PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
PLAY
Interview With Lawrence Goldstone, Author Of The Anatomy of Deception
PLAY
PLAY
The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Obsession, Commerce, and Adventure
PLAY
Interview With Joseph Boyden, Author of Through Black Spruce
PLAY
PLAY
Interview with Nino Ricci, Governor-General Award-Winning Author
If you’re heading off to college or university this year you may be experiencing mixed feelings. Excited to be on your own, but still a little nervous about the unknown.
WatchMojo has some tips for living with a college roommate Here.
Here are some things to know so that you can know what to expect in all aspects of campus life.
According to Sympatico.MSN
Living
Living in a dorm can be a good or a bad thing, depending on your expectations. One thing you should forget about is privacy. The person you share your dorm room with will know about everything you do, so if you can, make sure you get along and are accepting of your roommate. Be prepared for 4 a.m. prank fire alarms when it is snowing outside and intrusions of your private space.
On the positive side, your dorm room can become a hangout place where you will unwind from the stresses of your classes. Remember, things that may annoy you about the crammed aspect of living may become your most amusing memories years from now. After all, whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.
Classes
Get yourself into the frame of mind to begin good study habits as early as possible. Your GPA is important and once it is tampered with, it will be hard to fix it. Do your readings and assignments on time. In college there is a lot of work and not so much time. Once you put something off, assignments and reading will start to pile up. If you skip something once, you might get away with it, but procrastination will become your worst enemy.
Also, as time passes you will develop selective reading habits as you will figure out what is crucial to read and what is not, so don’t worry. By second semester you will be able to cut yourself some slack.
While some classes are mandatory, do not feel the pressure to complete it at the first try. If you feel you have overloaded yourself, drop it and try it again in the summer or next year. It is better to have lost some money than to jeopardize all of your classes because you have too much on your plate.
Studying
Find a spot where you can really pay attention and study. If you found it, do yourself a favour and do not tell your friends where it is. Make it a habit to study there and your body will adjust. Whenever you sit there your mind will get into study mode and you will get a lot more done.
Go to class! It will make studying easier. Also, professors like to drop exam hints in class. After all, you pay for school so why not be there?
Food And Health
Fast food is convenient, but it cannot be your meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner (and let’s not forget about those late night snacks). Try to cook on your own if you can; it’s cheaper and healthier than those prepared foods. If you stick to fast food, you will most likely be a living example of the ‘Freshman 15’.
Don’t forget to exercise. Working out does not have to be vigorous sweating at the gym. Play some ball or throw a Frisbee after class.
Professors
You will quickly learn that it is more fruitful to be on the teacher’s gold list than that of your fellow students. Goofs who sit at the back and try to entertain others will less likely pass the class than those sitting in the front glued with their attention to the professor.
If you can, try to make yourself noticed. Ask questions because there is no such thing as a stupid question. If your professor or TA sees that you are interested, you are more likely to get a higher grade.
Socializing
Join a club where you can meet people with the same interests as you. If you are generally shy, try to kick it to the curb, let loose and socialize, because in today’s world, it is truly not entirely what you know, but who you know.
Money
Money will be tight in college and university. Besides high tuition fees, you will find that your institution will find every excuse to reach into your pocket.
So plan ahead with your money if you can. Get a meal card that you can use all around campus at cafeterias or food places. In the first weeks you will feel like a big spender because your card will be full, but please pay attention to how much you spend. Otherwise, in the end you will be forced to eat week-old bagels. Ration your money and know exactly how much you have for each day.
Here’s an insider secret: buy your books used and online. It will save you a fortune.
Be Yourself
Going to college symbolizes growing up and becoming an adult, and most people enter the experience with tremendous hopes for what the next few years will turn out to be. I ask you now to sit down and be rational, lower your expectations and be realistic.
You might not instantly become the BMO or the coolest thing and you will not be the top of the class unless you are nearly a genius. Go to college with an open mind and expect anything to happen. Be your own person, not who your friends or parents want you to be.
Since 1 March, at least nine American universities have received anonymous donations totaling over $45 million. The catch is: the school had to promise not to try to find out the benefactor’s identity. It is not clear whether the source is an individual, a group with similar interest or an organization. Some of the schools even went so far as to contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Homeland Security to verify that the money was not ill-gotten.
The unknown supporter also stipulated that the majority of the money should go to student scholarships, while the rest can fund research, equipment and operating expenses. Read more…
Just when you thought student debt couldn’t get any worse, it does. More students today are paying their college fees on credit, and therefore carrying higher balances, a study has found. This study also shows that students are using their credit cards as opposed to seeking financial aid such as private loans and grants. Some students worry that their college debt will prevent them from buying homes in the future. Read more…
Schools and students alike are concerned the failed economy will force dropouts. With college already costing around $50,000 for room, board, books, tuition, etc, some student have had to make tough decisions to leave school, take out bigger loans, or get part-time jobs. Some may even switch to schools with cheaper tuition rates. Read more…
In honor of Halloween week, here’s a scare: the most expensive colleges of 2008-2009.
| College | Tuition |
| 1. Bates College | $43,950 |
| 2. Middlebury College | $42,910 |
| 3. Colby College | $42,730 |
| 4. Union College (NY) | $40,953 |
| 5. Connecticut College | $40,900 |
| 6. George Washington University | $40,392 |
| 7. Vassar College | $39,635 |
| 8. Sarah Lawrence College | $39,450 |
| 9. Bucknell University | $39,434 |
| 10. Colgate University | $39,275 |
| 11. Carnegie Mellon | $39,150 |
| 12. Kenyon College | $39,080 |
| 13. Skidmore College | $38,888 |
| 14. St. Johns College | $38,854 |
| 15. University of Richmond | $38,850 |
| 16. Tulane University | $38,664 |
| 17. Wheaton College (MA) | $38,585 |
| 18. Franklin & Marshall College | $38,580 |
| 19. Wesleyan University | $38,364 |
| 20. Hamilton College | $38,220 |
| 21. Oberlin College | $38,012 |
| 22. Reed College | $37,960 |
| 23. Tufts University | $37,952 |
| 24. Dickinson College | $37,900 |
| 25. Bard College at Simon’s Rock | $37,860 |
Getting into and paying for college may seem like a daunting task. But here are a few tips that may make things easier:
Don’t assume that a school is too expensive for you (the “sticker price” may be far more than a student will end up paying) - so apply to a wide range of universities, both public and private.
Apply to both in-state and out-of-state universities - schools value geographic diversity in their student bodies, and will give competitive rates to get it.
You don’t have to be poor to qualify for financial aid.
Make sure your credit rating, and that of your co-signer, is strong. This will help when applying for loans.
Something for parents to keep in mind: you can borrow money to pay for an education, but you can’t for retirement. So don’t pay for tuition at the expense of your retirement funds.
Check out various college-savings accounts.
Learn as much as you can about the financial aid process.
NEW YORK, May 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Lucrative jobs, corner offices and business lunches may be what undergrads and their parents have in mind for a post-graduation future, but their view on the amount of money they need to pay for education is generally far less clear. Estimating the total cost of a college education can be confusing, which often leads to bad decisions when it comes to funding that education.”The best place to start when it comes to figuring out what you can affordably borrow is to calculate the total cost of the education they are pursuing. However, parents and students frequently find themselves at a disadvantage when trying to determine what this figure will end up being,” said John P. Derham, an officer for MyRichUncle. “A few smart rules are in order to help families get to a realistic number to start budgeting for.”
Math Rule #1 — Know your Estimated Total Costs, in relation to tuition and fees
Tuition is just one part of the total cost. Factor in books, meals, housing, transportation and other expenses (even decorating the dorm room) when making a college financial plan. Your school should provide helpful information on costs but here are a few guidelines depending on the type of institution you plan to attend:
-- Four-year public college -- If you're in-state, the average budget is
about $18,000, of which tuition and fees are $6,185. The average
out-of-state average budget should be about $28,000, of which tuition
and fees are $16,640. Students considering a public college should be
mindful that tuition and fees are approximately one-third of their
total budget.
-- Four-year private college -- The average budget should be about
$35,000, of which tuition and fees are close to $24,000. Students
considering a private school should consider their tuition and fees as
just over two-thirds of their total budget.
-- Two-year college -- Average estimated budget is about $13,000. Tuition
and fees are about $2,400 of that amount. Students considering a
two-year college should understand that tuition and fees are
approximately 20 percent of their total budget.
“Knowing the true extent of the costs up front and planning for them is critical. When parents are not given enough time or information to do the research and the math, they can put their finances and their children’s education in jeopardy,” said Derham.
Math Rule #2 — Know the Impact of One Percentage Point of Interest and Shop Around for the Best Rate on Student Loans
A change in rate can make a substantial difference in the overall cost of your student loan.
-- A $10,000 private student loan that has an average percentage rate
(APR) of 8.69 percent that you defer payment on until after graduation
will cost $20,512 in interest, not including the principal amount
borrowed.
-- Meanwhile, a $10,000 private student loan with an APR of 6.92 percent
will cost $14,797 in interest if you defer payment until after
graduation.
In other words, less than two percent difference in the annual percentage rate of interest translates to over a $5,700 difference in the amount repaid.
Math Rule #3 — Understand the Impact of your Repayment Decisions. If you are Able to Start Payment on the Loan Immediately, Do It
Using the $10,000 private student loan examples above, we recalculated the interest payments if the borrower started repayment on the student loan immediately.
-- The first loan's total interest amount owed is reduced to $11,056, a
savings of nearly $9,500 in overall interest paid.
-- The second loan's overall interest amount paid reduced to $8,420, a
nearly $6,400 difference.
Because payments need to be made consistently, it may not be realistic for many students to start repayment immediately. However, knowing that interest accrues during the deferment period and that you have to make it up by paying it back later should help parents and students make smarter borrowing decisions.
Added Derham: “When you do the math, you can really see why it is important not to borrow a dollar more than you need in student loans.”
MyRichUncle offers many tools for prospective borrowers. One tool, the APR Monthly Repayment Calculator, provides student loan shoppers a new process whereby they can view examples of private student loans in repayment from several different vantage points. Specifically, if a borrower is seeking to secure a private loan to fund their education costs that free and federal money have not covered, he or she can input a desired loan amount as well as the expected graduation date and degree sought. From there, the borrower can compare several options, including:
-- The cost difference between three repayment options: Immediate
Interest and Principal, Interest Only and Deferred. While the
deferment option is most popular among students, they may not calculate
how much interest will accumulate, and the true difference that will
make in the overall amount repaid.
-- The cost difference between repayment terms. A standard comparison of
15 years is provided, however borrowers can look to repay their private
student loans over a longer or shorter period of time and compare the
true cost of those decisions in real numbers.
-- The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on the loan. As the total measure of
what the loan will cost, the APR will take all repayment factors into
consideration, thus making it a standard comparison tool for consumers.
The APR Monthly Repayment Calculator is fully automated and operational from the MyRichUncle.com website; no downloads are required. For more information, please visit www.MyRichUncle.com and click on the link for the APR Monthly Repayment Calculator.
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ — Every parent wants to set children on a path to financial responsibility, and the holiday season is the perfect time to start. Obopay CEO Carol Realini offers the following tips on how to use the holiday season to teach children about financial literacy.
1. Bring your child to work with you to explain where your money comes
from and how you earn it.
2. Teach kids the difference between needs and wants. Explain that you
also have needs and wants, and how you make decisions about purchases.
3. Deposit your children's money into an account to teach them how to
manage it.
4. Allow your child to keep his or her own money. It should be the
child's job to keep it safe.
5. If your child wants to borrow money to purchase holiday gifts,
consider it a lesson in loans. Charge a bit of interest, and he or she
will understand that it is better to spend what you have than to
borrow.
6. As your child gets older, gradually increase the amount of purchases
for which she or he is accountable.
7. Share with your children the importance of giving. It is the greatest
gift you can give yourself. Involve them in your charitable donations
this holiday season. Encourage them to donate some of their own money.
There are many reputable sites to learn of quality organizations.
8. Let children make (small) mistakes with their money so they learn the
consequences of poor money management.
9. Monitor your child's spending habits so you can provide real-time,
real-world guidance.
10. Take advantage of new tools available to help your children and family
learn financial literacy. Obopay is an excellent one - it is mobile
phone based and almost all children are already comfortable with
mobile phones.
Managing money is one of the greatest skills parents can teach children and encouraging good spending habits at an early age will save your child lifelong angst.
About Obopay
Obopay, Inc. (www.obopay.com) is a pioneering service that lets consumers and businesses purchase, pay, and transfer money through any mobile phone using Obopay’s mobile application, text message, mobile Web, widget, or Obopay.com. As the first mobile payment service created exclusively for the mobile phone, only Obopay works on any phone and any carrier to empower consumers and businesses with the convenience of mobile payments. Obopay is bringing mobile payments to more consumers through industry-first alliances and is headquartered in Redwood City, California.
