With tuition, room and board at four-year public colleges and universities averaging nearly $20,000 even for in-state applicants, and private schools charging an average of nearly $44,000, landing scholarships is crucial for many students. And it can be some of the most lucrative things a student can do, said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher and vice president of strategy for cappex.com, a college search website. Read More:
Scholarships, Financial Aid and Ways to Reduce College Costs Index (Click on Blue to Navigate) I. Waivers for College Applications and Testing Fees II. Application for Federal Student Aid ( FAFSA ) III. Types of Financial Aid IV. Financial Aid Programs Specifically for Oklahoma Students V. Improve Your Scholarship Hunt With Alternative Search Engines VI. Community Foundation Scholarships VII. How Scholarships are Paid VIII. Other Ways to Help Pay for College or Reduce Costs IX. Childcare in College X. Preparing a College Budget I. Fee Waivers for College Applications and Testing Colleges charge a fee to submit an admissions application and there are fees associated with taking the ACT and SAT academic tests that most colleges require. But these fees can be waived based on your family’s income. As a rule of thumb, if you qualify for free or reduced lunches, you will qualify for these fee waivers. You can apply...
This is an article that points out some areas where technical training can provide young people with careers that pay as well those requiring college. Many welling programs can be taken in low cost or free community colleges with work/study or apprenticeships where you earn while you learn. Read more.
Here is a US News and World Report article on six ideas on ways to attend college without using student loans. Some new ideas that are worth a read and could help reduce if not eliminate your student deb. Learn More
If you are a veteran or currently in the guard or reserve, the On-The-Job Training (OJT) Program offers you an alternative way to use your VA (GI Bill) education and training benefits. These GI Bill benefits make apprenticeships an even more attractive way to train for a high paying job. Read More
A short article on how early planning beginning in high school can make it much more likely a student will be successful in college. Tips for what to do to prepare in each year of high school as well as tips on how to improve your scholarship resume. Test scores suggest a high percentage of high school students are not ready for college. Only a quarter of the 1.8 million graduates who took the ACT college entrance exam in 2013 met readiness benchmarks in all four core subjects – English, math, science and reading. That figure dropped from 31 percent in 2012, according to annual reports by ACT Inc. Students who hit the mark on the test have a 75 percent chance of passing a first-year college course in that subject. Those who fall short are more likely to struggle in college and many will waste time and tuition dollars on remedial courses. Read the full...
This article ranks 100 jobs by the potential growth in job opportunities. It takes in a wide range of careers that include some that require graduate school like being a dentist to occupations in the health care sector that require only a few weeks training like being a phlebotomist. The article also gives up to date salary ranges. All jobs aren’t created equal. In fact, some are simply better than the rest. U.S. News 100 Best Jobs of 2014 offer a mosaic of employment opportunity, good salary, manageable work-life balance and job security. Some careers offer just the right mix of these components – for instance, nearly 40 percent of our picks are health care jobs – but the list also includes strong showings from occupations in the social services and business sectors. And for the first time, our No. 1 pick is a technology job. Read more about it on USNews.com
Internships Paid internships offer you the opportunity to earn while you learn much like an apprenticeship. The main difference is that most apprenticeships involve the construction trades and can take up to five years to complete while a paid internship usually involves either a technical or white-collar job and can be completed in a shorter period of time and can last as little as a few months or one or two years. For example, one of the longest internships YPNG has listed is to train to become an auto technician. This involves six months working with techs at the dealership and then up to two years supplementing you r training at a technical school where you learn more about how to maintain th e types of vehicles sold at the dealership sponsoring your internship. There are also internships for both college and high school students that last for only...
This article make a persuasive argument why for many people it is a good financial decision to attend a community college for two years and then transfer to a four year college. Community colleges also offer an opportunity for high school students with marginal grades to improve their transcripts and allow them to get into a better college than they would be able to attend if they applied out of high school. The article even gives you a plan that shows you how you can earn a four year degree without incurring any debt. There are many reasons to go to college. Whether you are a recent high school graduate or an established professional going back to school to advance your career, community college may be your best option to start. No matter your age, attending a public or private university is expensive. However, the total cost of a four-year degree can...
