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Tax Recommendations for College Students

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you are the average college student, then there is a pretty good chance that you are not a billionaire, and money is precious to you. If you have a college job, you will most likely find yourself in the lowest tax bracket. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The good news is that there is a good chance that you can get some money back from your taxes after you file your tax return. For the most updated information on your taxes and filing, go to the IRS website.

Set aside a weekend to draft your taxes, using a pencil. Even if you plan to file online, working on paper first offers you the opportunity to play with numbers and maximize your return. You won’t need to spend the entire weekend filling out forms, but allowing a whole weekend for the task can ward off unnecessary stress. As you fill out the forms, you will notice that there are sections where you can list deductions. Keep in mind the fact that you can receive credits for student loan interest. It’s also to your advantage if you can claim any dependents. If your parents pay for over 50% of your expenses then they can claim you, but if you are a student who has children that you can list as dependents, you can receive dependent tax deductions in addition to your credits for the student loan interest.

Get tax tips from experts through online blogs as well as tax websites and tax software. Students can also frequently find tax advice right on campus. Many colleges with accounting majors offer free tax preparation help to help their majors get real-life experience. If you go this route, avoid waiting until the last minute when you might experience long waiting periods. If your college doesn’t advertise free tax help, go to the business department and inquire about the best places to find tax advice.

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Minnesota Post-Secondary Enrollment Options

February 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In the state of Minnesota high school students have the opportunity to participate in the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program. This program allows high school students the option of taking college courses for high school and college credit.

This program is offered through the state of Minnesota, and nearly every public high school in Minnesota earns credits through the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options program. Through the PSEO program students are able to take college courses at an approved Minnesota college or university, through college or university online courses, or through a program in which the courses are offered at many of the public high schools. When the PSEO courses are offered through the high school these courses are referred to as “concurrent enrollment courses.”

To ensure success the Minnesota State College and University system has set several standards for admission into the PSEO program. Students must be a junior or senior in a public high school. Juniors must be in the top one-third of their graduation class or score above the seventieth percentile in a national standardized exam such as the SAT or ACT. Seniors must be in the top one-half of their graduating class and have scored above the fiftieth percentile in a national standardized test such as the SAT or ACT. Students are able to provide additional information and/or documentation to show their readiness to participate in this program.

Under the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options program all tuition, fees, and text books are paid for by the program. Other supplies required for class such as art supplies, film, or other consumable supplies may also be provided by the program. However, general supplies such as notebooks, pencils, pens, calculators, instrumental rentals, uniforms, etc. are not covered and are the student’s responsibility. If a student chooses to participate in on-campus housing this cost must be covered by the student, as it is not a PSEO covered expense.

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A Good Job Requires a Good Resume

February 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The difference between getting invited for an interview for that good job and hearing nothing at all is a good resume. Your resume is your introduction to a company, and everyone knows how important first impressions are. While cover letters are usually required, it is the resume that employers use when compiling a list of potential candidates.

Additionally, many large employers use computer filtering software that is programmed to search uploaded resumes for certain keywords. Thus, it is essential to have a well crafted resume.

Basic Tips

The basic goal of a resume is to clearly detail what you have accomplished, as well as what you can do for the employer. It is important to use strong action verbs that highlight the successful results of your hard work in previous positions. It is equally imperative that you avoid any filler. Since hiring managers spend only a few minutes at most on each resume, it needs to be easily readable with clear and concise bullet points.

Using Clues

A good resume should be specifically tailored for each job opening. When trying to decipher which career points or skills to highlight scour the job description for clues. Compare its responsibilities to what you’ve previously done, and concentrate on areas you would be an asset. Be sure that certain nouns like required computer programs are on your resume.

Professional Help

Writing a good resume is almost an art form. You must tap your inner marketing pro. However, to really get the most out of your resume, you can hire the services of real professionals that specialize in resume writing. They can point out your resume’s strengths and weaknesses and teach you the tricks of the trade. What sets resume services apart is the unparalleled access to HR professionals that provide inside knowledge of what companies are looking for.

Once you have a good resume, you can get a good job.

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Wisconsin Youth Options Program

January 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Wisconsin Youth Options program allows juniors and seniors of public high schools to take approved courses from an approved college or university that counts towards high school and college credits. This program gives motivated students the opportunity to start their college career early or even complete a technical or college degree by the time they graduate from high school. This can allow many high school students to be prepared to enter the workforce directly out of high school with a career!

When participating in the Youth Options program in Wisconsin, students do not pay for the college courses that are approved by the school board. These courses must not be offered through the public high school and must meet certain criteria to qualify. If the course that the student wishes to take is approved by the school board, the student will receive high school credit as well as college credit for successful completion of the course.

The amount of credits allowed, criteria, and approved courses are determined by each individual school district and school board. However, school boards may not set the number of credits allowed below 18 credits during the two years of high school that a student is eligible for Youth Options. It is up to the discretion of each school district if they would prefer to set the limit higher or not set a limit. The post-secondary institution that a student is planning to attend may limit the number of credits a student is allowed to take per semester, although the school district may not set their own limits.

This program is only offered to high achieving students. Students who are in the top quarter of their graduating class, are involved in extra curricular activities, and show a great desire for furthering their education are usually the best candidates for the Youth Options program. Although some people may feel that this option pushes youth to grow up too fast, others feel it is an excellent opportunity to develop independence and responsibility.

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Navigating Online Schooling

January 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

You can find the right online school, but the process is sometimes stressful. That doesn’t mean you can’t do it, but only that you’ll need to put in some effort to ensure that you find what you’re really looking for. Too many people just choose the first online school that they find, and they don’t go any further than that. They don’t always have a good experience that way, although some of them do. If you’re going to put a lot of time and effort into getting an education online, you want to make sure that you are working with the right school and learning what you need to know in order to be successful.

There are several ways in which you can navigate through the waters of online schools. You should research them, talk to people who have attended them to see what their experiences were like, and discuss your concerns and ideas with trusted family members and friends. You might want to talk it over with your parents if you’re young, but this might not be as much of a priority for older learners. You’ll have to budget time and money, but it’s well worth it when you realize that a degreed person generally makes around one million dollars more than a non-degreed person in his or her lifetime. Of course, what kind of degree you have will make a lot of difference, too.

You wouldn’t be expected to make six figures with an associate’s degree, but you may well be able to do so with an MBA. What matters most when choosing an online school through a site like earnmydegree.com isn’t the money that you’ll make but the joy that you’ll receive and the value that you’ll be getting when it comes to following your own career path.

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Finding the Right Graduate Program

January 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A graduate school would be a school offering higher education degrees such as a Master’s Degree or Ph.D. for example. There are many options for graduate programs in the Midwest. Most universities offer a variety of graduate courses ranging from African Studies to Zoology.

Graduate programs are a little more difficult to get into than under-graduate programs. To qualify for most graduate programs you need to have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher throughout your under-graduate studies. You need to hold a current Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited school. There may also be additional requirements that must be met for the individual program you are looking at entering.

Graduate programs can be difficult to get into depending on the program you are looking at. Some only accept a handful of students per year, which makes entry very competitive. It may be beneficial, then, to apply to several different graduate programs in the area of expertise that you are looking at entering into. By applying to as many programs as possible you will be increasing your chances of being accepted into one.

Research the graduate programs offered through the colleges and universities that you are hoping to attend ahead of time. Find out the requirements that they have to get into their graduate programs and make certain that you do what is expected to meet those requirements. Working hard to keep your grades high and ensure that your work is the best it can be will also go far in helping you to attain a position in the graduate program of your choice.

There are now many graduate programs being offered online as well. It is important to thoroughly research any schools you are planning to attend to ensure that they are a fully accredited school. This will help to ensure job placement success in the future. Although some people find that online school can be difficult, others find it is the best option for them.

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Finding the Right Under-Graduate Program

January 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Finding the right under-graduate program can sometimes be a little overwhelming. An under-graduate program refers simply to someone who has not received a degree yet. Therefore, when you are starting out you need to be considering your ultimate goals. Are you planning to pursue a higher degree such as a Master’s or a Ph.D. in your chosen field at some point in the future? If so, you will want to ensure that the school you choose now will be compatible with the school you are planning to attend at a later time.

Many universities offer both under-graduate and graduate programs through the same school or university system. This allows for a coordination of courses to ensure that your under-graduate studies will be accepted when you apply for your graduate courses. If, however, your local university does not offer graduate programs in the area you are pursuing or you have a specific graduate school in mind, you will want to contact your future graduate school(s) of choice and determine what under-graduate school credits they will accept for your chosen degree.

You may be considering an online school for your under-graduate studies. You need to ensure that the school you choose is an accredited institution and that your coursework will transfer to whatever graduate school you choose to attend in the future. Again, you may want to look into whether or not the school you have chosen for your under-graduate studies offers a graduate program in your chosen field of study. This would help to ensure that the work you have put into your under-graduate studies will transfer to your future graduate studies.

Determining ahead of time what will be accepted and what will not be accepted, can help you to determine the school to attend and the courses to study. Taking the additional time and effort to research your options can save you a lot of money, time, and frustration in the future.

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Tips to Pay for a College Education

December 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Photograph of McNutt Hall at the campus of Dar...
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Tuition for college is going up by six percent each year. The ability for a student to attend college depends heavily upon the ability to secure financial aid. Each college has their own admission procedures and ways that they determine who receives institutional financial aid. There are some tips you can utilize when trying to secure financial aid for college admission.
First, start early on trying to secure financial aid for college admission. Most parents and students focus on writing essays and making good grades for years. Very few focus on how to pay for college until late in the process. Getting started early on the search will increase your chances.
Determine your Expected Family Contribution. This is as important as the score your child made on their SAT. College admissions and the related financial aid is an alphabet soup that you must learn. The EFC is the magical number that determines how much need based aid your child is able to secure. Federal grants and subsidized student loans, including work study is based on the EFC number. Determine the Expected Family Contribution early and subtract this number from the cost of attendance. Even if the EFC is higher than the costs of the college that your child wants to attend, apply for assistance anyway and allow the admissions office and student services office determine if your family should receive financial aid or not. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances that may attribute to your need that is not considered on the student aid form. Be sure to let the college know.
There are EFC calculators available online that can help determine the level of financial aid your child may be able to secure to help pay for their college education. Each situation is different if your child wants to attend a college that is high in tuition, do not take it off the list. Simply work to find additional ways to fund the experience.

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Complicated Fiancial Aid Applications Can Help Families who Persevere

December 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment
United States Department of Education
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College admissions can become burdensome and seem pointless if your family does not have the funds already secured for attendance. However, go ahead and get your applications for admission ready and focus on the financial aid packages and scholarships at the same time.
Be ready for complicated financial aid forms from some colleges. Take your time to complete these because they could be to your advantage. The more complicated the process, the fewer people who will complete the entire package. This reduces the numbers of your competitors. The basic application called the FAFSA is quite simple and is the basis for many other applications. The entire FAFSA will take less than an hour to complete. This one hour of work can save your family thousands of dollars off of your costs of your chosen university attendance.
Try to remain calm and do be paranoid. Financial aid forms ask for a lot of personal information but they do not send it to a secret agency that is keeping tabs on you. You don’t have to worry about the government coming to your home to investigate. The United States Department of Education holds the information provided and uses this to determine how much your family is expected to contribute to your education. Don’t let paranoia and government conspiracies keep you from applying for a chance to save thousands of dollars.
Be sure to meet all deadlines for application, you don’t want to be disqualified due to a technicality such as a late application. Also the financial aid will likely come in a package of aid. The grants, gifts, loans and scholarships will be added together and presented to you as a package or as a unit. Each college that you apply to will develop a proposed package for you to review and choose between. Use these as a determining factor when you begin to narrow your search and make a final decision about which college to attend.

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3 Tips for Writing the College Application Essay

December 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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The college application can be intimidating when you find out that you must write an essay to secure admission. The college will likely set forth the topic for you to write about. This can be anything from a request for your biography to an essay about the prospective college. Some colleges can even ask for an essay about a formative moment or a political issue. Most students fear and dread the process of writing an essay to the college of their choice.
There are some tips that can help you ace the essay portion of your college admissions application.
The first tip is perhaps the most important-be concise. Most applications have a strict word requirement that can make the essay even more difficult to write. Some are as few as 250 words. This means the student must be very concise in order to address the topic thoroughly with this limited word count. Admissions officers have hundreds of applications to read each day. They do not want to read an essay that extends beyond 700 words. This will immediately put you at a disadvantage because the essay may not even be read.
Honesty is the best policy when writing your biography essay. Never embellish the achievements, activities or other accomplishments. Never stretch your title, if you were the editor do not say you were the president. This will allow you to talk about what you are good at without inflating egos. Be proud of your accomplishments and put them forth.
Avoid trying to sound like other essays. A person comfortable being his or her own individual will be more appealing to an admissions officer than a cookie cutter essay. Ask yourself what sets you apart from other applicants. This answer is usually not your high school achievements; many other applicants have these same achievements. The traits that set you apart are how you think and your outlook on life.

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