5 Things to Consider About Affording a College Education

Getting into college is one thing but paying for it is an entirely different matter. With the changes to our economy in the past several years, some good and well-intentioned parents have had to dip into their children’s college funds to keep their homes and support their families. So what is a college bound student to do? Take a deep breath, don’t panic there are many ways to pay for college.

Stick Close to Home

 You may have had big dreams of leaving home and heading to an out-of-state college. This is not to say that you can’t do that later but it is very wise to consider staying in-state because there are substantial discounts for attending colleges in your home state. Staying at home for a year or two can help you concentrate on your studies instead of paying for rent and going to school.

Don’t Snub the Community Colleges

 Obtaining a two year degree or even taking your core college classes at a community college can save you thousands of dollars. Check with the school but in most cases credits easily transfer to other universities in the state and even throughout the country. If it means you can stay out of student loan debt – or keep in low – it is definitely something to consider.

Apply for Scholarships

 There are thousands of scholarships available to students and it’s not always about getting the best grades. Scholarships can be given for a variety of reasons so do your homework and find and apply for several that you think you would qualify for. There are hundreds of books and websites on the subject of where, how and when to apply. It’s definitely worth the effort you put in.

Have an Honest Discussion 

Talking finances can be uncomfortable and difficult but you’ll want to sit down with your parents (and/or grandparents) to find out what they really can afford to help you with; then you’ll have an idea about how much you’ll need to finance. Remember, it’s not just about the tuition there is also books, supplies and other things you’ll need.

Speak with the Financial-Aid Office

 All colleges have folks who can help you apply for financial aid. You’ll need to find out the difference between need-based assistance and merit-based. You will also want to learn more about loans, grants and work-study programs. Colleges want to help students afford their education so make sure you touch base with them and allow them to assist you in any way they can by explaining in detail all of your options.

This is a guest post by jian, who is active blogger and a member in Kumon. She writes various articles on technology and on personality development. Her last read article is “how to become a tutor” on Kumon.

Categories: College Life   Tags: college education

Top Three Arguments on How to Overcome Laziness in College

Whether interesting or not, studying is always tense, effort-consuming, and sometimes really stressful. To cope with all the projects and research papers, to make a presentation, to prepare for an exam… The only thought of all this stuff makes students disinterested and desperate: “I can’t manage it in time, it's not even worth a try”. And if the subjects you are occupied with at the moment leave much to be desired, your laziness is happy to find a false front: “I don’t want to do it, because it’s boring and I’ll never take advantage of this stuff in future”. Don’t be tired to the chariot of laziness, it’s a quality which strengthens quicker than one can even imagine. To deliver her a rebuff, keep in mind some irrefutable arguments for studying:

  1. You are to cope with the tasks at least not to be expelled from college. Otherwise, you are either to start from the very beginning which is not very funny, or to say goodbye to the college education… as well as your dreams about well-paid prestigious job. The choice is still for you.
  2.  Think of all the time and efforts you have already spent on studies. Do you really want just to strike them out of your life? For in case you give up studies in the middle of the term, you’ll not be allowed any type of certificate. If you are really sick and tired with the studies and you are sure that you don’t need much higher education, last out till the nearest degree. At least, you’ll have some evidence of your achievements.
  3. Don’t be so much critical to the material you are to deal with. Actually, this were you who have chosen this very field of knowledge and the material you are taught is more or less connected to the sphere of your interest. Finally, you may never know for sure, what you’ll need later. Don’t spend hours on learning it by heart, just look through several times to have a general idea about. It’s not so difficult as it seems to be!

 

Categories: College Life   Tags: laziness in college, prepare for an exam, college education