Showing posts with label paying for college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paying for college. Show all posts

22 November 2021

4 Ways to Pay for Your Degree Without Getting a Job

As if college itself wasn’t stressful enough, nothing can weigh on the mind like crushing loan debt. Having a job to alleviate some of that financial pressure would be nice, but when you’re an architecture student studying 30 hours a day, where will you find the time for a regular job?

Luckily, there are plenty of ways for you to earn some supplemental income while you’re contributing the majority of your time to your studies.

Selling Unused Clothes

This plan sounds quite tedious, and it can be if not executed properly. Sorting through your clothes is exceedingly mundane, even when it’s just to put them away during the laundry process.

And remember, you have to make time to study, so you can’t waste any of it separating old clothes from the rest. You need an efficient way to market the clothes you know you can get rid of, and that people would want to buy.

Utilizing social media is an effective way to market your clothing, as well as set up and close sales. All it takes is a little legwork. Take a picture or two of the article of clothing and post that picture to a group in Facebook, direct message it to people you think would be interested in it, or post it on Instagram using the #ShopMyCloset hashtag.

And if you don’t have the time to sit down one afternoon and sort through all of your clothes, kill two birds with one stone. When you’re doing your laundry (your clothes have to be cleaned eventually), pay attention to what clothes are left sitting dormant in your closet and drawers.

More often than not, these are clothes that don’t fit you anymore, or that you’ve simply forgotten about. No matter the reason, they would be much more useful in the hands (or on the body) of a person who would actually wear them.

Volunteering for Scientific Studies

This is the method that is most likely to net you the highest amount of money in the shortest amount of time. Research institutions all over the country are constantly looking for test subjects to take part in experiments for new drugs, studying diseases and even sleep studies.

For as much as thousands of dollars at a time, you could offer your body and health in a variety of ways, such as battling the flu, lying down in bed or donating bodily fluids.

You can participate in experiments that allow doctors and medical students to understand how our bodies fight diseases, and others that allow them to observe sleep patterns. No matter the experiment, most researchers are more than willing to fork out some extra cash to keep them from having to become the experiment subject.

If you don’t really mind being a lab rat, go ahead and take the money!

Selling Your Car

Before you say it, no, this isn’t a suggestion that you sell whatever car you have right now. Obviously, if you need a car in order to function, you should have a car.

But you don’t have to have a nice car. An easy way to raise money that could be dedicated to paying for school is to sell a classic or vintage automobile.

There are many models made before 1971 that have market values in excess of $19,700 today. The 1967 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am in particular would rake in an incredible $136,000 in 2016.

Sure, you look pretty sweet cruising around town in a classic ride. But you know what’s even sweeter? Relief from $100,000 in student loan debt.

Tutoring

You’re already studying anyway, so you might as well teach other people how to become better students, especially if their particular struggle is in a class you passed with ease.

College students will be very willing to pay you to help them pass a test, write a long essay or even improve their overall grade in a crucial class.

Your hours can be whatever you want them to be, and there are no contracts or limitations to how much your workload can be from month to month. If you know everything about the SAT, ACT, and subject tests, then you can help future college students as well!

The best part is that the better you are at tutoring, the more referrals you’ll get, thus increasing your earning potential. You’re basically getting paid to study, and help others get better at studying. You never know, you might even help your own grades at the same time!

15 May 2014

Juggling a Degree and Debt: 6 Tips to Make It Work

College is a great cognitive adventure, where you learn about the intricate world around you and build a giant wall of debt in the process. And that debt can become like a scary monster, lurking in the shadows of your college experience.

Avoiding a future of paying off college debt can seem challenging, but with the right guidance, you can turn that foreboding monster into nothing more than a stepping stone to a future of great achievement. Here are some tips for getting through college with a manageable amount of debt.

Choose Your College Wisely

Brochures and websites can hypnotize you with pictures of students studying on an impossibly green lawn or kicking around a soccer ball in the quad, but beware of this distraction. There will be places to stage your brochure-worthy photo on all of the campuses.

Your college choice should be based on your future career goals and the cost of attendance, particularly the latter. Tuition and fees can make a huge difference in debt, and choosing a college with a more manageable cost of attendance can really save you in the future.

Get Funding for College

When you have a chosen a school that seems to fit the bill, do not merely glance over the financial aid portion of the application. Getting funded is the quickest way to minimize student debt. Understanding and accurately portraying your financial position can be the difference between a fellowship and a loan, the second of which you must repay after your college experience is over.
student loans and fincnaial aid
Funding college can be a challenge.  Flickr LendingMemo

Be sure to contact a financial officer at the school for application help, and do not forget to inquire about specialized grants, scholarships, and funded positions offered by the school. These financial advisors are there to help you, so do not be afraid to use them. Minimizing your loans with funding on the forefront will help you manage your debt once college is over.

Work the Debt Away

Since debt cannot be studied or partied away (bummer), you can get ahead of your loan payments by working through college. While serving tables or working in retail may fit your schedule, these jobs should come second to those that can build your resume. Look for paid internships in your field, apply for teaching and research assistantships within your department, and consult your college career center for part-time and temporary jobs.

Maximize Your Savings

Making the money is only one step to the process. Finding ways to save that money is the key. Open a savings account and put a percentage of your earnings into it each month. By the time you are walking across the graduation stage, you will have a nice cushion of money to begin paying off your debts. Maximizing these savings by setting a strict budget and minimizing your bills will also increase your debt fighting arsenal.

Choose a Lucrative Career in Your Field

While sites will tell you jobs in public relations, accounting, and computer science are the best career paths based on a variety of indicators, do not let your major field decision be based solely on the money. Do your homework. Find a lucrative career path within your major to maximize both earnings and post-graduation contentment. This tip will help you maximize your earnings and attack debt in a timely manner.

Give Online Classes a Chance

While some majors are better suited to in-classroom learning, online classes can be a viable option for more straight-forward career paths. Think back to when you were a kid, what did you want to be? A nurse? A princess? A cop? There are online classes for these career paths (well, maybe not for being a princess) that can lead to greater savings when completing the requirements of your degree and quick job opportunities upon graduation.

Being mindful of your finances in college can pay off in the long run. If you take these tips to heart, you will be well on your way to a debt-free future, where you can warmly reminisce about your college experience, without being harshly reminded by student loan bills.

By: Bill Bilse

07 May 2014

Chance to Win a Real $50,000 College Scholarship


Did your parents meet on Match.com? Are you a Match couple with a child (or step child) between the ages of 13-20? If you answered yes to any of these questions you’ll want to read on to find out how the #1 dating site may save you $50,000 on college tuition!

More than 1 million babies have been ‘made” by Match connections since their launch and many of Match.com's earliest couples — who met nearly 20 years ago on this first-ever online dating site — now have children graduating high school.

To celebrate the small role the company has played in their lives, Match just launched an annual scholarship program called MatchMade, which will award $50,000 in college tuition to a student and even the parents of the winner get a prize: $5,000 for their own MatchMade getaway!


Need some inspiration to enter? Check out what happened when Match asked some MatchMade kids about life and love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JoGP15fIDQ

To enter the scholarship contest, 13 to 20 year old students can submit a creative 1-2 minute video at www.MatchMade.com explaining how their parents met on the site. Submissions will be accepted through June 30, 2014.

Throughout July, Match will narrow down the applicants. In August they will post their 10 finalists for the public to vote on by sharing their favorite MatchMade video submissions across their social networks.

On September 1st, the video with the highest number of shares will win the scholarship!

For more details, visit www.MatchMade.com and enter today! And if you do enter, don’t forget to share your video across your social media networks using the #MatchMade hashtag.

16 January 2014

The Ultimate Guide for Students to Finance Their Studies Abroad


Studying abroad seems to be a serious undertaking but, eventually, it leads to great careers and higher salaries. Though, online education is a huge trend, young people still want to get quality education in on-campus universities to pursue their career with more skills as these are accredited. However, it is also something unfortunate that arranging finances to study abroad does not seem easy to many, who want to become the part of any foreign educational institute. But, if you know smart ways of arranging money with more planning, preparation, and creativity, you can afford studying abroad. Today, we will show you few unusual ways that can help you arranging finances for studying abroad:
Student Loan to Get Scholarship:
One of the best ways to arrange finances for studying abroad is to use your student loan. Make sure that the plan you have been registered is federally recognized to avoid any future hassle. Also, you can look for scholarships offered by many universities for the students to manage finances while studying aboard.
Besides investing your own student loan for scholarship, you can also look for any online scholarship offers, like an ongoing nice contest for students over at RateSupermarket. Other resources to get information on scholarships are:
1- Nafsa
1-Year Saving:
Many people only focus on arranging finances to pay tuition fee and house rent, which is why they prefer getting student loans or scholarships, but they forget that they have to bear daily expenses too. These expenses will include food, laundry, transport, etc. Therefore, it’s the better to start saving some money at least one-year before going abroad for studying. You must have to save much to bear the expenses of at least $700 to $1000 each month.
finance abroad
Finance abroad: Stockvault

Sponsor:
There are many business and individuals, who can sponsor you for studying aboard. To arrange such a sponsor, you can take your university help or can search into local business resources, like Rotary club. Also, you can conduct an online search. Apart from this, if you are interested in working with any particular organization, you can also contact that company to sponsor you for studies and, in return, you will serve them with your services in future.
Bon Voyage Party:
It is one of the unique ways to arrange funds for your study. Plan out a bon voyage and invite all your friends, family members, neighbors, and other familiars to raise fund. All of your guests should be aware of the fact that why you are arranging this party. Tell them the cause and goal of arranging a party on your invitation card.
Job Abroad:
Getting a job abroad is one of the most common ways to arrange finances in order to manage your monthly expenses. It works only if your selected company allows students to work. You can get this information either from your study abroad program counselor or host country’s consulate site before you apply for a job abroad.
Donation:
Internet is the best place to achieve your goals. There are dozens of sites, which provide you a platform start fundraising campaign to get donations for your foreign study. You mush know some of them, like:
Just starting a campaign is not enough; you will have to strive hard to promote them on social media sites with your personal and school email signature to make them more authentic and public.
Final Words:
All these ways are best to arrange finances to make your foreign study dream come true. You can adopt any one or go for all, which ever suits you best. The early you plan and start making arrangements, the sooner you will get results.

02 November 2013

4 Financial Sources You Can Tap for a College Education


Ah, a college degree. The ticket to a better and more comfortable life. The answer to your parents’ prayers. The ultimate achievement of a lifetime.

Getting a college degree insures anybody to live a better life that is full of opportunities. However, no matter how nice and fulfilling it is to get a college degree, the skyrocketing costs of such an education somehow hinders many people to get it. If your parents can afford to send you to college, then lucky you! However, the same cannot be said for everybody.

Even so, there are a lot of ways to send yourself to college, they may not be really the best choices out there but they can really help you get a degree. Some of those financial sources you can tap are:


1.     Scholarships.

If you belong to the top ten of the class, you can find a lot of organizations that are willing to fund your college education. So if you are part of the cream of the crop, don’t waste that gift! Use that to get a college scholarship.

If you are not academically inclined, but you are into arts like dancing, singing or acting, you can still find a scholarship to apply for in college. There are companies who are widely known for supporting talented individuals.


If you are the athletic type, then you might get a scholarship by being part of a school’s varsity team. However, being a varsity player does not excuse you to maintain high grades. So still, more pressure on you!

Nevertheless, if you are not part of the cream of the crop, an artist or a player, you can still try to find organizations or politicians that can offer you some financial assistance for your college education. Just be ready to impress and do well with your grades!
Photo: Stockvault

2.     Government Loans.

The government offers individuals who want to pursue college with student loans. The only problem with this option is the interest that you will be paying even after you graduate. There is a lot of pressure if you choose this option because you need to push yourself to land a well paying job after graduation just to pay off your debt. But if you are willing to sacrifice, you can go with it.




3.     Be a Working Student.

It’s not easy to work and study at the same time, but if we gotta go for our dreams and reach the stars, then we really need to work our butts off. A lot of successful people were also working students before- working menial jobs such as waiting tables, dishwashing, manning cashiers and the like, but they later rose to managerial positions and better working environments after college. So if they made it, there’s no reason that you can’t.

4.) Ask Help from a Relative

If you have an aunt, uncle or any close relative who is willing to finance your college education, then good for you! Grab that opportunity immediately.

5.) Find Cheaper Alternatives

There are colleges that do not really cost that much. Community colleges for one are more affordable compared to bigger universities. But if your dream is to really get in a very prestigious one, you might have to wait a bit longer to make that dream come true. You can go on a small, community college first and after getting your degree, get a nice job and enter your dream school later on. By that time, you may have the financial resources to afford it.


Financial woes are not just the kind of problem you will encounter in getting a college degree, sleepless nights and brain racking exams await you during your years of study. Well, we are not discouraging you, we’re just telling the truth!

Nevertheless, nothing can stop anyone if he/she really wants to get that degree. As the saying goes, “if there’s a will, there’s a way”. Indeed, a lot of ways can be found if you are really adamant in pursuing.

Never say that financial challenges are a hindrance to your success, money and funds can be gotten anywhere, but an education cannot be picked out from anywhere. More so, such intelligence and skill is priceless- it may take some money to acquire it formally, but the end is a most valuable thing.

If you are lucky and determined enough to push through a degree, then there’s no telling about how high you can go with such success in hand. But remember that the real challenge does not end after you graduate, it goes on out onto the real world.



About the Author:

Gracezyl Blanco is a content writer and quality specialist at Gradshop- a leading manufacturer of Academic Regalia. As a working student, she also had her fair share of ups and downs. Now that she is a full time employee, she continues to give support to struggling students by giving tips and advices.

20 August 2013

Essential Informations for Pursuing Athletic College Scholarships

Venture onto a playground or into a gymnasium on a Saturday afternoon and it is likely that you will find several parents who are fostering dreams of their son or daughter parlaying their athletic abilities into a college scholarship. How realistic, however, is this dream? Not very, as it turns out--especially if you don't choose the right sport.


How Many Young Athletes Actually Receive Scholarships? 

The actual chance of any young athlete procuring an athletic scholarship is miniscule. According to statistics published by the NCAA, only 2% of high school seniors actually receive any form of athletic scholarship. Complicating this matter even further is the fact that very few of the scholarship recipients receive a full ride as part of any scholarship. The average yearly award for athletic scholarships, according to the NCAA, is less than $11,000 and only four sports, football, men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball even offer full rides. Participants in all other sports are forced to accept partial awards. This is done by the institutions in order to maximize the number of athletes that can participate in their programs. By offering partial scholarships, athletic programs are able to attract far more athletes. 


What Sports Offer the Best Chances for a Scholarship? 

Despite the extensive odds against receiving a college athletic scholarship, parents and athletes throughout the country continue to pursue this elusive goal. With this in mind, parents might begin to ask themselves: “What sport affords my child the best chance at receiving an athletic scholarship”? The best chance for a college athletic scholarship is in major sports, such as football and basketball. These sports remain the most lucrative for the institutions and, therefore, institutions are able to fund far more of these scholarships. Football programs are able to award 85 scholarships and basketball is able to award 13; very few of these awards go unused. Meanwhile, in sports such as soccer or baseball, the number of available scholarships is far more limited. In
soccer, for instance, schools are only allowed to give 9.9 scholarships a year to field a team of about 28 athletes while baseball programs are allowed to distribute only 11.7 per year for a roster that nears 36 athletes. Clearly, the athletes that participate in the major sports are afforded a much greater opportunity to procure a scholarship than those participating in the minor sports. 
Pursuing an Athletic Scholarship: Stockvault


Participating in Minor Sports

Participants in the minor sports, which are really any sport other than football, men and women's basketball and men and women's soccer, are forced to either accept a small slice of the total cost of their college expenses or play for the mere joy of participation. Athletes in such sports face the reality that even with some financial assistance they still must shoulder a considerable portion of their educational expenses.

Those lucky 2% who are fortunate enough to procure an athletic scholarship obviously represent only a small portion of the number of athletes participating in athletics on the high school level. More than 600,000 girls participate in high school track and field, yet only a little over 4,500 of these athletes receive any form of scholarship assistance and, while over 330,000 young men play high school soccer only about 2,300 attended college on some form of athletic award. 

The bottom line is that those parents on the playground or gymnasium on Saturday hoping to finance their child's education with an athletic scholarship should also be keeping other options open. Despite the very slight--yet very real--possibility of a full-ride athletic scholarship, avoid relying solely on that option as a method to pay for college. All parents should encourage their students to keep up their studies and remain actively involved in school or volunteer work. It's also encouraged that parents spend time looking for scholarships with their children. Regardless of athletic ability, a student who actively participates in class and spends time looking for additional scholarships stands a much better chance of paying for (and succeeding in) college.


Byline: Herbert Caldwell is a freelance writer with a special interest in education, sports, scholarships and other kindred topics; serious athletes should consider viewing the marvelous resources at Lupo Sports.

01 August 2013

The Affordible Care Act: Where do College Students Fit In?

Lately, President Obama has spent a lot of time touring the country to discuss the economy and the middle class as well as touting the benefits of his landmark legislation, the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Poor and middle class Americans will likely benefit the most from the ACA with its system of subsidies and tax credits for purchasing health insurance, which is something that the president is keen to highlight.

Less positive attention however, is paid to those individuals who are in the process of gaining the skills necessary to enter the work force and embark on a career, namely college students.

With all the stories in the news about sticker shock for young people buying health insurance, many college students are skeptical, wondering how the ACA will help them, if at all.

The good news is that there are many provisions in the ACA that are aimed at helping young people, so that they too can transition into the lives they hope to lead, without worrying about healthcare.

Admittedly this is a tall order, and though it is still unclear as to how exactly the implementation of the ACA will play over the next few months, let’s looks at some of the ways so far that college students can benefit.

 Medicaid: Big Changes, For The States That Want It

One of the ACA’s more controversial and celebrated provisions is one that calls for the voluntary expansion of Medicaid on a state-by-state basis.

The expansion would allow adults who do not have children to apply for and be covered by Medicaid, a first in the history of the service.

Medicaid, for those of you who don’t know, is a taxpayer and government funded healthcare plan for people whose income is too low to be able to afford private health insurance.


Currently, the annual income requirement in most states is 100% above the federal poverty line, per family. The expansion will raise that requirement to a considerably higher 138% above FPL, which would mean that more people stand to benefit from Medicaid.

Although the expansion is not mandatory, New York and New Jersey are among the states that have already begun expanding their policies, and 26 states in all are either on board with the changes or leaning toward expansion.

You may be able to receive benefits under Medicaid, once the ACA comes into full effect in January 2014.
Photo: Stockvault


Student Health Plans

Most accredited four year colleges and universities in the U.S. offer health insurance to their students at a reduced rate, during a given period of enrollment. You may be familiar with these plans, or you may already be enrolled in such a plan.

The ACA requires that all healthcare plans provide coverage regardless of pre-existing conditions, and a list of health services are to be covered as well. These services, which include prescriptions, emergency medical, and mental health services, are currently not covered by most student health plans.

The end result: SHP’s aren’t going anywhere. And it looks like they will be better under the ACA.

Catastrophic Insurance: The Risky Choice

Many students don’t benefit from student health plans, and may be wondering how they can find healthcare that protects them from a big medical expenses at a low cost. Catastrophic insurance does just that.

Catastrophic Insurance Plans are cheap, and they are set up to shield you from paying thousands due to major unforeseen medical emergencies.

The problem with these plans is that it’s a one-way street: you pay less to prevent a disaster, but common health services like regular checkups are not often covered. For this reason, this option is not recommended unless you know what you’re getting into, and you’re sure it’s the best choice.

Mom and Dad May Be Able To Help

If you’re a working student trying to make it on your own, you may be too prideful to ask your parents to help with your insurance. But in actuality, it might be your best option.

In 2010, the ACA implemented a provision that allows adults to remain insured through their parents’ insurance policy until age 26. This was of course great news for millions of Americans. If your parents are working and have insurance, and you’re not yet 26, it’s worth exploring this route to healthcare.

If All Else Fails: Subsidies

The Affordable Care Act requires states to have an online marketplace in operation by October of this year that will allow individuals without insurance to purchase it so as to comply with the individual mandate.

Aside from not having to pay a fee, the bright side of the mandate is that tax subsidies are available for people under the age of 65. The government calculates how much you can save based on your annual income, number of dependents, and marital status.

The Henry J. Kaiser foundation has set up a subsidy calculator that will give you a quick estimate of how much you can save, so you can know going in, what breaks you’re entitled to.

Conclusion: It’s Not So Bad After All

Despite the warranted concern of many young Americans, it appears that healthcare reform is indeed on their side.

This knowledge is not yet enough to lessen concerns about the future that many Americans have, but it is enough to help them move forward without hesitation, into an option that will give them some security, in a time of extreme and relentless uncertainty.


Michael Cahill is the Editor of the Vista Health Solutions Blog. He writes about the health care system, health insurance industry and the Affordable Care Act. Follow him on Twitter at @VistaHealth

21 May 2013

How to Choose a New Bank or Credit Union for College Students

The boxes and bags are all packed, the dorm room has been assigned and course selection is right around the corner.  Starting college is a heady time, one that can cause the new college student to forget some of the more practical matters associated with the transition, such as the distance from the Bank of Mom and Dad, and the all the other annoyances associated with the first tentative steps into financial independence.

You may already have an account open from a summer job or weekends bagging groceries, but does that mean that you should continue using this account when you head off to college? Not necessarily, especially for those of you whose colleges are in a new state or were previously banking at a more local institution. Read through the following tips to get a better sense of what you’ll want to look for when deciding how to handle your banking while in college.

Two Choices

The first thing you need to decide is: credit union or bank? If you’ve never opened an account at either, the distinction between the two might not be immediately apparent. Both types of institutions accept deposits and provide financial services to their depositors, such as providing loans and allowing members access to their money through ATMs worldwide. Credit unions, however, are not-for-profit institutions that view themselves as community oriented, generally offering more advantageous rates, from lower interest rates on loans to higher interest on savings account or CD rates. Technically speaking, whereas depositors at banks are viewed as customers, credit union depositors are members and owners in the union. Money at banks is invested for the banks profit; money at a credit union is reinvested for your profit.

 Convenience

As a college student, your life will be busier than ever before. Heading off campus with no car might be a daunting challenge, and access to your money will be of paramount importance. Credit unions and banks often have branches on your campus; you might even see one of your classmates behind the counter handling your deposit. They also usually operate at least one or two ATMs on campus as well, which means a much shorter walk to access cash.

With the explosion in smartphone use, especially amongst the college-age demographic, online banking and mobile apps have become incredibly important. A few years ago, this was an arena dominated by larger banks with the financial resources to offer the most high-tech tools for mobile banking. In the past few years, however, credit unions have caught up and now offer
many of the same services available on your phone as Bank of America or Chase.

Fees

Watch out for minimum deposits and other requirements at large banks; many require that your checking account and your savings account both maintain a minimum balance. If your balance falls below this amount, you may be charged. That’s right, you can be charged for having too little money. One option is to look for a student account, which might waive such fees for full-time college students. Most credit unions also avoid these fees in principle and in practice, as their goal is to make you money.

As a broke college student, you may often find yourself scraping the bottom of your account for a life-saving slice of pizza. Don’t let a $3 slice turn into a $28 slice – make sure to take into account the overdraft fees at a bank or credit union and understand how to avoid them.

Perks

Banks and credit unions near college campuses know the way to their members’ hearts – free t-shirts and other such perks. It doesn’t end at graduation either. If you join a university credit union, most allow for alumni membership, which means you can continue to be a lifetime member. Your credit union will probably offer auto and home loans, as well as other types of credit at very good rates; remember that even a small difference can save you a bundle over the life of the loan.

Final Balance

This article has come down pretty heavily on the side of credit unions. Rest assured that as not-for-profit institutions, there is a good reason for it. In the interest of completeness, however, I should mention some last things to consider before telling you to run down and open up your new credit union account.

Big banks offer two advantages that credit unions may not. The first is easy transfers from mom and dad. Having an account at the same bank as them may make it easier to transfer funds when your books cost a little more than you originally budgeted for. The second is credit cards, something that should probably be avoided by freshman and sophomores anyway, but a useful financial tool that your credit union may not offer.

That being said, make sure to shop around and check out your university’s credit union when you first get to campus. Let them explain the rates and benefits to you and see if you’re convinced. Happy saving!

John Gower is a writer for NerdWallet, a personal finance website dedicated to helping consumers find the checking accounts, credit cards and more.