Accredited-Education.com Blog

It is never too early for high school students to prepare to move on to college. Generally speaking,  students who act the earliest get into the schools of their choice, so do not wait until your senior year to get things moving. You should be researching prospective schools and check over their entrance requirements as soon as possible.

Make some plans to visit the college campuses you are interested in to get a feel for the schools. Begin with the colleges that are close to your home. If it is not possible for you to travel to a college to visit due to it being far from your home, then use the internet and visit their website.

You should be active in extracurricular activities in high school. This gives you the perfect opportunity to show off your leadership skills. By doing some community service work, the colleges you apply for will see that you are an ambitious student and one who is not afraid of new challenges.

You should also prepare yourself for the SAT and the ACT tests as accredited colleges will want to see your scores. Your test scores can play a major role in determining what scholarships you qualify for and what colleges will accept you.
It is also a great idea to enroll in advanced placement classes. Take honor-level courses whenever you can as colleges will look favorably upon this. These AP or advanced placement courses can even count as college credit.
Earning a college degree is very important in today’s society, so preparing yourself well ahead of time is to your advantage.

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written by AE Admin \\ tags: Get Ready For College While In High School

A 529 plan can be a great help to assist parents in saving for their child’s college education. You should pay close attention to several factors, especially any associated fees and taxes.

One of the best benefits of 529 plans is that they are exempt from federal taxes. However, at the state level, taxes vary. Many people are being lured into investing in 529 plans outside of their home states and as a result are losing tax advantages by choosing these plans.

If your advisor recommends an out-of-state plan, be sure to ask why. Ask what if any, tax benefits you may lose by making an investment in that plan. If you have invested in an out-of-state plan already and see that you are losing tax benefits, you can roll over your account to a new plan.

You may have to pay fees and you may even end up owing taxes if you transfer your money to another state’s program, so be sure to find out all of the details before rolling over your account to another plan.

529 plans can be a bit confusing, so if you are finding it difficult to decide which plan to go with, then by all means seek assistance. 529 plans are a wonderful resource as long as you are aware of all of the laws and regulations surrounding them.

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written by AE Admin \\ tags: How to Select a 529 Plan

Earning a college degree is a very rewarding experience. However, it is sometimes difficult for students to know exactly what to do upon graduation. The good news is that there are a lot of options available to you after college.

Naturally, the most obvious option is to put your degree to work by finding a job that is in your chosen field. You will have a steady income and you will earn some much needed job experience that will help you to progress within your field. It can be difficult to find a job right after college so do not become discouraged if it takes a bit of time.

Be sure to speak to your career advisor and do not forget to register with recruitment agencies and career-related websites. You should also become proficient at writing a great resume and brush up on your interview skills as well.

Even though you have graduated, it is not too late to take on an internship. Post-graduate internships often lead to careers. At the least you will gain valuable work experience and contacts that could very well help you in getting a wonderful job.

You could also continue your education by attending graduate school. Earning a Master’s degree can significantly increase your chances of gaining a career. Also, workers who have Master’s degrees earn much more money per year than those workers who only have earned a Bachelor’s degree.

These are the most common options college grads can take after earning their college degree. There are other options as well that include doing volunteer work, international internships and traveling.

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written by AE Admin \\ tags: Plan For Your Life After Finishing College

More and more Americans are finding the cost of paying for a college education more burdensome than ever before. Families are losing incomes, benefits and jobs and all the while the cost of earning a college degree is steadily climbing. The average college grad graduates with more than $22,000 in debt, including federal and private student loans.

Given all of this, it is imperative that college students are aware of some new benefits that took effect July 1st, 2009.
On July 1st, interest rates on subsidized federal student loans decreased from 6 percent to 5.6 percent. Also a new Income-Based Repayment program was put into effect that caps a borrower’s monthly loan payments to just 15 percent of their income.
The maximum Pell Grant scholarship has increased by $600 for the 2009-2010 school year.

This is great news for many students and their families. There are other great things to take advantage of including becoming eligible for loan forgiveness after ten years by performing a public service career. These types of career include teachers, public defenders, firefighters, nurses and more. If you have any questions about these benefits mentioned here, speak to your school counselor.

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written by AE Admin \\ tags: College Affordability Benefits to Be Aware Of

Many mothers wish to return to college to earn a college degree or just to brush up on some skills. Many women are forced to return to school to help make ends meet at home. If you are a mom and are returning to college for whatever the reason, there are a few tips that can help you succeed.

Be sure to check for scholarships that you may be eligible for. There are actually scholarships that are tailored specifically to parents.

Once you are enrolled in college be sure to write up a schedule. You need to be sure that you have plenty of time to attend class, do your studies and still care for the children and the home. Try to make the most of every moment and take those extra few minutes you find free throughout the day to do a bit of studying.

Be sure not to take too many classes. Biting off more than you can chew will only end up leaving you frustrated. It is much better to take three or four classes a semester rather than a full load if going full time means you will not have enough time to spend caring for your kids or looking after the house.

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written by AE Admin \\ tags: Tips for Moms Going Back to College

If you are planning on earning a college degree and are just about to head off for college, remember that this will be one of the greatest times in your life. It is a bit like going to a bit camp. There are thousands of new people to meet and hundreds of new experiences to go through.

Be sure to get to know your professors. Professors are people too and they actually enjoy getting to know their students. You will find that once you leave college and think back on how you learned a particular subject, your favorite professors will pop into your mind. You can learn a lot of additional information by just taking a few minutes a week to chat with faculty.

While in college, if you find that you need help, do not hesitate to ask for it. Get a tutor if you are falling behind in a subject and ask fellow students to be your study partner when test time rolls around.

One last piece of advice is to stay organized. It is easy to start living from event to event and assignment to assignment when you are deeply involved in school work. The best students on campus are the most organized students.

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written by AE Admin \\ tags: Tips for the College Student

Internships are a great way for college students to get experience in their chosen field. There are several different strategies to finding an internship. Networking, attending career fairs, following internship listings and using the classifieds and local Chamber of Commerce are excellent ways to find an internship.

Be sure to start your search early. Internships have deadlines so companies tend to recruit and hire early. Start your search during your winter break so you will have time to look into all of your possibilities.

Decide which career interests you the most and then begin your search in those areas. Speak with family, friends, college advisors and counselors. Use the internet to find a internship. There are websites dedicated to internship searching and these are an excellent source. Career fairs are filled with prospective employers who may give you an internship.

Be sure to present yourself in a very positive light. Tell then what college degree program you are working on and describe your skills and assets. If you have special skills, why not use those skills to make some money and begin an entrepreneurship.

These are some outstanding methods that can be used to help you successfully land a great internship. Good luck!

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written by AE Admin \\ tags: How to Find an Internship

There are some very important factors involved in student financial aid and we will take a look at the top four here.

The Pell grant is the cornerstone of student financial aid. For students who’s family incomes are up to $50,000, the Pell grants are given and are also awarded to independent students who have low incomes. Congress sets the maximum grant each year and they have not kept pace with the rising price of earning a college degree.

This summer the federal government has a new system in place that limits the monthly payments on federal student loans to a reasonable percentage of the income of the borrower. Those students who have incomes below 150 percent of the poverty line won’t have any payments due and others will owe no more than 15 percent of the amount by which their income exceeds the level.

The FAFSA form must be filled out by any student who wishes to be eligible for federal financial aid. The Dept. of Education is going to simplify this form so that students will not have to sort through questions that do not pertain to them.

Many students must rely on loans to finance their college educations. Parents can take Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) to diminish the amount of debt owed when the student graduates. Students should also be told that federal Stafford loans are a better bet than private loans.

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written by AE Admin

There are a variety of factors that assist you in selecting your online degree programs and a college or university to attend. Things such as teacher/student ratio, graduate assistance, tuition costs and distance from home.

Once you are on campus and are starting to work toward earning your college degree you are faced with two problems-paying tuition and having a greener college. The Filter for Good EcoChallenge from Brita was created to assist college students pay for tuition as they are making their environment greener and more eco-friendly.

Brita challenges students to brainstorm a brilliant program that helps their college campus go green and become more sustainable. The submissions ares judged on creativity, environmental benefit, educational impact and best use of time and budget. Applications are due at the end of October and the winners are announced in January.

Brita is a leader in water filtration systems. Their products reduce the need for bottled water which in turn, reduces the need for plastic bottles. Brita wants to hear your green campus ideas. You can go to their website and submit your ideas as a comment and five people will be drawn to receive a Brita pitcher and Filter for Good Nalgene bottle.

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written by AE Admin

Contrary to popular belief, videos or online quizzes do not prove beneficial regarding the amount that students learn in online classes.

Some of the factors that have a positive effect in online learning are many. Online learning can be enhanced by giving students control of how they interact with media and by prompting the learner to think. Students who study online should be urged to reflect on their learning. By giving students assistance in learning how to self-regulate the learning experience, the student will perform better and he or she will produce stronger learning results.

Online instructors should be sure to moderate the online discussion groups so students who do not normally participate much will be urged to jump into the conversation.

Online education is a very viable alternative for the student who truly wants to learn and who can demonstrate that he is somewhat self-reliant. Online learning allows students from all economic classes to continue their education as it is much cheaper to enroll in an online program compared to the high tuition fees charged by the more traditional brick and mortar institutions.

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written by AE Admin