Posts Tagged pell grants
What are the Price Considerations of Online Degrees
With over 600,000 students enrolled in online colleges, online degrees are gaining more and more recognition. And why shouldn’t they? In most instances, those that are earning online degrees are extremely motivated working adults. These working adults are seen as having that extra oomph as they have to efficiently manage their time to keep up with the demands of both work and school and in some cases, a family. When Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electrics, was asked about people who earned online degrees (Business Week, January 14, 2008), he stated, “…they’re hungry to break open new possibilities in their careers…. People working all day and studying online all night have the kind of ‘grr’ most companies could use.” Do you have the “grr?” If so, make sure to ask these questions to make sure the online college is right for you.
Is the online college accredited and if so, by which accrediting agency?
Diploma mills, as defined by Wikipedia, are organizations that award degrees with little to no study and are not recognized by accrediting agencies. Employers or colleagues do not respect degrees from diploma mills so make sure the online colleges you look into are accredited. The ed.gov site is a great resource for a list of accrediting agencies.
If you have college units, can you transfer your units over?
Most accredited online colleges will allow you to transfer any credit you have earned at another college towards an online degree depending on the degree requirements. To make sure, if there is a specific online college you are interested, call a counselor to see if the credits you have earned can be transferred. This can shorten the amount of time it will take you to complete your online degree.
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How to Apply For Financial Aid
Parents and students alike are filled with pride and a sense of accomplishment after high school graduation. Memories of all the hard work it took to complete high school, together with the expectations that many families have for their high school graduates to continue their education, make this time exciting for everyone. However, once families begin to actually research the costs funding your education, they are daunted by the prospect of having to come up with thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of dollars every year. While no one should disregard the fact that higher education is going to require sacrifice by all involved, everyone should understand that with hard work and planning, higher education is a very attainable goal. The following are some suggestions for negotiating funding options. Have a Firm Conversation about the College Choice
Many students are enamored with a particular institution of study for reasons other than academic rigor. Whether it’s the sports teams or the reputation for social environment, students may be drawn to very expensive colleges for reasons that do not stand up to appropriate scrutiny. Once the student and parents have discussed the real reasons for making a particular college their top choice, they both may discover that it is more feasible for the student to attend a less expensive university, or even a community college, close to home for a year or two to save money. If the student is still attracted to the more expensive college at that time, then the family may make a decision to spend more for the last year or two. However, perhaps the student has made a university his or her top choice for very valid reasons, in which case the family can begin to look at different funding options. Everyone Works to Contribute
It is important for students to realize that their education is their financial responsibility, as well as their parents. Students should be working part-time while in school, and work-study is usually a part of any offered financial aid package. While some students may balk at the intrusion into their social calendar that working may cause, all working students benefit from having to manage their work, study, and social times wisely and efficiently. During the summer months, all students should work as much as possible in order to save for the coming school year; families may even consider taking a year off from school to save money. An innovative way to spend a year off is to work for VISTA or Americorps, as these government-sponsored volunteer programs provide a school stipend of between four and five thousand dollars after a year of service. Some institutions will even match that stipend with a grant once the student begins study. Fill out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
Related posts
How to Apply For Financial Aid
Parents and students alike are filled with pride and a sense of accomplishment after high school graduation. Memories of all the hard work it took to complete high school, together with the expectations that many families have for their high school graduates to continue their education, make this time exciting for everyone. However, once families begin to actually research the costs funding your education, they are daunted by the prospect of having to come up with thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of dollars every year. While no one should disregard the fact that higher education is going to require sacrifice by all involved, everyone should understand that with hard work and planning, higher education is a very attainable goal. The following are some suggestions for negotiating funding options. Have a Firm Conversation about the College Choice
Many students are enamored with a particular institution of study for reasons other than academic rigor. Whether it’s the sports teams or the reputation for social environment, students may be drawn to very expensive colleges for reasons that do not stand up to appropriate scrutiny. Once the student and parents have discussed the real reasons for making a particular college their top choice, they both may discover that it is more feasible for the student to attend a less expensive university, or even a community college, close to home for a year or two to save money. If the student is still attracted to the more expensive college at that time, then the family may make a decision to spend more for the last year or two. However, perhaps the student has made a university his or her top choice for very valid reasons, in which case the family can begin to look at different funding options. Everyone Works to Contribute
It is important for students to realize that their education is their financial responsibility, as well as their parents. Students should be working part-time while in school, and work-study is usually a part of any offered financial aid package. While some students may balk at the intrusion into their social calendar that working may cause, all working students benefit from having to manage their work, study, and social times wisely and efficiently. During the summer months, all students should work as much as possible in order to save for the coming school year; families may even consider taking a year off from school to save money. An innovative way to spend a year off is to work for VISTA or Americorps, as these government-sponsored volunteer programs provide a school stipend of between four and five thousand dollars after a year of service. Some institutions will even match that stipend with a grant once the student begins study. Fill out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
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