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What’s it like working for Amazon

Want to make money in your spare time? Become an Amazon Worker and start applying your skills to the thousands of available tasks in the Amazon marketplace.

While computing technology continues to improve, there are still many things that people can do much more effectively than computers. These include tasks such as identifying objects in a photo or video, performing data de-duplication, transcribing audio recordings or researching data details.

What type of work is available on Amazon? Many companies have jobs/task they piece out through Amazon these task are listed for you to select, it not a lot of money but it just might work for you. Continue reading

A Solders Study Guide

For soldiers who want to increase their professional knowledge of the Army and prepare themselves for promotion boards, this revised and expanded edition of the Soldier’s Study Guide contains more than 1,460 questions in 58 subject areas. The questions cover Army programs, basic combat skills, combat stress, leadership, maintenance of equipment, customs and courtesies, justice, physical training, NBC warfare, uniforms and insignia, weapons, and more .

Can you dropout of college and get a refund?

According to College Atlas, 70% of Americans will study at a four-year college, but less than two-thirds will graduate with a degree, and 30% of first-year students drop out after their first year of school, this is a good one Colemanbook.com fans so lets get right into it.

While Amazon Warehouse offers big discounts on open-box and refurbished products, Amazon Outlet houses overstocked and clearance items on the site across all categories.

Amazon Outlet is becoming the go-to place for customers to shop for highly discounted markdowns, overstock deals, and clearance products. Outlet’s wide selection includes everything from automotive products and electronics to clothing, toys and more.

The other method is to simply search for products, and then look for “More Buying Choices” underneath an item. There’ll be a link that shows how many “Used & New Offers” are available. You’ll find the same thing at the bottom of the “About This Item” section on a product’s page.

In general, refurbished and renewed refer to the same thing. But Amazon’s renewed means more things. It not only includes refurbished products, but also pre-owned and open-box products. Pre-owned: Products that are likely used, but were in better condition when returned than a refurbished product may have been.
Checkout the AMAZON OUTLET savings click here

Can you dropout of college and get money back?

This means that many students who withdraw from school not only end up having student loan debt, but end up owing the school directly as well…. Tuition is $10,000 for the year and the school’s refund policy states that you may only receive a refund of any kind if you withdraw before the 30th day of the semester.

Do colleges give refunds?

What they don’t always realize is what that refund check really is. A refund check is money that is directly given to you from your school, but it’s not a gift. It is the excess money left over from your financial aid package after your tuition and fees have been paid.

When considering whether to drop out, most students don’t realize there’s a monetary penalty that can come along with the decision. If you’re sitting in class thinking “I’ve made a huge mistake,” consider these tips before you take any action.

1. Know what you’ll owe: Federal student loan regulations require that the school return all or a portion of the student’s federal aid if the student withdraws before they have completed at least 60 percent of the loan period, which is usually the academic year. The problem is that the school is not required to, and often does not, have the same tuition refund policy. This means that many students who withdraw from school not only end up having student loan debt, but end up owing the school directly as well.

For example, let’s say you withdraw from your school on Nov. 1. The academic year is from September until May and is 270 days long. You were awarded a federal student loan for that same period in the amount of $10,000, of which $5,000 was disbursed back in September. Tuition is $10,000 for the year and the school’s refund policy states that you may only receive a refund of any kind if you withdraw before the 30th day of the semester.

GET student loan repayment tips for college dropouts.
As you’ve attended for 60 calendar days, you’ve completed approximately 22 percent of the academic year and consequently earned 22 percent of the federal student loan, which is $2,200. The school, therefore, is required to return $2,800 back to the loan holder.

But because you have attended school for longer than 30 days, the school’s refund policy dictates that you still owe the tuition for the full semester. This leaves you owing $2,200 in student loans and $2,800 directly to the school. You will be required to pay that debt regardless of whether you ever complete your credential or felt like you got anything out of your school experience.

This can be an even bigger problem if your reason for withdrawing is to eventually transfer into another institution. The new school is probably going to want an official copy of your transcript, something the school you withdrew from will likely withhold until they have been paid in full.

Many students withdraw due to feeling overwhelmed, especially during midterms. Before you take such a step, consider the consequences of withdrawal versus pushing through and finishing at least the semester so you will, as a minimum, have some transferable credits to show for your effort and debt.

If you’re determined to leave now, make sure you understand the school’s refund policy for withdrawals. Most will have it posted online or available in the school’s bursar or financial aid offices.

LEARN how transferring schools can affect student loans.

2. Make sure you’ve actually withdrawn: Speaking of written policies, colleges and universities are also required to have a written withdrawal policy that explains exactly what a student must do to be considered withdrawn from the school.

It’s very important that you follow these steps fully and completely, or you could find yourself with a bill for a full semester when you only attended a single week. Simply not showing up to class is almost always not considered an official withdrawal.

3. Consider alternatives to dropping out: There are really only three reasons to withdraw from college after going through all the trouble to get there in the first place: financial reasons, academic reasons or social reasons.

The first two have similar solutions – go to school part time. If you are struggling to pay the tuition bill or to keep up with your classes, dropping a class or two could be enough to keep your head above water to at least finish the semester and accumulate credits before transferring to a more affordable school. Just remember to keep enough credits to be considered at least a half-time student as defined by the school, or you will risk going into repayment on your student loans earlier than you expected.

KNOW what to expect the first time you borrow student loans.
If you’re just not comfortable at the school socially, try seeking out social and activity groups off campus, if only to get you through the next two months of the semester to achieve those credits.

If the school really isn’t a good fit, transferring sooner rather than later is probably a good idea. You should still finish the semester, as it can be easier to transfer basic class credits than it would be to transfer classes required for a particular major. It can also be difficult to transfer credits from a two-year school to a four-year school, depending on the classes you took.

Whatever your strategy, your goal should always be certificate or degree completion. Know that the majority of those student loan borrowers who do default are those that don’t complete their program of study.

If completion is just not possible right now, remember that your student loans aren’t going to go away, and it’s best to contact the loan holder to determine a repayment strategy sooner rather than later.

Why am I getting a refund check from college?

A refund check is the amount of money you receive from the university or college you attend after your tuition has been paid. Oftentimes, your financial aid was more than you needed for your bill and as a result you receive a check for the difference.

Does everyone get a refund check in college?

Not everyone gets a refund check. Each refund check is different, so the amounts will vary. It all depends on how much financial aid you received and how much your college expenses really cost…. If you drop to less than 6 credit hours a semester, you will need to pay your refund back.

Disclosure
Information presented on Coleman Book is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not meant to be taken as financial advice. The views expressed on this website are personal opinions only and should not be construed as financial advice for your given situation. While all attempts are made to present accurate information, it may not be appropriate for your specific circumstances and information may become outdated over time. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Do’s and Don’ts of taking an 18-credit semester

If you’re thinking of taking an 18-credit semester — don’t.

A course load this heavy isn’t bold, brave or logical in any circumstances. In fact, it’s highly irrational and rarely worth it because it overbooks your schedule and workload.

In pursuit of my plan to graduate a semester early, I decided to take my first 18-credit semester this year. I’ve found myself scrambling around campus at all hours of the day and all the days of the week. My social life has been on a steady decline — and my grades are not far behind.

In fact, my 18-credit semester has consumed my life so much that it has become part of daily discussion with anyone and everyone. My course load now serves as an explanation for every mishap that I’m confronted with. It’s my immediate justification for every ignored text, every neglected commitment, my frequent state of irritability and my numerous lapses in memory.

I’m sure this excuse has started to sound redundant, but for those of you in the same boat, I’m sure you find yourself using the same one.

Aside from the unpleasant and constant elevated stress levels, an 18-credit semester can also pose a high risk for other potential setbacks. Your grades can easily plummet and your mental health can take a dive as well. If so, this isn’t necessarily your fault, it’s just a natural consequence of imposing extraneous work and time restrictions on yourself.

While I don’t have extensive experience with a course load this heavy, the last seven weeks have given me some indication of the general dos and don’ts of an 18-credit semester.

But, in the occasion that you find an 18-credit course load absolutely imperative to the advancement of your college career, there’s a few dos and don’ts that you should make note of:

DO develop a system — the sooner, the better.

When you begin your first 18-credit semester, you’ll probably find yourself all over the place for the first few weeks. The chaos may never fully dissipate, but having an organized system in place may help alleviate some of that stress. Establishing a routine becomes not only helpful, but crucial to develop some kind of consistency in your life. This year, I found that keeping 20 pages of syllabus was useless and ineffective in helping me keep track of my work load. So, I decided to make a massive document that listed out every day of the semester along with the class preparation and assignments from each class that went with each day. I also wrote down any meetings, events and additional obligations. While this may seem over-the-top — and it was — it helped me feel organized and allowed me to have one place to find all my assignments.

DON’T let yourself slip through the cracks.

There will definitely be an adjustment period when you shift to this lifestyle — and if you miss a deadline or flunk a quiz one day, it’s not the end of the world. But if you feel yourself struggling to keep up with a class, don’t just give up or force yourself to figure it out on your own. I highly recommend staying in regular communication with professors — whether it be through email or in person at their office hours. Even if you know you only failed the quiz because you had five other assignments due that day, you need to make sure your professors know that you’re not just slacking because you’re lazy or don’t take their classes seriously. It’s important to stay on your professors’ radars, even if it’s just to check in and see where you stand in the class. Since your schedule is already restrictive, you want to avoid waiting until finals season to fight for your grade because you simply won’t have the time, and at that point it may be too late.

DO give yourself off days — the more, the merrier.

This is absolutely imperative to both your sanity and your class performance. It’s important to give yourself a break to de-stress and catch up on school work. When I made my schedule I knew that, in addition to 18-credits, I would need to have some kind of job during the school year. So, I packed my Tuesdays and Thursdays with the bulk of my classes leaving Wednesday with one evening class, and the rest of the week I gave myself off. Yes, my Tuesdays and Thursdays are tremendously hectic — but I have a four-day-weekend every weekend and my Wednesdays are fairly empty. This not only allows me to have a literal break every week, but also warrants me uninterrupted days that I can solely dedicate to class preparation and assignments. Not everyone needs to stack up their schedule two days a week, but maybe setting aside weekday afternoons or mornings may be just as effective.

DON’T take 18 credits during a semester that you know you’ll be busy with other extracurricular or a part-time job. If I had known I would need to take 18 credits, I would have never chosen to do so the fall of my junior year. After spending my entire summer abroad, and now preparing for studying abroad in the spring, getting a job is a priority in my life at the moment. Plus, as a third-year student, my classes have become fairly challenging as I near the end of my college career. My decision to take 18 credits this semester was objectively a poor decision — learn from my foolishness and don’t test it out for yourself. If you have a choice on when to take 18 credits, don’t take them during a semester that you plan on rushing a fraternity or sorority, getting an internship or working a consistent job. You’ll either sacrifice your academics, under perform in your job or internship, drive yourself insane or all of the above.

DO prioritize your academic success.

If you sign up for this course load, you’ll need to prepare for the possibility that you may need to cut down on other aspects of your life to keep up the same grades. You may have to stay in some Friday nights and you may need to call out of work and actually mean it when you say you have an exam the next day. If you’re going to take 18 credits, it’s imperative that you do so without sacrificing your GPA. A dense schedule will feel time-consuming and mentally exhausting on its own — but your work outside the classroom is just as important. It’s crucial that in your time off, you’re staying on top of assignments and due dates.

DON’T sacrifice your health.

If you feel that you are overworking yourself to the point where your mental health is at risk — stop. Don’t over commit or overextend yourself, and don’t prioritize others in a time where you need to focus on your personal achievement. People may not understand your schedule, and that’s okay. At the end of the day, you shouldn’t feel the need to constantly justify yourself with the “I’m taking an 18-credit semester” excuse because you may handle your course load differently than others. Though many people do take 18 credits in a semester, it is your individual experience and no one else’s. An 18-credit semester may be worth losing some sleep over — but it’s not worth losing your sanity. Pay attention to warning signs that you’re doing too much and stop yourself short before it worsens. If you’re not taking care of your physical and mental health, you’ll find yourself in an unpleasant position and most likely will be unable to sustain the lifestyle anyways. One sub-par semester won’t destroy future opportunities, and it’s better that you don’t lose yourself in the process of trying to prove this.

Working and Studying At The Same Time

Sometimes, if you’re a college student, you may feel like you have no time whatsoever for a social life. With busy college classes and the impending after-class studying which accompanies it, not to mention deadlines to hit and the important campus party you definitely need to be at, occasionally you might wish you could be in two places at once (and sleep a whole lot more).

Of course, this is all on top of the relationships you’re trying to maintain, whether that’s a friend, a lecturer or a particular person you’re pretty serious about.

Just when you’ve mastered the art of harmonizing class and home-study with a thriving social life, the prospect of being employed and earning a wage at the same time as taking your studies further suddenly appears, where yet another balancing act is required – and seems truly impossible.

The good news is, it really isn’t. Nothing is impossible, after all, if you have enough dedication and passion about what you’re doing, and you’ll never be alone in doing it. Sure, you may feel like you’re the only person in the world doing what you’re doing right now (and you might feel crazy for deciding to do it in the first place), but you’re not.

There are a few things to think about when taking the important step in choosing to study for a career alongside working ‘just a job,’ as outlined below.

Consider Online Studying Instead of Attending A Physical Class or Institution
If you’re already trained and have completed your college education, but you’re required to take it a step further with another qualification needed to advance your career, you should seriously look into online learning courses if you’re put off by the idea of attending a physical establishment and spending time, money and energy traveling to and from it.

A great example of this situation is the medical profession. You can qualify in college for the grades needed for a medical career, but this is a career path with so many levels and branches to it that it’s inevitable that the end of college definitely won’t be the end of studying. In fact, it’s barely even scratched the surface.

Institutions like Baylor University, for example, offer family NP programs online which enable you to get the next qualification in a registered nursing career by online study and a schedule which genuinely works for you around your other commitments.

These types of programs are usually designed for those in employment, too.

The people who are running these online institutions and courses know how much support you’re going to need from a distance learning perspective, which means they’ve already thought of all your potential issues before you’ve even brought up the topic with them, and there is always a solid support system online, even if you aren’t seeing anybody physically.

Connect with Others in the Same Situation
If your social life is taking a huge hit because of the amount of time needed for you to study and work a job to pay the bills, it can be a very solitary experience and can sometimes get the better of you. To avoid agitation and potential breakdowns because you’re feeling lonely and cut off, try and connect with others who may be studying and working, too.

If you’re doing an online course, as mentioned above, check whether there is a support forum for you to speak online with other students or even lecturers. Even if it’s just a quick post to discuss the workload, or something completely different, taking five minutes just to remind yourself that there are others like you, too, can be a huge help.

You can even organize study dates to do your studying with other people in the area working towards the same qualification as you if you’re the kind of person who finds studying with others easier to manage than studying alone.

Or find a happy balance of both, as solitary working can sometimes be very beneficial, and socializing too much can have just as negative an effect.

Be Honest, All the Time, With Everyone
This doesn’t mean you should tell your friends what you really think about their latest outfit choice or life problems; what this means is 100% truthful communication about what it is you’re trying to achieve.

If you have friends or family members who have not chosen the same path as you, it may be that they have a whole load of free time (which you don’t have), and may mean you get a host of invitations to things you really can’t accept because you have work or study obligations to fill.

They’ll be a whole lot less offended by your refusal to attend if they already know how much of a workload you’re competing with, rather than you constantly saying that you “just can’t make it.”

Also, if you live with others, they need to understand when you may have study and work commitments. If your work shifts are different to theirs, for example, and you need to get a good night’s sleep after a long shift in time for your study schedule, but that happens to be the same time they’d like to host a party or play their music really loud, make sure you communicate what’s going on with you and how the routine needs to be for all people involved. Consider newsletter templates from Adobe Spark as a way of reaching out to your social groups and communicating to them in a formal way.

Sure, some compromises will need to be made along the way, but these will only work effectively if you’re speaking honestly about the commitments you have.

Additionally, if your job is the kind which offers a lot of extra hours and overtime, and your superior just happens always to ask you to work extra shifts, be sure that your employers know that you are studying alongside employment – that you aren’t always available to take on extra shifts, and the crucial reasons why.

As long as you are fulfilling your contractual agreement of hours, don’t ever feel bad about turning down extra shifts if you simply can’t do it because of your studying. Your employer and colleagues will be much more understanding about it if you’re honest with them.

What’s more, your colleagues might even offer to cover a few shifts for you from time to time, if they know you’re studying and you might need an extra day to catch up with that side of things instead of working.

The more honest and open you are, the easier it will be to manage.

Try a Job Which Works Around your Studies, Not the Other Way Around
If the whole purpose of this situation is that you’re working only to pay the bills, and you’re studying to achieve the career you really want, then the studying side is obviously the priority. If you’re working a job which has awkward hours and you are often left feeling tired after shifts, consider swapping to employment which is more flexible around your studying.

If you’re really open to any kind of employment as long as it pays during your studies, then consider doing something with more structured hours if that allows you fixed time for studying. Or even a job with more unsociable hours if you’re the kind of person who can stay awake all night and happens to study better during the day.

Take some time to think about what works for you in regards to your study schedule, and work your job around that.

Also, consider a job which is not too specific and which has plenty of colleagues available to cover or swap shifts. If your studies need a day for an exam or a certain paper due, you need to ensure your job is the kind which will let you book vacation days and is easily covered, rather than a job which has you as the sole person doing a particular position.

You don’t want to take one day off and have the work snowball and pile up for you to have to deal with when you return – which is added stress you could do without.

Feel Proud, Work Hard, Enjoy It
You’re working towards something truly wonderful, and you should be hugely proud of yourself for deciding to do it in the first place. It’s easy to want to give up when the stresses of juggling everything become a little too much, but never sell yourself short of telling yourself that you’re doing a great job.

It’s hard to make yourself enjoy something if it’s truly running you into the ground, but these are experiences you may never have again, and it’s all part of the end result you’re working hard to achieve. So, don’t shrug off the stressful journey as just a means to the end, but try and look at it differently, in small, positive steps – and reward yourself when needed.

Above all else, don’t forget to look after yourself. If balancing everything is truly affecting your physical and/or mental health, seek help, re-evaluate and don’t push yourself further than you can rightfully go.

SHOULD YOU DROP A CLASS? HOW TO DECIDE

Okay, so you’ve thought about it once or twice…maybe even three times. But you’re feeling kinda stuck and constantly teeter-tottering back and forth trying to make up your mind. You’re thinking to yourself “I got this! I can do this! Or can I? Should I? Maybe it’s too much…should I call mom?” But you also feel this pressure because you don’t want to wait too long to drop the class or get that unwanted grade.

Don’t worry we have all totally been there. Choosing to drop a class can be an intimidating decision. There will always be a million different scenarios you can instantly playback like a 90’s Hit Clip, but making a decision earlier is always better than later. While there’s no secret formula to making the right choice, here is a quick guide to help you decide.

Evaluate your work load

Sounds simple enough, right? College is not easy, but learning to balance yourself can be tough too! Be honest with yourself and take a look at your current workload. Identifying if you may be stretching yourself too thin can help steer you in the right direction. Maybe this extra class has you feeling stressed or maybe your part-time job hours and extra curricular duties are increasing this semester. Whatever it may be, dropping a class may help you restore that balance! (Just be sure to double check your units so you’re still a full-time student.)

Consider your degree

If you’re embarking on a new journey and choosing a new major (don’t worry—we’ve all been there), then feel free to drop that class! It’s an exciting time switching majors and the class you signed up for may no longer work towards your new degree. If you aren’t switching majors, take a minute to evaluate the course content and make sure it’s propelling you in the right direction. Sometimes courses that count towards your degree may not be helpful for the career path you decide to choose. Looking at the class content will ensure you’re interested in learning the subject matter and that it’ll give you a skill set that’ll work towards your desired career.

Keep an eye on your GPA

This is definitely a tough one to mention, but pretty critical. Yes we know life happens, and sometimes courses can take a seat on the back burner. If you’re on the fence about dropping, try using college advisory or instructor to help you raise that grade before you make your final call. If you think the class will 100% affect your overall GPA, you always have the option to drop the class and take it another time when you’re ready. Remember—there is never any shame in taking a class another time.

Simply not interested

Has anyone else fallen asleep during syllabus week? We’ve definitely been there and done that! It’s okay to feel like that class just isn’t for you. After all, that’s what college is all about! Making decisions based on your personal interests is a form of growth. If you find the class boring or can’t see yourself enjoying the subject, go ahead and drop that class.

Whatever your reason may be, there will always be an opportunity to take the class again, take it with a different professor, or even at a different university. It may not be this semester or the next semester, but no matter what your plan is, there’s always a little wiggle room. Plans and timelines can deviate, but trust in yourself to make those right choices. Now channel your secret inner Hannah Montana rock-star and go THRIVE! You got this!

How to Prepare For Your First Semester at College

You’ve already faced one of life’s biggest challenges: getting into college.

You did it! Congratulations! The next challenge is to take full advantage of everything your college has to offer, get good grades, all the while having a great time. As someone who worked on the Stanford University Dean of Student’s staff (and was in charge of a dorm with many freshmen), I have some personal advice about making your first semester the beginning of four of the best years of your life. In a nutshell, my advice is to START STRONG.

I. ARRIVE ON CAMPUS AS EARLY AS YOU CAN Sometime during the summer, colleges usually notify freshman students when in the fall they can move into their residence halls or other housing.

There are so many reasons why you should move in as soon as the doors open. To begin with, in order to feel comfortable in your new space, you need to get unpacked and that’s going to take a little while. No doubt, there will be some things you have forgotten to bring and the best time to go shopping is when Mom and/or Dad are still around and before school starts. You also need to meet your roommate/s and figure out how you-all are going to share the space.

Once your gear is unpacked, the room is arranged and settled, it’s time to explore the campus and figure out where everything is, including the libraries, the gym and workout spaces, the student union (and other places where students gather) and best places to study.

II. CAREFULLY CHOOSE YOUR CLASSES To make your first semester a success:

Sign up for the minimum number of classes (usually 12 units). There’s going to be plenty of time for you to take all of the classes you need. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you need to prove your academic prowess by taking a much larger than average number of classes.

Also, don’t get into the game that some students fall into of bragging about how tough a schedule you’re taking on (“I’m taking 20 units, how about you?”) It’s important that you give yourself time to adapt to college life, including managing your schoolwork, activities and all the myriad of other things that a college has to entice you.

Choose classes that you know you will do well in. In other words, based on your experience in high school, sign up for courses in which you can get A’s, regardless of the content. Are you good at English, love history and have spent time as a Madrigal singer? Sign up for classes in those areas.

Don’t fall into the trap of taking the hardest math, science, or whatever classes available to show other students how smart you are. Frankly, no one is going to care, and you might just get yourself into academic trouble. You don’t want to do that.

Ask upperclassmen who the good professors are. See if there is a college website that offers teacher evaluations. And for sure, don’t sign up with a professor who gets bad reviews. Unlike high school, you can be picky about which courses and professors you choose.

Once you have your class schedule, get a campus map and go to each of the buildings where your classes will be held. If a classroom is open, go in, look around and decide where you want to sit. All of this pre-work means that on the first day of classes when everybody else is scrambling, you will know where you’re going, where you want to sit and feel much less anxious than most other new students.

III. PREPARE FOR CLASSES There are some very simple things you can do to get ahead of the game for your classes.

Get to the bookstore early and purchase all the books for each of your classes. Did you know that sometimes campus bookstores run out of required books, and it can take weeks to order them. That’s not something you will want to deal with during your first semester. And if you’re looking for used texts, often they’re the ones that get bought first. You know the saying, “The early bird gets the worm?” At colleges, the worm is textbooks.

And while you’re at the bookstore, get all of the other supplies you need for taking notes and keeping organized.

Buy a wall calendar with an erasable pen to keep track of everything. While many students keep track of things on their iPhones and other hand-helds, there is nothing like having a big calendar on your dorm wall to helps you see when assignments and papers are due, when mid- terms and finals are, and when special events and games are coming up.

Once everything is up on a wall, with a quick scan you can see that the third week in October is going to be a killer because you’ve got two papers due, as well as two midterms. Visually seeing what’s happening allows you to plan and prepare.

Ace the First Test There’s an old saying that you never have a second chance to make a first impression. So to make a good impression in every class, what you want to do is to get an A on your first test. The stronger you are at the beginning, the more likely the professor will see you as a strong student throughout the class.

IV. IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH A CLASS, GET HELP RIGHT AWAY And if by some chance you should get into a class that gives you trouble, immediately see the professor to get some help. You might also look into getting a tutor. Just so you know, getting help is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of maturity. At one time or another, even the smartest students ask for help in something.

If you get excellent grades first semester, your reputation as a good student will follow you. Special internships and honors programs might open up, jobs will be easier to get, scholarships may become available, and you’ll go to the top of the Study Abroad list. And, if for some reason you’re not happy with the college, having top grades will make it so much easier to transfer to another college.

How to Find Colleges that Give Tuition Coupons

What, you say you’ve never seen a tuition coupon? Just because nobody has ever actually held one in her hands doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. You know how you start getting coupons for movers and home stores when you change your address? Or after you visit a website online, you start getting discount offers from them in your Facebook feed? Well, it’s possible to get a coupon for $10,000 or $15,000 off your college tuition if you pick the right college.

The colleges don’t call it a tuition coupon. They call it merit scholarships. Actually, that’s the label they use for the public. What they really call it is tuition discounting. They are reducing the amount of tuition they charge to attract students to buy their product. In other words, they are using “merit scholarships” as incentives for students to attend their college.

Tuition Insurance
Suppose you had to drop out of school because of death of family member, voluntary withdrawal, relocation, medical, checkout
how and the amount of reimbursement you might be able to receive.

So how do students get a coupon?

Well, colleges don’t give out the coupons to just anybody just like men don’t see a lot of ads for women’s shoes when searching the web (unless they’ve been sharing a computer or worst, an Amazon Prime Account!)

Colleges give the biggest value coupons to students with the best academic qualifications. They tend to call these discounts, “Presidential,” “Provost,” or “Chancellor” scholarships. These represent the largest discounts students can receive, with the exception of some athletic scholarships, from the college.

Shop Textbooks now
They are awarded to students with high qualifications that will help raise the school’s academic reputation. It’s not just in terms of college rankings. These students are more prone to graduate and the name of their alma maters will follow them through their careers and hopefully be associated with their successes.

So how do you find the colleges most likely to offer you a significant tuition discount?

The easiest, most underrated way to do this is by using your test scores.

ACT or SAT scores are the easiest way to start your search for college merit money. The strategy is simple, find colleges where your test scores are in the top quarter of freshman test scores. Like I said earlier, colleges are more likely to provide tuition discounts to students with academic qualifications that will raise their academic reputation.

Now I know students are more than just their test scores and so do colleges.

Just because your test score is in the top quarter doesn’t mean that you’ll automatically get a merit coupon. However, it does mean you are more likely to get merit money than at a school where your score is in the bottom 25%.

This is far from a perfect system. But if you want a fast, easy way to start looking for merit aid, this is the way to do it.

Once you generate a list of schools based on your test scores, you can then start eliminating some by other factors such as location, size, and graduation rates. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can narrow down your list so that you can start doing some meaningful research on the college and what it offers.

For example, if you have an ACT score of 28, there are 283 colleges with 75th% ACT scores between 27 and 29. There are 9 in Illinois, 14 in Florida, and 10 in Massachusetts. Only 131 of the private colleges have a four-year graduation rate of 50% or better. See, it isn’t difficult to reduce the list to a manageable size.

Test scores versus GPA
Why not just use average GPA? After all, an increasing number of colleges are going test optional and just about everybody has a GPA.

There are two problems using GPA. The first is that colleges don’t report the 75th% for GPA. The Common Data Set will list the percentage of students with a GPA over 3.75, between 3.5 and 3,75, etc, and the average GPA for the class. You could make some assumptions and use the average GPA but it’s not as straight forward as just using the 75th% test scores.

The second problem is the ability to search on GPA. Since it’s only collected by the Common Data Set, it’s not as readily available as test scores for searching. Go try. You can usually find the GPA on the actual college profile, but it’s not something you easily search on.

So that’s why you should use test scores.

Higher test scores will get bigger discounts but…
Obviously, the higher a student’s test scores, the more schools where the student will be in the top 25%.

However, you need to understand that as a college’s 75th% score increases, the less likely it is to offer merit aid, even to those in the top 25%.

This is because of the nature of merit aid. Remember, merit scholarships are really just a kind of coupon colleges are using to attract students. And colleges that have so many qualified applicants that they turn away the vast majority of them, don’t have to offer tuition coupons to get students to attend. These colleges reserve their coupons for students with financial need.

Therefore, when you start looking at schools with high 75th% scores, you also need to start considering acceptance rates. Colleges with lower acceptance rates may do a good job of meeting financial need but don’t hand out a lot of coupons just for merit.

This is why you also need to check the percentage of freshman receiving institutional grants. If the percentage is less than 60% for private schools, the school is probably only providing coupons to meet financial need.

You just need a good list to start with
Now, after that last bit, I’ll bet some of you are thinking this isn’t really as simple as she said. I’ve talked about more than just test scores. I mentioned using size, location, and graduation rates as a way to refine your list. And I’ve just brought up acceptance rates and institutional grants. Sign up to our newsletter we’ll keep you updated.
Next Article Tuition Insurance

How Long is Too Long for an Employment Gap?

According to popular opinion, a gap of more than one year looks very suspicious on a resume. But is it that simple? Well, it depends on your chosen industry (among other factors).

If you’re applying for a skilled job such as a doctor, engineer or teacher, employers will generally expect you to show commitment towards your career over your lifetime.
These careers require many years of study, so it’s generally expected that candidates will work their way up the career ladder and won’t take any unnecessary breaks. Moreover, many skilled occupations require you to take continuing education classes to keep your skills up-to-date. So, it’s fair to say that if you’re applying for a skilled job, employment gaps of more than one year probably will raise some eyebrows from recruiters.

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On the other hand, if you’re applying for an unskilled job in the retail sector, an employer is not necessarily expecting you to stick with this job for your whole life. These jobs are not “career professions” so your work history does not necessarily need to demonstrate a strong commitment to the retail sector. As such, if you’ve been unemployed for a couple of years, employers might not be too concerned.

There’s no such thing as a gap that’s “too long” because it depends on many factors, but we can predict that the longer the gap, the more questions you’ll face from recruiters.

How Many Gaps Is Too Many?

Again, this depends on several factors, such as how old you are, and how close together the gaps were. It’s protocol to list the last ten years of work history on your resume. If you recently left school, and you only have three years of work history in total, two short employment gaps in a 3-year period might seem suspicious. However, two short employment gaps over a period of 10 years would probably be more acceptable.

If you’re a job-hopper, and you have many employment gaps that are close together, this might suggest you’re not very committed to the employers you work for. However, there are several reasons why jobs come to an end, and some of these reasons do not reflect poorly on the candidate. For example, if you were hired on a fixed-term or seasonal contract, it’s crucial to state this on your resume so employers can understand why you weren’t employed for long.

Employers prefer to receive resumes that are clear and uncomplicated. If there’s an unexplained employment gap on your resume, you’re likely to be at a disadvantage. However, that’s not to say that employers will only hire people with continuous work histories.

If you’ve had a period of unemployment, some employers will be wary of you. That’s understandable, but it’s also something you have control over. By improving your resume, you can prevent employers from jumping to conclusions about your skills, capabilities, and work ethic.

Why Do Employment Gaps Matter to Employers?

It’s not the gap itself that is problematic. Rather, it’s the potential reasons behind the missing information. When an employer sees an unexplained gap on a resume, they’ll have many unanswered questions. Is this person lazy? Were they fired by a previous employer? What were they doing to fill their time? Employers are more likely to reject your application immediately.

As such, it’s usually better to be upfront and explain any periods of unemployment on your resume. More than anything else, this shows you are an honest person – a trait which most employers look for in new recruits.

Unemployment Claims

Not everyone who’s out of work is entitled to unemployment benefits. There are a couple of factors that dictate whether a former employee will receive unemployment benefits: the circumstances of the employee’s departure and whether the employer contests the employee’s claim. This means your company has a lot of power over whether a worker will receive unemployment benefits. If a former employee files a claim, your company will need to decide whether or not to contest it.

Is the Employee Eligible for Unemployment Benefits?

Employees are eligible for unemployment benefits only if they are out of work through no fault of their own. This rule works differently depending on whether the employee quit, was laid off, or was fired.

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If an Employee Was Laid Off

An employee who loses a job through a layoff or reduction in workforce is always eligible for unemployment benefits.

If an Employee Was Fired

Fired employees can claim unemployment benefits if they were terminated because of financial cutbacks or because they were not a good fit for the job for which they were hired. They can also receive unemployment benefits if the employer had a good reason to fire the employee, such as being late for work several times, but the infractions were relatively minor, unintentional, or isolated.

On the other hand, in most states an employee who is fired for misconduct will not receive unemployment benefits. Although you might think that any action that leads to termination should constitute misconduct, the unemployment laws don’t look at it that way. Not all actions that result in termination are serious enough to qualify as misconduct and justify denying benefits to a terminated worker.

What qualifies as misconduct that will disqualify an employee from receiving unemployment benefits? Generally speaking, an employee engages in misconduct by willfully doing something that substantially injures the company’s interests. For example, revealing trade secrets or sexually harassing coworkers is typically the type of misconduct that renders the employee ineligible to collect unemployment benefits. Other common types of disqualifying misconduct include chronic tardiness, numerous unexcused absences, extreme insubordination, intoxication on the job, and dishonesty.

Common actions that often result in firing — but do not constitute misconduct — include poor performance because of lack of skills, good faith errors in judgment, inefficient work habits, an unpleasant personality, poor relations with coworkers, or off-work conduct that does not have an impact on the employer’s interests. An employee fired for any of these reasons will usually be allowed to collect unemployment benefits.

It is important to remember that what qualifies as misconduct is a matter of interpretation and degree. Annoying one coworker might not be considered misconduct that will disqualify an employee from receiving unemployment benefits, but intentionally engaging in actions that anger an entire department, even after repeated warnings, might be considered disqualifying misconduct.

If an Employee Quits

An employee who quits or resigns from a job will be eligible for benefits only if the employee resigned for “good cause.” A good reason for quitting a job, such as job dissatisfaction, is not necessarily good cause. The law requires the employee’s reason for leaving to be “compelling” — that is, the worker would have suffered some sort of harm or injury by staying. Put another way, the reason the employee left must be the sort that would have made any reasonable person leave.

If an employee leaves a job because of intolerable working conditions (such as being sexually harassed) or because of being offered the opportunity to quit in lieu of being fired, most states would allow the worker to collect unemployment benefits. Similarly, leaving a job because it poses a serious threat to the worker’s health or safety is usually good cause. On the other hand, most states would not accept leaving a job because it doesn’t offer opportunities for career advancement as a good cause, and it won’t make a worker eligible for unemployment benefits.

Should Your Company Contest the Claim?

Your state’s unemployment office — not your company — will ultimately decide whether a former employee can receive unemployment benefits. You do, however, have the option of contesting an employee’s application for unemployment benefits, and that option gives your company a great deal of power. In California, for example, the unemployment board presumes that a terminated employee did not engage in misconduct that would disqualify the employee from getting unemployment benefits unless the employer contests the unemployment claim. Thus, in California, terminated employees who claim unemployment benefits receive them unless the former employer contests the claim.

Remember, there is no reason — and there are no grounds — to contest an unemployment claim if the employee was laid off. There are also no grounds to contest the claim if the employee did not engage in misconduct but was fired for lesser reasons — for instance, for sloppy work, carelessness, poor judgment, or the inability to learn new skills.

Even if an employee engages in misconduct, your company might want to give up its right to contest an unemployment insurance claim as part of a severance package, especially if the fired employee seems likely to sue. In other words, your company would agree not to contest unemployment benefits and the employee would agree not to sue your company.

Your company should contest a claim only if it has grounds to do so — meaning that the employee engaged in serious misconduct or quit without a compelling reason. And even then, your company should also have a good, practical reason to contest. Employers typically fight unemployment claims for one of two reasons:

The employer is concerned that their unemployment insurance rates may increase. After all, the employer (not the employee) pays for unemployment insurance. The amount the employer pays toward unemployment insurance is based in part on the number of claims made against the employer by former employees.
The employer is concerned that the employee plans to file a wrongful termination action. The unemployment application process can be valuable in discovering the employee’s side of the story, and it can also provide an excellent opportunity for gathering evidence — both from the employee and from witnesses.

If your company plans to contest an unemployment compensation claim, proceed with caution. These battles not only cost time and money, but they also ensure that the former employee will become an enemy. The employee might even file a wrongful termination lawsuit that otherwise could have been avoided. And if the fired worker has friends who remain on the job, they too may doubt and distrust your company’s tactics.

Before making any decisions, you might want to do some research by contacting your state’s unemployment office for specific information about the law in your state. This office can tell you what effect a successful unemployment benefit claim will have on your company’s rates. If it’s relatively small, backing off might be a good idea.

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Tuition Insurance

What You Should Know About College Tuition Insurance

Tuition insurance is likely something you’ve never had to consider, and maybe you’ve never even heard of it. This type of insurance isn’t something every family invests in..neither is it something every college student and their family even has to consider.

Depending on whether or not it’s necessary for your circumstances, tuition insurance can either be very beneficial… or completely unnecessary.

But what is tuition insurance?

Tuition insurance is meant to cover the cost of college tuition should a student have to withdraw (most commonly for medical purposes). However, depending on your policy, and the broadness of coverage, tuition insurance can cover a number of things: social, emotional, or academic purposes. Policies vary in what they do and do not cover. For instance, tuition insurance policies that cover pre-existing conditions are more expensive, but more likely to come upon as opposed to coverage providing reimbursement because of drug use or flunking out.

Many families who have students attending college and suffering from a mental illness or have chronic medical issues will research tuition insurance and consider taking out a policy in order to be sure their investment is safe. Should their student end up leaving school, they won’t recoup their money. However, depending on what kind of tuition insurance policy you take out will determine the amount of reimbursement you’re able to receive. The more you pay for a policy, the more likely it is that your policy will cover a wider range of things.

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Some possibilities of events covered under a tuition insurance plan are:

withdrawing for medical reasons (most common)
withdrawing for mental health reasons
medical absence (for on-going, serious medical concerns)
death of a parent
death of the student
family relocation
voluntary withdrawal from school
academic dismissal (because of grades or behavior)

Depending on what you and your family think you need coverage for will determine the price you pay for a policy. The more you want to be covered, the more expensive your policy will end up being.

How does tuition insurance work?

Tuition insurance is often provided by the university, but if not, or if you simply decide to go in another direction, it can be purchased through a third-party company as well. You must purchase tuition insurance before the first day of school, so don’t try to be sneaky and get a policy after school starts — it won’t work.

Your tuition insurance policy will vary depending on what coverage you’ve chosen, but typically tuition insurance policies will reimburse students and their families for tuition, room, board, and other various fees the family has paid. Oftentimes, families see tuition insurance policies as a “backup plan” for their college student. Should you have to withdraw from school, a tuition insurance policy will see to it that your family isn’t out of the money they spent hoping to educate you. And with the average cost of tuition for an in-state, public university sitting at over $25,000 per year, tuition insurance policies are sure to see an increase in demand.

How do I find the right tuition insurance policy?

Research, research, research! You should begin by looking into the policies that might be offered by the university you’re going to be attending. The Office of Financial Aid should be able to help you and your family out with finding a policy that really works for you and your family.

Talk with your parents (or whoever is helping fund your education) to decide how much coverage you think you’ll need, and how much money you’re willing to pay up front on a policy for school.

After doing some research and discussing your options with professionals, there’s a chance you won’t be happy with what your university provides. Should this happen, it might be time to start looking into third-party options.

Some popular tuition insurance options are available through companies like A.W.G. Dewar or Allianz. A quick search on Dewar’s website can quickly answer your questions regarding coverage and price. Allianz has a bit of an easier-to-understand breakdown of their policies, which you can find here.

Additionally, you should check to see if the insurance company you use for things like auto and home insurance provide an option for tuition insurance as well. More than likely, bundling your insurance policies will save you money in the end. So if you already have Liberty Mutual insurance, look into whether or not they offer tuition insurance as well!

When you’re looking at different types of policies, be sure to scrutinize how much coverage they really provide. While some policies will reimburse 100% of expenses, others will only refund 50-90%. You should be sure you understand exactly what your policy covers.

What are the advantages of taking out a tuition insurance policy through my school?

All Universities are bound to offer some kind of tuition refund should a student withdraw from the University within days after school begins. However, this timeline approaches quickly, and the percentage of tuition and fees the school is willing to refund declines drastically within a small period of time. Taking out an actual tuition insurance policy through the school will allow you to get that refund/reimbursement regardless of how many weeks of classes have gone by.

Typically, students with medical complications benefit from tuition insurance, but a policy is also a good thing to have should you be severely injured on a spring break trip or suffer injuries from a bad car accident. Tuition insurance is a big part of giving you and your family peace of mind while you’re in school.

Who should get tuition insurance?

This type of insurance is usually recommended for students who have a prior medical history, or if you’re paying for an extremely expensive college/university and you’re looking for a little peace of mind. It’s completely up to you as to whether you decide to take out an insurance policy.

Imagine a situation where a middle-class family has to give up everything to fund their student’s undergraduate education. Resources like scholarships and federal grants are wonderful things, but not everyone who doesn’t qualify for these resources has an incredible savings account waiting for them to get into college. For a family who doesn’t qualify for many resources, their expected contribution might be higher than what’s reasonable; $20K per year in college tuition isn’t something everyone just has lying around the house. It’s a bit more than just pocket-change. So should their student have to withdraw due to unforeseen reasons, it’s a true blessing to have a tuition insurance policy that will cover things like room and board, tuition, and other academic-related expenses.

How much does tuition insurance policies cost?

As you can see above, the cost of tuition insurance for Stanford University through Dewar’s tuition insurance program is an annual cost of just over $400. This is if you’d like tuition, room, and board covered in your policy. If you or your child is living off-campus, and you only need your policy to cover tuition, you’ll save about $100.

At Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, tuition insurance costs a bit more, at just over $600 for on-campus policies, and right under $500 for off-campus:

Because Dewar isn’t the only option out there for tuition insurance, you should research some other companies who also have options.

GradGuard.com has policies that cost anywhere from $239 – $599, with each policy covering more as the total amount increases. In order to receive $25,000 worth of coverage for a semester, you’ll be paying a $600 insurance policy. It might not seem too bad. But should your student not ever need to use the policy, you’ll be out of $600.

How will we receive reimbursement, should we have to follow through with our insurance policy?

Like any other kind of insurance, there’s paperwork and documentation to be taken care of should you need to follow up on the tuition insurance policy you have. If you’re withdrawing because of medical reasons, you will need to submit a doctor’s recommendation that withdrawing is best.

Mental health reasons, however, are a bit trickier. Unlike a substantially severe injury, mental health claims require a little bit more documentation. You’ll likely have to provide proof that you were hospitalized for 24-48 hours because of your mental health condition.

Do the experts recommend tuition insurance? Is it really worth it?

Generally speaking, no, tuition insurance is typically not worth the cost. If you are a healthy student, there is likely no reason that you would need a tuition insurance policy. So for the better part of today’s college students, tuition insurance policies are not common.

When we think of “insurance,” we usually envision auto and home insurance. It’s for the drastic events — like your house burning down or your car getting totaled. These types of insurance policies are very popular with American families, as it is illegal in all 50 states to drive without car insurance. But tuition insurance is a bit of a different ball-game. It is not a requirement of today’s college students to have a policy that will refund their family the amount of money they spend on tuition, room, and board. Instead, only families who decide it’s a good financial investment will look into taking out a policy.

Most universities provide some kind of “grace period” to get your tuition money back. This is usually capped after the first few days of classes. But by taking out a tuition insurance policy, you could be covered when it comes to medical conditions, mental health crises, or even severe financial changes. Depending on the broadness of your policy, a variety of circumstances are covered.

Are there any alternatives to having a tuition insurance policy?

Absolutely. Without having to take out a policy through a third-party company, your university likely has some kind of rules for refunding tuition. If you withdraw within a certain period of time, you’ll receive some of your money back.

If you think you could really benefit from having insurance, but you’re disappointed in what’s covered by a tuition insurance policy, look into life insurance. This type of insurance is best if you and your family are worried about a life-threatening medical condition that you have. It will ensure your family is taken care of should the worst of the worst happen.

All in all…

When it comes to paying for college, many families have to sacrifice. Your younger sibling might not get the car they’ve been hoping for… your parents are probably trying to eat out less and less… and you’re monetarily restricted to the money you make at your part-time job because your parents just don’t have a lot of extra “dough” sitting around. Because it’s such a big investment to send a child to school, making sure you’re covered should something happen is one of the greatest things your family can do for itself, especially if your tuition is costing more than the mortgage!

Regardless of whether a tuition insurance policy is a “backup plan” for your family, your parents are taking out a policy to give them a little piece of mind, or you’re positive you’re going to need this type of plan, the fact that tuition insurance is even available is a huge benefit to our country’s college students. College tuition is increasing every year and is typically a burden to families. Student loans are the highest we’ve ever seen them, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be decreasing in the coming years. As a nation, we owe trillions of dollars in student loans.

So if there’s even a possibility that you’re going to need to withdraw from school, at least check into the tuition insurance policies that are available. That way, if you do end up needing to leave school for any reason, there’s a chance your younger sibling will get the car they’ve been wanting and all the money your parents invested in trying to educate you won’t go to complete waste. Spending some time at least researching policies could really help your family out.

What You Should Know About Tuition Insurance

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Depending on whether or not it’s necessary for your circumstances, tuition insurance can either be very beneficial… or completely unnecessary.

But what is tuition insurance?

Shop Textbooks now

Some possibilities of events covered under a tuition insurance plan are:

withdrawing for medical reasons (most common)
withdrawing for mental health reasons
medical absence (for on-going, serious medical concerns)
death of a parent
death of the student
family relocation
voluntary withdrawal from school
academic dismissal (because of grades or behavior)

Depending on what you and your family think you need coverage for will determine the price you pay for a policy. The more you want to be covered, the more expensive your policy will end up being.

How does tuition insurance work?

How do I find the right tuition insurance policy?

Talk with your parents (or whoever is helping fund your education) to decide how much coverage you think you’ll need, and how much money you’re willing to pay up front on a policy for school.

Shop Textbooks now

What are the advantages of taking out a tuition insurance policy through my school?

Who should get tuition insurance?

How much does tuition insurance policies cost?

At Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, tuition insurance costs a bit more, at just over $600 for on-campus policies, and right under $500 for off-campus:

Because Dewar isn’t the only option out there for tuition insurance, you should research some other companies who also have options.

How will we receive reimbursement, should we have to follow through with our insurance policy?

Do the experts recommend tuition insurance? Is it really worth it?

Are there any alternatives to having a tuition insurance policy?

All in all…

How to use the ebook in MindTap

Bundle: Medical Terminology for Health Professions, 8th + Merriam-Websters Medical Desk Dictionary, Revised Edition, 3rd + LMS Integrated for MindTap Medical Terminology, 2 terms (12 months) Printed Access Card, 8th Edition

Ehrlich/Schroeder/Ehrlich/ Schroeder
Publication Date: 01/01/2016
ISBN-13: 9781337087094

Can Student Loans Be Forgiven

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When it comes to student loans, a common refrain we hear from Learn Vesters is, “I wish someone had told me …” So, now we are telling you. The student loan system can be exasperating, confusing and just plain mystifying. Plus, even your own parents, all-knowing beings that they are, probably don’t know any more than you do. High school counselors aren’t infallible either. Whether you’re planning to take out loans, you’re in school or you’ve graduated and your payments are about to kick in, we’ve gathered up the mistakes that can cost you money and cause you grief. Find A Job By City-State.

When You’re Taking Out Loans

1. Not Pursuing Grants, Scholarships and Financial Aid

What we mean: Make sure to first fill out your FAFSA form, even if you think you might not get any money, and go after as many grants and scholarships as you can before you turn to student loans.

Why: What if someone said, “Hey, you’re so smart, I’m giving you $50,000!” That’s what grants, scholarships and financial aid are, essentially. Yes, it can take a bit of work to find them, fill out the paperwork and apply. But man, what other job would pay $5,000-100,000 just for a couple hours or days of filling out paperwork and writing an essay? (Not the one you get after college when you have to pay your loans back, that’s for sure.) While financial aid isn’t free money, it can help you manage your education expenses. Help to avoid it: The first step is to fill out a FAFSA form. You can get started looking for grants and scholarships by using a free service (or two) that helps you search for grants and scholarships, like FastWeb, Scholarships.com, FindTuition.com, ScholarshipExperts.com and Sallie Mae’s The College

Answer. Already made this mistake? You can still get scholarships and grants, even when you’ve already entered school, from small prizes for academic performance, to larger grants and scholarships found through the above search services geared to current students. If you secure one or more, consider using the money you save to pay off your student loan earlier, or see if you can have your scholarship or grant applied directly to your loan. And you can fill out a FAFSA every year you’re enrolled, so you can always apply for the next school year.

2. Discounting the Value of a Cheaper or Community College Education What we mean: You might have the perfect college in mind, and it might be private and/or located in a different state. But don’t get so caught up in dreaming that you ignore the subsidized education in front of you! Why: Many in-state schools have excellent reputations. (In fact, a number appear in U.S. News and World Report’s Best College Rankings.) And let’s put it this way: Say you expect to get paid $10,000 more a year (or $8,000 more after taxes) if you go to a brand-name school instead of your in-state option. But when you graduate, you may be paying $800 a month, or $9,600 a year to pay back your student loans. That’s a bad deal. Help to avoid it: If you’re bent on graduating with a degree from your dream school, but it will mean going into serious debt, you should consider completing your first two years at an in-state school or community college, then transfer and finish up your degree at the school with the marine biology program. After all, even if you want a college with a specialized program, you would still probably spend the first two years getting general education credits out of the way. You could even spend those first two years saving up and working on your GPA so you’re better able to afford those last two years with savings and scholarships. Already made this mistake? Check with your college to see if they will accept credits from summer classes you can take at your local community college or state university.

3. Taking Out Private Loans What we mean: Don’t get your loan from a bank, non-profit organization or Sallie Mae when federal student loans are available. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, more than 54% of private student loan borrowers don’t exhaust their federal loan options, and many don’t even try to get federal loans at all. Why: Private student loans usually offer fewer protections and options to students. The interest rates can be higher, or variable, which means they can go up. (Rates are really low right now, which means they probably will go up.) After you graduate, if you can’t find a job or you find only a low-paying one, private lenders can refuse to adjust your payments to accommodate your situation. With federal loans on the other hand, you can typically change your payment plan so it takes into account your financial situation, or defer your loans, so you can avoid default. (You don’t want to default.) Help to avoid it: If you’ve maxed out your scholarships, grants and federal loans, and you still need more money to pay for college, it’s time to consider looking at a more affordable school or consider taking on a job while you’re in school to make up that gap. Already made this mistake? Prioritize paying off your private loans ahead of federal loans, try to make interest payments while you’re still in school (work-study or a part-time job could be a great idea) and if you need to take out any more loans, turn to federal loans first! And that brings us to …

4. Asking Your Parents to Co-Sign Your Loan What we mean: If you decide to take out a private loan, you will probably have to get a co-signer on it. This is someone–probably your parent–who agrees to cover the loan if you cannot pay. Most federal loans don’t require a co-signer, but private lenders will usually want to see someone with a credit history sign the paperwork. Why: If you and your parent think she could cover your payments if you can’t (and she is prepared to), then by all means, have her sign the paperwork. The problem comes when a parent co-signs your loans, you’re unable to pay when you graduate, and your parent can’t pay either. Then you’ve put your parent in a situation where she is probably being harassed by debt collectors, potentially ruining her credit as well as yours. Help to avoid it: It’s best to avoid private loans altogether if possible, especially if your parent can’t afford to make payments of $500 to $1,500 a month when you graduate. Already made this mistake? Prioritize making your payments on time and in full, so you don’t damage your co-signer’s credit.

5. Failing to Do the Math What we mean: Before you take out a student loan, you should calculate what your payments will look like out of college, especially against the kind of salary you expect to make when you graduate. Why: If you get out of school and realize then that your student loan payments are high, you could be forced to give up your ideal career to either get something more lucrative/soul-sucking, or have to move in with your parents and let job opportunities in the city of your choice pass you by while you pay off your loans. Help to avoid it: A good rule of thumb to consider: Don’t take out more student loans than you expect to make your first year out of college. For example: If want to work in marketing after college using your business major and get a starting salary of $40,000, don’t take out more than $40,000 in loans. If you’re studying to work in finance, $75,000 could be appropriate. And if you’re studying to be an artist or actor, well … try to get some robust scholarships. You should also get wise about what your monthly student loan payments will be out of school. $800 or $1,000 per month? Not uncommon. Use this student loan calculator to find out what yours might be before you commit to a loan. Already made this mistake? Do the math today! If you are chastened by what your student loan payments will be, you can consider either getting a part-time job to start paying them off now and avoid taking out more, or switch direction with your major.

6. Not Reading or Losing Your Documents What we mean: You should receive at least one Master Promissory Note (MPN) for signing. It’s a binding legal document by which you agree to repay your loan or loans. You could have one that covers all your loans, or one for each separate loan. Why: It includes a Borrower’s Rights and Responsibilities statement that explains the terms and conditions of the loans you received. In other words, all that important stuff you should know. Help to avoid it: Make sure you read your MPN carefully, now and before you make any decisions regarding your loans, like putting them in deferment or deciding on a payment plan. Keep it in a safe place, because you’ll probably need to refer to it when you have to start paying back your loans. You might also consider copying it and uploading it to a cloud storage service like Evernote or Google Docs, so you can access it online. Already made this mistake? Go here to retrieve a copy, then read it from top to bottom! When You’re in School 1. Using Loans for Living Expenses What we mean: You might have the option of taking out a student loan that is larger than your tuition so you can pay for living expenses.

Why: This can be an expensive option, because you are being charged interest for doing so. Your loans are big enough without having them cover pizza and spring break trips, too! Help to avoid it: Look into participating in your college’s work-study program, or getting a part-time job to cover living expenses. Already made this mistake? It’s not too late to bring in extra income. Consider picking up a part-time job or freelancing gigs to pay for your living expenses and also to start paying off the loans you took out already.

2. Waiting to Pay Your Unsubsidized Loans Until You Graduate

What we mean: An unsubsidized loan is one in which the government does not pay for your interest while you’re in school. That means if you don’t pay anything while you’re in school, your loan is growing even while you study. Why: If you make your interest payments while you’re in school, you’ll probably save a bundle. For example, if you pay just $50 a month, you could save yourself more than $1,000 in interest expense on a typical $15,000 loan. Help to avoid it: Again, try to pick up part-time work or work study to make your interest payments while you’re in school. Already made this mistake? It’s not the end of the world, you’ll just have to pay a little more. But you can start paying interest now to save.

When Payments Are Due

1. Paying Just the Minimum if You Can Afford More

What we mean: It’s OK to pay the minimums if you are aggressively working toward financial goals like building an emergency fund, paying off credit card debt and getting on track for retirement, or if you have a really tight budget. But don’t pay the minimums just so you can have more disposable income for going out on the weekends.

Why: That can be an expensive choice. While many student loans–federal especially–have lower interest rates compared to credit card debt, they still have interest, which is accumulating while you pay the minimums. You’re also delaying the moment when you will finally be free of your student loan debt! Help to avoid it: If you have more income to send to your student loan payments, you can either send in more money than the minimum, or even get in touch with your lender and restructure your payment plan so that the monthly payments are higher and the payoff period shorter. Already made this mistake? Re-evaluate your budget and start paying more for your loans today. It also can help to calculate how long it will take you to pay off your loans if you just pay the minimum, versus if you increase your payments.

2. Choosing the Wrong Payment Plan

What we mean: If you don’t do anything before payments kick in, you’ll typically be automatically enrolled in the standard payment plan: set payments of at least $50 a month for ten years or less. This is just fine if you can afford it–the standard payment plan means you’ll pay less in interest. But if you have federal loans, you have several options for your payment plan.

Why: If you’re struggling with payments, you can choose another option with lower monthly payments. Here’s the catch: If you choose another payment plan, especially the graduated payment plan (extended repayment will cost you more than graduated because it’s over a longer time period), you will pay much more in interest over the life of the loan. So think carefully about the payment plan that is best for you–whatever you decide could be a $10,000 choice. Help to avoid it: Be realistic about your budget, decide how much you can afford, and get in touch with your lender about your options. Learn more about payment plans here. Already made this mistake? Get in touch with your lender today about your options.

3. Putting Your Unsubsidized Loans Into Deferment or Forbearance When You Don’t Need To

What we mean: Deferment and forbearance can be life savers when you are struggling to find a job or can only find a low-paying job at the moment. They allow you to put your payments off until your financial situation changes. However, this option should only be taken if you absolutely need it. Why: If you have unsubsidized loans, interest will accumulate during deferment and be capitalized–tacked on the principle of the loan. All loans–unsubsidized or not–will accumulate interest if they are in forbearance. That means higher payments when your payments start up again. Help to avoid it: Consider a different payment plan or getting extra income before you delay your loans. If you do decide to put your loans into deferment or forbearance, try to at least pay the interest. Already made this mistake? Contact your lender and see about taking your loans out of deferment or forbearance, if you can afford it. At the very least, start making interest payments so the balance of your loan doesn’t grow.

Finding a Cheap College Apartment for Students

Finding a Cheap College Apartment for Students Search by College or City

As a student looking for an apartment the right price has to be first and foremost on the agenda. A student cannot afford to pay for an expensive apartment unless he or she has the ready funds for it. Living expenses for a college student is pretty tight so finding the right and cheap apartment is the only way to go about it. First, you need to determine how much you are willing to pay every month. If you have friends who are willing to split the rent then go for it, but make sure that the friends are not just saying the words, they should actually mean them.

Second, as a student it is important to have an internet service. find out if the apartment can be serviced, if not then find out if there are any places near it that has internet access.

Third, consider subletting an apartment. There are quite a few listed online like those on Craigslist. Don’t forget to look in the classified ads either. There should also be some notices on the bulletin boards in school.

Fourth, when you do find the right priced apartment, don’t just grab it; find out its location first. Then make an investigation on the crime rate of the area. If it is near the college or university campus then great, but if further away, what kind of transportation do you need to spend for in order to go to and from school. The extra costs would not make that apartment cheap. Search by College or City

Fifth, visit the area at night and listen to the noise level. As a student, it is very important to concentrate especially during exams periods. If the next door neighbor’s cat can be heard through your door then you know the walls are not well insulated.

Sixth, look at the facilities. Laundry, telephone, pool, exercise gyms and others. There are some student apartment complexes that are very affordable and yet offer the best amenities. In these days where the economy and housing industries are suffering, it would not be difficult to find these.

Seventh, if everything seems great, find out about the utilities expenses in the complex or area. If there are numerous leaks and power surges, you and your friends may be the ones who would have to pay for them.

Looking for a cheap apartment for college students is not all that difficult, as long as you know your priorities. Once you know what to look for, finding that apartment could be very easy and would not take up a lot of time.

How To Recover Your College Tuition If You Have To Drop Out

Depending on whether or not it’s necessary for your circumstances, tuition insurance can either be very beneficial… or completely unnecessary.

But what is tuition insurance?

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Many families who have students attending college and suffering from a mental illness or have chronic medical issues will research tuition insurance and consider taking out a policy in order to be sure their investment is safe. Should their student end up leaving school, they won’t recoup their money. However, depending on what kind of tuition insurance policy you take out will determine the amount of reimbursement you’re able to receive. The more you pay for a policy, the more likely it is that your policy will cover a wider range of things.

Some possibilities of events covered under a tuition insurance plan are:

withdrawing for medical reasons (most common)
withdrawing for mental health reasons
medical absence (for on-going, serious medical concerns)
death of a parent
death of the student
family relocation
voluntary withdrawal from school
academic dismissal (because of grades or behavior)

Depending on what you and your family think you need coverage for will determine the price you pay for a policy. The more you want to be covered, the more expensive your policy will end up being.

How does tuition insurance work?

How do I find the right tuition insurance policy?

Talk with your parents (or whoever is helping fund your education) to decide how much coverage you think you’ll need, and how much money you’re willing to pay up front on a policy for school.

What are the advantages of taking out a tuition insurance policy through my school?

Who should get tuition insurance?

How much does tuition insurance policies cost?

At Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, tuition insurance costs a bit more, at just over $600 for on-campus policies, and right under $500 for off-campus:

Because Dewar isn’t the only option out there for tuition insurance, you should research some other companies who also have options.

How will we receive reimbursement, should we have to follow through with our insurance policy?

Do the experts recommend tuition insurance? Is it really worth it?

Are there any alternatives to having a tuition insurance policy?

All in all…