AnneOnCollege.net

Join the fun, post what you learned this week, and link up below. The code for the image is located in my sidebar. All I ask is you link back to this post. Oh, and make sure you link to your post and not your blog in general, okay?

The final week of my Money and Banking class was about economic factors and the interest rate target. Not unlike our current predicament, the example mentioned a slumping economy, high unemployment, and the threat of inflation on the horizon. We were to decipher this information and decide whether the target interest rate should be lowered or raised. Here is my response:

This reminds me of a level. We move it a little up and then a little down trying to get the bubble to be in just the right spot, to be level. When the economy slumps the central bank steps in and makes its adjustments in an attempt to inch up the economy. The problem with making an economic adjustment is that the effect of today’s adjustment will not be fully felt for up to twelve months. This [is discussed on page 448 and] is called the transmission lag. So, unlike our level where we see an immediate fix, any change inflicted by the central bank will take some time and will need to consider its future effect.

Inflation is generally thought of as a dirty word, but inflation on a smaller scale can be a good thing. The central bank should look at lowering the nominal interest rate to foster economic growth, stimulate employment, and be mindful of this as the threat of inflation looms on the horizon. The goal is that leveling effect with minor adjustments to correct the balance.

While this was not completely foreign to me, it does clarify a lot. As much as we would like for everything to be all better with a little bailout here and a lot of bailout there it does not seem to work quite that simply. Furthermore, if we make too sharp of an adjustment we will be forever trying to find balance, but actually become more and more unbalanced.

What have you learned this week? Grab the button from my sidebar, then add a link to your post below using MckLinky. Not sure how to link up? Leave a comment or send me an email (or both) and I will happily walk you through it.

I love getting these emails telling me the top paying degrees. As if that will really matter to me if it is not something of interest to me. I know they are just trying to be helpful, but be helpful to whom? and at what cost?


1. Chemical Engineering ($59,218)
2. Electrical Engineering ($55,333)
3. Mechanical Engineering ($54,057)
4. Computer Science ($53,051)
5. Civil Engineering ($48,998)
6. Economics ($47,782)
7. Management Information Systems ($47,407)
8. Finance ($46,442)
9. Accounting ($46,292)
10. Business Administration/Management ($43,256)


Now what? Am I supposed to change my major or decide to major in something just because it is considered a top paying degree? Loyal reader Luna commented last week on just this very thing. Well, not this very thing, but in response to my quandary on my choice of major. Luna started out as a Computer Science major. [Notice Computer Science is number 4 on the list above.] After spending some time actually working in that field, Luna decided it was not for her. Luna is now a Business Management major and happier for it. [Business is number 10.] There is a good $10,000 difference in those two yearly incomes. Does this mean Luna made the wrong choice? Absolutely not.


I am an Accounting major [number 9]. I will be receiving my degree in January 2010 and can look forward to making a whopping $46,292 (on average) per year. I was making $39,000 + benefits without the degree. This is not making me think I made a good decision in returning to school. And, to top it all off, there are NO JOBS where I reside. None. Zip. Nada. And those few random positions listed by temp-to-hire companies want you to have a Masters degree. For no more money! You have got to be kidding me.

Oh, and that is not even the worst part. Really, there is more. I do not want to be an accountant. I know, why did I choose to study accounting if I do not want to be an accountant? Well, my thinking was it is what I know. I have an Associates degree in accounting and have worked in the bookkeeping, office management, accounting field for the past 15 some odd years. And there was the slight possibility I would be moving back to my old stomping grounds in South Florida and I did not want to start at the bottom, AGAIN. Therefore, the continuation only made sense. I never moved. In fact, so much changed where I was working that I ended up losing my job when new management came in and I was deemed incompatible - read: had a mind of my own and did not mind using it.

What does this mean to you? Did you choose your major based on salary? And do you think it is the money or the love of what you do that makes you successful?


image courtesy of swamysk.

College is expensive. Nothing like stating the obvious, huh? Good thing there are TONS of scholarships available to help offset some or all of those costs. So what are we waiting for, let's get this show on the road!

Thanks to FastWeb.com for providing information on these and other great scholarships. Want to be in the know on the newest scholarships and internships available? Why not join FastWeb today. It is free and it is easy. Join FastWeb today.

Thanks to SallieMae for providing information available for those noted below.  Sign up for SallieMae's scholarship finder today and find scholarships that match your profile.


Scholarships Ending Soon

$1,500 SuperCollege Scholarship (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: September 30, 2009
Amount: $1,500
Website: http://www.supercollege.com/scholarship/

$1,500 Scholarship Detective Launch Scholarship (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: September 30, 2009
Amount: $1,500
Website: http://www.scholarshipdetective.com/scholarship/index.cfm

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
Deadline: October 6, 2009
Amount: Up to $10,000
Website: https://gilmanapplication.iie.org/IIE/public/Default.aspx

Writers of the Future (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: September 30/December 31/March 31/June 30
Amount: $500 - $4,000
Website: http://www.writersofthefuture.com/

FastWeb's Third Leg of their Scholarship Triathlon

Deadline: October 7, 2009
Amount: $1,500
Website: http://www.fastweb.com/college-scholarships/articles/1559-scholarship-triathlon-leg-three-win-1500?utm_source=nlet&utm_content=fw_R1_20090916&g=1


New Scholarships

Amy Lowell Poetry Travelling Scholarships (courtesy of Zinch)
Deadline: October 15, 2009
Amount: $50,000
Website: http://www.zinch.com/Scholarships/ScholarshipView.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.amylowell.org%2findex.html&s=6814

Writers Digest Pop Fiction Awards (courtesy of Zinch)
Deadline: November 2, 2009
Amount: $2,500
Website: http://www.zinch.com/

Prize in Ethics Essay Contest (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: December 7, 2009
Amount:$500 - $5,000
Website: http://www.eliewieselfoundation.org/

CrossLites Scholarship Contest (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: December 15, 2009
Amount:$2,000
Website: http://www.crosslites.com/

National Urban Fellows Leadership Development Program (courtesy of Zinch)
Deadline: January 22, 2010
Amount: Varies
Website: http://www.zinch.com/Scholarships/ScholarshipView.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.nuf.org%2fHome%2findex.asp&s=9600


Sweepstakes

Sallie Mae Monthly Drawing
Ends: ongoing
Amount: $1,000
Website: https://www.collegeanswer.com/global/about/about_disclaimers.jsp#rules

GoCollege Lucky Draw Scholarship (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: Monthly
Amount: $250
Website: http://www.gocollege.com/lucky-draw-scholarship.html

Join the fun, post what you learned this week, and link up below. The code for the image is located in my sidebar. All I ask is you link back to this post. Oh, and make sure you link to your post and not your blog in general, okay?

My current course in school is Money & Banking. Although I find it slightly more interesting than watching grass grow (no reflection on the professor), I actually know more about the subject than I would have first guessed. And, yes, this does come as a bit of a shock to me.

My major is accounting. Not so much because I want to be a CPA, because I do not. I do not really want to be an accountant. I received my Associates in Accounting back in 1995 and have worked as a bookkeeper or in other accounting functions ever since. It seemed only logical that I receive my Bachelors in Accounting. And, as much as I love math and am a good bookkeeper it is not what I want to do for a living.

So, you could imagine my surprise when I actually understood the course materials even though it all seems Greek to me. I read what people think on the given topic and I say, "huh?" Yet my responses seem to be equally as Greek and illicit an educational response of comprehension. Seriously! I am as shocked as the next person.

What is it I want to do? Ever since I can remember I have wanted to do two things: become a doctor and write. Honestly, I think becoming a doctor is not going to happen. It could, but I do not believe I could handle all the blood and stuff. I would like to do lab work. I am not sure I am ready to dedicate another two to four years to become a lab technician, though. That leaves writing. I have a few ideas milling about. And I even tied for 5th place in a weekly writing contest. Hey, it was not last and it was my first effort into sharing my work in an organized setting, ever. Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.

What have you learned this week? Grab the button from my sidebar, then add a link to your post below using MckLinky. Not sure how to link up? Leave a comment or send me an email (or both) and I will happily walk you through it.

College is expensive. Nothing like stating the obvious, huh? Good thing there are TONS of scholarships available to help offset some or all of those costs. So what are we waiting for, let's get this show on the road!

Thanks to FastWeb.com for providing information on these and other great scholarships. Want to be in the know on the newest scholarships and internships available? Why not join FastWeb today. It is free and it is easy. Join FastWeb today.

Thanks to SallieMae for providing information available for those noted below.  Sign up for SallieMae's scholarship finder today and find scholarships that match your profile.


Scholarships Ending Soon

$1,500 SuperCollege Scholarship (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: September 30, 2009
Amount: $1,500
Website: http://www.supercollege.com/scholarship/

$1,500 Scholarship Detective Launch Scholarship (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: September 30, 2009
Amount: $1,500
Website: http://www.scholarshipdetective.com/scholarship/index.cfm

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
Deadline: October 6, 2009
Amount: Up to $10,000
Website: https://gilmanapplication.iie.org/IIE/public/Default.aspx


New Scholarships

Writers of the Future (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: September 30/December 31/March 31/June 30
Amount: $500 - $4,000
Website: http://www.writersofthefuture.com/

Scholarships for Student Leaders (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: November 1, 2009
Amount: Varies
Website: http://www.naca.org/Pages/Home.aspx

Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarships (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: Varies by Rotary district
Amount: Varies
Website: http://www.rotary.org/en/Pages/ridefault.aspx/

Virginia Commonwealth Award Program (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: Varies
Amount: Varies
Website: http://www.schev.edu/


Sweepstakes

Sallie Mae Monthly Drawing
Ends: ongoing
Amount: $1,000
Website: https://www.collegeanswer.com/global/about/about_disclaimers.jsp#rules

GoCollege Lucky Draw Scholarship (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: Monthly
Amount: $250
Website: http://www.gocollege.com/lucky-draw-scholarship.html

Did I get your attention? Good. Now head on over to FastWeb and complete the Third Leg of their Scholarship Triathlon. Answer 10 questions about technology and you are entered for a chance to win a $1,500 scholarship. Super Duper Easy! Yeah, I know, I am a geek. Now go complete those questions and hopefully I will be reading about you winning money for school. Want to know how? Check it out:

Deadline: October 7, 2009
Amount: $1,500
Website: http://www.fastweb.com/college-scholarships/articles/1559-scholarship-triathlon-leg-three-win-1500?utm_source=nlet&utm_content=fw_R1_20090916&g=1

At the end, a random drawing from all Scholarship Triathlon participants for another jolt of free cash.

Join the fun, post what you learned this week, and link up below. The code for the image is located in my sidebar. All I ask is you link back to this post. Oh, and make sure you link to your post and not your blog in general, okay?

Should I admit this?  Maybe not, but I will anyway.  I do not know all of the presidents of the United States.  There, do I need to leave the country now?  Well, of course I do not.  I am sure there are many out there - smart, college-educated, higher-learning persons - who do not know all of the presidents either.  That is not what I learned, though.  What I learned was that I did not know the first four presidents in order.  I thought I did.

My son, 13 years old, taught me this lesson.  Stephen, Amanda, & I were watching Jeopardy, I think.  I am not really sure how the conversation started, but I do think that is right.  There was a question about presidents and I rattled off quite a few.  I then proceeded to state that I may not know all of the presidents but I did know the first four, in order.  W*R*O*N*G!

What I said: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams

The correct order: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, THEN John Quincy Adams

Stephen [13 years old] knew I was wrong.  Amanda [16] asked if Edison was a president.  She apparently was not taught anything about the presidents.  She knew Obama and Bush.

I did redeem myself by being able to name all of the presidents during my lifetime: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama.

So, what do you think about kids not learning the presidents in school?   Sure, they learn about Washington and Lincoln, but what about the others?  Were they so uneventful that they hardly bare mentioning?  I may have learned that I did not know as much as I thought I knew, but learning that my children are going to know even less is a bit more discerning!

Want to test you knowledge of the presidents?  Check out POTUS.

What have you learned this week? Grab the button from my sidebar, then add a link to your post below using MckLinky. Not sure how to link up? Leave a comment or send me an email (or both) and I will happily walk you through it.

College is expensive. Nothing like stating the obvious, huh? Good thing there are TONS of scholarships available to help offset some or all of those costs. So what are we waiting for, let's get this show on the road!

Thanks to FastWeb.com for providing information on these and other great scholarships. Want to be in the know on the newest scholarships and internships available? Why not join FastWeb today. It is free and it is easy. Join FastWeb today.

Thanks to SallieMae for providing information available for those noted below.  Sign up for SallieMae's scholarship finder today and find scholarships that match your profile.


Scholarships Ending Soon

Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest
Deadline: September 17, 2009
Amount: $10,000
Website: http://www.aynrand.org/contests

$1,500 SuperCollege Scholarship (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: September 30, 2009
Amount: $1,500
Website: http://www.supercollege.com/scholarship/

$1,500 Scholarship Detective Launch Scholarship (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: September 30, 2009
Amount: $1,500
Website: http://www.scholarshipdetective.com/scholarship/index.cfm


New Scholarships

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
Deadline: October 6, 2009
Amount: Up to $10,000
Website: https://gilmanapplication.iie.org/IIE/public/Default.aspx

Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
Deadline: October 31, 2009
Amount: Up to $20,000
Website: https://www.coca-colascholars.org/cokeWeb/page.jsp?navigation=15

Blogging for Progress (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: November 15, 2009
Amount:$1,500
Website: http://www.progressiveu.org/


Sweepstakes

Textbooks.com Back to Campus Cash Giveaway
Ends: September 14, 2009
Amount: Varies (up to $1,500)
Website: http://textbooks.promo.eprize.com/cashgiveaway/

Sallie Mae Monthly Drawing
Ends: ongoing
Amount: $1,000
Website: https://www.collegeanswer.com/global/about/about_disclaimers.jsp#rules

GoCollege Lucky Draw Scholarship (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: Monthly
Amount: $250
Website: http://www.gocollege.com/lucky-draw-scholarship.html

That is $25 worth of going out for $1.  Be sure to read the restrictions.  Most restaurants have a minimum purchase requirement (typically $35) and the gratuity is included at around 18%.  I usually tip 20%, so this is even better for me!

But wait!  This offer gets even better.  Shop Restaurant.com through UPromise (it is free and super simple to join) and save 17% towards college.  Would you rather get that in the form of cash back?  UPromise does allow you to request cash payment.  In the top toolbar just click on use your earnings, then click on collect a check.  Payment is not as fast as some other rebate sites (takes up to 12 weeks), but 17% is the highest payout I have seen for Restaurant.com. 

Join the fun, post what you learned this week, and link up below. The code for the image is located in my sidebar. All I ask is you link back to this post. Oh, and make sure you link to your post and not your blog in general, okay?

Okay, so this is not so much what I learned, but what I have not learned Wednesday.  My current class is Money and Banking.  I like my professor, this is my second class with him.  The first was Microeconomics when I first started pursuing this particular degree.  But the subject matter is beyond my comprehension, right now.  This past week we learned about derivatives and options, futures and currency rate exchanges.  I read and re-read and re-read some more.  Huh?  I am so confused.

All of these actions have to do with hedging.  Hedging is just a fancy word for betting against a future event.  One that you hope to occur in your favor and make you lots of money in the process.  This also is one of the biggie reasons for our current economic, ahem, condition.

Although I understand the basic premise, I have yet to fully grasp the ins and outs of such practices.  I do understand the need to guesstimate when dealing with foreign currency exchanges at a future date in time.  Aha!  Future.  This would be considered hedging against futures.  But what I do not quite understand is why it all has to be so complicated.  It is as if it is written in some code only a select few can crack.  Because, quite honestly, even those who handle these transactions every day cannot possibly know all the idiosyncrasies and implications of such transactions.   

Sigh.  I hope you have done better than me this week.  Why not share with a link to your post?  Don't blog?  Leave a comment instead.

What have you learned this week? Grab the button from my sidebar, then add a link to your post below using MckLinky. Not sure how to link up? Leave a comment or send me an email (or both) and I will happily walk you through it.

College Students (Requirements)

• Be a community college, undergraduate or graduate student
• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
• Have plans to enroll FULL-TIME in a degree seeking program at a two or four year U.S. accredited institution in the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands or Guam in the upcoming academic year.
• Be pursuing first undergraduate or graduate degree

Community College Transfer Student (Requirements)

• Be enrolled PART-TIME or FULL-TIME at a community college
• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
• Have plans to transfer and enroll FULL-TIME in a degree-seeking program at a four-year U.S. accredited institution in the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands or Guam in Fall 2010.

High School Students (Requirements)

• Be a graduating high school senior
• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
• Have plans to enroll FULL-TIME in a degree seeking program at a two or four year U.S. accredited institution in the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands or Guam in the upcoming academic year.

Gates Millenium Scholars (Requirements)

• Be a graduating high school senior
• Be enrolling for the first time at a college or university as a FULL-TIME degree-seeking freshman in the fall.
• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale
• Demonstrate leadership skills, and significant financial need (Pell Grant eligible)

 Image courtesy of HSF.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program aims to broaden the student population that studies abroad by supporting undergraduates who might otherwise not participate due to financial constraints.

The Gilman Scholarship Program aims to support a diverse range of students who have been traditionally under-represented in study abroad, including but not limited to:

• Students with high financial need
• Students interested in studying in diverse countries, especially those outside of Western Europe and Australia
• Students attending community colleges
• Students with diverse ethnic backgrounds
• Students from diverse range of institutions including two-year, four-year, public, private, minority-serving, etc.
• Students with disabilities

The program strongly encourages students to choose non-traditional study abroad destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe and Australia. The program strongly encourages students from community colleges to apply.

The program seeks to assist students from a diverse range of colleges and universities including, but not limited to: two and four-year public and private colleges, Tribal Colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and other Minority-Serving Institutions from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.


All recipients are required to carry out a Follow-on Service Project that promotes the Gilman Scholarship Program at the students' home institution or community. The Follow-on Project Proposal, Statement of Purpose essay and academic progress are criteria that are closely considered during the selection process.


Eligibility Requirements:

• The applicant must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant or provide proof that he/she will be receiving a Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of his/her study abroad.
  

• The applicant is applying to or has been accepted into a study abroad program eligible for credit by the student's accredited institution of higher education in the U.S.
  

• The applicant is studying abroad for at least 28 days in one country. Programs going to more than one country are eligible if the student will be studying in one country for at least 28 consecutive days.
  

• The applicant is studying abroad in any country except Cuba or a country on the State Department's current Travel Warning list. 

To be eligible applicants must meet all of the criteria listed above and must be majoring in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) field.

Deadlines:

• October 6, 2009  - Student Deadline for submission of online application.

• October 9, 2009 - Postmark Deadline for official, university undergraduate transcripts. Applicants must submit three copies of their undergraduate transcript from their current university and most recently attended transfer institution, if applicable.
  

• October 13, 2009 - Advisor Deadline for submission of online Study Abroad Advisor and Financial Aid Advisor certification. 
  

• Early December - All Applicants are notified of the status of their application via email. Study Abroad and Financial Aid Advisors will be notified of scholarship recipients via email.

How to Apply:

Online Application


Selection of Winners:

• Diversity of Applicant
• Statement of Purpose Essay
• Follow-on Project Proposal Essay
• Academic Progress and Performance
• Fields of Study
• Country of Destination
• U.S. Institution and State Distribution
• Length of Study
• Lack Previous Undergraduate Study Abroad Experience

Image courtesy of Gilman Scholarship Program.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. MUST BE A CURRENT high school (or home-schooled) seniors attending school in the United States (or select DoD schools); 
2. U.S. Citizens; U.S. Nationals; U.S. Permanent Residents; Temporary Residents (in a legalization program); Refugees; Asylees; Cuban-Haitian Entrants; or Humanitarian Parolees; 
3. anticipating completion of high school diploma at the time of application; 
4. planning to pursue a degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution; 
5. carrying a minimum 3.00 GPA at the end of their junior year of high school.
   

Selection of Winners:

1. Seniors in high schools throughout the United States may apply for one of 250 four-year, achievement-based scholarships.  Application is availble between August 1 and October 31.
2. Approximately 2,200 applicants will be selects as semifinalist in mid-November and notified by mail and email.  Deadline to submit is October 31st.
   
3. Semifinalists must then complete a secondary application, including essays, official transcripts, and two letters of recommendation.  Applications will be due by mid-January.
4. Program review committee will select 250 finalists for the final interview phase.  Notifications are sent by mid-February.
5. In April, the 250 finalists are invited to Atlanta for personal interviews.  Interviews are conducted by a National Selection Committee representing outstanding leaders in business, government, education, and the arts.
6. 50 students will be designated as National Scholars and receive awards of $20,000 for college.
7. 200 students will be designated as Regional Scholars and receive awards of $10,000 for college.

Image & Information courtesy of Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.

College is expensive. Nothing like stating the obvious, huh? Good thing there are TONS of scholarships available to help offset some or all of those costs. So what are we waiting for, let's get this show on the road!

Thanks to FastWeb.com for providing information on these and other great scholarships. Want to be in the know on the newest scholarships and internships available? Why not join FastWeb today. It is free and it is easy. Join FastWeb today.

Thanks to SallieMae for providing information available for those noted below.  Sign up for SallieMae's scholarship finder today and find scholarships that match your profile.


Scholarships Ending Soon

Zinch Super Student Stimulus Scholarship (courtesy of FastWeb) ENDS TODAY!!

Deadline: September 5, 2009
Amount: $5,555
Website: http://www.zinch.com/Scholarship/Super-Student-Stimulus-Scholarship.aspx?utm_source=FastWeb utm_medium=scholarshipsubmit

Share the Wealth Sweepstakes (courtesy of Levi Strauss & Co. and J.C. Penney Stores)
Deadline: September 7. 2009
Amount: $50,000
Website: http://Levistuition.com

Why I Deserve A Scholarship (courtesy of FastWeb)
Deadline: September 7, 2009
Amount: $2,500
Website: http://www.whyideserveascholarship.com/

New Scholarships

Career Stimulus Scholarship + Paid Internship (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: October 31, 2009
Amount:Up to full tuition
Website: http://www.elearners.com/careerstimuluspackage/entries/EntryForm1.aspx?tsource=shrscsp&tid=100&key=shrsel17890_Banner

Blogging Scholarship (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: October 31, 2009
Amount: Up to $10,000
Website: http://www.collegescholarships.org/our-scholarships/blogging.htm

Women's Opportunity Awards Program (courtesy of SallieMae)
Deadline: December 1, 2009
Amount: Varies
Website: http://www.soroptimist.org/

FIRE's "Freedom on Campus" Student Video Contest (courtesy of FastWeb)
Deadline: November 6, 2009
Amount: $5,000
Website: http://www.thefire.org/index.php/contests/

Apogee Search Scholarship Program (courtesy of FastWeb)
Deadline: December 1, 2009
Amount: $500
Website: http://www.apogee-search.com/scholarship/index.html

Foreclosure.com Scholarship Program (courtesy of FastWeb)
Deadline: December 31, 2009
Amount: $5,000
Website: http://www.foreclosure.com/education/scholarship/index.html

Sweepstakes

Bed, Bath & Beyond Mastercard 2009 Tuition Sweepstakes
Ends: September 8, 2009
Amount: Varies (up to $50,000)
Website: https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sweeps/swpBTCUS09a_enter.asp?order_num=-1&

Textbooks.com Back to Campus Cash Giveaway
Ends: September 14, 2009
Amount: Varies (up to $1,500)
Website: http://textbooks.promo.eprize.com/cashgiveaway/

Sallie Mae Monthly Drawing
Ends: ongoing
Amount: $1,000
Website: https://www.collegeanswer.com/global/about/about_disclaimers.jsp#rules

As time allows and as the muse strikes, my lovely and talented daughter Megan will share her experiences on life as a freshman in college.






Day 1 of college classes:

**worst experience: Standing in the long line waiting to get lunch at Wendy's.

Never eat lunch at lunch time. Everyone still tries to eat every meal possible around the right time so eating right at noon is not the best thing to be doing... but if you're hungry then be prepared to wait forever! No lies here.

**best experience: Playing football in the dark with a bunch of people I had just met the day before.

College isn't just about studying and being cooped up in a dorm room all day. You still need time to play with your friends and just be a kid. So what if you're 18. This doesn't mean that you have to do boring adult stuff yet. So grab a bunch of friends and go play a game outside. It's good for you!


Day 2:

**worst experience: Going to math class and figuring out that your notes that you had just recently printed out for that class were missing the equations needed.

Always make sure that you have all necessary materials before you come to class. This also means making sure all of your notes print out right BEFORE you print them. I learned the hard way and wasted 20 sheets of paper. I’m still not too happy about that.

**best experience: Going out to dinner with friends.

It’s no fun to eat dinner alone so what my friends and I try to do is get together every night and eat dinner together. You need the break from homework and all the college stress so just go out and enjoy yourself. Now this doesn’t mean go out all night and not do your homework. It just simply means take a short break (depending on the work load) and come back to it later. Homework is a must. You can also do what I try to do and finish your homework in between classes so you don’t have to worry about it later.


Day 3:

**worst experience: Not being able to sing Do Re Mi backwards in front of the whole class on the 2nd day.

It happens... you get called on and you can’t perform the task given to you. Thankfully it was only the 2nd day of class and I wasn’t the only one who messed up. I just took it as a learning opportunity. (Now I know I need to work on being able to sing Do Re Mi in descending order)

**best experience: Being able to read and work on homework while sitting outside. (Without being looked at like a freak)

The great thing about college is the fact that the students that attend are paying to learn therefore they want to learn and get their work done. (Well most of them that is)

Join the fun, post what you learned this week, and link up below. The code for the image is located in my sidebar. All I ask is you link back to this post. Oh, and make sure you link to your post and not your blog in general, okay?

Okay, so I moved Megan into Radford this past Friday and she is settling in nicely.  DH did not get a chance to say good-bye and thought we could bring her his bike (he has not used it in a while) and check out the campus.  Sunday we drove over and brought the bike, a cable lock for the bike, and some miscellaneous stuff that was missed in the initial move.

After arriving we found a bike rack for the bike and proceeded to set the cable lock.  Megan changed the combination to one she would remember and put the cable through the bike and bike rack.  Then we had her try to open it to make sure everything was copacetic.  Note to self, always check locks prior to attaching them to ANYTHING.

We must have worked that lock for a good half hour before heading to the website for additional help.  By the way, website was no help.  Back to tinkering with the lock; another half hour passes.  Next we decide to conduct a search on picking the lock.  There is always a work-around, right?  JACKPOT!  Back to the lock.  DH tries, but his hands are too big to work the lock properly.  We are not sure what happened, but the combination we thought we set was not even close to what was actually set.  But, I did learn I can pick a lock if the need should arise.  Of course, I will use this new found power only for good. 

What have you learned this week? Grab the button from my sidebar, then add a link to your post below using MckLinky. Not sure how to link up? Leave a comment or send me an email (or both) and I will happily walk you through it.

I just paid $97.95 plus shipping for the textbook to the left.  This is not even a hardcover book!  To me it is absurd to think college students (who have no money) are forced to pay so much for a textbook.  What a racket!  It is the equivalent of the mafia, only in the form of strong-arming the higher learning sect.

Chegg is simple to use, too.  Just go to their site and enter in the ISBN number, Author, or Title of the book you need.  Their smart recognition will list books that match your request.  Pick your text, and then select the length of time you need, and add to your cart.  Chegg pays for you to ship the books back when you are done.

My classes run month-to-month, so I only use my textbooks for one month.  With Chegg you get four options for renting:

1. Rent by the semester
2. Rent by the quarter
3. Rent for 60 days
4. Pick one of the options above and requst additional time be added

So, I would choose the shortest term of 60 days.  Which would then result in the lowest cost.

As you can see from this screenshot, I would have saved $68.78 on my current textbook by renting it from Chegg as opposed to purchasing it. 

And I have not even gotten to the best part.  Chegg will plant 1 tree for every textbook you rent.  Save money and be environmentally friendly all at the same time.

Just ask yourself, what could you do with all of that extra money?  Do I hear student loan payback?

One last thing...
make sure you use this special promo code CC103319. You’ll get an extra 5% off your order.