By Ruth Ann Monti
Unless you never take your earbuds out, you’ve no doubt heard the horror stories about student loan debt. The average college graduate left school in 2012 with $29,400 in student loan debt, according to the Institute for College Access & Success. That’s a lot of debt for people just starting out. If you’re entering college or considering it, think about how you will pay for tuition without going into (much) debt. It is possible, but you need to research and plan.
By Lee Reyes-Fournier
The idea of you studying abroad may be scary for your parents, but the benefits are huge. According to the University of California at Merced, 97 percent of students that study abroad find employment within 12 months of graduation, and 25 percent of those make around $7,000 more annually than those that only study domestically.
Instead of being discouraged from learning abroad, create ways to keep your parents sane and connected with you.
The best way to keep your parents from freaking out is to communicate on a regular basis. Know the time difference between countries, and set a good time to talk before you leave.
Of course, this can become difficult if you don’t have telephone or Internet service. However, most large, industrialized cities have available Wi-Fi in Internet cafes, restaurants or stores.
Furthermore, instead of trying to rely on cell phone towers, use Internet platforms like Skype and Google Voice. In rural areas, you may need to be your own hotspot, so try hotspot apps like Cellular Abroad’s MiFi, which has service in 33 countries. Most of the packages are under $100 per month.
Your parents want to know that this educational trip is worth the time, money and worry. Sharing your trip pics is a good way to keep them in the loop without needing to call and explain every moment of your travels. Use Dropbox or a similar cloud storage service so that your parents can access photos whenever they want. This allows them to easily see that you are safe as well as all of the cultural, historical, educational and fun things you are experiencing.
Since the day you were born, your parents always want to know where you are, what you are doing, who you are with and that you are safe. This parental instinct does not change just because you are 21 and no longer live at home.
To help combat your parents’ fears, try a geolocation tracking app like Life360, which can tell you where your family member is within 32 feet. This application works with the GPS and texting systems of the cellphone, allowing you to see where everyone in your network is located. It also has emergency functions, which allow you to send an alert to everyone in the family grid with a push of a button.
There is nothing more reassuring than a person that will pick up the telephone. No news is not good news for parents, so the University of Northern Iowa’s Study Abroad Center recommends getting contact names, phone numbers and emails for your school, home, embassy and any other important people abroad. Furthermore, it may help your parents relax if they can talk to any of these people before you leave.
Also, register with the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Plan to stay informed with any potentially dangerous situations.
Lee Reyes-Fournier is a psychotherapist with 25 years of experience. She is the award-winning co-author of CoupleDumb.com, which is ranked within the top 1% of all relationship sites. She also co-wrote the book “Dysaffirmations” and is co-host of “Relationship Rehab,” a relationship web series – Science!!
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What kind of education would you have received if you had lived in a different time? Interesting to think about.
Source: BestDegreePrograms.org
Give your child the gift of great grades. Order a copy of The Secrets of Top Students today!
By Monica Wells of http://www.bizdb.co.uk/
Competency-based Education (CBE) is the talk of the town in the American education sector – CBE programs are increasingly popular and academic institutions respond to this growing need for affordable and skill-oriented education by creating online programs and courses that follow the pragmatic approach to learning fostered by CBE.
Before deciding whether you’d like to try this relatively novel learning methodology, you should know what CBE actually is, how it differs from traditional high school or college learning programs, and what are its main advantages in the learning process. Here are some essential things everyone interested in their education should know about CBE.
Is CBE right for you?
What do you think about the Common Core?
Source: BestMastersinEducation.com
Give your child the gift of great grades. Order a copy of The Secrets of Top Students today!
By Samantha Levine.
It’s no laughing matter how dependent our society is on the use of technology and the Internet. The great thing about it is that we are exposed to so much information, but this can also be very overwhelming. As we learn to read from screen to screen (laptop, cell phone, tablet), we have readjusted the way we receive information, which is causing our attention span to be much shorter.
When skimming through an article, you may not realize how much information you can actually miss. A great tip to increase retention is to read the headlines of a topic and ask questions about what you think it will be about. While reading, see if you are able to answer your own questions, and then make note of it. This helps you to read quickly, efficiently, and effectively.
Can you read on this tiny little screen?
I’ve noticed that the faster I receive information from the web, the faster I move on to read something else; and more often than not, I’m distracted by an ad to the right and left of the story I’m reading. However, thanks to my very awesome grade school teachers who taught me to love reading, I learned a few tips that can keep you on track:
By Chris Gates.
Total student loan debt in the United States was $1.2 trillion last May, before the 2013-14 school year even began, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Institute for College Access and Success reports that the class of 2012 carried an average debt load of $29,400, nearly $3,000 more than the class of 2011.
Congress attempted to throw current college students a lifeline this past summer, passing the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013. The bill, signed into law by President Obama on Aug. 9, lowers interest rates on nearly all new student loans taken out after July 1, 2013. Some in Congress believe more needs to be done—for example, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., wants students to get the same 0.75 percent rate on loans that the Federal Reserve gives to big banks. While Congress tries to figure out a solution, borrowers need to address their individual situations. A few ideas to get you started:
Today is your last chance to get The Secrets of Top Students ebook for only $2.99!
This book includes tips and techniques that every student should know. For example:
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Praise for The Secrets of Top Students
“An insightful guide for high achievers—and those aspiring to such status—from an authoritative source, Stefanie Weisman, a Columbia University graduate and former valedictorian of Stuyvesant High School, two of the best schools in America. Stefanie Weisman’s book about the secrets of academic success is all the more amazing, given the learning disabilities that she overcame to become the ultimate academic overachiever. As a graduate of Stuyvesant High School myself, as well as a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brown University, I believe students can find happiness and achieve great things at any number of schools, and Stefanie Weisman offers hard-fought wisdom about how to get there.”
—Alec Klein, Northwestern University professor, bestselling author and award-winning journalist“Although the target audience is high school and college students, the book is a must-read for students in middle school and up, teachers, parents, and guidance counselors as 21st-century students learn to excel in the new educational landscape in which they find themselves.”
—Tammy Turner, Centennial High School, Frisco, TX; School Library Journal, July 2013 issue“We wish we had Stefanie Weisman’s new book . . . when we were in school, but our loss is your child’s gain as this book goes beyond advising how to test better; it’s loaded with strategies on how to get the most out of school in a healthy, well-rounded way that will continue to serve your scholar well throughout their life.”
—Lisa J. Curtis, Brooklyn Family Magazine, August 2013 issue“A student who followed even half of the suggestions in this book could come away from college with both a greater understanding of the material and a significantly higher G.P.A.”
—Dr. Mindy Marks, Associate Professor of Economics at Washington University, St. Louis, and Co-Author of “Leisure College, USA: The Decline in Student Study Time”“This is perhaps the best and most pragmatic guide to academic success I have read that is relevant to today’s students. One thing that sets this book apart is that it provides special information for students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, aka STEM subjects.”
—Stuart Nachbar, President of Educated Quest, www.EducatedQuest.com“Undergraduates who want to excel in college will find a helpful resource in this book.”
—Joseph Adegboyega-Edun, Counselor/College Adviser, Walter Johnson High School, Bethesda (MD)
By Kelly Smith. Kelly works at CourseFinder.com.au, an Australian online courses resource. She also provides career advice for students and job seekers and works as a freelance writer.
The benefits of online education are immense – there’s been a lot of talk lately about the next wave of online training that will completely revolutionize the education sector. Zachary Karabell of The Atlantic pointed out the huge future benefits of this radical change: “The costs of obtaining needed credentials will plummet, and the ability to create more tailored, vocational programs aligned with the skills employers need will increase exponentially.”
It goes without saying that there are several things traditional schooling institutions might learn from their online counterparts even today. Read on to see some of the most valuable aspects of online learning that should be adopted by stationary colleges.
By Jep Barroga. Jep is a freelance writer for a Malaysian personal finance portal, writing blog posts like the perks of working from home. If he’s not busy writing, you can find him reading articles from Cracked.com and listening to alternative music.
It’s not easy landing your dream job, especially if you’re the timid, shy type—or an introvert, so to speak. Unlike extroverts who have no problems mingling with other people and networking with fellow professionals, introverts are often not so adept at the social skills required to build bigger networks of their own, since most of them have reserved personalities.
Sometimes it can be hard to be a solitary thinker.
I’m an introvert myself and I’ve found my calling as a freelance writer and social media specialist, which allows me to work remotely for clients from anywhere around the world. There are lots of jobs that are best suited for your personality; jobs that can give you the stimulation you crave and allow you to hone your creativity. The following are some ideal careers for introverts:
Financial Analyst
This job requires you to evaluate a wide scope of data related to business trends, stocks, bonds, and financial statements. Creating financial reports is also important in this type of work.
Accountant
Accountancy is perfect for introverts who have a passion for numbers. Accountants are mostly left alone in their own cubicles, at their computers, where they must evaluate and decode piles of documents. This type of job requires you to spend most of your time dealing with data and calculations. Most days, accountants do what they need to do with few distractions. Interaction with other people is minimal, although you’ll occasionally have to meet with clients or supervisors.
Writer
This is one of the most popular types of job for introverts nowadays—particularly those who love to read and write. For people who have a passion for writing, being a website content or technical writer is ideal. This job may sometimes require you to be skilled at marketing. Some companies even offer telecommuting benefits as long as you’re able to meet deadlines.
Medical Technician
This job is ideal for introverts who want to go into the medical field. It requires you to collect lab samples, analyze the records, and work behind the scenes to deal with laboratory processes, x-rays, and other test results. You may have to report to doctors, nurses and other professionals about the patient’s lab results, but you will spend most of your time in the laboratory.
Graphic Designer
This is a skill-based career. This type of work requires you to spend hours at your desk and computer and formulate a cool image or infographics for clients. You can specialize in areas such as web design or web architecture, which will help you express your ideas digitally, if not on paper or canvas. The great thing about this job is that you only meet with clients and supervisors to have your submissions reviewed or to get feedback on your work.
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” as the great Confucius said. The jobs mentioned are some ideal careers for introverts. However, if your passions lie elsewhere, you may try to improve your communication skills and minimize your timid traits so that it will be easier for you to get hired in the profession you want.
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Stefanie Weisman 