What is the trouble with college tuition? Ask any parent and they will say, “it’s too high!” This infographic breaks it down and shows how it has increased over the years and what that means for the average college student. Click on the graphic below and see the entire infograhic.
If you have a teen heading off to college in the fall, these upcoming weeks are a great time to get ready for college: like purchasing books and dorm room furniture and supplies to be ready for the first day of class. And hopefully, many students received some of these supplies as graduation gifts. One of the most necessary items to have before stepping foot on campus in the fall is a laptop. Laptops offer supreme portability and efficiency, aspects which make them an essential item for all college students.
And parents, laptops have far more uses for your children than checking Facebook every ten minutes and playing online games. With a laptop, students can easily and more effectively take notes during class and Skype their parents to tell them face-to-face how school’s going. But there are so many laptops to choose from–how do you decide?
Fortunately, Parents Countdown to College Coach has a laptop comparison tool, powered by FindTheBest, that enables parents and their children to narrow down the best laptops for their needs and preferences. With the widget below, you can sort through hundreds of laptops by price, display size, battery life, and Smart Rating (a single rating based on technical specifications and review scores from expert sources). Also, if you want to narrow down the list, just filter the search by price range, display, battery life, and storage range, and also laptop type. If and when you find the laptop that best fits your child’s needs (and your budget!), you can purchase it directly from Amazon, and it will be at your doorstep in a week or less.
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Also, a crucial accessory to have for laptops in college are headphones. Whether your child wants to listen to music while he’s in the library, or he needs to watch a documentary for class while his roommate is asleep, this item comes in handy very often. Like laptops, determining which earphones are right for them is a difficult process. Check out the widget below to find and purchase the right headphones for your kids!
[findthebest container_style=”width:520px;margin:0 auto;” width=”520″ height=”400″ style=”vertical-align:top;” src=”http://head-phones.findthebest.com/w/srp?new=2&w=520&h=400&filter_by=Price&amazon_id=parecountocol-20″ after_style=”text-align:center;” link_href=”http://head-phones.findthebest.com” link_style=”font:10px/14px arial;color:#3d3d3d;” link_text=”Compare Headphones”]
With American college tuition rising and families feeling the economic pinch, universities in Canada are becoming more and more appealing. Graduating with student loan debt is forcing students to look north to Canada for a more affordable education. That’s right–Canada!
According to the Institute for College Access and Success, the number of U.S. students at Canadian colleges rose 50 percent in a decade, and now about 10,000 Americans attend Canadian colleges. The institute reports that graduates from an American university can expect, on average, to carry more than $26,000 in debt; and 9 percent of those graduates default on student loans within two years.
Compared to American universities, Canadian colleges clearly offer a better bargain (costs for one year of tuition):
The overall costs are significantly lower with the added benefit of American students allowed to use college savings plans and U.S. student loans. Many universities also offer scholarships as well.
Continue reading Oh Canada–heading north for affordable college
Here’s a current comprehensive list of my picks for college info websites. Do you have any additional suggestions?
ParentingforCollege.com–You will find the MOST information ere olege news. Come here first to find the latest and bhest tools to hn our blog: college guidance, college planning, college coaching, and colelp you navigate the college maze.
TheCollegeSolutionBlog.com–An excellent resource for college-bound teens and their parents: admissions, testing, and financial aid.
UniversityLanguage.com/blog–Great blog articles about everything related to college admissions geared toward students.
GreatCollegeAdvice.com/blog–An excellent resource about the college admissions process providing expert advice helping students map their college journey.
USNews.com/Education–The education channel of U.S. News and World Reports providing the latest news and information related to college.
CollegeBasics.com–An excellent resource for information about college essays, college applications and high school resumes.
InsideHigherEd.com/blogs–Several different blogs related to higher education.
CollegeAdmissionsPartners.com/blog–An expert blog dedicated to helping students find the right college.
CollegeFocus.com/colleges–A virtual clearinghouse of blogs related to college life, parenting, college searches, etc.
Road2College.com–You can find just about any topic related to college prep at this site: financial aid, college planning, student loans, test prep, and more.
UniversityParent.com–A site where parents can ask questions, gather information, and download and view college guides and campus newsletters.
CollegeParentCentral.com–A blog created to give parents useful information about college and the college admissions process.
YourCollegeKid.com–A site with parent forums and other college prep tools.
CollegiateParent.com-A site dedicated to providing parents with information for their college students.
Fafsa.ed.gov–The official government website for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
SallieMae.com/plan–A FREE education investment planner that will help determine college costs, compare college costs, and provides information about student loan repayments.
SavingForCollege.com–Everything you need to know about financing a college education.
FinAid.org–An excellent resource for the answers to all your questions regarding college financial aid.
CollegeFinancialAidAdvisors.com–Help with the college financial aid process.
Chegg.com–A free service for students and parents where students can showcase themselves, connect with colleges, and search for scholarships.
Cappex.com–The place to go to find merit scholarships and academic scholarships from colleges across the country.
Scholarships.com–An extensive scholarship search engine that helps you search and schedule alerts for deadlines.
How2winscholarships.com–A guide for parents and students on how to effectively apply to and win scholarships.
SmartCollegeVisit.com–Created to provide information about college visits, help parents and students plan, and view personal accounts from both parents and students.
CollegeWeekLive.com–A virtual college fair that sponsors free LIVE events with archived presentations, student chats, and college booths.
Cappex.com–A site created for students to help them simplify their college search, create a profile and search for scholarships.
CommonApp.org–The common application site used by 400 colleges and universities across the country.
PrincetonReview.com–The best value colleges list for public and private institutions across the country.
UPromise.com–UPromise partners return a portion of eligible purchase money back to you. Those earnings accumulate in your Upromise account until you decide to use it to invest in a 529 plan, help pay down eligible student loans or assist with college expenses—all tax-free!
CollegeBoard.com–It’s here you’ll find the CSS Profile application (required by many private colleges), register for the SAT, and read articles about planning for college.
CollegeXpress.com–A search site that groups colleges in categories and provides college “hot” lists (i.e. top college for late bloomers, colleges for students needing a second chance)
VolunteerMatch.org–Find local volunteer opportunities for your college-bound teen and teach them about the importance of giving back to their community with the added bonus of adding that service to their high school resume.
KnowHow2Go.com–A college planning site for college-bound students providing helps and aids from middle school to senior year: interactive and fun!
BigFuture.collegeboard.org–A planning tool to help parents and students get ready for college.
TutorsForTestPrep.com–An SAT expert and coach offering tips to help your college-bound teen improve their SAT/ACT scores.
FairTest.org–The site for the National Center for fair and open testing providing information about colleges who do not use the SAT/ACT for admissions decisions.
QuincyTutoring.com–A resource to find a tutor and schedule a tutoring session.
LaunchpadEducation.com–Tutoring to help students with learning disabilities and ADHD.
ECampus.com—Find textbooks, sell textbooks, search for college supplies and college apparel all on this one site.
Chegg.com–A hub for students to compare textbook prices, study for exams, and choose the right courses.
NCSASports.org–The college recruiting site for athletes.
BeRecruited.com–If you have a teen that’s a student athlete, they can create an online profile here and help colleges and coaches find them and be recruited.
The May 1st college deadline is quickly approaching and parents and students are making decisions about financial aid packages. Most likely, those packages will include some form of student loans–either Stafford or Perkins. Colleges also provide parents and students with private loan options to supplement the government aid when necessary.
No one wants to graduate from college loaded with debt, yet 60 percent of college students and their families borrow money each year to cover ever-rising tuition and fees, according to American Student Assistance. That’s because the average private college charges close to $40,000 a year for tuition, fees, room and board, while state universities average just over $17,000 a year. Out-of-state students at public four-year schools fall halfway between those costs, averaging just under $30,000 for the 2011-2012 school year, cited US News & World Report.
Financial aid — merit-based and need-based scholarships, grants, work-study programs and loans — has become a reality for the majority of college students.
The process of finding aid begins with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine expected family contribution (EFC) based on family income and expenses. There are 63 universities in the U.S. that claim to meet 100 percent of students’ financial need, as determined by the FAFSA. The cold hard truth is that the majority of students don’t attend these colleges and will need some form of financial aid.
While working through the process of acquiring funding for college, remain mindful of identity protection. Your soon-to-be college student can be especially vulnerable to identity theft because his or her personal data is easily accessible through grade postings, credit card applications and online transactions, according to the Dept. of Education.
Here are some ways to protect the identity of your student:
When your child graduates, the payoff amount on the loan may seem crushing. But your child has options: student loans, especially those connected to postgraduate professional education, sometimes can be paid off through public service. In 2007, Congress created the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to encourage individuals to work full-time in public service jobs. Borrowers who have made at least 120 payments on eligible federal student loans may qualify for forgiveness of the remaining balance while employed full-time by certain public service employers, according to StudentAid.gov.
If public service isn’t an option, loan repayments can be accomplished more easily by paying off private student loans before paying off federal loans.
Only borrow what you can afford to repay. There are numerous sites that provide student loan repayment calculators. Know your options before you borrow and educate yourself on student loan repayment. Research salaries for your career choice and always estimate using entry-level figures.
College students that don’t work probably don’t need to file taxes, especially since most student loans are considered to be non-taxable (provided they are used for qualified education expenses) rather than income. And yet, there are a few reasons why college students may want to file an income tax return, mainly as a way to see some money back thanks to deductions. Of course, students that have a job (part- or full-time) will certainly want to file. But either way it’s important that they know which deductions may be used without raising red flags. And as a parent you can not only help to ensure that your students receive all the money they’re due, but you may also want to look into deductions that you can take in relation to college expenses for your kids. Both students and parents can save when college is a household expense. And here are a few helpful tips to help parents determine tax deductions for college students.
The first deduction that students should know about is the American Opportunity Tax Credit. It is available only to students that have less than four years of school under their belt, that enroll in one or more semesters of school within a tax year, and that maintain half-time status or better in a degree or credential program. It is available to eligible students for each year that they meet the criteria of the credit, and students may claim up to the first $2,000 of applicable expenses (tuition, books, equipment, etc.), as well as 25% of additional expenses (up to a total claim of $2,500 for a tax year). Similar to this is the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit, which allows students to claim 20% of qualified college expenses, up to $10,000, leading to a credit of $2,000. However, these two credits may not be claimed in the same year, so any students eligible for the American Opportunity Tax Credit should use it since the deductible amount is higher.
Students that find they are not eligible for the credits listed above (due to the number of years in school, the amount of money they or their parents earn, or felony convictions, just for example) may instead choose to deduct any tuition and fees they pay out of pocket, up to $4,000. Since this tax break is slated for termination at the end of 2013, now is the time to use it. In addition, any students that have started to pay back their college loans may deduct up to $2,500 in interest payments. Again, these types of deductions cannot be combined with others of the same type, so students need to consider each carefully before deciding which will be most beneficial.
As for parents, they may also claim any of the deductions listed above provided they are making applicable payments on behalf of dependent students. This, of course, can get a little complicated when it comes to the interest payments on student loans. In general, parents should expect that they will not be able to claim this last one for loans that are in the student’s name, even if they’re paying off the debt. It’s no surprise that federal income tax forms are complicated, and any time finances are co-mingled, as with parents paying for student expenses, claiming deductions can be tricky. You need only call the IRS or contact your tax prep specialist to ensure that you and your student get all the deductions you’re due.
When you send your kids off to college you’ll start to worry about all manner of things. Will kids stick to their schedule, attending class and getting their homework done in a timely manner, or will they fall in with a party crowd and neglect their studies in favor of social pursuits? Will they get enough sleep and pay attention to their physical and mental health? Will they use proper protection (condoms, for example, or pepper spray, should the situation call for it)? Will they employ a buddy system at parties, designate a sober driver, and avoid open containers of alcohol? These are all questions that plague parents sending their kids off to campus. But you also have monetary concerns to contend with, and these include tuition, books, and living expenses. So while you may be concerned about your kids’ eating habits on campus, the meal plan could seem like just one more expense. The question is whether or not the college meal plan is worth the purchase price.
The first thing to consider is that there are usually a couple of different options when it comes to meal plans. One type will provide students with a set number of meals in a week (ten, for example) while others provide for a set number of meals per semester. Or you may have access to a flex plan or a declining dollar plan that simply allows you to put a set number of meals or money on a student account that your kids can use at any time during the semester.
However, you should be aware that most meal plans are of the “use it or lose it” variety. This means any money you put towards meals for your kids will not carry over from one semester to the next. And often, the plans that come with a specific set of meals per week won’t even carry over from one week to the next. They may come with other limits, as well, pertaining to how often meals can be purchased within certain time spans, so that your kids can’t use their accounts to buy a meal for themselves and their friends, for example.
Now, the real question is whether or not you’ll save money by opting to pay for a meal plan. If your students have little to no disposable income and you are unwilling to provide them with cash or access to credit cards, then a meal plan is probably a good way to ensure that they are able to eat during their time on campus. So long as they use all of their credits you will likely save money over other dining-out options. However, if you know that they are likely to dine out with friends, allowing their meal plan to lapse, then you’re simply throwing money away. Flex-type accounts may allow students to purchase items other than meals, such as snacks or other grocery items (laundry detergent, for example), so this could be a good option to ensure that all the money you contribute to the account is used.
Many college students who purchase the meal plan rarely use it. Students snack in their rooms, skip meals and often go out with friends. If your kids aren’t interested in on-campus food options, or they’d rather try to do dorm cooking with the help of menu planning at emeals.com, then perhaps you’ll want to skip the campus meal plan. Just keep in mind that many schools require meal plans for students living in dorms, in which case you’d better impress upon your kids the importance of taking advantage of these “free” meals.
As a parent, you are probably willing to go to great lengths to ensure that your kids make it to (and through) college. You have no doubt tried hard to instill in them an understanding of the different options available to them should they complete a degree. And if you’re like most parents, you’ve likely been contributing to a college fund and you plan to help support your kids during their time in college. But even so, you simply might not have the money on hand to cover all the bills. Between tuition, books, a dorm, and other living expenses, you’re basically supporting two households–a tall order for any parent. So your children might have to take out loans, get a job, and find a few other creative ways to get the money required to pay for their education.
Here are five creative ways to finance a college education:
Random strangers probably aren’t going to help your kids pay for tuition and books. But their loved ones might be willing to kick in, especially if they stand to see a return on their investment. The way crowdsourcing generally works is that a business presents an idea to the public, which then decides if it will move forward via their donations (talk about putting your money where your mouth is). In return, those that donate may get free product, swag, or even cash back with interest (like a loan) when the idea comes to fruition (and to market). Your kids could make the same deal with aunts and uncles, grandparents, and so on. The real upside is that they’ll likely get better interest rates and more lenient terms all around than banks might offer.
Many kids apply for scholarships offered by their school and by outside organizations, but many forget that they can also apply for grant money (like the Pell grant) as a way to get additional funds for their schooling. These offerings are generally need-based, so your earnings could play a role in whether or not kids are able to get grants. But it’s definitely worth a try since they do not require repayment.
Most families don’t realize that millions of dollars in scholarship money goes unused every year simply because students aren’t doing their homework to find available funds that they qualify for. Although your kids may be busy with their studies, they won’t be for long if they can’t pay their tuition. So encourage them to sign up for sites like Fastweb, Zinch, and Scholarships.com. If they apply for just one scholarship each week their odds of winning greatly improve.
There are so many ways for students to save money that they have no one to blame but themselves if they’re paying full price for anything. Textbooks, for example, can be purchased at a discount online (on sites like Chegg, PhatCampus, and so on) or even rented for a semester at a fraction of the cost of new (at BookRenter, eCampus, etc.). They can get numerous discounts using their student I.D., as well; all they have to do is ask to get deals on travel, entertainment, and food. This won’t exactly allow them to earn more money, but it can definitely help them to save some and put it towards college expenses.
Suppose you have received structured settlements. You might want to consider selling the structured settlement for a lump sum (there are companies that buy them) as a way to send your kids to college. Yes, you will lose some money in the long run, but if you’re able to avoid student loan payments (and the interest that comes with them) it may just even out.
Get creative with college funding, especially with money that won’t have to be paid back. Don’t, however, use 401K money to finance college. It’s a poor financial decision and compromises plans for your future.
Whether you are a college student or just a book lover, you may wonder where you can shop for books for as little money as possible. You can still find physical books as well as ebooks for a fraction of the cost. In some cases, you can also find books for free if you know where to look. In either case, remember to look for local outlets as well as online ones in order to find the best bargains.
Online outlets have been very good for the used book market and for finding rare or hard to find books. Retailers like Amazon.com allow anyone including professional sellers and private owners to put their books on the market. Sometimes this type of market is very competitive and some book owners are simply looking to get rid of unwanted items, so they will set prices very low in order to ensure a sale.
Of course, there are also other online outlets like Abebooks. Brick and mortar bookstores such as Barnes & Noble have also gotten into the used book market, so it is possible to find books through major retailers as well. Furthermore, you just may look at online book clubs such as those that offer early paperback editions of books in order to find newer books at a lower price.
Supporting local booksellers has always been very important. Many online stores have extensive used book sections. Many of them also specialize in offering discount books, so it is possible to find many selections at only a fraction of the cost. Larger chains may also occasionally have clearance sales when it is time to make room for new inventory, so it helps to keep an eye out for the sales and specials that occur throughout the year.
Libraries also tend to have sales in order to clear out books that may no longer see much circulation. These sales are usually fundraisers, so buying books from libraries helps to keep them open. In some cases, libraries may offer bags of books at a set price. Like online outlets, libraries sometimes have books that are rare or out of print, so you just may find a treasure when libraries have their sales.
You may not have considered garage and yard sales as a place to find discount books, but just as many people can find unexpected treasures, book lovers may also find books at a yard sale. Yard sales can be an exciting way to find very inexpensive books because you never know what will be available. However, many people are willing to let go of books for less than $1 each.
You can also find out if there are any local outlets that will allow you to swap books for free. Sometimes libraries offer book swaps. Local residents may also organize their own swap or you may initiate an event yourself. You may also find book swaps and exchanges online as well. Typically, members of these sites will offer books they no longer want or need in exchange for books in which they are interested.
Little free libraries have been growing across the country in recent years. These are simply independently owned outlets that may be outside a business or private residence where anyone can leave and take books and other media at will. You do not have to leave a book in order to take one and there is no limit to what you will find. In fact, in addition to rare selections, you may also luck out and find a current bestseller for free.
Author Bio
Ryan Ayers is a writer and blogger who creates articles relating to education. In this article, he offers a few financial tips for students buying books and aims to encourage further study through online masters in education programs.
How much is the average American spending on higher education? More than you might expect. This infographic goes beyond tuition and offers a comprehensive breakdown of the real costs of college, as well as what goes into financing a degree, including the realities of student loan debt. What is the true cost of college?
These are just a few statistics that emphasize how important it is to understand all the expenses of college and identify potential funding opportunities while budgeting for higher education. The full infographic can be seen at VarsityTutors.com.
