All tagged college

College is Expensive: Stop Skipping Classes

College is Expensive: Stop Skipping Classes

Elaine Gamolo
College Series

The cost of skipping class goes beyond that of “Oh I missed the lesson for today, I’ll catch up eventually”. It’s a financial cost. Every time you skip a class, you waste money.

Each class has an individual cost and when you don’t show up you are wasting your money. If you are taking out loans, you’ve basically taken out a very expensive loan to sleep in or play video games. There’s a trade-off to everything so think about your future self and what they’ll have to pay off when you skip class and not take advantage of the learning and networking opportunities before you.

The College Series: 9 Ways to Reduce Student Loan Debt

The College Series: 9 Ways to Reduce Student Loan Debt

Catherine Agopcan
Alternative Lifestyle, College Series, Financial Education, Financial Basics

Give a man an education and he will build a new world, but give a man a loan and you can own that man forever.

It’s been 10 years since I graduated from grad school. I still proudly hang up my diploma because it put me on a better path for my career and my income. It was also FREE. No loans, no debt, no soul to be sold. With that, I thought I might offer some ways to help reduce debt if you are a college student or have a child that is about to head to college.

How To Use A 529 Plan If Your Child Doesn't Go To College

How To Use A 529 Plan If Your Child Doesn't Go To College

Catherine Agopcan
Kids and Money, Mommy Money, College Series, Financial Basics, Financial Education

One of the big questions that many parents ask when it comes to funding a 529 Plan is, what happens to the funds if my child doesn't end up going to college? So imagine all of these years, you’ve been saving for college. Family and friends have contributed to the account. The account has grown thanks in part to your early saving and the stock market growth. Then the time comes for your child to go to college, but they end up not needing the funds for a host of many reasons. One may be that they have received a full scholarship and have no need for the funds, or they’ve decided not to pursue the traditional 4-year university route and instead go to trade school, or they’ve decided to take a break from school so that they can figure out what they really want to do. The good news across all of these scenarios is that you don’t have to forfeit any of the funds in the 529 Account.

The College Series: Setting Yourself Up For Internship Success

The College Series: Setting Yourself Up For Internship Success

Elaine Gamolo
Professional Development, College Series

The expert in anything was once an unpaid intern.

It’s the beginning of the spring semester and you realize that you’re going to have to face the realities of the real world in five months or so. It’s prime internship-searching season. You’ve googled “interview questions” dozens of times and are already anxious for your school’s career fair. This isn’t an article asking you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, nor is it a guide on what to look for in a company, but rather things to consider to ensure a more successful job searching experience. Whether you’re applying for summer internships or an internship over the school year, it’s important to think ahead and cover your bases when it comes to the internship applying process.

The College Series - Back-to-School Prep with Financial Independence in Mind

The College Series - Back-to-School Prep with Financial Independence in Mind

Elaine Gamolo
College Series

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."

It’s that time of year...the Sunday of Summer. In the blink of an eye, your days of vacationing, interning, or working elsewhere become days of mental and physical preparations for back to school. August rears its head a lot faster than expected and you scramble to pack for move-in or buy books for classes. Across the country, students just like you are trying their best to get through back to school season and trying not to break the bank (or your parents’). Broke college students seem to be the norm, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Whether you already started classes or will begin in September, here are some helpful tips to get you in the money-saving mindset for back to school!

The College Series: 10 Tips when Applying for Scholarships

The College Series: 10 Tips when Applying for Scholarships

Elaine Gamolo
College Series

Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, you should always look for new scholarship opportunities. There is a world of free money opportunities for all stages of the student. If you’re an incoming freshman or transferring to a new school, don’t just settle for your scholarship package as your only means of financial/scholarship assistance. Just because you are graduating soon, doesn’t mean there aren’t scholarships out there for you to help with your post-grad debt. If you’re anywhere in between, trying is better than nothing at all! Here are 10 tips when applying for scholarships.

The College Series: 15 Free Things to Take Advantage of in College

The College Series: 15 Free Things to Take Advantage of in College

Elaine Gamolo
College Series, Alternative Lifestyle

It’s never too late to take advantage of free things in college. Whether you’re reading this as an incoming student, an undergraduate, or masters student, be on the lookout for freebies that are both physical and digital. Free things are all around, but it’s up to you to pursue them.

To be fair, are these things really “free”? Your tuition is paying for something.

Book Review and Summary: It's the Student, Not the College by Kristin White

Book Review and Summary: It's the Student, Not the College by Kristin White

Catherine Agopcan
Financial Books, College Series

"No man should escape our universities without knowing how little he knows."

This month’s book is all about college since October is FAFSA month. This book, It’s the Student, Not the College, by Kristin M. White, an educational consultant is a well-thought out book on the realities of college, of the college admission process, the future of college and what students should do in order to fully become successful in college and all future endeavors. I’ll break down a few of the sections to give you a sense of what’s in it, but for $10, this book will probably be the best investment you will make for yourself and your child.