Cutting back on education? I think not!

A year ago the streets were decorated by shiny pennies, tossed, devalued and unwanted. Now-a-days we find ourselves digging deep into our wallets salvaging the few pennies we can find to pay for a meal. At least that's the case for the average middle class citizen, the rich on the other hand are another story.

Realistically times are hard for us all, as mentioned in an article in the NY Times, even philanthropic support is beginning to dwindle. Many scholarship organizations have seen a decrease in funds within the last few years. Efforts to use the money available wisely have resulted in cuts. Non-profit organizations that once offered 20 scholarships have cut down their numbers to as low as 12. Others have decreased the amount of money granted. All in all it is a sign of the times but I think we should all remain positive in all of this.

Yes, money is a bit tight but education should not be compromised. There are alternatives and options to all of this. There are cheaper colleges still offering a promising future. Online education is making its mark, offering class times that fit your busy schedule and prices that fit your budget. We've all made sacrifices for the sake of the extra dollar but in spite of the times I'm sure many of us have not ceased to indulge in shopping or cut back on our morning coffees. Why then should we cut down on the bigger things like a degree?

calling all COLLEGE BLOGGERS

My fellow blogzillas I come with good news! If you are a full time college student as well as a full time blogger there is now a scholarship available for you! And if you haven't started blogging there is still time to join. Grab your keyboards and blog your life away because you just might be the next $10,000 winner. Let's face it times are hard and what greater way to pay off for school by simply doing what you love. I love writing but even I know typing a college essay can take down the best of us.

And if you are not a blogger but you have a friend who is, you can nominate them! What better way to say HappyMerryNewYearChristmasBirthdayHoliduh??!!! You won't ever need to buy your friend another gift ever again! For more information on this scholarship check out ChoiceDegree

Is it all about the grades?

IF you've ever found yourself having a melt down over grades you are not alone. While I agree that grades are very important, should your college years be all about the good grades?

While I definitely agree that grades are important, many students pass up on internship opportunities fearing their grades will slip. Internships are like the second half of the deal, it goes hand-in-hand. You can have all the A's in the world, an accomplishment unto itself, but can still lose great job opportunities if you lack experience in the field of your choice. And think of it this way, if your devotion to school has paid off what makes you think that your efforts will be any less when given other responsibilities such as an internship? Obviously you are capable of doing one, why not the other? Life is full of responsibilities and learning how to manage them all is a challenge but mastering this juggling skill can only do you good and prove beneficial in the long-run.

For information on internships in your area visit the link.

More Money In Your Pocket

During these tough economic times it is so easy to get caught up in a fog of despair. As a student you may notice the rising tuition costs, the cuts on faculty staff, and the extended class sizes that force you to sit less than inches away from the next person, almost making you feel a bit claustrophobic. At times I wonder if they are desperate enough to fill rooms beyond capacity for the sake of earning an extra dime.

I came across an article recently regarding the newly signed stimulus bill. And what a relief it is to know that though health care is going down the tubes the education system will not be placed in the back burner! We are so easily discouraged by the present issues and we forget that there is a better future lying ahead. And what kind of future can we expect if our young scholars are stripped of educational opportunities due to lack of financial assistance? Our future is in our education without that we will continue to spiral into the same greedy, nonsense habits that led us here in the first place.

STIMULUS BILL <3 EDUCATION = MORE AFFORDABLE COLLEGE!

Top 10 Tips for College

So I started a discussion on blogcatalog and asked the public to name their top 5 tips for college. The responses were fascinating...I bring you the top 10 responses...



1. "BE Yourself"...something we all know but need to be reminded of once in a while

2. "BELIEVE in yourself"..if you don't who else will?

3. "Be SOCIAL"...talking can do wonders

4. "If you live in halls and want to be able to eat your food before someone steals it, you need to store it outside on your window ledge..."...whatever happened to storing food in the fridge with a massive lock?

5. "pfft ! Living on campus?- have fun! You only get this opportunity once!"...very true

6. "Check out course syllabuses online before you choose electives. Just because it sounds like a "bird course" doesn't mean it is. You'll scream when you find out there's a 40 page essay after your roommate's brother's cousin's girlfriend told you it was an easy course."...ever play that game TELEPHONE where you say a word and spread it down to the next person but by the time that word reaches your ear its gone from 'cow' to 'drag show'...this is exactly that

7. "Don't let any authority tell you that you should choose majors based on which will yield the most money once you graduate. Do what you love, not what will bring in the most money."...I like this one alot. In highschool we are made to believe that we should know what we want to be by the time we've reached college but truth is, it takes alot more than saying it to finally realize what it is you want to do in life.

8. "ReadReadReadReadDrink"...I hope he meant juice? but seriously READ, catching up on 10 chapters the night before an exam is no joke! TRUST ME I'm living it.

9. "I know MANY people, both men and women, who admit that that the things they are most ashamed of in life occurred while in college. It doesn't just have to be about sex. It can be alot of things"...I'm the type that likes to observe people and in doing this I've watched people fall into train recks over a moment of fun...be smart, be cautious...

10. AND Lastly...if you are dorming for the first time don't get too comfortable on the first day, point your bottom towards the window and aim for air...no one wants to take part in smelly experiences...


Got more tips? feel free to comment...

Too Cool for a Lefty

While most kids were sitting oblivious to the world in 5th grade, I was busy observing Jeffrey in class. Jeff was a friend of mine, he was also a lefty. And although I was your average kind of right handed girl I was fascinated by little old Jeffrey's ability to write with the hand I could barely draw a circle with! For anyone whose ever observed a few lefties you will notice that some write with their hands positioned in a claw like manner. I spend days mocking and imitating Jeffrey until I finally found myself writing like a crow except I wasn't a lefty I was still a regular old righty!!! Funny thing is I still write like that till this day and I only have myself to blame for being a copy cat.

Well I think its about time lefties get credit for their talent. For what was once considered odd is now being rewarded in the form of a scholarship. I introduce the Frederick and Mary F. Beckley "Left- Handed" Scholarship. Step aside righties its time for the lefties to spend sometime in the spot light....

Stuck on DUCK TAPE

Ever heard of the duck tape scholarship? Well its interesting to know that while I was fussing over the perfect hand made dress there were fashionistas out there using a common household item for 'chic' gear. Yes ladies and gentlemen I'm talking about tape, the sticky, grey colored mess used to ship packages!! Although I admire the creative eye how do you deal with the sticky aftermath? I guess the real question is can you pull it off?

Check out this site for more information...http://www.choicedegree.com/Page.aspx?id=525