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Archive for the ‘College Expense’ Category

Oct
26

Financial Aid Policies – Top 8 Questions Students Should Ask!

Author: Sally Croft

Friends! I am sure you must have had seriously a tough time running around colleges, admission procedure and more importantly their financial aid policies. Every piece of information matters. Who knows what will change your decision about which college to choose. I would always say that it is better to spend time in taking the right decision instead of falling prey to the debt trap!

Top 8 questions to ask on Financial Aid Policies

Well, though institutions supply materials detailing about the financial aid procedures and scholarships considered by them, I am sure we are always left with certain questions unanswered. Better clarity is reached only with the right frame of questions. Listed below are the top 8 question that you should be asking the college authorities in order to have better understanding of their financial terms and procedures.

  • What is the total cost of education at your university? Give me the break up of costs namely tuition fees, books, boarding, travel and other incidental expenses?
  • Can you let me know the percentage rise in the cost of education every year and the frequency of increase in the cost? I would like to have the cost structure for the previous three years?
  • Is the decision to admit dependent on financial need of the student? What will be the impact on the financial aid facilities provided where a student applies through an early action channel?
  • List me the nature of scholarship programs offered by the college? Also let me have the basis, whether merit or need based scholarship programs? How do I apply for a merit based scholarship or grant program?
  • Say, I would like to go for the financial aid policy offered by the college, is there any early deadline to meet while applying for the same?
  • When will I know about the status of my financial aid application? If the amount granted is not sufficient, will my plea for a higher funding be entertained?
  • Do you have financial aid packages? If so will they keep changing every year? Let me know what will happen if my finances undergo a change?
  • Apart from the academic requirements and financial status queries what other conditions need to be satisfied in order to avail the financial aid option offered to students?

Make sure you understand their terms clearly before choosing any financial aid program. Your job doesn’t end with signing the papers. Keep gathering information both before and after choosing the finance option, who knows what is best for you! Taking a measured step is sure to save you!

Jul
31

College Grads – Quick Survival Guide

Author: Sally Croft
Out of College

In every sense I mean successfully completing your college. It’s indeed a time to party! Gone are the days where you had to burn the midnight oil and complete your assignments and prepare for your exams. You are now out and all on your own! Don’t you feel great about hearing the good news…check for the cons associated with it as well ;) !!

College Days are Care Free Days

Remember those care free days, you were responsible for nothing but studies. Inspite of the fact that you availed your student loan, all your installments were due only after completing your studies. Student life is truly the most exciting and interesting period in one’s life.

College Days
Stepping into the Real World

A real life experience begins only after completing your college. Job hunt is the first challenge. If you have a job even before completing your graduation you are lucky enough, otherwise you have a long way to go finding a suitable job or atleast a job that will help you meet your basic needs.

Aiming high is no wrong! Dreams make goals and goals drive hard work. It is important to remember that dreams are not an end by itself; it is only a means to an end. You should exercise caution in every step that deals with handling money. Initially a scarce resource, money, should be put to proper use. Otherwise you end up cursing yourself for the irresponsible behavior.

College Graduate’s Survival Guide

The student loan is the first and the most of your liabilities you are sure to face, even before handling your living. Hence, for college graduates finding a job and planning your expenditure sufficiently enough, to meet all your requirements becomes very important. Here are a few tips ad guidance to help you plan

Student-Real-Life
  • Employment Expenses

    Job hunt does involve expenses. Right from buying a suit for your interview, shoes, binder, and pen, make sure to save atleast $300 by the time you finish your graduation. And, if you don’t have the money, ask your parents, for they will surely help you, as they just can’t stand to see your future in tangles for just a few hundred dollars.
  • Lifestyle Preference

    Dreaming is good. Your dreams will surely come true! But wait! It is just not going to happen in a day or two after joining your employment. Even if you wish to do so without giving it a second thought, you are sure to repent a little later.

Preferring a bare minimum lifestyle right in the beginning, is sure to help you plan your expenses and meet the most essential ones.

  • Say you are in a student housing, make use of the leftovers. You are sure to find a heap of lamps, desk accessories, and kitchen utensils. There is nothing wrong using what others have tossed, atleast initially.
  • Request your friends and family to let you know if anybody were about to do away with their furniture as you are moving and will be interested if anything comes up.
  • Concentrate on working. It is finally the hours of effort that you put is really going to pay you back. It also helps you in staying away from the apartment you chose to live in order to save cost (say it is really not that good). Dedication is always rewarded. Your work is recognized and your pay packet is ready to support a better living.
  • Checking out on military bases is sure to help. They keep moving and things maybe up for sale.
  • Do not go for the best right in the beginning. Do compromise for cheaper ones. It helps!
  • It is good to keep a tab on offers and end of season sales. You might end up getting an item worth $50 for as low as $5.
  • Do not forget to check out the dollar stores on any of the weekends, you are sure to get loot offers.
  • Please be prepared for a surprise, which means always have reserve money for the unexpected.

Friends we welcome your feedbacks, so do share your experiences and ideas with us ;)

Jun
8

Need-based Student Loan

Author: Sally Croft

A need-based student loan is ideally suited for students whose financial condition is not good but they want to finish their education. Before availing a need-based student loan, make sure the repayment schedule is set on the basis of your financial condition. When this is the case, you will be able to repay the loan amount without any hassle. Read the terms and conditions of the loan carefully before signing the agreement paper.

Features of Need-based Student Loans
  • Offered by the federal government, the rate of interest of need based student loans are normally quite low. The most famous need based student loan is the Stafford loan, which you can avail at a fixed interest rate.
  • You do not need to repay the principal loan until you graduation. This process is commonly known as a deferred payment loan.
  • You get a grace period of six months following graduation with these loans. During this period, there is no pressure on you to pay anything.
  • In comparison to other loan packages, you will find the approval procedure for need based student loans is relatively straightforward. You just need to fill out the loan application form correctly and the loan will be accredited to your student account with your school in a matter of days.
Kinds of Need-based Student Loans

There are four kinds of need based student loans available: Perkins, Subsidized Stafford Loans, Unsubsidized Stafford Loans and Plus loans. The main advantage of these loans is that you do not need to pay anything while you are studying.

To avail Perkins loans, you need to contact the financial aid office for application payment details. If you are interested in getting Subsidized Stafford loan, you will need to pay a fixed interest rate. Similar to the Perkins loan, you do not need to pay any money while you are in school. No credit check will be implemented when you apply for a Subsidized Stafford loan. Unsubsidized Stafford loans are different in the sense that you need to pay monthly installments on the interest even if you have not graduated.