Education

 

We are dedicated in helping you all in ways to improve your life for good.

The importance of education: Some of us have traveled across the world for a better life and/or better education; maybe our parents made the choice for us or we chose to do so on our own.

Through our experience of college life, we have come to understand the hardships of college life, and how hard picking a major can be, especially when you don’t have the right guidance.

I remember talking with my best friend, and we were both trying to figure out how to pick the best major for us, wondering how others knew what they wanted to be earlier in life.  Fortunately, the good news is, after a short while, we figured it out, and the rest is history.

 

PART ONE:  WHAT TO DO BEFORE COLLEGE

• Take the time to understand who you are, what truly makes you happy, and why.
• Once you have that figured out, the direction in which you want to head and picking a major will be easy.
• If you have no idea, talk to as many people as you can.  Talking with someone in the same field you might be interested in will help you save time, and you will have a better understanding of the direction you want to go.
• Do some volunteering or intern, beforehand, in the industry you may have an interest in.
• Read books, watch movies, and find ways to get inspired daily.
• Research schools ahead of time.
• Learn and understand the school’s application deadline and admission requirements beforehand; this way, you can be prepared ahead of time and you won’t have to do everything in the last minute.
• Understand the school’s tuition costs, especially if you plan to go to school out of state.
• Research Scholarships ahead of time.
• Apply for Financial Aid before the deadline.  Applying for FAFSA (Free Application For Federal Student Aid) is one of the most important steps you can take if you want to get assistance paying for your college/university expenses.

Please remember, you do not have to wait until you get accepted into a particular college/university or until your parents file for their taxes to apply for FAFSA (you can make changes at a later time if needed).  You can pick up a FAFSA application before January from a college/university near you, but you cannot submit your FAFSA application until the 1st of January.

Federal grants are based on your income (your income + your parent’s income combined); it includes Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), and many more…including subsidized student loans.

Through FAFSA, you can apply for unsubsidized loans.  This loan is not income restricted, which means, even if your income is too high to qualify for grants or subsidized loans, you can still be eligible to receive unsubsidized loans.  The advantage of receiving your subsidized loans through FAFSA, rather than getting loans through a private lender, is that often the interest rate is lower than if you receive the loans through a private lender.

Remember …Grants and scholarships need not be paid back, but loans do.  So, when you accept loans through the FAFSA or any other ender…understand that you will need to REPAY your Loans plus the interest.  In the meantime, continue to:

• Talk to students/alumni to get a better idea and information about the schools that interest you the most.
• Ask as MANY questions as you can.  That’s how you’ll learn.
• Don’t be afraid to take chances, be kind to yourself, and never stop learning, dreaming or hoping to be and do great things in life.

We know how hard, stressful, and confusing it can be when applying for college, especially if you are coming right out of high school, but it doesn’t have to be.  If you start early, do your homework, and research ahead of time, we know you can do it.

You have the power; just be willing to do the work.  But remember, while you’re working hard and thinking about the future, make the time to have fun and enjoy the moment.  Enjoy the present, while you’re preparing for the future.  One more thing, never let the past hold you back…ever.

Now that you have information on what to do before college, our next topic will be … “What to do during college?” Until then, enjoy your learning and please feel free to leave your comments at the bottom of the page.  We welcome your input, always.