The Process of Searching for College Scholarships

The process of searching for college scholarships may be one you are interested in. The sooner you can learn about it the better off you will be. Ideally, those about to enter their junior year of high school should start searching to see what options they have. By making a file of those that they want to apply for when the time comes, it will go much smoother than if you wait too long.

When it comes to searching for college scholarships you need to make sure you are aware of all the places you can find them. Some are offered locally by high schools and community businesses. Others are offered by the colleges and so you must be accepted there before you can apply for those. Regional, state, and even national college scholarships exist as well. The key to finding them is to look at these various entities and be sure you are aware of what each one has to offer.

Eligibility requirements are important to pay attention to. That way you can quickly rule out those college scholarships that you simply won’t be eligible for. You need to not be easily discouraged as you will find plenty that you are right for. Make sure you look by topic too. For example if you are interested in engineering then find those that are for only that specific area of study. If you are economically disadvantaged or you are a minority you can also find plenty to apply for that won’t be open to everyone else.

Always be aware of deadlines for college scholarships. It can be a huge disappointment to come across the perfect one and then to realize you had to submit your application by the end of the previous week. This is where looking around the year before can really help you out. You will be able to document when deadlines are for the following year. That way there is no risk that you will ever miss out.

Being well organized is very important too. Otherwise you are going to end up wasting too much time in your search for college scholarships. You need to keep a list of the keywords you are going to search for. Document what you have applied for too so that you don’t accidentally do so again. The names and the information may all start to sound too much alike otherwise.

Let other people help you in your search for college scholarships as well. Your parents can ask their employers if anything is offered through them. You can also schedule an appointment to talk with both high school and college counselors. If you are a minor many colleges require you to have a parent present with you when financial aid is being discussed.

You will likely find our own methods of searching for college scholarships as well. That is fine as long as you do have some type of system in place. The time and energy you put into such searching is going to help you to pay for college. Keep that in mind when you are distracted or when you are tired of spending your free time on this process. Dedicate a certain amount of time each week to looking for new college scholarships. Make sure you also dedicate plenty of time to filling out the applications and submitting the required information.

Preparing for an Interview when it comes to College Scholarships

Many college scholarships require more than just the written application and documentation before they decide who the winner is. An interview is becoming more and more popular as part of the process. It gives the judges much more to work with than just a pile of papers. If you are contacted for such an interview you should congratulate yourself. It is certainly a step in the right direction and it shows that what you have done so far have grabbed their attention.

There are several different ways in which an interview for college scholarships may be set up. A face to face interview is often desired but it may not always be possible. The cost of getting someone from their current home to the location of the college can be both expensive and time consuming. Therefore other methods of conducting the interview may take place. For example they may give you the questions and ask you to send in a video tape of yourself. You may have a live interview conducted through the use of a web cam. Another option is for a phone interview to take place.

Always be on time for any interview scheduled for college scholarships. Give yourself plenty of time to arrive there. If you are asked to call in, do so at least five minutes early so you can be queued to the right place. If they will be calling you then make sure you are available on time by the phone when that call comes in. You want to dress nicely for such an interview as well. You don’t want to have a hairstyle or clothing that is going to be distracting. You don’t have to dress fancy either but do have on clean clothing that has been ironed.

Do everything you can to properly prepare yourself for an interview relating to college scholarships. While it is normal to be nervous you need to get those feelings under control. By practicing what you will say you will be able to focus on the key points you wish to share with the interviewers. You do want what you say to sound natural though rather than rehearsed. Take your time to talk slowly and clearly as well. This way they will be able to concentrate on what you have to say.

While you may not know all of the questions that will be asked in a college scholarship interview, there are some common ones to be ready for. They include what your goals are, your strengths and weaknesses, and why you feel you deserve to win the scholarship. You will be asked about your academics, your extra activities, and your passions. Make sure you share all you can with them without rambling about insignificant aspects. If you have a nervous habit of doing so then work hard at controlling it.

You will also find that many organizations that offer scholarships want to know what your level of knowledge is about them. You should at least know who they are, their history, and why they offer such scholarships for college. Take your time to focus on what is really being asked too. A common interview mistake is having an answer developing in your mind while they are still talking. This can backfire though because you may answer with something that is completely off target.

Keep in mind the interviewers are going to be patient with you. Should you need a moment to think of an answer or to get a drink they will allow it. They want you to be as comfortable as you can during the interview. Do your best to radiant confidence and to leave them with a very good impression of who you are and what you can accomplish. The fact that you have made it to this step for the college scholarship should be exciting. Don’t let it get away from you by not being fully prepared.

Pay Close Attention to Deadlines when Applying for College Scholarships

One of the most important pieces of advice I can provide you with in regards to applying for college scholarships is to pay close attention to the deadlines. You will come across some with open deadlines but that is the exception and not the rule. When a deadline is given that means no other applications will be accepted. You don’t want to allow the opportunity to receive funding for college to be destroyed by not being aware of such deadlines.

It is important to understand that there are two different ways in which college scholarship deadlines are written. The first one is that all of the information must be received no later than the given deadline. The other is that the application and materials must be postmarked by the deadline. That means as long as you mail it by the last day of acceptance they will look at it even if it is two or three days down the road when they post office actually delivers it.

It is absolutely vital that you include every single thing that the college scholarship requires with the application. Some of the entities will send you a letter informing you that certain items were missing. Then they will allow you a specific period of time to get them turned in. Others though will toss your college scholarship application aside if any element that they requested is missing.

There are going to be some common things you need such as a personal statement and references. Make sure you have them done as well as plenty of copies on hand. That way you can continue to work on these applications without interruptions to go out and make more copies or to create them. You can also use basic documents you have created and then alter then to fit the particular structure that a college scholarship application asks for.

Don’t fool yourself for a second into believing that they will make exceptions for you. The fact is that they have too many applications to sift through in order to deal with such trivial concerns. The bottom line is that if you don’t get the college scholarship application in on time you miss out. There is no way for them to even look at things to see if you would have been a contender for their funding.

When you are dealing with a busy life as well as trying to get college scholarship applications done you will need to use your time wisely. Creating a file is a good way to do this. Print out the application as well as all the information about it and keep everything together. Have the applications in the file by the earliest deadline date. Then when you have time to complete a few of them you will know exactly what to grab first.

This process is going to help ensure you don’t miss any deadlines for college scholarship applications. Don’t get into the habit of putting off completing them at the last minute. You also don’t want to spend marathon weekends to get them done. Make a commitment to complete a certain number though per week. This way you can be positive you have done all you could to get your hands on money for college.

I can’t stress to you enough though just have important it is to pay attention to deadlines when applying for college scholarships. You want to be able to benefit from the money that is offered and the only way to do so is to stay on top of it all. This also means you need to start searching for these college scholarships early too.

Nothing will be more disappointing then finding a fabulous college scholarship that you are eligible for but the deadline has passed. This happens all the time to people that aren’t prepared and it is devastating. Now that you are well aware of the importance of such deadlines though get yourself organized and stay on top of all of it. In the end when you have been awarded enough funding for college you will be thankful that you did.

Never Pay for Information on College Scholarships

There is no reason why you should ever have to pay for information on college scholarships. This is a common ploy out there that allows someone else to make money. Yet they aren’t going to provide you with the detailed information you need to find those scholarships you may be eligible for. You definitely want to be careful about this because they will promote that they can do wonders for you.

Many people do fall for this because they definitely want to have money to attend college. Such benefits don’t just fall into your lap though so be prepared to put some time and effort into the process. There is really no benefit to paying for information relating to college scholarships. Chances are that if you need to find this way to pay for schooling you don’t have hundreds of dollars lying around anyway to pay for such an expense.

The only exception to this may be to purchase a book that has a full listing of various college scholarships. However, you can also check out such books from the library. High school counselors often have them available too. You can also find all that same information online at no charge. Some people find these books to be convenient as they can take them with them and look through the requirements for college scholarships when they are away from a computer.

There are plenty of informational seminars for college scholarship information. They are often hosted by high schools or local colleges. These are very informative and you should make it a point to attend if at all possible. However, you should avoid those types of seminars that require you to pay a fee for attending. They will also try to tell you the seminar is free but you are paying for the cost of presenters or for the materials. Regardless, you should avoid getting yourself involved with them.

You may be tempted to pay for college scholarship information if you are pressed for time. You may justify that you just don’t have the time to add something else to your schedule. Yet what will happen is you will waste your money. You will pay for such services but then the results never materialize. As a result you will have missed important deadlines and now be in a race against the clock to apply for the remaining college scholarships you can locate.

Don’t be fooled by their marketing methods either as this is a common way that they hook people. For example they claim that they can provide you with contact information for additional college scholarships that the general public doesn’t know about. You can be sure that these scholarships available aren’t hidden and that you will be able to find out about them on your own.

While it can be time consuming and difficult to find all the information you need for college scholarships on your own, that is the only way to go. Of course you can ask your parents and guidance counselors to assist you as well. The thoughts and efforts that you put into your search will be well rewarded. Keep in mind that you aren’t going to be approved for every single college scholarship that you apply for. Therefore you do want to cover all the bases and apply for quite a few.

You will find more of what you are looking for if you take the time to do it in your own. If they idea of searching for college scholarships is intimidating for you, just make sure you take some time to discover the right process for going about it. You also need to commit some time to completing the process. You aren’t going to be able to cram all of the searching into a few days so spread it out. By allocating some time each week you will feel like you accomplish plenty and you won’t be overwhelmed.

How to Develop Powerful Letters of Recommendation for your College Scholarship Applications

It is very common for college scholarship applications to ask for several letters of recommendation. Never skip providing this information as it is the fastest way for your application to land up in the trash rather than in the approval pile. You also don’t want to wait until the last minute to get your hands on these letters of recommendation. You need to be considerate enough to ask people to complete them and to give them time to fit it into their schedule.

When you think about a letter of recommendation, you need to be sure you ask the right people to complete them for you. It is a good idea to ask at least five people to complete them for you. Most of the college scholarship applications will only ask for three but you want to have plenty just in case you need more.

Take the time to ask those you know that can provide a great insight to your character. This can include a boss, co-worker, friend, teacher, or Church member. You should strive to get a variety of them from those you have different relationships with. It will be more powerful if you can get letters of recommendation from different angles than all from people you work with.

When you ask someone to complete a letter of recommendation for you, express why you need one. Most people will be more than willing to do it for you as a way to assist you with your college scholarship applications. If you need them to cover particular aspects of their relationship with you make sure you tell them about those guidelines from the beginning.

It is a very nice addition if you get them a written list of everything they need to cover for you. Deciding on a deadline for them to complete it is also important. Make sure you show appreciation for them going out of their way to help you. One way to do this is to offer to come pick up the letter or recommendation. Then they don’t have the additional errand of getting it to you.

All letters of application should explore how long they have known you, the relationship they have with you, and why they feel you are deserving of such funding for college. Each letter should be closed with their full name and contact information. It is standard for them to be typed and also signed. If the person creating the letter or recommendation for you doesn’t type offer to do it for them from the one they write by hand.

When you get the completed letters of recommendation, make sure you take the time to read over them. There shouldn’t be any typing mistakes or grammar mistakes in them. Should  you find such problems just ask the creator to update them for you. Most will do so without any problem as they realize the value that these letters have for your ability to get money for your education.

Make plenty of copies of them and keep in a safe place. You don’t want to have to ask the creator to make more for you because you failed to keep your hands on the original. It is a very nice gesture to send a nice thank you note to the creator of your letters of recommendation. Make sure you let them know how much you appreciate them taking the time to do so. They also need to realize how important this information is to your desire to get funding for college.

Exploring Sports Scholarships for College

Playing sports is a common past time, but to do so in high school it takes a great deal of time. The discipline though that comes with being part of a team does carry over to many other areas of your life as well. Being able to balance academics along with sports is a skill that can take some time to master. If you have a passion for playing sports you just might be able to use it to your advantage after high school as well.

There are plenty of fabulous sports scholarships out there for college. By agreeing to play for a given team you will get money for schooling. This can be a great opportunity for you to explore. Not only will you education be possible you will get to continue growing as an athlete. You also won’t have to feel alone at school for long. The amount of time you spend in practice for the sport is going to introduce you to plenty of other people that share a similar interest.

You will often find that there are fewer applicants for sports scholarships than for others. If you are worried about being able to get funding for school then this could be the perfect solution. Of course you are going to have to work hard as they only want the best athletes on the team. They will likely send a recruiter to see what you have to offer them.  Even if you don’t have the best grades you may be able to make up for it with the potential that you can bring their sports team.

Some sports scholarships for college are full and others are only partial. Make sure you fully understand what you get with any you are awarded. You may have to come up with other sources of funding to pay for your college education. With that in mind you should still apply for other types of college scholarships that are offered. That way you will be more likely to get a few of them as well.

Even if you are awarded a sports scholarship for college, you may not get to play very much. This is especially true for the first year or two of school. Don’t allow that to frustrate you though. You will likely get your chance to play more in your last two years. Yet the experiences you will get with the sport are going to help you to be the very best you can.

At the same time you have to remember your overall achievement from a sports scholarship for college needs to be your education. By having a good idea of where you would like to play you can get the ball rolling early. Knowing who is interested in you is important. You don’t want to sign too early with the first team that asks. This could prevent you from being able to accept an offer from someone  you would really like to play for. However, you also don’t want to drag your feet too long or the ability to sign and to get a sports college scholarship can be lost.

When you receive a sports scholarship for college there are some requirements that apply. You must be playing the sport that is attached to your scholarship. If the school  has academic guidelines for eligibility that go along with being able to play, you must also agree to follow them. If you end up on academic probation you can risk losing your sports scholarship for college.

You may also lose it if you get injured and can’t continue to play. This is a very sad set of circumstances that often does happen. You want to do all you can to keep your body healthy enough for participation. Following all rules for workouts and for playing will help ensure that does happen. However, since the risk of sports related injuries is always there you can’t rule out the risk of this possibility.

Common Mistakes that can Reduce your Chances of Winning College Scholarships

There are some common mistakes that can reduce your chances of winning college scholarships. By learning what you can about them, you will increase your change of being award money for college. Without such information though you could end up filling out tons of paperwork and not getting any money even though you really deserve to. Here are some great tips to keep you in the running for the funding that is out there.

Deadlines are a key aspect of making sure you are eligible for college scholarships. You may have the best information they have seen but if it is late you don’t get acknowledged. It simply isn’t fair to those that review the applications or to the other applicants. You need to pay close attention to such deadlines as you aren’t going to be slipping through the cracks with this particular concern. By planning well in advance you will be able to avoid this very common mistake.

Don’t apply for only a few college scholarships and then hope you get them. Try to apply for many that you are eligible for. As a result you can increase your odds of getting at least one of them. Of course it is possible that you will be accepted for many of them. That should be your goal so that your cost of attending college is less. Make it a goal to apply for at least 10 college scholarships but it is a good idea to do more than that.

Make sure that you carefully review all of the information that is required for any college scholarship. If you aren’t eligible then pass it up. Don’t fill out what you can and think that nobody is going to notice. You can be assured there are people carefully going through all of the aspects of what you have submitted. You also need to make sure you don’t forget documents. This can be easy to do when you are applying for a college scholarship that asks for something that others didn’t.

Double check to be sure you have your letters of recommendation and your personal essay attached. A quick comparison to the guidelines and what you have in the envelope before you seal it and mail it will prevent this common mistake from happening when you apply for college scholarships. Every single area of the application needs to be completed as well. If you skip it for now then make sure you go back to it.

Even if that section doesn’t apply to you, make it known that you saw it. You can put a line through it, write none, or write N/A in that area. This will indicate that you don’t have any relevant information to share here rather than you forgot to go back to it. You also want to carefully review the entire application for mistakes. Spelling and grammar problems can eliminate your college scholarship application.

Carefully place all of the documents you need into an envelope that is large enough. You don’t want the edges to be bent when they remove it. Avoid using staples or folding your materials to get them into an envelope. If you need to bind information together use a paper clip to hold them securely in place. Make sure you have the right address and print it clearly on the envelope. It is a good idea to use a method of mail that can confirm delivery so that you know for sure it gets there.

With this information you can feel more confident about what you do submit. You definitely want to have all of the requirements covered when it comes to submitting college scholarship applications. You can also feel good knowing plenty of other people out there don’t have this information. As a result you will have less competition to be concerned about when you apply for this type of funding for school.

How to Find the Best Business Schools

You are in the workplace and you find that you are working hard for average pay, but you don’t feel that you’re advancing or learning new things; you feel that you are stagnating and are losing your touch on things, or that you are not as fast and as adept, or even as up-to-date on trends as you once were. You are in your final months as an undergraduate, and you have a fairly vague idea of where you want to be in the future: running a business or being part of one, and earning more money thanks to your knowledge and education. In either case, you may want to look for a business school to help you out and make you achieve your dreams – but what are the best business schools?

Despite all the lists and compiled school summaries that you will find both online and offline, the best business schools are really those that will help you succeed in the line of business that you want to get into. There are many different business schools out there with many different specialties, so if you are looking for the best business school to go to as you want to advance your career, or get into the workplace, you will need to know what exactly it is that you want first. Are you going to be doing accounting and auditing? Will you be running a business, managing people, hiring people, handing out salaries or wages, or overseeing processes?

Once you know what it is that you want to do, then you can pick out the best business school for you. True, there are the top tier business schools such as Wharton and Harvard, but consider other smaller business schools that might not be as well known, but are experienced in teaching the business aspects that you want to know more about. In particular, if you can find information on alumni of the school, see if their interests and credentials match yours. You might also want to check if the business school to which you are applying is accredited, as this can be an important benchmark of school and curriculum integrity.

You may also want to consider either a live classroom or distance education as the mode of instruction. If you opt for the live classroom, you will have the convenience of really going back to school and not having a headache over the computer programs and computer-based texts that distance education schools will employ. On the other hand, a distance education program will allow you to go to school even while you are based at home, or while you are still on the job, so that you do not have to go through the inconvenience of having to actually return to school. Look for schools that offer the mode of instruction that you need.

Moreover, look for schools that will offer you financial and job assistance. You can have scholarships or even fellowships to go to business schools, and often, the best business schools receive a lot of funding that will be shunted into their scholarship or fellowship program. Once you graduate, some schools will also offer you job hunting assistance, and others, as they are allied with companies, will actually give you placement.

These are only a few things to watch out for as you look for the best business schools. For more information, look for these schools online, and start planning your future in detail. Once you know what you want, you can find the best business school for you.

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Business School Long Distance: The Allied Business School

Many people want to start their businesses, earn their own keep, and have their own success story to tell in a couple of years. However, not everyone has the money or the time to actually go back to school and stay in school, especially with a family to raise, children to feed, and many other priorities to meet. This is why many people opt for distance education in order to earn their degrees from reputable institutions, and still get the knowledge they need to get ahead. One such distance education institution is the Allied Business School, which has been providing distance education for over fifteen years.

The Allied Business School boasts of course materials that are up-to-date, and are reviewed regularly in order to keep them current. Because students are largely based at home, the instructions for all course work, homework, and examinations are developed especially to fit the needs of students working in the home environment. The Allied School system also supports its students by being on call to answer questions. When school ends, the Allied Business School also helps its students get jobs by preparing them for the job market. The Allied Business School will give advice on how to write a resume, phrase out a cover letter, network amongst companies, respond well during interviews, and make the best transition from a student, to an employee.

The Allied School also offers education in the medical and real estate fields. There are also different levels of certification. For instance, you can be a licensed broker, or you can start off your career as a property manager. You can also specialize in medical coding, medical billing, or be an assistant in medical administration. You can also be a businessperson who has strong skills in accounting and computers. The Allied Business School also offers program for military members who are on active duty, their spouses, and even veterans.

There are two ways for students to complete their coursework via distance education, and through the Allied Business School. Through a traditional correspondence course, students will receive their course materials via their mail, while in the online course, the students receive the same course materials online. However, with the online course, the students are able to complete all their examinations and homework immediately.

Once students receive their course materials, they are given up to a year to complete their course. At this rate, they work at their own pace as they complete their assignments and do their exams. At the end of the year, they will be awarded a Certificate of Completion. At this point, students can immediately enter the job market if they have a certification for a certain profession, or they can choose to undergo more coursework if they need it for their specific business or organization.

The Allied Business School, as part of the Allied School, is an accredited school. The school also offers payment plans that can make it convenient for students to enroll without worrying about their finances. Students can start with a small down payment, and then follow up for the next six months by installment. There are other financial packages available for students who need such assistance.

The Allied Business School is open for enrollment all year. If you are interested in a course at the Allied Business School, visit http://www.alliedschools.com.

College Scholarships Offered by Federal Entities

You may not realize it but there are plenty of college scholarships offered by Federal entities. Many of them you may qualify for so be sure you look at them. Some people assume that the Federal government only offers financial aid in the form of grants based upon financial need. While that is the main area where they assist people with paying for college, it isn’t all that they can offer.

Currently there are approximately 130 different Federal programs you can look into for college scholarship information. All of them can be found online so if you are dedicated to spending some time on research you will find plenty of them that you can look deeper into. This is the perfect way for you to see what types of Federal college scholarships you should apply for. You can search for them by title, but Federal entity, and by eligibility criteria.

You will find them to be offered for both undergraduate and for graduate studies. You will also find that Federal college scholarships can be found in very high dollar amounts. That is often part of the appeal for many people. They would rather focus their attention on applying for those that can cover almost the entire cost of their education. This way they don’t have to continue to worry about how they will pay for the cost. They also don’t want to get half way done and then face the horror that they don’t have the funding to continue.

There are Federal college scholarships offered to pay for many years of schooling as well. For someone with the aspirations to become a doctor, lawyer, or other career field where it takes more than four years this is a great way to go. You don’t want to hit a brick wall after those four years go by as you might with some other forms of college scholarships that are designed to end at that time. If you know your education is going to take five or more years then you definitely want to apply for Federal college scholarships.

Should you decide to apply for Federal college scholarships you need to be aware that they have stricter guidelines in many cases. That means you need to take more time reading all the information. You also want to do double and triple check your work to be sure it is all 100% accurate. Since there will be more people that qualify for Federal scholarships due to the wide coverage area, you may be worried about too much competition. However, a large percentage of these applications for Federal college scholarships will be removed at a glance for failure to comply with all the requirements.

Since many people don’t even know that Federal college scholarships even exist, you will also have that advantage on your side. You want to be sure you learn all you can about them. Some of them are renewable which means as long as you continue to meet the set guidelines you can get it again the following year. Make sure you are fully aware of the deadlines and the items you need to send in with your application though. You don’t want to miss out on your chance to benefit from Federal college scholarship funds.

College Scholarship Scams

Since so many people look around for college scholarships, many of them have become easy prey. Instead of helping them as they portray, some are nothing more than scams. They require a person to pay for the application or they attach a processing fee to it. You should never have to pay money to apply for money that is offered as a scholarship. If you find something like that in your search efforts you want to steer clear of it.

There are also companies that claim they will do all the searching for you. All you have to do is give them some basic information. Then they do all the leg work involved for you. This may sound like a worthwhile investment due to the amount of time it can take to find them on your own. However, such businesses are scams as well. They aren’t going to provide you with the information you need to apply for great college scholarships. If you want the financial benefits you are going to have to do the hard work on your own.

A common scam is sending out award letters that you have won a college scholarship. However, it will tell you that there are fees and taxes that have to be paid on it in advance. For those new to the award process, the prospect of getting a $5,000 scholarships when they pay the $500 in fees is worth it. When it never materializes though is when they realize they have been scammed out of that $500 they had.

There should never be a request for social security numbers or credit card numbers when you fill out college scholarship applications. These requests should also be viewed as red flags that you aren’t dealing with a reputable agency. You will find that most college scholarship scams are operated on the internet. Those behind them have less risk involved with being caught this way.

They often will use scholarship names that sound very close to real ones too. This way people are less likely to find out that they are a scam until it is too late. Most people that get scammed like this don’t tell anyone. They are too ashamed and too embarrassed that they fell for it. Yet it is important to realize these con artists are very intelligent. They prey on the emotions of those looking for money for school. They use it to their advantage and never feel bad about what they have done.

If you have never heard of a college scholarship before that doesn’t mean it is a scam. You should take your time though to explore more about it. How long has the entity that offers it been around? What are their goals and why do they offer money for schooling? If you can’t find such information then you should avoid giving them any information that could be compromising for you.

While most college scholarships offered out there are legitimate you do need to be careful. If you are asked for money, a credit card number, or a social security number don’t provide it. You will lose your money and you may be opening up the door for credit card fraud or identity theft to take place. Report any such findings about possible fraud to the proper authorities. The more that consumers are aware of them and report them the less they will be able to take advantage of innocent individuals that are only trying to find a way to pay for college.

College can be more Affordable when you Receive College Scholarships

The desire to attend college is one that many people have. It used to be traditional to so right out of high school. While many students do follow this path, others take some time off first before they move into that part of their life. It also isn’t uncommon for many men and women to decide to attend college later on in life. They may have started families or followed a career path that they wish to further enhance. Regardless of when a person attends college, the cost is often a problem to be concerned with.

The financial burden of it can be offset through the awarding of college scholarships. Many students admit that they never would have been able to complete their education if such financial assistance wasn’t in place for them. While a person can apply for loans, not everyone is eligible for them. Many young college students don’t have any support financially from their parents for schooling. Yet they aren’t able to apply for loans on their own at that time. In other cases a co-signer is required before they can access such funding.

As a result their desire to attend college can be unachievable. With the acceptance though of college scholarships they will find they are able to attend like they want to. Being accepted to the college of your choice doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be able to afford it. With the help of college scholarships though this ability is closer to becoming a reality. With the cost of education continuing to increase, students need all the help the can get.

It may surprise you to learn about just how much money is available out there in the form of college scholarships. There are millions awarded annually and there is simply no reason why you shouldn’t strive to get a portion of it. If you don’t apply for them then other people are going to. Why should you continue to struggle with the cost of going to college when you don’t  have to?

Wouldn’t it be nice to also just focus on your studies? With college scholarships you won’t be as likely to also have to work at the same time. That also frees up your time for you to pursue other interests on the college campus. There are many great clubs and activities that you can choose to be a part of. They can make your entire college experience more fulfilling.

If you definitely want to attend college, then make sure it will be possible for you. Don’t let financial concerns prevent you from being able to do so. College is a big step for anyone and a great way to ensure you have a bright future. Being able to work in a field that you are passionate about is very important. No one wants to dread having to go to work each day. By the same token a college education often means earning more money.

Now that you realize college can be more affordable when you receive college scholarships you should be looking into them. Don’t allow your dream of attending college to slip through your fingers. Do all you can to prepare for the cost of attendance. You can also avoid the dark cloud of a huge pile of debt waiting for you to repay when you finish either.

The Purpose of Kindergarten

It’s pretty common when you are starting to prepare your preschool child for that first day of kindergarten for her to ask you, probably with tears in her eyes, “But Daddy, why do I have to go?”  And while you have your parent answers to give her and you will obviously refocus her attention on how fun it will be and how it will be her next step toward “being a big girl”, you might ask yourself that question as well.  It’s important that dad and mom have a firm idea of what kindergarten is all about as well so you can do a good job of preparing your little one for this big step in life.

It is a mistake to see kindergarten as a huge academic leap into the future.  When parents pour so much energy into preparing their children to excel academically before heading off to kindergarten, they miss the point of this important year of school.  Moreover, by “prepping” the child for school as though this first year was going to be their freshman year at MIT, you create even more stress and anxiety because the child begins to think they are going to walk into a situation of high stress. The result is the child goes off to kindergarten already stressed and far more anxious than is justified for this first step out of the home.

Now this does not mean that preschool is not a good idea.  Not only does preschool give the child an early love of learning, it is also an excellent way to help your child begin to acclimate to the idea of going to school out of the home.  And learning to go somewhere else and become part of an organized curriculum is a big purpose of kindergarten.  So preschool gently starts that transition both academically and emotionally.

To a very large extent, the purpose of kindergarten is to help young children begin that transition to a structured environment of school.  If by the end of this important first year, kindergarten children come to school happily, know how to work with a schedule, sit at desks, listen to speakers, write things down and take them home and then bring them back again the next day and walk through the structured schedule of a normal school day, that is a huge step forward in preparing your child for school life that will begin in first grade.

Yes there is a curriculum in kindergarten and simple lessons are taught.  Very often grades are not even kept or a child is given a good or passing grade just for being in class, participating in the group activity and trying to work with the program.  The learning objectives that any kindergarten teacher will have for this year of life with these first year students is heavily slanted toward behavioral and social goals and not as heavy on academics. 

The kindergarten teacher is a much different kind of teacher than any others your child will meet in his or her academic career.  You will find your child’s kindergarten teacher to be very interested in each child as an individual and in helping your child make that transition away from living at home every hour of the day and toward using a significant part of their day at school.  Commonly kindergarten teachers have special training in child psychology and are as much counselors and guides as they are teachers of lessons from books.

Get to know the teacher of your child’s kindergarten class.  You will find she is eager to know all she can about your child to achieve her goal of preparing each kindergartner for the more academic years ahead.  And if you are in sync with those goals, you can reinforce the experience your child is having with encouragement and interest at home.  And working as a team, you and the teacher will help your child have a wonderful and successful first year in school.

Summer Reading

Keeping kids interested in books is getting easier with J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books inspiring the highest childhood literacy rates in years, but while Harry's great for getting kids interested, to keep ahead of aggressive class curriculums and get a leg up on the coming year's studies, there are a few great books out there to help relieve some work load without having to hit the text books until September.

The Fabric Of The Cosmos: Greene, Brian; Imagine a book that explains everything you need to know about the basics of physical sciences without having to try to understand Stephen Hawking.  Explained in easy to read fashion with a lot of examples (Bart Simpson on a skateboard to help explain Einstein's Special Relativity), Greene manages to make the most complicated issues seem straight forward. He is a professor of Physics at Columbia University and theoretical physicist.

Finding Darwin's God: Miller, Kenneth; For those who are interested in social studies and biology, Miller's effort bridges the gap between religion and science arguing that they don't have to be exclusive to them selves.  He reviews the arguments that have been put forward over the years, explaining their merits and weak points. He puts his religious views out in the open from the outset, and explains how his faith in God isn't challenged by the idea of evolution, but enhanced by it.  Miller is a professor of Biology at Brown University, in the Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry.

A History of the World in Six Glasses: Standage, Tom; How beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea and Coca-Cola have shaped the empires of the world.  Starting with ancient Egypt and Greece until the present day rise of the United States, Standage shows how those countries and periods in history were shaped by these drinks. The Art of War: Sun Tzu; A classic guide to strategy praised by military leaders and executives alike, The Art of War is less about war as it is about strategies with which to approach your every day life, and realigning your perceptions with the nature of the environment in which you find yourself, including handling opposition, and the perfect strategy of winning without fighting.

The Art of Happiness: His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Howard C. Cutler, M.D.; Lessons which should be learned very early in life, it provides methods of stress relief and is a good counter balance to Sun Tzu's work.  "…Happiness is our birthright as human beings. There is no doubt that life can be difficult—living in today's world is not always easy. But despite life's inevitable problems and challenges, genuine happiness is still possible".

How to Read Literature Like a Professor: Foster, Thomas C.; Teaches English students how to find those key points in a novel which teachers will be testing on to see how well a student understands the material.  It provides a break down of how to interpret the most common symbols and meanings that teachers and professors will be looking for.

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time: Mortenson, Greg and Colin Oliver Relin;  A man's story about bringing education to underdeveloped areas in Pakistan and Afghanistan, in racially charged times it can be important to introduce a new perspective to the world and create an understanding of what people in other parts of the world must endure.  Winner of  the 2007 Kiriyama Prize for nonfiction While these aren't the only books that should be read through the summer they are a few that help give a good start to the new year of school.

The Basic Skills of Kindergarten

Children love to learn.  In the first years of life, there really is no distinction between learning and play to a child and they get as much fun and joy from learning new things as they do from any game they play.  So the years before kindergarten are a perfect time to use play time with you to begin their path toward conquering some basic principles that will be very helpful to them when they reach kindergarten.

Many children’s games and books focus on helping your little one learn colors, shapes and other basics that will be good to have a firm grasp of before they reach kindergarten.  You can make a game of knowing the color names and you will be surprised how quick witted your child is and able to pick up not just the basic 5-10 colors but many nuances of color as well.  The same is true of shapes.  While a child may have trouble saying “octagon”, don’t underestimate their ability to learn the names of the various shapes of their toys and blocks.

You can use play and reading time to also help your preschool child get a good grasp of the alphabet, how the letters look and numbers and counting.  These will all be excellent basic skills of kindergarten that will make the step into formal school easy and smooth for your child.  In fact, it isn’t out line to expect that your preschooler could learn to sign her name and do some basic letter shaping exercises before she starts kindergarten.  How great would it be for her not only to have these core skills and areas of knowledge well in hand before school starts but to be able to start with that much confidence that she is smart and ready for school?  That kind of confidence translates into big time success for any student starting on a big new adventure.

Along with using play time in such a productive way, there are many studies that have shown without a doubt that reading to your child every day is one of the finest ways to get them ready for school.  If you read stories to your little one and allow them to look over your shoulder, you will be surprised how many words they will learn to recognize just from that casual time of loving relaxation with mommy or daddy.  

But reading is also one of the best ways to improve your child’s vocabulary and ability to speak clearly and expressively.  Don’t be surprised if you find your child with books open early and often because you took the time to read to her even before she starts at kindergarten.  And that love of learning is something that will stay with that child for the rest of her life.  What a wonderful gift.

If your child loves to run and play as is very common in young children, you can use that to help them develop strong motor skills which will help in dozens of ways in school.  Hand eye coordination not only will help your child do well in gym and playing sports, it will help in learning to write and many other related physical dexterity challenges that she will face in school. 

By looking at many of life’s simple pleasures that you enjoy in raising a preschooler as also opportunities to develop your child intellectually, physically and even socially in preparation for kindergarten, you are giving your baby wonderful skills, knowledge and abilities that will pay off big when kindergarten starts officially when she is five.  And you will be thrilled to see her naturally step into the formal school world so well and begin to succeed because you took the time to get her ready well ahead of time.

Community College Disadvantages

While there are many distinct advantages that can be associated with attending a community college there are a few disadvantages that I would be remiss in not mentioning. We all like to look at the positive side of things and the good in my opinion of community colleges, at least as a springboard for university learning far outweigh the bad. However, if you are considering community college as an option whether for your associate's degree alone or have plans to move along to the university level upon completion you should see the big picture and not just the sunshine and flowers.

The first thing you should be aware of, and this applies primarily to those students with plans to transfer, is that you should always consult the college you intend to attend next in order to make sure that the courses you are taking on the community college level are compatible with the core requirements for the university. In many cases they are similar enough to be considered compatible but there are exceptions and it is better to find this out sooner rather than later. If you plan to attend a University that is located near the community college you are attending you should check and see if they have some sort of articulation agreement that will allow associate's degree graduates to transfer seamlessly.

Many states are stepping in and passing laws that require colleges in their specific states to accept community college credits as transfer credits in an effort to keep qualified workers in the state. Some universities are even offering distance learning programs to associates degree graduates in order to allow access to students who live a greater distance from campus to have access to educational opportunities that would have been denied to them in the past. Of course if you live in one of these states, a former disadvantage may now work in your favor.

Many community colleges do not offer housing opportunities and most of those that do are still largely commuter campuses rather than residence campuses. Rather than spending funds on housing these colleges tend to reserve their spending to assist in academic pursuits. Community colleges in rural areas are much more likely than those in larger cities to offer housing on campus. The lack of on-campus housing makes participation in sports and other activities a little more difficult than colleges that are largely residential in nature.

If you decide to make a community college your last stop when it comes to your personal educational experience you will be denying yourself a great deal of earning potential over the course of your lifetime. For this reason you should seriously consider the benefits that transferring to a university will present for your educational goals.

My largest complaint when it comes to community colleges when compared to larger universities was the fact that there are such limited opportunities to take specific classes than when compared to those classes on a university level. You will find that you must remain within your sequence of courses on the community college level or you risk needing an extra semester or year in order to complete the requirements for your associate's degree. Universities tend to offer greater flexibility, especially in lower level courses that are required by all in order to graduate.

My other major complaint when it comes to community college is the fact that they often have much smaller libraries than universities. This seriously limits the ability that students have to do extensive research with the exception of rare cases. Universities simply have deeper pockets than the average community college.  For this reason they will have bigger libraries and far more bells and whistles than the average community college. Hopefully we'll see this change over time as well. Despite the disadvantages that can be associated with community college educations, I feel that they are very much outweighed by the benefits that the community college learning environment offers.

What are Neurobics?

The term neurobics is one you may not be familiar with. It is similar to aerobics which are exercises for the body to take part in. They keep you fit and healthy and you should be taking part in them on a regular basis. Neurobics are very similar as they are exercises that you should take part in so that your brain gets the exercise that it needs. If you are someone that follows a routine day after day, this is going to create some fun as well as some chaos in your world!

Neurobics are fascinating to explore because they allow you to use all five of your senses to exercise your brain. At the same time it allows you to explore your emotional senses and to see how they should all be able to work together. When you engage in such activities your brain is going to get stronger. You will also grow new brain cells which is important for your overall mental well being.

There are some really fun activities you can try that fall into the category of neurobics. For example, try to do something such as eating or getting dressed with your eyes closed. When you do so you have to rely upon your other senses to help you get it done. Try to engage in a conversation with someone but no words can be exchanged. Instead you have to rely upon your other movements of the body to express yourself.

Another category of neurobics involves exploring two things at one time. This isn’t on the same level though as multi tasking though. You want to do two things that allow your mind the freedom to be creative. For example you can draw while listening closely to the music on the radio.

We all have many routine things about us that we may not even notice. These are habits engraved in our brain patterns. We take part in them without thinking about doing it differently. This form of neurobics involves changing those normal routines. Do you usually clean the kitchen first in your home? If so, then save it for last this weekend. Do you always start your day the same way? Now is the time to shake things up and do something different.

Identify which hand is dominant and then decide for an entire day to do everything with your other hand. It is going to be harder than you thought, and it is going to take plenty of concentration. You may discover that you get better at it though as the day progresses. It is going to alter the way that your brain has to think when it comes to accomplishing tasks that have become too single for you.

There are so many different ways in which you can experiment with neurobics. Have fun with it and do your best to learn all you can from it. Most of these types of tasks you can do at home, at work, and even when you travel. The key is to identify those things you always do one way. Then you can make a conscious effort to do it differently. It can also be fun to keep notes documenting what you have discovered as well as the outcomes of your neurobic activities.

Neurobics can be very fun to take part in as they help you to further develop your mind. They help us to appreciate what all our brain is able to assist us with accomplishing each day. However, it also gives us insight to the conclusion that our brains control a great deal of what we do. The fact that we often just go along with it and not question it needs to be something of the past. As you explore neurobics though you will understand that you have the ability to change things around and to always keep your brain learning in new ways.

Are you Thinking on Auto Pilot?

The brain is a fascinating aspect of our bodies because so much of who we are is controlled there. It is common though to get caught up in a pattern of behavior when it comes to thinking. If you are doing it all on auto pilot then it is time to change the way you think! You will definitely get more out of life when you take such an approach. It will improve your relationships, your attitude, your work environment, and even how you feel about yourself.

It can be hard to really assess your thinking process when you are on auto pilot. Try to do so objectively though so you can see things in a new light. Think about something you do at home or work all the time. Now ask yourself why you do it that way. If the answer is because that is the way it has always been done, you aren’t really thinking about it. Now that you have identified the situation, put some serious thought into the process. If there a better way that it can be done?

Relationships can be tricky as well as difficult. If you find some of them that you have to be stressful at times, you need to change your way of thinking. What is it about the relationship that doesn’t flow well? Do you have the same conversation over and over again with your spouse, child, or other person in you life? Is the outcome always the same no matter what? If so, then it could be due to the fact that one of you or both of you is on auto pilot when it comes to your thinking.

A great way to change that is to ask the other person what they are thinking. Once they tell you, ask them why they feel that way about it. When you respond to them, ask yourself the same thing. What is it that is triggering such a response? Is that the pattern on behavior that you always go with? If so, then why not try something new because obviously what you are doing now and what you have done in the past wasn’t productive.

The work place environment is a great opportunity for you to change your way of thinking. Many people go to work each day, do their job, and go home. There is likely to be many areas of you job where you can do it differently with the same or better results. As you start to identify those areas, write them down. Present your plans to your boss and see if they are willing to allow you to try them. Most employers love to see employees taking such initiative.

When you make the conscious decision to change the way you think, you can remove many of the negative things around you from your life. You can focus your energy on the positive around you. Look for solutions that fit the situation instead of going on auto pilot and doing what you always have in the past. At first you will have to really think about it to make it work. However, it will soon become part of your regular behaviors that you engage in.

Other people will appreciate you more too because you will be giving them a fair chance to explore their own ideas. You won’t be cutting them off with your automated response to their situation. As a result you will find that you are happier, you have less stress, and that your various relationships with others have improved. If you are thinking on auto pilot you may be getting several things done, but you are really only going through the motions with them.

You need to make sure you are fully exploring all your options. Don’t just accept what is in front of you at face value. There is certainly much more out there being offered to you if you are receptive to it. Once you have made the choice to change this type of thinking, you will start to notice those opportunities more and more throughout your day.

How to Choose a College that Fits

Heading off to college is a major step in life. Naturally you want to select the right university for the major you have in mind. This can actually be more of a process than you think initially. Start by pondering the type of career you desire in the future. This can help you figure out how to choose a college that suits your needs and preferences. However, many individuals have no clue what they want to do in the future. This is okay as well. Fortunately there are many options out there and you can always switch down the road.

Take a moment to thing about your future career. What do you enjoy and what can you picture yourself doing? This is crucial! After all, you certainly don't want to follow a path that you don't enjoy. Having the wrong career can make your life miserable. So, if you know you want to get into creative writing, then it's imperative to find and choose a college that offers a degree in creative writing. Maybe it will be located in your state and maybe you will have to relocate for your college career. Either way, it's worth it! This is how to choose a college in an effective manner that's right for you. If you're totally unsure what you want to do as an adult, then consider taking a career placement test. This can help you choose the right university as well.

When it comes to college, money is often an issue. There's no doubt that college is generally expensive. Therefore it's often prudent to think about community colleges when pondering how to choose a college that's ideal. You can begin your college career by taking a few courses at a local junior college. This won't cost you much! You can start with the basic courses. Get them out of the way first while investigating possible majors. How to choose a college that's perfect for you doesn't have to be difficult. If you can't decide on a particular university, maybe you should try a university transfer program from a community college. This will give you time to brainstorm and save money in the process.

Being Prepared for the Information you Must Submit with College Scholarship Applications

To help ensure you aren’t made crazy by the application process for college scholarships, you need to be prepared. There are certain things that you must provide with them. Many of them are going to be repetitive as you apply for more and more such scholarships. Others will be specific only to a particular application. By having those items you will need to offer again and again readily available though you can make the process easier for yourself. You will get those college scholarship applications done in less time too.

The information on a college scholarship application is going to be basically the same. They are going to want to know your name, address, phone number, and other personal information. Where you attended high school as well as previous college information will be asked. Make sure you have the dates and addresses for such enrollment available. If you have military experience you will also need to have that information on hand.

There are plenty of special skills you may have to offer. All of that information needs to be listed on your college scholarship applications. By developing a list of them you won’t have to worry about leaving out such information on future college scholarship applications. You may be asked about volunteer work and activities that you have taken part in.

Once again a detailed log of all of them will make copying them into the application even easier. Make sure your master list of all information is correct so that you can avoid mistakes on your applications for scholarships. You will also find you are less likely to put off completing such applications when you don’t have to dig around for the information or the documentation to complete them.

Should you be someone that is pressed for time, you can still feel good about your efforts to find money for college. Your decision to complete these applications is a great step in doing so. Being able to get several college scholarship applications done in a single afternoon though because you are prepared will also help you to get the most out of the time you do have to commit to this process.

The fact that you can often complete applications for college scholarships online makes the process simple as well. You can complete your lists on the computer and save them. When you need to make changes it is very easy to do it and then to save the updates. You can also copy and paste the information when you have online applications to complete. This is much faster than writing it all down again and again.

Personal references are needed on most applications for college scholarships. You do need to make sure you have the permission of individuals to use their contact information though before you just list them. Having their name, address, and contact information written down will ensure you can always access it quickly.

There are some other documents that are often asked for when you complete college scholarship applications. One of them is a personal narrative. Make sure you follow the instructions though. Many of them want specific guidelines or a specific word length. You can have some basic points you wish to cover written down though and then modify the structure to fit the requirements.

You should have at least five letters of recommendation available as well. Make many copies of them so you will have enough for all of the college scholarship applications you wish to complete. These letters of recommendation should be from family friends, teachers, employers, and others that know about you as a person and why you are deserving of funding for your education.

Another piece of information you may need to provide are your transcripts. They may be required from high school as well as other colleges you have attended. The need for them will depend on the college scholarship application requirements. Many of them now will simply ask you to have official transcripts sent to them if you are a finalist for a scholarship award. Others do want an unofficial copy though turned in with the college scholarship application so have such copies ready just in case.

Doing School Work on the Computer

While the increased usage of computers in our daily lives has possibly created a more   productive overall use of our time, it has also introduced us to forms of entertainment that can quickly consume great amounts of time and attention. When factoring in school work to the computer usage equation, the possibilities of wasted time are vast. School work is not always the most conducive activity for keeping a person focused.

Doing school work on the computer is an exercise in both time management and staying on task. With the click of a mouse button an hour of study time can be lost to a game of solitaire or a quick search of websites. Distractions abound on a computer, too frequently an Instant Message will appear asking for a fraction of your time. A notification from the speakers tells you  have an email waiting and a pop-up bubble tells you an RSS feed has appeared that you need to check out. A 10 second glance at an email can quickly become 30 minutes as you go from link to link reading the latest news.

An additional noted effect of the increase of work done on a computer is the inability to have legible hand writing. With the majority of written work being typed instead of hand written, reports have shown an exponential decrease in quality of penmanship. While this may not seem important at first it can be a symptom of an even bigger problem and can teach children that doing things the "old fashioned" way is not important when in fact it also has it's time and place. The act of studying and doing school work tends to become monotonous and the brain seeks for ways to distract itself. Whether that be staring at a picture for a few seconds or listening to music. This need for stimulation does not have to be a negative thing however. A quick distraction may allow a student to more readily absorb information once they go back to schoolwork.  Working on a computer especially requires occasional breaks where the student takes their eyes off of the computer and gives them a break.

On the other side of that coin is the increased productivity gained from using computers for school work. The ease of typing out a paper often allows for better thought transmission and more detailed work done than traditional hand writing. The ability to easily go back and reword a thought or expand on a thought allows for students to more fully realize their potential. Along with ease also comes a saving in time by working on the computer. It is most of the time quicker to type a paper than to write it out by hand so typing allows a student to get more done in a shorter period of time. Studying on a computer allows a student to have multiple avenues of teaching at their immediate disposal. Alternative views are easily found and questions can be quickly addressed by online dictionaries, encyclopedias or specialized websites. With the addition of the internet there is hardly a question that can be posed that an answer cannot be found for. Of course we do have to pay attention to where our children go on the internet and teach them which sites are best to find answers on. Just because something is online does not mean that it is true.

Whether or not to allow our children to do their work on the computer has become a matter of great debate both among parents and among teachers. It has great potential as a learning aid but many are afraid of the dangers contained at the same time. Also some worry about the potential for cheating when there is so much information readily available. As technology advances this debate will only become more and more pronounced. For the time being though it's an individual thing and it up to each parent and school to decide for themselves.

Calming your child fears about starting a new school

Starting a new school year can be one of the hardest times in a child's life. To an adult it doesn't seem like much in the grand scheme of things but we've gotten older and forgotten how much fear is involved. It's a big step going into a new school where you don't necessarily know anyone. There are two main times when this happens to a child. The first is when then move up in grade and the new grades are housed in a different school and the second is when the family or the child moves to a completely new area and the child is starting a brand new school for the first time. Both times are stressful for the child but there are things that we as parents can do to help them get through it.

The first situation is a little bit easier to deal with because there's a possibility that some of your child's friends might be at the new school with them. This help make the transition into the new school a little bit easier. Sometimes they'll even be in the same class which helps even more. If there's more than one school for them to go to like there are in bigger areas most of the time you'll be notified during the summer which school and class your child will be attending which gives you time to help your child adjust. Encourage them to talk to their friends and see which school they'll be going to and if they have any classes together. This gives them a chance to start talking about any fears and gives you a chance to alleviate them. Next learn a little bit about the school and point things out to them so that they begin to see it as an adventure rather than something scary. Finally, if there's a before school meeting with the teacher be sure to take your child. This gives them a chance to meet the person that will be teaching them for the following year and can make them feel a bit calmer about the situation.

The second instance is a little harder for a child to deal with. Not only are they going to a new school but they are in a new area and may be apprehensive about being able to find their way around. The first thing that you can do is decide how they'll be getting to school each day. If they'll be walking to school find out where it is and have your child help you plan a route to walk. After it's planned have them walk it a couple of times for practice so that they feel confident about how to get there. Another way that you can help is by encouraging your child to get to know the neighborhood kids. There's a good chance that some if not all of them will be going to the same school and meeting them will mean that your child won't start school surrounded by strangers as there will be some familiar faces. Find out what kind of activities are available at the new school and talk about them together so that they can have something to look forward to.

Most of all just let them know that your always there to listen to their fears and concerns. No matter which of the two situations it is the simple act of listening can have a great impact on your child.

Community College Advantages

If you happen to be fortunate enough to live in a community that has a community college you should really make the time in your schedule to check and see what kind of classes they can offer that can help you advance your education and your career. You might be amazed at the different types of courses you can take even on the community college level. I know that I have found some of the courses that are offered and the degree of learning that takes place to be quite impressive. I think that many people who have in the past disregarded the important role that community colleges play in providing an affordable venue for learning will be quite amazed as well.

Community colleges have an undeserved reputation for inferiority when this could not be further from the truth. A good many of the nations nurses are products of community college educations. In many states, the associates degree nursing programs are quite rigorous and provide more clinical experience than most bachelor's degree nursing programs. This means that students graduating nursing school with an associates degree in nursing are often better prepared to deal with patient care than those who have the 'superior degree'. This by no means is meant to disparage B. S. Nursing students at all. In fact, most hospitals will not even consider you a candidate for an administrative nursing position unless you have the Bachelor's degree. This is only meant to point out that associates degree programs can be quite competitive and inclusive despite common misconceptions.

Of course there are other benefits to learning on the community college level, at least for the first two years of your education. One of those benefits that speaks volumes to me is the fact that teachers in community colleges are dedicated to teaching. They are not working on their own research or books. They are there for the purpose of helping you achieve your goals, which means you aren't an interruption in their pursuit of their own goals.

Community colleges also offer an excellent buffer for students who may not have been on top of their game academically in high school or those who are returning to college after a long absence from academia. You won't find the large auditorium classes on the community college level that major universities are famous for offering. You also won't find that teachers do not have time for their students. There is a lower teacher to student ratio in community colleges so that professors will have time to address the needs of students.

Another benefit is that even if you do not go on to get your four year degree after completing your community college education you will find that your earning potential is significantly improved over those who do not have at least a two-year college education. Research also indicates that students who complete a two-year degree program at a community college are more likely to finish and get a four-year degree than those students who begin their educational experience at a four-year university.

There are a few problems that can be associated with a community college education and you should take note of these so that they do not become a problem for you. First of all, some universities do not accept many of the courses that are offered on the community college level as transfer credits. Make sure that you know what courses are required for the university that you are planning to transfer to in order to avoid this. You also may find that you are limited on the courses you can take and the times in which they will be available. Make sure that you have all the limited courses well ahead of time so that you aren't taking another year of classes in order to graduate.

All in all, a community college education can be just as enlightening as a university education if you enter into the process with an open mind and a willingness to learn. I hope you take advantage of this much less expensive option before moving on to university courses if possible.

Assessing your Chances of getting a College Scholarship

There is plenty you can do in order to assess your chances of getting a college scholarship. By starting out early you won’t be in such a pinch to do everything at the last minute. You can use this additional time to help you take a good inventory of what you have to offer. This way you won’t overlook things that you should have included when you apply.

What is your current GPA? Now don’t panic here as not every college scholarship out there is only offered to those with a 4.0. While a strong GPA is encouraging it is only one part of the equation. Do your best to continue to increase our overall GPA though if you still have a semester or two left of high school. If you have a low GPA then it is a good idea to include information about why.

For example you may have experienced the death of a family member or other circumstances that make focusing on your studies extremely difficult during that period of time. If you didn’t take high school seriously at first but then something happened that changed it, write about it. Such revelations can make a tremendous difference in the way in which the review board evaluates your college scholarship application.

What activities have you taken part in at school? Document all of them so you can show your involvement. You want to do the same with community involvement as well. This all shows you to be a very well rounded individual. As you go through that list, write a separate area where you put down the skills you have acquired as a part of these activities.

This is very important so don’t overlook this information for your college scholarship applications. You will find that a person with only academic success isn’t going to be the one to get the scholarship. What will be looked at is the balance that a person has. If you haven’t been involved too much though now is the time to start adding more activities through school and the community to your list of accomplishments.

Are you able to perform well in a particular sport? If so, you may want to look into these types of college scholarships as well. There are more requirements but you can find out about them with the various scholarships offered. This can more than make up for a low GPA so keep that in mind too.

Any awards you have won at school or from the community need to be documented as well. These are things that not everyone will have and so they really help you to look great during the review process with college scholarship applications. If you are applying for specific need college scholarships then have that information readily available. You may need documentation of your heritage or of your financial status.

By taking the time to fully assess your chances of getting college scholarships you will be able to get more out of your time. You will be able to review the criteria and decide if it is worth applying for or not. This means you will get more completed applications in the mail. The search for college scholarships you meet the requirements for can be time consuming. Do your best to be prepared for it though and not to become frustrated.

Applying for Economic Scholarships based on need

Applying for economic scholarships based on need is quite common. These types of funds are only offered to those that can show some type of economic hardship. The overall dollar amount that they make or that they have access to isn’t so much the concern. It generally comes down to whether or not they will reasonably be able to attend the college they have been accepted to without the funds.

The process for deciding who will get such college scholarships is harder to determine than those that are merit based only. In order to make that process easier there will be some other requirements as well. For example a person may need a certain GPA or have a desire to pursue a degree in a certain field.

Those requirements will be weighed in along with the economic need. Most of the time letters of recommendation need to also indicate why the need for financial assistance is so great for that individual. A personal narrative about why that scholarship is so very important is usually required as well. That way the committee that decides who gets the funds will be able to get a more personal view of those that have applied for it.

A person shouldn’t be ashamed or embarrassed to apply for economic scholarships. They are in place to help ensure a person is able to go to college if they would like to. It should be viewed as an opportunity to do something good with your life instead of having to ask for money. When you view it in a positive light it can encourage you to really benefit from what is before you.

The rules that apply to need based college scholarships can vary. You should go online and explore how they fit into the laws for where you live. In many areas you must apply for free grants and other financial aid first. Then you can apply for grants that are economic based after that. The process can become quite complicated though once you have been approved.

You may be requires to provide certain types of financial information along with economic scholarships. This way they can have the proof they need that you do fit that criteria. Sometimes you will have to provide that information when you apply. Other times they will only require it of the top remaining contenders. You do want to be sure you are applying for legitimate need based scholarships though.

Many scams out there will be under the pretense of really offering funding for college. They will then request financial information that can expose personal information which is what they are after. Make sure you find out the reputation of such entities before you agree to send them any types of financial records. Chances are what you send them will affect your parents as well so make sure you get their permission.

For example you may find that the more economic scholarships for college that you earn the more that the financial aid office will remove from your grant package. This can become frustrating, especially if you still run short to get the funding you need to pay for the schooling. Make sure you discuss these issues with the financial aid office so you will know exactly what to expect.

Balancing play and study time setting boundaries

One of the joys of being a child is having time to play. Playing is important in child development for a couple of reasons. It gives time for the body to decompress from the stress of an active schedule. It also reminds a child that all of life isn't about work that there is fun to be had also and gives them something to look forward to for when their work is done. However, it's important to find a balance between the work that needs to be done and the play that we want to do. As parents we can help our children learn how to balance the two and make sure that they are getting enough of both to have a healthy development.

The first thing we can do is sit them down and talk to them about priorities. Play is fun and important but getting our work done has to come first. The decisions that we make as children have consequences that can affect us for the rest of our lives and most of the time children don't understand that unless we take the time to explain it to them. They don't understand that a good education is the foundation to making a start in life and that they will need that education later on to do things in life.

We can also make studying more fun for them. Set up a reward system for grades where studying and doing good on their grades can help them achieve rewards. There are a couple of ways to do this the first is to set up a sticker board where each hour of study time and every good grade gets them a sticker and after so many stickers they can have a reward. Another way to set this up is to use a points system. In a points system studying and tests are both worth a certain amount of points those points can be used towards special privileges or rewards. Really there's no limit to the number of things that can be set up with these systems. It's all a matter of imagination and what the parent is trying to achieve.

Another method is the punishment and reward method. In this method if the child does not complete their work or get bad grades then things are taken away from them. The things taken away can be either physical things or loss of privileges. The reward is that they are allowed to do their normal play activities. This encourages the child to get their work done on time so that they can move on to more enjoyable activities. This effective for some children but not for others.

These are just a few of the many methods used for balancing play and study time. What works for one child may not work with another child and care should be taken to make sure that the plan used is tailored to the individual so that it actually works. Sometimes it's even necessary to use different methods within the same family of children. As parents we should look at all the options before we decide what we want to use. If something doesn't work then it's time to look at another method because it's a waste of time to continue using a method that is not effective.

Common Types of Financial Aid

If you are planning to attend college or the parent of a child you hope will attend college, I'm sure you are concerned over how you are going to be able to afford the process. A college education in many cases is a significant investment. The good news is that there are many options for the average family when it comes to paying the high costs involved in higher education.

Types of Financial Assistance for Educational Expenses

Scholarships. You will find that scholarships come in many different shapes and sizes and have all kinds of strange requirements in order to qualify to receive them. Some are based on need while others are based on merit. You will also find that there are many community and faith based organizations that offer scholarships in addition to certain corporations that offer scholarships in a gesture of good will to employees and the children of their employees. These are an excellent source of educational funding, as they do not need to be repaid.

Federal Pell Grants. This is another financial aid source that doesn't require repayment. However, you must qualify based on need in order to receive this particular type of college assistance. You can only obtain a Pell grant if you are an undergraduate college student who has not yet earned a college degree. There is a formula that is used to determine the amount of award for which you are eligible. This depends greatly on your means as a family and how much you can realistically expect to contribute towards the cost of your education.

Loans. This should be used as a last resort when it comes to paying your college expenses, as this is money that must be repaid with interest. There are several types of loans that are available and you should consider carefully and weigh your options before taking out a loan. However, if this is the only method you have for covering the cost of your tuition it will be money well spent once you've managed to repay the debt.
1) Student loans. There are three different types of student loans: subsidized, unsubsidized, and Perkins loans.  You must qualify in order to receive an unsubsidized loan, which will put off your interest accumulation until after graduation or you cease to be enrolled the minimum number of hours. You do not however, need to qualify in order to receive an unsubsidized student loan, which will begin accruing interest immediately. If you happen to be in exceptional financial need you can apply through your university for a Perkins loans. These are low interest loans that must be repaid to the university.
2) Parent Loans. These are commonly referred to as PLUS loans (parent loan for undergraduate students). These loans allow parents to borrow the money required to cover the costs of education that are not covered by other means of financial assistance. Repayment on these loans begins 60 days after the funds are transferred and can take up to 10 years.
3) Private loans. These loans are not guaranteed and are solely credit-based loans. They do not however, have the same limited scope that government loans have and in many cases can help bridge the gaps in actual educational expenses and the amount of money that you are allowed to borrow through traditional financial aid opportunities.

Before signing up for any particular sort of financial aid it is a good idea to see a financial aid counselor at the university you are planning to attend. They will have the best information about what steps you need to take in order to apply for financial aid at that specific universities and unique scholarship or grant opportunities that might be available to you through your state or the college. Higher education is a dream that is definitely worth having. Do not allow financial limitations to keep you from your goal if possible but enter into all financial arrangements with great caution and thought.