Archive for July, 2009
Posted by admin
I’m a junior in High School, and I’m starting to think about college. I’ve heard that people can apply for lots of scholarships that only a few people apply for. I’ve heard people have just about payed there way with them. Does anyone know how I can find these scholarship opportunities.
Thanks For your help!
Fastweb.com is good, and AheadatGraduation.com has a scholarship I had never heard of that doesn’t count your GPA. I’d start with those, and also check with your church (if you go) and the specific schools you’re interested in. Often, they’ll have good scholarships, too.
Posted by admin
I’m wondering about what high school courses would be beneficial, and also what college courses. Also, what universities would be the best to study at to pursue the career of a diplomat?
Of course you should plan to attend an "Ivy League" school, those with the highest reputations, like Harvard and Yale. Many presidents have started out there, you probably know that.
But, diplomats, especially embassadors do not always get their jobs due to having a great education.
Most have been "political hacks", and high spenders, especially supporting winning politicians for decades.
The diplomatic corps are full of political appointments, because there is no "civil service" test required for the highest positions, only political patronage. (politics)
High school courses required would be social studies, especially political science, English, creative writing, World History, and a foreign language. (I’d suggest either Spanish or Chinese).
Posted by admin
Is it a bad idea to explain how you overcame a weakness in a college admissions essay or is it only good to explain only your strong points and achievements? Does everything have to be positive?
It depends on what the essay is asking. If it is a negative experience then it is fine to tell, but make sure you tell how you overcame it and turn it into something positive. College’s do not want to hear about your hardships unless you did something to improve them or help yourself 
Posted by admin
Today (November 7, 2009) the news says college tuition will rise in most universities by at least 25% before next quarter! Will Obama and Pelosi demand another bailout to help students pay their tuition rather than insist that overpaid professors take a pay cut?
Obama wants to give each college student $5,000 a year. So colleges raise the prices so they can get that extra $5,000, so basically its a STEAL for the colleges. this is exactly why Obama should not hold the most powerful, important job in the world. Obama is going to bring this country down and Mitt Romney will save us in 2012. Vote Romney 2012
Posted by admin
A master education degree online program is ideal for non-traditional adult learners who are teaching adult distance learning courses or are engaged in designing curriculum for educational institutions. It is also suitable for those who are working as military or corporate trainers or are in education administration. A master’s degree in education can add a lot of value to your career portfolio.
A Master of Education (MEd) degree is a generalist qualification that includes the theories of education and educational psychology. The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree is meant to prepare graduates to teach a specific subject to students at a specific level in high school or middle school.
The Master of Science in Education (MSEd) degree is meant for those who want to work in education and is popular among teachers who want to move up to the principal’s office.
These degrees enable teachers to use the latest teaching tools and methodologies, as they evolve. Several states require K-12 teachers to acquire a master’s degree in education, within a given period of time.
Are online master’s degrees in education recognized?
Some of the most respected universities and colleges offer online master’s degrees in education and they provide the same quality of education that you can expect to get in a classroom. A master’s degree in education, obtained through distance learning, will not be different from a degree obtained by attending on-campus classes.
A master education degree online program can help you to boost your salary and career prospects. There is a growing demand for trained and experienced teachers and those who obtain a master’s degree in education can look forward to a bright future.
Before you join a master education degree online program, you must be sure that it will provide you with the right credentials for a career in education, in your state of residence.
Finding a master education degree online program
Many colleges and universities offer accredited online master education degree programs. The Graduate School of the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) offers Master of Education (MEd) and Master of Distance Education (MDE) degree programs online. The University is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
The MEd degree has been designed for professionally certified pre K-12 teachers, administrators and other professional educators, who want to get an advanced degree.
Master of Education (MEd) programs are offered by the American InterContinental University Online (AIU Online), which is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of colleges and Schools. The online MEd degree is not meant to meet state educator licensing requirements, but it may help students to gain licensure in their state of residence, depending on the requirements.
It is worth spending time to research your options, before you sign up for a master education degree online program. Compare the programs offered by different universities and colleges to find one that is suitable for you and look for accredited programs that are valued by employers in your state.
Jim Zorn
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/master-education-degree-online-program-prepare-to-be-a-master-educator-125558.html
Posted by admin
Tuition, room and board, fees, books, supplies, equipment, and transportation. Sounds expensive, doesn’t it? Even if you’re a few decades removed from college, you know paying for college can be a struggle—and it’s only getting worse.
Higher education has changed immensely the last few decades, as technology is increasingly utilized on campuses. Typewriters have been replaced by expensive computers, textbook prices have increased, college students are more likely to own a car, and today more and more entertainment opportunities are available for students to spend their money on. Across the board, college costs more for students today.
But it isn’t just students who have more costly obligations today. Parents and the institutions themselves have been hit hard by the increase. The cost of educating a college student has skyrocketed, including an increase in tuition, room and board, and fees, not to mention supplies such as textbooks. Add in general inflation and continued cost increases and by the time your children or grandchildren enroll you’ve got the formula for a fairly expensive bill.
But that doesn’t mean you’re defenseless against the costs of higher education. There are several options available to save for college. Among the many educational savings opportunities available (and the one I’ll discuss today), one of the easiest ways to save for higher education is the Coverdell Education Savings Account (Coverdell ESA).
A Coverdell ESA (formerly known as an Education IRA) is a simple and reliable way to finance a future education. Any single individual who makes less than $110,000 a year in adjusted gross income (AGI), or married couple that makes less than $220,000 a year AGI is eligible to open a Coverdell. That means aunts, uncles, or even grandparents can open an account for any family member. Once the account is opened, a beneficiary is named. Contributions can be made to the account up until the beneficiary turns 18. One of the drawbacks to a Coverdell is the yearly contribution limit. Account holders can only contribute $2000 a year to an ESA. If a single person makes between $95,000 and $110,000 (AGI), or a married couple makes between $190,000 and $220,000 (AGI), the yearly contribution you can make gets gradually smaller. For more specific information on contribution limits, ask a financial professional. Coverdell’s are a great option for those who start to save early and want to put a little away each year.
Contributions to a Coverdell are not tax-deductible; however, any withdrawal for a qualified educational expense is tax and penalty-free. A qualified educational expense can include tuition, fees, and books. Another advantage to a Coverdell is if you are educating a child at a private elementary or secondary school. Withdrawals can be made from your account, tax and penalty-free for an educational expense as soon as the account is opened.
Once a child turns 18, contributions are no longer accepted into the account. The student must then withdraw all of the money from the account within 30 days after his or her 30th birthday. Any money withdrawn after the 30 days is taxable and also subject to a 10% penalty. Luckily, if you have a remaining balance in your account and you wish to continue using it for another child, you can change the beneficiary of the account.
Planning to save for college for your children or grandchildren can be a daunting task, but by working with a trusted financial professional, you may be able to reduce some of the stress and hassle associated with it. Coverdell’s offer unique advantages to other college saving techniques. They’re especially nice if you wish to put a reasonable, yet consistent amount away for an education, every year.
Robert Valentine
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/making-sure-tuition-is-covered-68332.html
Posted by admin
As high school seniors diligently work their way through their first Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), parents should be monitoring where their children are in the college funding process so they can help plan accordingly.
NextStudent, the Phoenix-based premier education funding company, offers a wide array of online financial planning tools to help students and their families wade through the waters of college financial planning.
Financial Aid Calendar
The first step in the process is to be aware of what is expected of you as a student and as a parent. Even though itâ??s April, check the Financial Aid Calendar (http://www.nextstudent.com/financial_aid_advisor/financial_aid_calendar/financial_aid_calendar.asp) to double check where you are in the process and keep on track. This also is the perfect time for high school seniors to get a jump-start on next year and see what will be expected of them as college-bound seniors.
Search for Free Money
The college funding cycle begins with the search for scholarships, or â??Free Money.â? Local and national scholarships are an important avenue to explore because they can help cut the costs of financial aid that has to be repaid. NextStudentâ??s FREE Scholarship Search Directory (http://www.nextstudent.com/directory-of-scholarships/) has a total of 2.4 million scholarships from 42,000 funding sources with total awards of $3.4 billion.
Financial Aid Guided Tour
For another in-depth look on what to expect when applying for financial aid from a NextStudent Financial Aid Advisor, take NextStudentâ??s â??Financial Aid Advisor: The Guided Tour (http://www.nextstudent.com/financial_aid_tutorial/financial_aid_tutorial.asp)â?.
Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions
If students and parents have specific questions regarding financial aid and their best options, find the answers in NextStudentâ??s Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.nextstudent.com/tools_and_resources/faq.asp).
Budget Calculator
As high school seniors all across the country begin receiving their acceptance letters and have completed their FAFSA forms, they will begin to receive â??Award Lettersâ? from each of the schools to which they have been accepted. These letters will explain the type of aid and amounts for which they qualify.
At this time, students and their parents should begin work on or revisit their college-budget and just how much they will be responsible to pay in the coming year. NextStudentâ??s FREE College Budget Calculator (http://www.nextstudent.com/tools_and_resources/calculators/college_budget.asp) can assist in refining the college budget and establishing how much additional money students will need.
Both Stafford student loans and Parent PLUS Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) are available through NextStudent. Because individualized service is a top priority at NextStudent, every customer is personally assigned an Education Finance Advisor to guide students through the student loan process from start to finish. If students and parents find that there is a gap in their education funding, NextStudent also offers private student loans with borrowing limits of up to $40,000 annually.
NextStudent believes that getting an education is the best investment you can make, and it is dedicated to helping you pursue your education dreams by making college funding simple. Learn more about Student Loans, Private Student Loans, and Student Loan Consolidation at NextStudent.com.
Jeff Mictabor
http://www.articlesbase.com/college-and-university-articles/nextstudents-web-tools-make-college-loan-planning-easy-134803.html
Posted by admin
In 2006, more than 3.2 million U.S. college and university students enrolled in at least one online course, an increase of 850,000 from the year before. For the last several years, enrollment in distance learning education has been increasing at a phenomenal rate each year, and there appears to be no let up in sight. With interest in distance learning education at an all-time high, one might wonder just what all the fuss is about. Are there any significant benefits of online courses and if so, what are they? To answer that question, here is a short list of benefits that are attractive to students seeking an e-learning solution for their educational goals.
- Many online schools offer year-round enrollment. There’s no need to wait until the fall or spring semester, online students can begin class throughout the year.
- Online courses often feature condensed curricular modules that accelerate the learning process by removing extraneous material and focusing on core content.
- Online courses are convenient. Students can attend classes from practically anywhere, and at any time, 24/7, as long as there is an available computer and access to the internet. This flexibility allows students to continue their current lifestyle with minimal disruption, if any. Students can work full or part time, spend time with family and friends, participate in regular daily activities, and still be able to study at a convenient time and location that fits right into their schedule.
- Students can study at their own pace. Online courses don’t usually have "scheduled" meetings, so students can work on assignments according to their own schedule and learning method. However, it’s important that students remember that assignments and exams are regularly scheduled events. All due dates for course assignments must be adhered to, just as in traditional college classes.
- For many students, there is reduced expense, as e-learning courses can be less expensive overall than traditional campus-based courses. While the online class, textbooks, and other material may actually cost as much as in a traditional classroom, the savings come from a significant reduction of expenses in other areas. Students can save on such things as travel or automobile expense, on-campus housing costs, child-care, and loss of earnings if the student can’t work or works less while attending school.
- E-learning programs provide equal learning environment for students, regardless of physical appearance, age, health, gender, personality traits, religious, social or economic status. Students that might otherwise feel intimidated or overwhelmed by more talkative students are on the same footing in an online classroom. With more time to formulate a response to the instructor’s lectures and questions, even the most word-shy student has an equal chance to be heard in the threaded classroom discussions. Furthermore, there is improved communication with classmates and the instructors through instant messaging, email, chat rooms, threaded discussions, phone or fax. The lines of communication are wide open in the online classroom.
- Accredited online programs qualify for financial aid. Eligible students may qualify for grants, scholarships, and student loans, just as traditional campus-based college students would.
Arguably, there are some compelling reasons for students considering online distance learning courses. If you are looking to continue your own education but you just don’t see how you can do it with a traditional program, online courses may very well provide the right e-learning solution for you.
Jesse Whitehead
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-education-articles/are-there-any-benefits-of-online-courses-83242.html
Posted by admin
The college experience is perhaps one of the best things that happen in our life. We leave home and try to prepare for the future. As students, we are training to be part of this incredible world and we do our best to face up to the expectations.
Today, many students take up a job so as to afford their college tuition and other expenses. They are ready to work hard and support themselves. The more important thing is finding something they are good at, with flexibile hours and average pay. They also get to build up their self-esteem and have a taste of the independence concept.
The Internet holds the biggest collection of college classifieds. There are practically hundreds of websites presenting jobs for students and not only. By visiting such an online resource, one is able to find on and off campus housing plus useful items to buy. Many students have declared in recent surveys that the way they found their actual job was thorough the Internet while browsing online college classifieds.
There have been many controversies to the topic of student jobs. Some people have said that working between classes leads to lack of attention in class and other unwanted consequences. Still, more recent studies have proved that students are facing more chances of finding jobs after graduating if theyâ??ve had previous work experience.
Online college classifieds provide a wide range of available jobs and housing. These are two of the most important things in any students life. Finding jobs is critical to their succeeding through college and this is why many of them appeal to such sources. They enjoy the advantages the Internet has to offer, mainly the fact that they have numerous choices.
Depending on the skills of the person and the hours he/she is willing to invest, there are all sorts of jobs out there. For those who know how to operate computers, life is really simple and getting a job even much more. They can design websites, prepare projects and work for online virtual stores. Moreover, this working period can really add up to the experience, helping them to get a job in the computer field after finishing college.
With the help of online college classifieds, one can also find accounting, advertising and editorial jobs. There are plenty of jobs out there, the student just has to be patient and do a proper research. The jobs are fairly paid and the hours are adaptable. Experts recommend choosing a more complex job as this can help the student in the future life.
Another problem for students is finding proper housing. By browsing California classifieds, they are able to locate various kinds of properties, at affordable prices. Online, between the many California classifieds, there are all sorts of announcement for student housing, off and on campus. The position is convenient and the student apartments are available for rent, depending on the facilities included.
Apartments can be furnished or not, situated within easy access and near important stores or restaurants. The World Wide Web provides with California classifieds accurate information on the subject, making it very easy for any student to take the right decision. Besides apartments, other types of student housing are houses and condos. The rent can be short or long term, most of the times on a monthly basis.
Keep in mind that by using the Internet and California classifieds, you can find the information you are interested in no matter if itâ??s about a job or the right accommodation for you. These resource are extremely useful if know how to use them properly and they can be just the thing you needed.
Amelie Mag
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/online-college-classifieds-useful-information-for-students-134195.html
Posted by admin
A life with education at King’s Point, The United States Merchant Marine Academy’s base, is strife with activity, adventure and fun, a lot of learning, multi cultural experience and a training regime which only death can make it easier. It promises deliverance of knowledge, skills and the attitude that are expected of a leader in the fiercely competitive world tomorrow.
The maritime Industry and the Armed Forces in General have the promising careers and lucrative future the cadets look for, after graduating out of the academy. The options a cadet gets to choose from are multitudinous and it’s just a matter of asking for what suits one, the best.
Getting there might not be easy, but having got there, an aspiring cadet would certainly have something to write home about. The Academy, like its sister service academies has stringent regulations and check in place to be able to get the best of the applying lot in. A nomination from an approved official is mandatory on top of other common requirements like fairly high mental aptitude, especially in maths, sciences and engineering. The candidate must also be of a high moral character, aged 17-25, unmarried and having no obligation towards any dependents. One must also exhibit high levels of competency in physical and mental acuity and produce college transcripts, notwithstanding the high requirements of SAT scores and the like. The cadet also should have had experience in servicing the humanity at some point previously.
Like in all other military academies, the aspiring cadet also has to go through a physical examination called a CFP (Candidate Fitness Assessment). He also has to produce college transcripts, a high score in SAT tests and other such tests one would have administered during academics. A high level of physical prowess is also required and goes without saying that the candidate must have an active interest in current affairs and Sports.
The King’s Point experience blends a rich cultural experience with Military precision learning and training experience for about 4 years. The King’s Point Graduates are in demand everywhere for having been through that particular level of training. They also come with an experience of camaraderie with fellow cadets belong to every imaginable race, culture and values. It does a venerable job of qualifying young and ambitious men and women to rise up to the cause of humanity by rendering service to the nation, the people and the humanity.
Barney Garcia
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/the-kings-point-promise-how-to-get-there-admissions-78840.html