Thursday, November 8, 2012

Aid Resources Good Is News For Students

On March 30, President Barack Obama went down to Northern Virginia Community College to sign what many in the media were calling his "health bill." True, a giant portion of the bill revolved around the controversial insurance reform, but that wasn't all this monumental piece of legislation was about. It also had to do with education and both traditional and online college grants and financial aid possibilities will come into play.
If anyone paid attention, the actual title of the bill Obama signed was "The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act". The second half of that title was grossly ignored by most media pundits, but if it goes through as planned it will have an incredibly positive impact on the future of education as a whole, including online colleges.
Admittedly, a considerable amount of the education sections of the bill have to do with elementary and secondary schools. At the same time, who can deny that if this part of the education system isn't overhauled, the prospects of having primed students for graduate and post-graduate education becomes slim, if not none.
The key bit of legislation though revolves around student loans. Back in the day, when students applied for them, they got the money straight from the federal government. When the legislature that initially created student law systems was signed by then President Lyndon Johnson in 1965, students got their loans directly from the federal government, which also administered them.
Over time, the government felt it could cut costs by having banks administer the money for them. Over the last few years though, this plan backfired. The banks began to feel entitled to charge much higher interest rates and pocket the difference. This resulted in interest rates starting to escalate to as much as 19%, and coupled with the current economic recession, the number of defaults escalated accordingly.
One key aspect of the new Obama plan is it cuts out the banking middle men, again returning the student loan system completely back into the Board of Education's hands. Obama expects that not only will there be less defaults because the interest rates will be lowered, but the profits generated from these loans will be plowed back into increasing the Pell Grant and related financial aid programs.
Another aspect of this program is targeting a large portion of money towards community and online colleges. The reasoning for this is that these forms of schooling simply cost considerably less than the bigger schools and have smaller war chests than the Harvard's and MIT's of the world. If the community college has an online division, that's even better. What really matters is the school is an accredited Title IV institution.
"For a long time, our student loan system has worked for banks and financial institutions", Obama said that day. "Today, we're finally making our student loan system work for students and our families. But we're also doing something more. From the moment I was sworn into office, I've spoken about the urgent need for us to lay a new foundation for our economy and for our future...we can rightly say the foundation on which America's future will be built is stronger than it was one year ago."

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Get a $10,000 Scholarship For Your Education

There are a great number of women in this country who have the urge to go back to school and aren't confident if it is possible for them. These mothers, single moms or female parents that stay home with their children, stop and worry about how it is possible to do this. You can do it.
You are entitled to be educated and you could make it easy to go back to school, no matter your circumstances. It has never been simpler to return to college and finish the education you missed out on. before.
With the frantic, bustling lives numerous mothers lead at present, it's in many cases thought unimaginable to go back to school, sometimes it's due to strict finances or an absence of funds set aside for this purpose. It's totally possible for you to finish your education if you want to do so.
A college diploma or degree is helpful these days as our economy is in a bad way and plenty of jobs get lost each day. By finishing your education you will be in a better position to find a job.
If that is not your intent, finishing your education will boost your confidence and leave you with an insurance if you do want to look for a job eventually.
You can be assisted by Obama and his administration. They are giving $10,000 in scholarships to moms to return to college and finish their schooling. You will not need to concern yourself about the bills while you are learning as this money will cover it.
There is more good news if you don't believe you find the time or are too busy to go again to college. Even if you are studying from home on-line, you can still get a $10,000 grant.
The number of scholarships out there are limited and they will run out soon. The sooner you take action the better.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

You Can Get a College Education at Last

With the all new scholarships for women, you can go out and get a college education even if it was not possible before. The reasons could have been many including financial incapacity or obstacles in your personal life. If you skipped college, you probably have realized how much more money people with degrees earn.
As you've raised your children, worked, and kept busy over the years, you're faced with the reality that time has slipped right by you. It is not surprising that you have little to no funds for your dream of going to college and getting an education. Life is not fair. Some folks are fortunate enough to have financial support of their parents. Yet, some others have to work to pay for their college tuition. If you haven't been to college because of a shortage of cash, I have some wonderful news.
President Obama wants the mothers in the nation to get educated. Various scholarships have been instituted through private sponsorship to help women attain their dream of a college education. What this means for you, is that, if you're a woman (older than 18) living in the United States, you can apply for a scholarship of $10000 to help pay towards your college education. We all know the government does not make money like this available very often, so why not seize the opportunity now while it is still available to you? It's free to apply, takes a few minutes, and you have everything to gain but act now before it's gone.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Recession and Education

Every day brings news about more layoffs, companies shutting down and escalating levels of unemployment. It's no wonder that students and employees find the entire situation overwhelming. In today's market, traditional forms of employment are becoming tougher to come by and looking for that 'perfect' job may seem impossible. But all is not lost. There are still some industries that are going strong and some perhaps doing better than ever before. These are the careers that will lead the future of business and discovering them at a time like this is invaluable. The earlier you start planning for these specific careers, the safer your future will be once the economy has regained stability.
So how do you plan your education and choose a career that's right for you during a recession? If you want to recession-proof your career, focus on jobs that stay stable even when most people don't have disposable income to spend. For example, even though shopping and entertaining might be in a slump, people will still continue to get sick, pay taxes and use energy irrespective. The following are some of the careers that are expected to stay stable even during the current economic crisis.
Education - There is always a shortage of good teachers. Down turn of the economy or not, children will continue to go to school and many adults may resort to furthering their education after being laid off. Therefore, teachers will always be in-demand. Children will continue to go to school. Also, lots of unemployed adults may decide to further their education.
Healthcare - The healthcare industry remains unaffected no matter what the economic situation. More effective medication and longer life spans have also given rise to a whole new demographic of senior citizens that demand special health care services. Health care administration is also an information-driven career, which might prove especially appealing to those looking for a career change from information technology.
Auditing - In a recession, the demand for auditors and accountants are much greater as businesses and individuals monitor their expenses and books more carefully and do a lot more to receive greater tax deductions.
Energy and Utilities - While consumption of energy may reduce, it will never stop. This is the same for other utilities as well, so careers related to maintenance and utility administration is always a stable option.
Pharmaceuticals - As long as health care is in demand and doctors prescribe drugs, people are still going to take them. This means that a career in pharmaceuticals is a good choice.
Military - Joining the military has several advantages. All your living expenses are covered and your education may be subsidized as well. Since the military is always hiring, particularly during wartime, soldiers remain unaffected during a recession.
Security - Recession might lead to an increase in criminal activities so the need for security workers and the police force becomes greater.
Environmental Sciences - The trends towards eco-consciousness is always on the rise and choosing a career in environment-care-related industries is a good option.
Government - The government does not stop functioning even during a crisis. Working for the government is therefore an extremely lucrative choice.
International business and consultancy - During the crunch time of a recession, companies call in consultants to advise them on efficiency and optimizing resources.
Debt Management and collection - As unemployment rates increase and budgets tighten, many fall back on payments. Companies and individuals need to turn to debt management plans and collection agencies to recover their losses.
Multi-faceted careers - Try and rely on a secondary source of income for more security. Include investments and freelancing along with your regular job to decrease the odds of a crisis.
So, whether you are still in college and planning your career, just starting out, or are in between jobs, look for the following factors when choosing a recession proof job:
o Jobs that remain in high demand
o Careers that require specialized skills
o Businesses that provide goods and services regardless of the economic situation
o Companies that have the foundation to weather the downturn in financial cycles
If you have already graduated and have been laid off recently, another way to cope with recession is to consider a career shift. There can be no better time to create a new path for yourself and use this opportunity to switch to a different career path. Remember that no job is a hundred percent secure but as mentioned above there are still some industries where the demand is so great that finding another job would be very easy. This would be the best time then to go back to school and either complete your education or get a graduate degree. The key to future success lies in your hands and the time to make the correct choice is now.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Roth IRA For College Education of Your Children

Are you dealing with sleepless nights due to continuous worrying on how you can send your children into college? If you have a Roth IRA, consider your problem solved. This is because your Roth retirement plan can help you establish a better future for them, especially if you make use of the Roth IRA for college education of your offspring. This functional investment vehicle is a good way for you to open great possibilities for your retirement and even a better career ahead of your child.
The individual retirement plan is a purposeful retirement savings account for families who have middle compensation. You can be eligible to make contributions to a Roth IRA, if you are included in the outlined income bracket or limitations stipulated by the tax law. The tax structure of the IRA allows you to carry out contributions to your account tax-free, since your contributed funds came from your salary that are already taxed. The earnings your account will acquire are added in your funds as tax-free interest, dividends and capital gains. You can enjoy tax-free withdrawals or distributions if you have an account, which is active for at least five consecutive years and you're already 59 ½ years of age.
The Roth IRA for college expenses of your children provides a financial aid for you and your family. Not all parents who have Roth IRAs recognize this specific feature of their retirement investing account, though if you study and assess the key features and structures of the Roth retirement account, you will understand that some of its procedures, rules and guidelines are purposely custom made for education expenditures assistance of its contributors. One of the most significant features of a Roth IRA that pertains to college financing is that, it permits distributions of your funds anytime you need the money for education expenses.
Using your Roth IRA for the college education of your children has specific guidelines and rules that you should follow. If you utilize the Roth IRA for the expenditures of your eldest child's higher education, you are authorized to make distributions on the principal value of your account. The good news is, you will not in any way incur federal taxes and penalties from the Internal Revenue Service as well as the interest your contributions gained can be maintained and secured in your account until you become retired.
Generally, early distributions or withdrawals in an IRA account will obtain federal taxes, though if you use your contributed money for college expenses of your child, a specific stipulation of the Roth IRA grants you the privilege to steer clear of the ten percent penalty associated with early withdrawals of the Roth gains and earnings.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

News for Conflict Phobics

As a little girl I can remember the heart palpitations and sweat pouring out of me any time someone in my home became angry. I think it started when I was almost three years old. My parents had some kind of angry, shouting argument that resulted in my father leaving us. My mom, un-educated with three children under the age of five to support, fell completely apart. She had what proved to be her first "nervous breakdown". I can remember standing next to her trying desperately to get her to stop crying and take care of us kids. Anger, it seemed to me, had dire consequences.
From that point on I became the Rescuer in my family. It was my job to make sure that no one got too upset. Any hint of anger sent me into anxiety. As a result, I was the most favored child in our family. I was the peacemaker, the one capable of resolving any problems between siblings or other family members. I knew how to be cute and distract, or take all the blame to avoid someone being angry with me. It didn't matter what the cost was to me personally, as long as no one became too angry.
All of my friendships then, took on a shallow quality. When you go into relationships without daring to face any conflicts between you, then you are forced to behave in shallow ways with those you interact.
This especially included my romantic relationships. Any time there was a problem with a guy I was seeing, I simply swept it under the rug or broke up with him. If I were really crazy about the guy, I would overlook even major flaws.
Once I was married, every argument took on an intensity and sense of threat that went way beyond the current situation. It always resulted in my charging outside and walking away from the scene of the argument. It was too scary for me to stay in the room.
My girlfriends never saw me angry. I might speak up that I didn't want something a certain way, or that I would prefer we did something differently, but I certainly wouldn't challenge them or do anything that might start a real conflict.
Being a conflict phobic meant that I managed my world in such a way as to never have to deal with my or other people's anger, or even potential anger. I was perceived as an easygoing person.
The downside is that no one knew me. I hid my real self from everyone. Without even being consciously aware of it I never let anyone see the real me.
I now know that this is because underneath the people pleasing behavior was a sense that I was not good enough, that if they saw who I really was, they would reject me...walk out on me as my father had.
This is what underlies conflict phobia. We are terrified someone will reject us or even hurt us if we show our true self. We think that who we are is not going to measure up and we will be punished or rejected.
We fear that closeness will bring rejection, so we settle for a kind of limbo. We find ourselves locked into shallow distant relationships rather than risk discovering that we will be rejected.
Conflict phobia is really intimacy phobia. The roots of the word "intimacy" means literally, "in to me see". We don't' want anyone to see into us. We don't think that they will accept us and rather than risk that rejection, we avoid anything that will reveal who we are (i.e. conflict). We anxiously avoid any threat of conflict and anyone who expresses anger, is in our mind, dangerous. And, since conflict is unavoidable in life, we find ourselves locked into an underlying anxiety that never goes away.
The good news I promised? Well, the good news is that our fear is unfounded. Our fear is based on our child self's view of the world. We are capable of being seen and accepted for whom we are, in spite of how we may feel.
The other good news is that conflict is not a bad thing. It doesn't have to include anger and it doesn't have to include rejection. Conflict, in actuality is how we get to know someone, and how they get to know us.
It's only by letting other people know where we are, what we like, and what we don't like that anyone can know who we are. That means standing up and saying our truth.
It's important to know that by letting people know what feels good to us and what doesn't we are letting the other person know where they stand. Without that information they could be doing the opposite of what we want, without even knowing it! My husband was married for almost 20 years to a woman who never said what she really wanted. They rarely had conflict because she wouldn't say what she wanted and so he just made guesses. Apparently he guessed wrong because eventually she threw him out. I can't say that I'm sorry, after all I ended up with him, but it certainly seems a waste.
Yes, some times people won't like what you say or agree with you, but that really isn't bad news. I am certain that if I had been able to say what I felt about things with my ex-husband, I may not have ended up married to him in the first place. And yes, that would have been better for all of us.
That's the thing, when we don't tell our truth and we "go along" we find ourselves not being true to ourselves and eventually something has to give. In my case, it meant divorcing my husband of nine years. I personally think it would have been better if I had saved us all a lot of trouble and said what I thought from the beginning.
So there is the real good news, conflict phobics, conflict helps us express who we really are and keeps us out of bad situations. We are the only person in the world who can really know what is best for us and what feels good to us. If we don't risk telling those things to those who are closest to us, then we are bound to end up getting what we don't want.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Web Based Educational Opportunities

When listing "most-prized possessions," few people might first think of education. After all, it's not a possession in the sense of something you can hold and touch. However, delve a little deeper into it. Education makes you who you are. It's usually the reason for your interests and perhaps even your way of life. It opens doors to jobs and opportunities. It can improve your quality of life. Perhaps best of all, it's always with you and never has to be packed up and moved.
With its value in mind, it makes sense to try and ensure that you are always adding to your education: learn something new every day. For those times that we need more than what we can pick up in day-to-day life, we turn to schools or classes. Today one of the most convenient ways to do that is online. With a DSL, cable, or satellite broadband internet connection, it's possible to take classes online, enroll in degree programs, or just learn a little bit every day. The web can add value to your education.
Online classes are popular, especially for mid-career professionals or people trying to fulfill a few qualifications before a new job or grad school. They are easy to enroll in and can be done from anywhere. Someone with a mobile satellite internet connection could even take a class while riding the train to and from work every day. Perhaps your job is beginning to require certain computer skills that you never learned in school. Taking an online class is the perfect way to brush up your tech skills, while doing it in a technological way! Or for someone thinking of going back to school, an online class can be a way of firming up prerequisites and feeling prepared for the upcoming class load.
It's even possible to complete a full university degree online, from an accredited university! Online classes and seminars are packed with students from all over the world. That degree might be the deciding factor between candidates when applying for a job later on in life. As more and more people go to college, the importance of having that degree continues to rise. Even people who are told they can't get broadband access via cable or DSL can still use satellite internet and get the same connection speeds, a perfect solution for rural towns and communities. Of course, it's always important to do research before enrolling in a program. Make sure that it's not just a degree mill!
One of the great pleasures of the internet is surfing the web. We can learn new things every day reading news sites, technology blogs, and even ESPN.com. You can do some armchair traveling online, seeing what different parts of the world are like. Maintain and develop new interests through web groups. Maybe even submit some writing to an online magazine.
Taking advantage of online educational opportunities is a great way to boost your education. Using any high speed connection, be it DSL or satellite internet, you can tap into the biggest network of information that has ever existed.