Category Archives: Colleges & Universty

College Loans – Find Your Ticket To College

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When most students plan for college they are hoping to gain a scholarship that will take care of the entire education. Of course this rarely happens and they are also hoping that their parents can help out a little. When both of those options don’t take care of the entire college program there are always college loans. As a last resort or even a first option there are many reasons why college loans can help out students. College loans are designed to help the student get the secondary education they need to succeed in the world. Chances are when you have a college loan you are going to be looking for the best loan out there. You have many options from federal, state, and private loans. You will find that each has its benefits and disadvantages.

First a federal college loan or Stafford Loan is going to require a FAFSA report. This report not only looks at the college student, but also the parents. The report will tell the government how much the parents make, what they can contribute, and what the student can contribute. This usually makes the federal loan the least amount of loan you can have. In other words the amount borrowed is usually a couple of thousand dollars a year and will of course depend on the school you have chosen to a degree. In some instances the government loans may not work for you based on your parent’s income. This can be difficult for those that really can’t afford school. The federal loans also give the best interest rates around. A smart student will try to get a federal college loan and also another to borrow the amount needed rather than seeking just one loan.

When you have a state or private college loan you are seeking a loan that is easier to get, but also increases the interest rate. Most federal loans are going to be around 2 to 4%, while others can be as high as 10%. This is not the best option when considering the amount you may have to pay back. However in some cases a person is not eligible for the federal college loans so they must go elsewhere. When you go elsewhere there are things you should look for. First see what interest rates are out there. You will also want to check the company you are dealing with. Do they work directly with a bank or are they a middle company? Is the loan through the state? State loans can be nice, but they can only be consolidated when you have several loans with the same place. They won’t consolidate other loans for you. Consolidating is important for locking in an interest rate and a lower monthly payment.

College loans are designed to help us. However there are scams out there and you have to double check with the company you are trying to borrow from. Remember if it seems too good to be true it usually is in the end.

Why Colleges Want Ambitious and Dynamic Students

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The college admissions process can be overwhelming for many families considering the competitive nature of admissions as well as the many variables high school students must take into account: challenging curriculum, strong essays, excellent standardized test scores (in most cases) and remarkable recommendation letters to name a few. In addition to students presenting these factors, it is essential for students to distinguish themselves and stress their additional activities. It is not the quantity of activities presented but the depth and continuity of a few activities demonstrating focus and sincere interests.

Colleges want to accept students they believe will become actively engaged on their campuses. Once students have the required grade point average and test scores, admission officers look for those items that will set a student apart and enrich their incoming classes. Colleges want students who will explore and take part in many campus activities. Their goal is to create a well-balanced class with students who have exceptional talents.

Although not everyone is a leader, it is important for students to have activities that encourage them to take on responsibilities, create new clubs and bring innovative ideas to campus. High school students may start out as a member of a club and rise to be president by the time they are seniors, for example.

Students who are active on campus tend to enjoy their college experience more with few if any reasons for transferring to another college. Colleges want to establish strong retention rates. So, they like students who remain productively engaged in campus activities. Colleges consider involved students as eventual alumni who may be potential contributors to that college.

Students should know that if their high schools do not offer the types of activities that interest them, there are countless community resources that can be researched. Remember that although grades, scores, essays and recommendations count, it’s also the student’s participation in things that the transcript does not reflect that also matter in admission decisions. Activities do not need to be directly related to the high school. Colleges want to know what students like to do in their free time. It is okay to list hobbies in which students are involved whether building computers, photography, cooking, learning magic or anything that demonstrates learning, enthusiasm, initiative and continuity.

The purpose of the activity resume is to give college officers better insight on the student, as they do want to learn as much about them as possible.

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