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Archive for the ‘Aid for College’

The Summer Job – Not Just Cash, But Opportunity

April 08, 2010 By: Lynn Mattoon Category: Aid for College, Maximize your savings No Comments →

As warmer weather nears, students begin to think about the end of classes and the beginning of vacation time and outdoor activities. Unfortunately, having fun often requires money, that’s why it’s not too early to start thinking about summer jobs.

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Photo by Les.Butcher

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College Taxes: Beware of 529 Plan Taxes

April 06, 2010 By: Elizabeth Kraus Category: Aid for College, Maximize your savings, The financial insider No Comments →

Today we have a guest post from Lynn O’Shaughnessy. 
O’Shaughnessy is the author of The College Solution, an Amazon bestseller, and she also writes a college blog for CBSMoneyWatch and TheCollegeSolutionBlog. Follow her on Twitter.

Ever hear about college taxes?

No this isn’t a joke. If you aren’t careful you could owe college taxes on your 529 plan.

Nobody tells you that you could ultimately owe taxes on a 529 college plan, but plenty of people discover this nightmare during tax season.

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Where to Look for College Scholarships

March 29, 2010 By: Taylor Garrett Category: Aid for College, Application tips, Finding a scholarship, Nontraditional scholarships, Scholarships 4 Comments →

You don’t have to be the eighth athletic wonder of the world or a clinically proven genius to get a college scholarship. You just have to be resourceful.

There are plenty of ways to get a college scholarship–the trick is just to actively seek them out. If you do the work to find the scholarship, you’ve done the hardest part. Here are some places to start your college scholarship search:

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Photo by Alan Cleaver 2000

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The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA)

March 22, 2010 By: Elizabeth Kraus Category: Aid for College, Financial Student Aid, Loans No Comments →

Today we have a guest post from Brennon Garrett, from Campus Book Rentals. Campus Book Rentals, a college text book rental company, is conducting an online petition for this bill. 

The United States Congress is currently considering whether to pass the The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 (SAFRA).  The legislation passed in the Senate last September by a vote of 253 to 171, but it’s unclear whether it will pass successfully in the House.  The legislation includes many different initiatives, but the primary purpose of the bill is to make college more affordable to more Americans.  One of central components of the bill would remove private banks as middle-men in the student lending process.  As it stands today, many student loans are made by private banks with subsidies from the US Government – while those same loans are also being guaranteed by the US Government, thus removing the loan default risk to the private banks, and passing on the extra cost to students.  In April President Obama said “We have a student loan system where we’re giving lenders billions of dollars in wasteful subsidies that could be used to make college more affordable for all Americans.”  SAFRA would put an end to government payments to commercial lenders, and and the government would become a direct student lender.  This would save $40B over 10 years that would be directly re-routed into the Pell Grant system, increasing Pell grant scholarships from $5,550 in 2010 to $6,900 by 2019.  The increase in Pell grants would become linked to the cost of living, rising along with the Consumer Price Index, plus 1%.

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Photo by Gadget Dude

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Last Minute Tuition Assistance

March 16, 2010 By: Julie Manhan Category: Aid for College No Comments →

Your admissions decisions are in and you’ve received your financial aid packages.  It’s at this point that many students realize they should have taken the time to apply for more scholarships. The good news is there’s still  time to get some last minute tuition assistance, but you need to act fast.

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 Photo by Borman818

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Finding Aid for College

March 05, 2010 By: Lynn Mattoon Category: Aid for College No Comments →

More than ever a college education is a necessary component for a successful career. College is expensive and many deserving young people and their families find the rising cost of tuition an overwhelming prospect. Even when considering “affordable” colleges many families experience sacrifice and hardship. Yet the cost of not attending college will often result in even greater financial hardships for those who make that choice.

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A Scholarship for Mom! Grants and Scholarships for Mothers

February 24, 2010 By: Lynn Mattoon Category: Scholarships 5 Comments →

In many cases being a mom means more than being the family nurturer, sometimes it also means being the family’s source of financial support. Putting food on the table may be a combined effort or, in the case of the single mom, a sole responsibility. Having a job with good pay, benefits, and flexibility significantly reduces the struggle to raise a family. In order to find good jobs, one needs the education employers require. Yet, for many mothers, even those who stay at home and raise children on one income, returning to school can be financially challenging. How can these women get the education they need in order to enter the workforce? How can they gain access to careers that will give them the pay and benefits they need? Scholarships for mothers may be a viable option. 

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Photo by Octopushat

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Is Obama Your College Meal Ticket?

February 11, 2010 By: Brady Norvall Category: Aid for College No Comments →

The politics of it all can be awfully muddy, but the question at hand is whether college affordability will come back down to Planet Earth during the Obama years.

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 Photo by Steve Rhodes 

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Eight is Enough: The Top 8 Financial Aid Tips for Families

February 01, 2010 By: Andy Burns Category: Aid for College, Financial Student Aid 1 Comment →

The cost of a college degree is getting more expensive every year.  According to College Board, the average four-year public college charges a tuition rate of $7,020 and the average tuition cost of a four-year private college is $26,273.  That’s a lot of money.  And while there are resources out there to help families cover their college expenses, who has the time to research these opportunities?  It’s tough.   The purpose of this blog is to simplify your life.  If you follow these quick tips on financial aid, your college financing process will be a lot easier.  Let’s get started…

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Photo by Borman 818  

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5 Tips for Your Scholarship Essays

January 20, 2010 By: Elizabeth Kraus Category: Scholarships 3 Comments →

I have spent the last few weeks sifting through the scholarship essays submitted for the scholarships for mothers that we are about to award, and I feel it’s my duty to pass on a few tips to you.

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Photo by lethaargic

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Understanding the Four Most Common Types of Financial Student Aid

November 16, 2009 By: Elizabeth Kraus Category: Aid for College, Financial Student Aid No Comments →

Today we have a guest post from Kelsey Murray. Kelsey Murray is a junior at the University of Oklahoma studying advertising. She also writes about news, trends and advice for college students at EDUInReview.com, an educational resource helping students at all stages of the education process find student loans, scholarships, testing advice and more.

Being a student is hard work. You attend classes, spend countless hours studying and prepping for exams, stay involved in extracurricular activities, and you might have a job as well. But the hardest part of college can be actually paying for it.

While financial student aid is a saving grace for so many students, it can be difficult to know which type of aid for college suits your academic and economic needs.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the most common types of financial student aid and what factors play into determining who qualifies for each type.

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How to Find Aid for College

November 06, 2009 By: Brady Norvall Category: Aid for College No Comments →

It’s pretty amazing how quickly the college application season comes upon us. Every year it seems as though it just gets a little longer and a little more stressful (although we can’t imagine it ever being more stressful than the year we are currently in). But inevitably, with the applications being filled and filed, the other question will always follow: how does one find out about various sources of aid for college? Where does it come from and what does it all mean?

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Photo by Material Boy

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How to Find College Deals

October 28, 2009 By: Kate Scozzaro Category: Aid for College, Best College Tips, Campus Life No Comments →

College. That one word alone is the definition of being broke! As a college senior, I can tell you that no matter how many part-time jobs you take on, you are still going to be lacking when it comes to cash flow. It takes some longer than others to run out of their high school savings, but you’ll be sure to find out the true value of a dollar during your time away. So how can you make the last $5 you have for the week (and it’s only Monday) last until Friday’s pay check? I’ve learned some simple tips on how to find college deals and making that dollar go further.

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Photo by Goldberg
 

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Financial Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act: How Does it Affect You?

October 26, 2009 By: Laura Kruse Category: Aid for College, Financial Student Aid 3 Comments →

Paying for college can be even more of a struggle than getting in, but new legislation might make it a little easier for families by increasing federal financial aid. Last month Congress passed the Financial Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act. The legislation expands financial aid, shifts direct federal lending and removes subsidies to private lenders. Supporters have claimed that the bill would save taxpayers $87 billion over the next 10 years. The legislation promises to make college more affordable, but what does that mean for you and your family?

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Photo by Borman818

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How to Begin Your Scholarship Search

October 14, 2009 By: Julie Manhan Category: Aid for College, Finding a scholarship 4 Comments →

Every year, at countless high school graduation ceremonies, you hear or read the names of scholarships the graduating class has been awarded.  It’s important to keep in mind that behind each of those awards are a student commitment, a well done application, and the ever-important scholarship search.  The latter is where many students find themselves in uncharted waters.

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Photo by Steve Wampler

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6 Tips for Searching for Scholarships

September 16, 2009 By: Elizabeth Kraus Category: Aid for College, Scholarships 3 Comments →

Today we have a guest post from Brandi Koskie. Koskie is a journalism graduate from the University of Oklahoma and the senior editor at EduInReview.com, an educational resource helping students at all stages of the education process find student loans, scholarships, testing advice and more.

Searching for college scholarships can seem daunting and overwhelming. But like other aspects of the college preparation process, if you are organized and have a plan, then you’re sure to find your scholarship search more manageable.

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Photo by AMagill

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Does the Cost of College REALLY Pay Off?

September 15, 2009 By: Brady Norvall Category: Aid for College 4 Comments →

This is a difficult question that depends heavily on so many factors. There are many different forms that a college education can take and within these there is an entire spectrum of costs associated, ranging anywhere from a local community college, which can be as low as $20 per credit hour, to a private university where tuition and fees can reach closer to $60,000 per year. But the fact of the matter is, there ARE options. (more…)

Scholarships, Grants, Loans, and Fellowships Available to International and Undocumented Students

September 08, 2009 By: Taylor Garrett Category: Aid for College, Choosing a College, Finding a scholarship, Grad scholarships, Graduate programs, Loan tips, Loans, Nontraditional scholarships, Scholarships, Student loans, Undergraduate programs 19 Comments →

Do you want a new puppy? Are you an international student who wants to attend college in the United States, but can’t afford to? Whether you are coming from abroad, or an uncodumented/illegal alien living here in the United States, there are resources out there to help you find the money to fund your education. Whether you are an undergraduate (enrolling after secondary/high school) or a graduate student (you have attended a college or university and want to continue your studies), this article provides links to help you begin your search. Also, my labrador just had a litter of puppies, and they need a home.

*A hint first: START YOUR SEARCH EARLY!  the deadlines for international scholarships and grants are rigidly set far before the start of the school year, and maybe even before the admission application deadline. *

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Photo of International Students by MattCline

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myUsearch Scholarship for Left Handed People

September 04, 2009 By: Jillianne Hamilton Category: Aid for College 5 Comments →

According to a 1998 study, roughly seven percent of the world population is left handed, equating to nearly fifty million left handers worldwide. Many theories suggest that left handed individuals are more intelligent and likely to succeed than their right-handed counterparts. All three major candidates in the 1992 U.S. Presidential election were left handed and according to most resources, six U.S. presidents have been left handed.

However, despite the fact that left handed students may be more likely to succeed, there are very few scholarships designed specifically for left handed people. myUsearch.com is offering a $1000 scholarship for left handers.

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Photo by Jeff the Trojan.

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Student Loans: To Borrow or Not to Borrow

August 28, 2009 By: Brady Norvall Category: Aid for College, Loan tips, Loans, Student loans, The financial insider 2 Comments →

Due to the rising cost of college, over 70% of college students now consider taking out student loans. While these numbers are a sad reflection of the cost of college, the fact is that student loans are very good debt to have. (more…)