition costs for 2010 from government and private college websites:
Average costs for college tuition and fees for private four-year schools are $26,273, public four-year schools are $7,020, and public two-year schools are $2,544. These are yearly costs and are based solely on tuition and fees and does not include room and board expenses. Living expenses can add up to $1500 per month. They are also based on instate tuitions, out of state students can pay an additional 25% on average.
So you can see how quickly college education costs can add up. Figure about $160,000 cost for average for a private college four-year degree (including room and board along with tuition and fees). Many students end up with well over $50,000 of student loan debt upon graduation. Some students end up owing a lot more for student loans if they choose to finance the entire cost.
But there are ways to reduce your college education costs besides loans. The first thing to do is contact the college you choose to attend and go visit their financial aid office. The people there can give you some very specific information on what's available, how you qualify, and how to apply for different financial aid programs. The government has several grant programs that are based on you income (or your parents depending on your age). There are also work related programs that you can apply for that pay you to work at the college.
There are hundreds, if not more, local organizations that also provide scholarships that are based on many criteria besides grades or athletics. Don't just go for the big dollar scholarships, even $200 a semester can help and many have very easy to qualify requirements. Community organizations are a great source for small scholarships that may be small amounts but can add up fast.
Your parent's employers may have programs that range from scholarships to loans at no cost. If you have a job, check with your employer too. Some critical industries (that need specific employee skills) are also a good source of grants and scholarships. Some will even offer part or full time employment while you attend college.
Outside of the college financial aid offices, check with local community and industry organizations to see what they may have to offer in college financial aid. There are many sources from your local VFW to business groups who may offer some kind of program. High School counselors are a good source of information on local sources.
You can also check with colleges that offer online classes at a much lower costs. You can easily work fulltime and access these college classes 24/7 around your schedule. Mix and match according to your abilities and job by taking some onsite classes and some online classes. This method can take a little longer to graduate but will cost much less overall.
The first step is to pick your college and find out exactly what your tuition and fees will be for your choice of degree. The next step is to do a realistic budget on living expenses based on whether you want to live at a dorm or off campus. This will give you a good idea of what your specific costs will be at the college of your choice.
Once you know that the costs will be, start applying and researching every possible source of financial aid other than loans to start with. Don't wait until the last minute, many of these grants and scholarships are first come, first serve and you will need to apply far in advance. And don't get impatient, this is a slow process by nature and takes some dedicated time and effort to be successful.
You can also start out at a Community College or a Public 2 Year college and save quite a bit. You can finish up at whatever 4 year institution you want for your degree. This would also give you a chance to improve your grades if necessary to get into your 4-year college of choice. It would also give you a chance to establish residency for out of state schools and attend as a state resident, which can be a big chunk of money.

Preparing for Your College Education Through Conferencing Tools and Other Planning Strategies

Thinking about planning for your college education can be very intimidating, particularly in the beginning stages. There is so much to do during the planning process and all the while you have your other responsibilities as well. Your family will obviously play a key role in the planning but you will want to be involved in the experience as well.
The first step is to share your plans with your parents so that you can enlist their help right from the beginning. It is also a good idea to discuss your options, your grades, and your school records with your guidance counselor in order to determine which direction you should be headed. Aside from that there are two major tasks to complete early in the planning process and one useful tool for getting everything in order.
Research and choose a school
Which school you decide to go to will be one of the most important decisions you make. This means it is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Research is very important at this point of the planning stage because the research you do will serve as the foundation for the decisions that you will soon make.
Years ago students did not have the internet to research schools and were basically limited to the catalogs in their guidance offices or information from networking with others. These days though this is not the case and in fact you can research any school anywhere in the world with the use of the Internet. Being that you have so many choices it is important to begin your research early.
Determine and secure financing
Equally as important as choosing a school is securing financing to pay for your education. There are a variety of financing options available regardless of your personal budget or income.
You will want to determine what all of your personal options are and then make the decision.
Scholarships, grants, and loans are all ways that you can pay for your education but all have certain eligibility requirements.
Choose the best options that you are eligible for and be sure not to leave any stone unturned.
Use conference calling to collaborate
A number of individuals will be involved in getting everything in order for your college education. Conference calling can be a great way to collaborate with all of these individuals. For example, your guidance counselor can discuss guidelines for certain school applications and college representatives can answer your questions on a conference call involving you and your family.

Your College Education - Paid With Uncle Sam's Dollars

With the ever increasing cost of a college education, many students are finding alternate ways to pay for college. Take a look at how Uncle Sam is willing to help those that seek assistance by serving their country.
If you have considered college, but were not sure how to pay for it, you may want to consider the military for a few years. The educational opportunities can be well worth the time, especially during a tough job market.
By serving as little as six months in the military on active duty, you can qualify for 50 percent military education benefits. If you serve 36 months or more, you qualify for 100 percent benefits.
Below you will find six programs that allow the U.S. government to help pay for your college education.
1. U.S. Military Academies: It is an extremely competitive process to gain an appointment to one of the these academies. You need excellent SAT scores, a congressional nomination and must be interviewed by a military panel. Being an exceptional athlete can be an additional asset if you are interested in this route.
If accepted, you will receive a four-year education at no cost as well as paycheck while you are in school. Your tuition, room, board and military training are all included in your package. These institutions offer some of the best education and leadership programs in the world. Their facilities, equipment, technology and personnel are on the cutting edge.
2. R.O.T.C. Programs: The military also offers up to a four year scholarship for tuition and fees through the Reserve Officers Training Corps. (ROTC). These scholarships cover everything except room and board, but you will receive a monthly stipend (around $200) while you are in the program.
Upon graduation, you will be obliged to serve in the military for up to eight years. This can be four years of active duty and 4 years in the reserves. You will be commissioned as an officer and receive full military pay and benefits during your active duty. This requirement is something that every candidate for ROTC needs to be comfortable with, before they sign on.
3. The G.I. Bill: For those that chose to serve their country before college or leave one of the military academy preparatory schools before graduating, there are some great benefits available. If you served as little as 90 days of active duty before being honorably discharged, you qualify for a 40 percent benefit and six months will get you 50 percent education benefits.
If you serve 36 months or more on active duty, you qualify for 100 percent of all education benefits. This means that you can receive up to 100 percent of the most expensive in-state undergraduate tuition at a public school, plus a monthly housing allowance and up to $1,000 per year for books and supplies.
DANTES - College Credit-By-Exam Programs: The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) program allows military personnel to receive college credit by taking exams instead of the traditional college classroom studies. There are three types of exams being offered through this program. They are called CLEP, DSST and ECE. We will look briefly at each one below.
4. College Level Examination Program (CLEP): There are a total of 35 exams that can be taken and each is equivalent to a three credit hour college course, but some may cover six credit hours. They are computer based tests and generally are all multiple choice. If you pass, you get the credit, but if you fail, you cannot take the same exam again for 180 days. DANTES will pay the exam fee, but participants may have to pay a $15 to $25 registration fee.
5. DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST): These are an extensive series of exams that are comparable to the final exams in undergraduate courses. Passing the exam will normally qualify for the same three college credit as if you had taken the class.
6. Excelsior College Exams (ECE): Most of the ECE exams are objective multiple choice, but some are entirely essay. All tests examine not only the facts and terms, but also the application of essential concepts and skills. These exams will qualify for between three and eight credit hours upon successfully passing the exam.
To learn more about these topics and discover more ways to reduce the cost of your college education, visit the website below and download You will find multiple strategies to help you save hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars for your college education.

College Education - Grants For Women Over 30

An older woman who wants to get a college education faces many obstacles. Studying is not a natural habit for many people, and she has stopped studying for many decades. In addition to that, it feels very self-conscious to step into a classroom full of teenagers and very young people. On top of all that, there is the issue of money - how will she fund her Bachelors degree? After all, she is going to school so that she can get a better job, but because she does not have a good job, she also has no money to pay for her degree. Fortunately, there are some philanthropic organizations who fund study grants for women over 30 for the purpose of helping women like her.
For many prospective college students, the easiest way to fund their Bachelors degree is to apply for the federal Pell grant and Stafford student loan. Provided he or she chose a community college and not an Ivy League university with sky-high tuition fees, these two federal-funded education aid programs are sufficient to pay for all or most of the tuition. But an older mother has some additional considerations.
One of the most important is this: "How will it affect her child's application for government aid when it is his turn to go to college?" There may be no impact if her child is still a baby. But if he is already a teenager, it may well have some impact on his application for college financial aid. As of today, the only impact is on siblings, i.e. if Albert received federal aid to get his degree, his younger brother Brad will either get less money or not be eligible at all. But who is to say this rule will not be tightened to include parent-child relationships in the future?
For this reason, as well as any other reasons that may make it impossible for her to receive sufficient government aid, she may need to look for grants for women that are funded by women's charities. She should not only look for scholarships and student grants, she should also look for alternative student loans. One of the better-known non-profit organizations offering these kinds of assistance is the Philanthropic Educational Organization. This charity has three different educational aid programs for women - a scholarship for teenage female high school graduates, a scholarship for older women and mothers seeking to continue their education so that they can help their families and an alternative student loan for women college students.
Unfortunately, the PEO does not have unlimited funding, which largely limits their scholarships to around $100 to $500. Clearly, this will not be enough for many women, especially older mothers over 30 who also need to feed and clothe their children. Fortunately, there are other charities for women that also offer scholarships for older women, like the Jeannette Rankin Foundation for women over 35, and the Talbots Charitable Foundation for women who graduated high school more than 10 years previously. Talbots is particularly generous, awarding $1000 p.a. for women studying at least a three-year degree.
The Philanthropic Educational Organization, the Jeannette Rankin Foundation and the Talbots Charitable Foundation are just three of many charities for women that have scholarships to help older women go back to school. There are more that can be found by searching the internet, especially for certain subjects like computer science. A careful search using Google, Bing and Yahoo will often reveal many useful grants for women over 30, especially when delimited by the college major.

Benefits of Earning an Online College Education

If you are looking at online colleges to continue your education, than you are already on the right track. You no longer have to let time and money come between you and career that you have always dreamed of. There are so many different benefits to online college courses, it doesn't make sense not to go back to school. With a degree, you can open the door to multiple different job opportunities for yourself, even in this economy. Not only will you have more job opportunities, you also may be able to move up at your current place of employment. You can even earn your degree through and online college, while you are going to work and living your day to day life. Nothing will have to change.
You Choose The Location
An online course is done wherever you want to do it, whenever you want to do it. This means at home, a library, a friends house, or even in a coffee shop. All you need to do an online course is have access to a computer with the internet. An online college education gives you the freedom to study in the morning, afternoon, evening, or even the middle of the night. It doesn't matter when you work, or what other obligations that you have going on in your life. Your online courses can be done around your schedule, instead of somebody else's. This is great for people who have families, work full time jobs, or do swing shifts. A traditional university cannot give you this convenience.
Work Around Your Schedule
Not only do online schools allow you to work around your own time, but you are also going to be saving time verses studying at a traditional university. You will not have to go to school and sit in through long class lectures, or waste time driving back and forth to the campus. Online schools can save you hours of time while you are continuing your education, and earning your degree. There are also many different accelerated programs through online colleges, that allow you to finish your online courses faster, and earn your degree sooner. These different programs can sometimes cut your time in school in half! This is a huge benefit for most people going back to school.
Save Money
Time is not the only thing saved when attending an online college, but money is as well. An online college education does not require parking permits, recreational fees, or student i.d. cards, to just name a few things. There are so many different accessories and fees that come with traditional universities, that many people can't afford to attend a traditional college. With and online school you also don't have to waste gas driving back and forth, or the money for public transportation. Most importantly for people with children, and online school doesn't require you to take your child to day care. That is a huge saving, and can be a leading factor in people getting their education, especially single moms.
Choose Your Own Career Field
Earning your degree means that you will be able to provide yourself, or your family, with a much more stable future. The higher you take your education, the more money you can usually make. There are many different degree and certificate programs available from different schools online. Post graduate degrees are even accessible through online learning. By studying online, you have access to many different from schools all over the country, all of your own home. Some of the best schools in the nation are accessible online, like the Art Institute Online, Kaplan University Online, and Everest Online, just to name a few. Whatever program you want to study, you can usually find online.
By enrolling in, you can be changing your life, and your future, today. Many different accredited online schools have the training and degree programs that you are looking for to get yourself the career that you have always dreamed of. There are so many different benefits to an online college education, everyone should get started as soon as possible, and start working towards more making money as soon as possible. Time and money are no longer an excuse not to go back to school, so stop wasting time and find a online school with your program of interest.

Average College Tuition Cost - Is A College Education Still A Good Investment?

It's true. The average college tuition cost has been rising insanely quickly, much faster than inflation over the past several decades. And that seems like a very scary fact.
Many students and parent's of students will look at the average college tuition price, especially at a highly ranked four year university and simply keel over from sticker shock.
"It's frightening, as scary as any gory horror flick."
With such high costs, a lot of people are asking...is a college education worth it anymore? Is a college degree worth the financial struggle and sacrifice? The answer - perhaps surprisingly, is that it's still very worth it.
If we don't want to be trapped in a dead end job flipping burgers or pushing papers around a desk we need a college degree. Think about it, there is a growing gap between the "haves" and the "have nots" in our society, the gap between rich and poor is an ever widening chasm and the middle class is shrinking.
That means we have a simple choice - either slide down in the lower income classes of society or "pony up" the average college tuition cost and move into the upper middle income classes.
The simple fact is that education is the number one factor that determines how much money a person will make. The numbers don't lie. A college graduate makes an average of one million dollars more, over a life time, than a non-college graduate. Would you prefer to retire on $100,000 or $1,000,000? That is an easy choice for most people.
When you think about it that way, all of a sudden the average college tuition price doesn't appear so scary.
It's not that a high school graduate can't become the next Bill Gates and make billions, it can happen; however the overwhelming majority of us with just a high school degree will struggle mightily with their finances throughout our lifetimes. The good paying lower education jobs just aren't there.
The Hard Numbers
The median college tuition cost for a community college is right around $2,700 per year (so, around $5,400 for two years). Not a bad little investment to jump into a career making perhaps $30,000 to $40,000 a year. If you believe you can easily make that amount of money with a high school degree, you'd be mistaken.
A Bachelor's Degree from a state funded institution will cost around $36,000, over four years, or approximately $9,000 per year. Choosing an in-state school can bring that cost down to around $30,400, on average. Saving $6,000 along with high interest payments on student loans (most us will have to take out loans) adds up to a big chuck of change.
And finally, a private university will cost something in the neighbor of $108,000 dollars these days, the top U.S. Schools and colleges will cost around $140,000 dollars give or take. However students graduating for these schools stand to make salaries in the $100,000 range fairly quickly.
The average college tuition cost is certainly not chump change, but don't listen to the fear mongers who tell you it's a waste of money. The numbers firmly support the fact that a college education is a very smart investment, the alternative most likely imprisons us in a life of constant financial hardship.

Using Direct Loans To Fund Your College Education: What You Need To Know About These Loans

Attending some sort of college or higher educational facility has become essential in today's world to be able to get a good job. Going to college will not guarantee you a good job but it highly increases your chances. Due to this, the competition to getting into college has increased drastically over the past decade. Colleges and universities know this and have adjusted their prices accordingly. Some private colleges and universities now cost as much as sixty thousand dollars per year to attend.
Most students do not have nearly three hundred thousand dollars lying around to spend on a four year education. This is why students apply for different types of loans that they do not have to start paying back until they have graduated for their college or university. One type of loan that should be considered by every student seeking financial aid or assistance is a direct loan.
Direct loans are very low interest loans that can be attained by both students and parents of students to help pay for a student' secondary education after completing high school. The credit comes from the United States Department of Education but you do not deal directly with them, the services you get them from are usually private businesses.
These are one of the best ways for students to pay for their college while they are still in school because they do not have to worry about paying back any money until after they graduate and they will not have to pay any huge interest rates on the money they borrowed. Before you go out and borrow money from the United States Department of Education, you need to learn everything about how the process of you borrowing money from them works.
The first thing you do is apply for financial aid. If you qualify to potentially get a direct loan, it will show up on your financial aid award package that is given to you from your college or university. You then have to choose if you would like to accept it as part of your financial aid award package. If you choose to accept, you then will have the option to pick from a number of different repayment plans. Do not rush this process; you want to make sure that you pick a repayment plan that suits your needs and financial situation. For example, you can select to pay all of the interest on the loan while you are in school so you do not have to pay back more than you initially borrowed once you graduate.
Remember, if you leave school or drop out, you will have to start paying back the money you borrowed immediately. This can even be used as a reason to try harder in school if you do not want to be in debt. Once you graduate you will once again choose from a number of repayment plans. The best part about these loans is they generally give you between ten and twenty-five years to completely pay them back. This give you time to get your life together before being overwhelmed by bills.

Importance of Financial Aid in Funding College Education

The last few years have been a real test for those who have unshakable faith in the higher education system. With the state of the economy touching new lows and rendering millions of Americans jobless, serious questions were raised over the wisdom of investing money in a fancy college degree.
However, there are statistics to support those who believe that college education opens the door to high paying careers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2005-2007 American Community Survey, the average yearly income of a high school graduate was $26,712, while those with some college or associate's degree earned $32,793 per annum. The earnings of those with a bachelor's and graduate or professional degree were $46,277 and $61,014 per year respectively.
Clearly, the numbers speak for themselves and the argument is won in favor of a college education. But not everyone has the financial resources to fund higher education. For such people, college financial aid comes as a ray of hope. Many colleges offer financial counseling to students and educate them about the various federal aids available to them to fund their education.
Federal financial aid for students includes scholarships, grants, and subsidized loans given on the basis of financial need as opposed to academic accomplishment. Besides, some state agencies also offer grants to deserving students. Some of the prominent federal financial aid programs are:
Pell Grant: It is a need-based grant that is usually given to undergraduate students. Unlike a loan, a student doesn't have to repay a Pell Grant. The amount of grant can vary from year to year and will depend on factors such as financial need, cost to attend college, whether you are a full time or part time student, and whether you plan to attend college for a full academic year or less.
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG): This is also a need based grant and can be a part of a student's overall aid package subject to availability of funds. Priority is given to students who have already received a Pell Grant. A student can get up to $4000 as part of this grant.
Federal Stafford Loan: This is one more source of college financial aid offered by the federal government. These are fixed rate student loans offered to undergraduate and graduate students provided they are enrolled in at least a part time program. Students can apply for both subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans. Subsidized Stafford loans are only given to students who demonstrate a financial need. Students who take this loan need to start making payments six months after they graduate.
Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students: This is yet another federal financial aid for college students. It is a low interest loan that parents of a dependent undergraduate student can take to fund the cost of entire education. This loan is not available to parents of independent students.
The U.S. Congress passed a bill in 2008 that proposed sweeping changes to the country's higher education law. The bill sought to improve the college financial aid programs and its highlights included simplification of the federal financial aid form and availability of Pell grant throughout the year. Rebuilding the education system is evidently one of the top most priorities of the government and if they are successful in their endeavor, it'll be a huge bonus for the future of post-secondary education.

Average College Tuition Cost

Like everything else, college costs are going up. According to recently released figures, students or their families will pay from $175 to $1100 more this year than last. Still, there is good news. The amount of financial aid available is now almost $170 Billion. In spite of the increases, a college education still remains affordable for most students and their families.
Even though some of the college costs so often mentioned in the news - $36,000 to $50,000 per year for tuition and fees at premier 4 year schools, college is actually more affordable than that. For example, over half of students attend four year schools with tuition and fees below $9,000? When grants are taken into consideration, the net price drops way below the published "sticker price". Other forms of financial aid drop the out of pocket costs even further.
The College Board has published these figures for the 2009-2010 academic year:
Private four year - $26,273 (up 4.4 percent)
Public four year - $7,020 (up 6.5 percent)
Public two year - $2,544 (up 7.3 percent)
Room and Board will cost $377 to $420 more than last year
The average out of state surcharge for full time students at a public four year institution is $11,528
One of the vehicles to save ahead for future college costs is a 529 college savings program, which allows you to save for college through a state sponsored investment account. Earnings and funds can be used at any school, in any state. Earnings and withdrawals are federal tax free, and funds are treated as parental assets when calculating need figures. There is also a variation which is a tuition prepayment plan which allows you to lock in tuition cost at a particular school
There are other vehicles such as Coverdell savings accounts or Roth IRAs which could be utilized for college savings. There are also cost free sources of money for college - scholarships, of which there are many, and another under publicized vehicle which you can find by following the links below.
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Beating the High Cost of a College Education - Savings

Adding to the list of certainties, death and taxes, we can now add a third, price increases in education. With the average cost of attending a four-year private university at around $40,000, the average cost of attending a four-year public university at around $20,000 and the average cost of attending community college around $7,000, and increasing, there are some ways to help address this issue of increasing costs. One of the best ways to help pay for college is to develop a plan early on to set aside some money, however modest, to help pay for your student's education. Every dollar you set aside for college will reduce your need for students loans by a similar amount. And with special tax treatment of most saving options there are a few good ways to attack the problem. Here is a list of ways to help.
529 College Savings Plans
These plans are administered by the states and allow a family to set aside money tax free to save for college, much like a 401(k) plan does the same thing for retirement. These plans give the ultimate in flexibility as they are not subject to income limits and the assets in the plan may be transferred easily to another beneficiary if the student decides not to attend college. As long as the money withdrawn is used to pay for a college education the funds are not taxable. This allows even grandparents to set up these types of funds. The only real drawback is that your investment options are limited by what the states choose to offer. But for tax deferred savings it is hard to beat this option.
529 Tuition Savings Plans
Once again these are administered by the states and allow a family to invest a certain amount of money to fix the tuition rate that the student will pay once they arrive at college. While many families choose this option figuring they will pay once and save a lot of money later on, it limits the student to certain schools, and, let's face it, only covers tuition. While you may be getting a great rate on tuition, room and board and books will still be growing with the rate of inflation. While some benefits are transportable to schools that do not participate in the plan your options are severely limited under this type of investment option.

5 Ways to Earn Your College Education With Less College Student Credit Card Debt

If college students could have one wish it might be to receive a good college education without having to spend the next twenty years paying off massive student loans and college student credit card debt.
"Genie, grant me my wish." Poof. What college student credit card debt?
Dear Aladdin wannabe's, if only it were that easy! The truth is you can earn a great college education with less college student credit card debt. It takes a little money management savvy and an increasingly un-American concept called self-control.
"There are more money issues for today's students than in any other generation before them," says Todd Romer, executive director of Young Money Magazine.
From the rising cost of colleges to luxuries like cell phones and high-end dining establishments that are popping up all around college campuses, you may find yourself graduating into college student credit card debt hell by the time you're twenty-two years old. And all you truly wanted was a debt-free college education!
If you're looking to stress less about money and be proactive about college student credit card debt, give the following tips a try:
1. Use credit cards sparingly.
The average credit card debt owed by college students is about $2,700, with close to a quarter of students owing more than $3,000. About 10 percent owed more than $7,000! That's not even including student loans.
"Getting a credit card is not a bad idea," says Romer. According to a recent study of student loan applicants conducted by Nellie Mae, a leading provider of higher education loans, 78 percent of all college students today have at least one credit card. That being said, Romer advises that college students keep your credit card in the deepest part of your wallet to use for emergencies and/or large purchases that you know you will pay back within thirty days.
Have a tendency to use credit cards as, say, gift cards? Romer suggests that college students call their credit card company and ask them to put a $500 max on the card. Also have them not change the limit until you are the one who communicates to them that you want to increase your credit limit. "Until you become more responsible, and that just evolves over time, have a third-party reign in on your spending," adds Romer.
But how can you earn a college education minus college student credit card debt when some colleges and universities form multi-million dollar partnerships with credit issuers and give them the go ahead to solicit students right on campus? "If you see a Bank One credit card table showing up at your school in the student union once a week, just realize that you don't have to participate in the promotion on campus," says Romer. "Treat it like anything else you're going to be tempted with in this world. Be smart about what you ge.t involved

College Financial Aid Scholarship - Getting Your College Education Paid For!

Are you a high school student or a current college student and you want to know a better way to get your college tuition, fees, books, and living expenses paid for? Do you want to know about the college financial aid scholarship plan that will help you get as much free money as possible towards your schooling? There are ways to avoid having to go into serious student loan debt to get through college and one of them is to use scholarships to help pay for or pay in full for your education. Here is how it works.
There are so many scholarships out there for students that each and every person that goes to college should be able to get something. The best part is that nearly 85% of the students that attend college will never apply for a scholarship for some reason. This means that there are many more scholarships available than students to accept them. The truth is there are some scholarships that only have a handful or less apply for them and these are the easiest ones to get. So, how do you know which ones these are so you can apply for them?
Getting a college financial aid scholarship is a numbers game. If you choose 5 scholarships to apply for, then chances are you will not get any of them. You might get lucky and win one of them, but the odds are against you. However, if you were to apply for 50 or 100 different scholarships, then the odds are in your favor that you will be awarded at least one of them. This is very possible and when you are looking to apply for a college financial aid scholarship you should make sure that your list is very long.
The last thing you need to know is that you should be applying for each and every possible scholarship you can find. Even if they are just a random drawing and you do not have to write an essay or anything else you should at least take the couple of minutes to enter the drawing. You never know when you might win some money and what it could lead to. Apply for and enter into as many scholarships as you can find and chances are you will be able to at least get part of your education paid for without taking out loans to do so.

Online College Education - Increase Your Learning

The last few decades have seen unprecedented growth of the technology industry. Companies, especially multinational companies, are aggressively pursuing dreams of becoming global entities. Coupled with multiple sectors, which were unheard of earlier, are opening up all over the world and employment opportunities are springing up with hundreds of new jobs being created every day.
With the growth of all businesses, technology has advanced and brought Internet access to each and every home. Mobile technology as well as broadband is able to keep you connected to the world at all times even while you are traveling to a remote part of the world.
What does all this mean for all of us today? It means a whole new world of opportunity has opened up. These days we don't need to spend twenty-one years of our life dedicated to education alone and miss out on other experiences. Today we can complete high school education and take on a job at any of the Multinational companies at entry levels. Further career growth can come out of completing higher education and acquiring required skill sets. This is where online college education courses come in handy.
Instead of spending three to five years pursuing a course at bachelor degree level, you can continue to work and pursue online college education degree course from one of the accredited universities. Further more, one can take up Masters in any subject with the same route of a traditional college degree
Online college education helps you complete your education while you continue to earn. It helps you to take up studies at your own pace and from the comfort of your homes. The course contents and syllabus remains the same as any regular course. Lecture notes and assignments can be downloaded online and submitted online. This eliminates the need to attend any practical sessions or workshops. Unlike correspondence courses, online college education degree is an interactive one where a virtual classroom can be set up. Every student is connected to his classmates and can interact with one another on chat. Faculty is available online to help anytime.
Worried about finances? Online college education courses are eligible for easy finance schemes and scholarships. You can choose the option that suits you best. The ideal thing would be to check out if your employers have any schemes to sponsor employee education or provide education loans. Many corporations invest in their employees to upgrade their skill sets.
Online college education from an accredited institution carries the same value as a normal university degree. Fast track options are available in certain courses enabling you to complete the course in shorter period of time.
Many students are known to take up technical courses and pursue side by side their online college education course. No matter which technical diploma or certificate course you take up, basic degrees as a qualification adds value to your resume. You can follow this up with an online MBA degree course at some future point of time and plan a career path on the basis of your qualifications and experience.

Why College Education Should Be Free For Everyone

The growing costs of paying for a college education have made a lot of would-be college students to stop and think about their future. Many prospective students won't be able to get an education without means of a private student loan. The debate of making college education accessible for everyone is still a major concern, and is likely to be an argument for a long time to come.
There are many reasons why college education should be free for all, since it would greatly help the national economy if everyone were well-educated, creating a vastly more competitive economy. The potential of giving each citizen their own degree would also be a benefit to the government itself. But with the country's economy still unstable, how would the government pay for everyone's tuition fee? Where will the funding come? Should the general taxpayers who do not directly benefit from higher education pay additional taxes for the education of the country?
Of course, one place people can also start collecting funds for free college education is from those people who will benefit from the free education system, through higher taxes for those going to college, for instance. However, this may not be realistic, as a lot of college students may not have the means to help out-even though they no longer have to worry about paying tuition.
One common problem when it comes to most university students is not about their intellectual ability, but how they'll pay for their college education. Many entrance examinations even cater not to the intellectual ability of a student, as much as whether they'll have the financial support to get them through the four years of college life. If we are truly serious in providing everyone a free education, then we should find a way in widening the students' participation, regardless of whether they have money or not.
Many organizations have even come up with ways of creating new so that students are able to afford and pay their tuition fees on time. Given that free college education for students is still a long way off, students should find their own means of helping themselves so that they can get access to better education in the meantime.
For those who want an alternative in getting a loan for school, a great option is to get a private student loan. For most lenders, all you need is to have good credit, and you will be eligible for a private student loan. There are still ways to ease the financial burden on students, until the time when everyone will be able to get access to free college education.

Invest in College Education For a Better Future

College education has become very important in the very competitive present day job market with some job openings requiring the applicants to finish at least a four year college degree. No wonder many individuals continue to pursue college degrees despite the rising tuition fees, the higher total cost of education, and the increasing interest rate for student loans.
Going to school for a degree necessitates a big financial investment and as such, requires much thought and preparation prior to enrolling in a school's degree program to make the most of your investment in education.
Among the very first major decision that a student needs to make is choosing what degree to study for and where to study.
Choosing the degree that is perfect for the individual is easier if you have already defined the career that you want to pursue after graduation. For those who are leaning on joining the business community, there are lots of courses and majors that can be considered and among them are International Business, Business Administration, Marketing and Sales, Banking and Finance, Entrepreneurship and others.
For those who would like to pursue careers where they can help communities and individuals can go for degrees in Social Work, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Religious Studies, Medicine and the likes.
Courses that are great for those who wants to get involve with tech, gadgets, and software development can go for Electronics and Communication Engineering, Computer Science and Programming, Graphics and Animations.
Those who are leaning in the arts and letters can consider Interior Designing, Architecture, Journalism, Mass Communication, Fine Arts and many more.
There are practically hundreds of courses that a student can choose from that will be ideal for their skills, aptitude, and long term career plans.
The next major and crucial decision is where to study for college. There are a lot of factors to consider, including financial capability of the student and his family, number of years required to complete the degree, school culture and reputation and many more. It can be hard choosing the best school because you have so many to choose from. You can opt to go for a traditional campus based education or you can even enroll in an online school to pursue your college degree. Both online schools and traditional campus offers almost the same courses, especially the popular degrees among students, and each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. It is up to the student to determine the educational format that will be best address their unique situation.
No matter what degree you will pursue or where you will go to study, college degrees continue to be relevant today as one of the assets you can have to ensure a better future for you. A report issued by the College Board authored by Sandy Baum entitled "Education Pays: the Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society."which was quoted in the New York Times in its September 21,2010 issue affirms that generally, those employees with college degrees earn higher than their counterparts with only a high school diploma among other benefits. Thus, pursuing your college degree, whether in traditional or an online school, is a good investment for a brighter future.