I know I haven't been around in awhile, my apologies. Actually, I would like some feedback. On this blog, I try to discuss things that help students at large, such as filing a FAFSA and applying for financial aid.
It has occurred to me that we are a society of "show, don't tell", and as such I had an idea. What if I took the topics in my blog that I have discussed that would be helpful to all and make a series of "How-To" vlogs? This would be beneficial to me because as a film major, I would be creating videos that I could put on my resume. I also hope it would be beneficial to other people.
And so I ask, if I were to do such a thing, would it be infinitely more interesting than just reading about it? Do you think it would be helpful to have a step-by-step demonstration on some of the topics I've discussed?
I only plan on doing "how to" videos. My actual experiences as a student are in no way interesting enough to be put on video, and as such, I can just blog those as I see fit. Please, if you can, leave a comment and let me know how you would feel about the "How-To" vlogs on topics that can be demonstrated. Thank you.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Kind of a Rant...
Don't you think schools should disburse financial aid before the quarter starts? That's all fine and good you're sending my check out on January 4, except classes start January 4. In the meantime, how am I supposed to pay for books? How am I supposed to pay for transportation? I'm not even going to pretend like the school thought through the fact students will be in class and less time to actually go cash the check and then go buy school supplies. Whatever. School can do what it wants.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Friendly FAFSA Reminder
Happy New Year! In regards to college, a new year can only refer to one thing-- It's time to fill out the FAFSA again!
January 1 is the first day that you can file the FAFSA for the 2010-2011 school year, and while June 30, 2011 is the last day to fill it out, most states have their own priority dates you should file by if you really want financial aid. Those dates can be found on the FAFSA site, probably on this page: here. (Though at the time I'm writing this, it has not been updated for the 2010-2011 school year, and I apologize for any inaccuracy.)
Remember, the sooner you file, the better, so even if your school's priority dates are 10 months away, you should still fill it out as soon as possible. Why be rushing last minute hoping it gets there on time when you could have it finished early and not have to worry about it? Remember, you also can fill the FAFSA out online, which saves postage and it gets received faster.
January 1 is the first day that you can file the FAFSA for the 2010-2011 school year, and while June 30, 2011 is the last day to fill it out, most states have their own priority dates you should file by if you really want financial aid. Those dates can be found on the FAFSA site, probably on this page: here. (Though at the time I'm writing this, it has not been updated for the 2010-2011 school year, and I apologize for any inaccuracy.)
Remember, the sooner you file, the better, so even if your school's priority dates are 10 months away, you should still fill it out as soon as possible. Why be rushing last minute hoping it gets there on time when you could have it finished early and not have to worry about it? Remember, you also can fill the FAFSA out online, which saves postage and it gets received faster.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Out of State Transfer Students: Is it Worth It?
I recently befriended a student who transferred to my school from out-of-state, who then learned that she could have finished school sooner if she had stayed in state and ended up transferring back. I also frequent forums where I often see people ask for advice about transferring out of state. Well, I decided that I'm going to give it. There are many things to consider before transferring out of state, and you need to make sure you've considered it all.
-What state are you going to transfer to?
This is probably the first thing you should ask yourself. By knowing what state you'd be transferring to, you can properly research the situation. It's also very important to know the state of education in the state you're transferring to. California, with the budget cuts to education and the continued increases to tuition at state colleges, is probably a bad choice, for example. However, I've heard rumor that some states of some kind of partner thing going on where if you live in one state, you could still get in state tuition at another state.
-What kind of aid will I qualify for?
I always preface, or at least mention at some point, that any advice I give on financial aid should be discussed with the school you're considering, but chances are you're qualified for federal aid just the same as if you went to an in state school. However, there is the issue of state aid. I don't think that any state gives their students aid to leave the state, and I'm pretty sure most states don't give aid to students from out of state. This is especially important given that you're paying more in most cases to go to an out of state school, so you would probably need aid more.
-Can I afford it?
Now, this isn't just a question of tuition, books, and aid, and there are sub-questions in this category. You're going to have to have a budget for food, entertainment, and the like, which goes without saying. But other questions:
--Where will I live?
On campus? Off campus? With a friend? A relative? What's the rent going to be like?
--What will my mode of transportation be?
Car? Bus? Train? Any combination of the three?
--How will I get there?
Are you driving out? Flying in a plane? What are you bringing with you and how will it get there?
--How long could I live without a job?
If the answer is “not long,” you definitely need to find a state with lower unemployment rates vs. higher ones. The higher the unemployment rate, the more competition you have finding a job, and some states have tax cuts for people to hire their own unemployed first.
Now, transferring out of state may be unavoidable, such as instances in where you have a major that's only available at certain schools. There may be programs to assist in those situations, so that's something else you would have to research. However, before you transfer, you really should make sure that you can't get the same program in state and for cheaper. Believe it or not, you can still move to another state after you graduate from college; it's not going anywhere. It may be more difficult to find a job than local students, so that's where I suggest you make the best of social networking and try to make contacts. If you feel it's in your best interest still to transfer out of state, then do it. Just make sure every last detail has been considered. Why spend the expense to transfer out of state if you're just going to transfer back in state?
At the end, you will be the one who has to decide it's worth it. If it is, it could be an amazing experience.
-What state are you going to transfer to?
This is probably the first thing you should ask yourself. By knowing what state you'd be transferring to, you can properly research the situation. It's also very important to know the state of education in the state you're transferring to. California, with the budget cuts to education and the continued increases to tuition at state colleges, is probably a bad choice, for example. However, I've heard rumor that some states of some kind of partner thing going on where if you live in one state, you could still get in state tuition at another state.
-What kind of aid will I qualify for?
I always preface, or at least mention at some point, that any advice I give on financial aid should be discussed with the school you're considering, but chances are you're qualified for federal aid just the same as if you went to an in state school. However, there is the issue of state aid. I don't think that any state gives their students aid to leave the state, and I'm pretty sure most states don't give aid to students from out of state. This is especially important given that you're paying more in most cases to go to an out of state school, so you would probably need aid more.
-Can I afford it?
Now, this isn't just a question of tuition, books, and aid, and there are sub-questions in this category. You're going to have to have a budget for food, entertainment, and the like, which goes without saying. But other questions:
--Where will I live?
On campus? Off campus? With a friend? A relative? What's the rent going to be like?
--What will my mode of transportation be?
Car? Bus? Train? Any combination of the three?
--How will I get there?
Are you driving out? Flying in a plane? What are you bringing with you and how will it get there?
--How long could I live without a job?
If the answer is “not long,” you definitely need to find a state with lower unemployment rates vs. higher ones. The higher the unemployment rate, the more competition you have finding a job, and some states have tax cuts for people to hire their own unemployed first.
Now, transferring out of state may be unavoidable, such as instances in where you have a major that's only available at certain schools. There may be programs to assist in those situations, so that's something else you would have to research. However, before you transfer, you really should make sure that you can't get the same program in state and for cheaper. Believe it or not, you can still move to another state after you graduate from college; it's not going anywhere. It may be more difficult to find a job than local students, so that's where I suggest you make the best of social networking and try to make contacts. If you feel it's in your best interest still to transfer out of state, then do it. Just make sure every last detail has been considered. Why spend the expense to transfer out of state if you're just going to transfer back in state?
At the end, you will be the one who has to decide it's worth it. If it is, it could be an amazing experience.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Community College vs. 4 Year College
Basically, this came up on a fastweb forum, and I wanted to reword it. But I'm on school vacation, and my brain has turned to mush, so I'm copypasta-ing my own reply. Remember, I live in California, but my advice may be useful to many:
Community colleges are only for a two year program, but other than that, there are actually very little differences between community college and state universities. Price is another difference. The community college I went to, many of my professors actually worked full time at a state university and worked part time at the community college, and usually it was because they themselves once went to community college. There are pros to community college:
-You can get a 2 year degree. I went to community college and graduated, and someone I know went to a 4 year and dropped out. At the end of the day, I still had a piece of paper that said I finished a program.
-Price. Community colleges are definitely cheaper, and can transfer into a 4 year school, bringing down the overall cost of college. Also, since many part-time professors work full time at the state university, you're getting the same education, just cheaper.
-It is actually easier to transfer to a 4 year in most instances than start as a freshman.
-In some states, there are financial aid programs specifically for community college (ex., the state paid for my tuition in community college, something they don't do for me now that I'm in a 4 year.)
There are also cons:
-Societal pressures. People still assume community college to be a bad thing or a person attending one to be stupid.
-Financial aid flipside: Someone I know didn't qualify for a lot of financial aid and tried to get a student loan to help cover his costs at community college. They couldn't give it to him because the school has bad credit because they'd given out so many loans that never got repaid, which I suppose happens because community colleges accept pretty much anyone, just as long as they'd benefit from education.
-Like many schools, many community colleges try to keep class sizes low. However, they accept pretty much anyone. This often leads to competition for GenEd requirement classes, and in some instances makes it hard to add classes. (I went to community college in California pre-budget cuts, and a 4 year in California after the budget cuts... And while it's hard to get a class now, it was harder at the community college.)
Then there are points that are either pro or con, depending on how you feel about it:
-Community colleges do not have housing (as far as I am aware; they do not in my state), so you would probably still have to live at home.
-Community colleges do not offer any of the "perks" you would find at state universities, such as exercise rooms, wifi, or a student union.
I'm sure there are points of consideration I'm not considering. But for the most part, these are things that should be considered in deciding whether or not Community College or a 4 Year College is right for you.
Community colleges are only for a two year program, but other than that, there are actually very little differences between community college and state universities. Price is another difference. The community college I went to, many of my professors actually worked full time at a state university and worked part time at the community college, and usually it was because they themselves once went to community college. There are pros to community college:
-You can get a 2 year degree. I went to community college and graduated, and someone I know went to a 4 year and dropped out. At the end of the day, I still had a piece of paper that said I finished a program.
-Price. Community colleges are definitely cheaper, and can transfer into a 4 year school, bringing down the overall cost of college. Also, since many part-time professors work full time at the state university, you're getting the same education, just cheaper.
-It is actually easier to transfer to a 4 year in most instances than start as a freshman.
-In some states, there are financial aid programs specifically for community college (ex., the state paid for my tuition in community college, something they don't do for me now that I'm in a 4 year.)
There are also cons:
-Societal pressures. People still assume community college to be a bad thing or a person attending one to be stupid.
-Financial aid flipside: Someone I know didn't qualify for a lot of financial aid and tried to get a student loan to help cover his costs at community college. They couldn't give it to him because the school has bad credit because they'd given out so many loans that never got repaid, which I suppose happens because community colleges accept pretty much anyone, just as long as they'd benefit from education.
-Like many schools, many community colleges try to keep class sizes low. However, they accept pretty much anyone. This often leads to competition for GenEd requirement classes, and in some instances makes it hard to add classes. (I went to community college in California pre-budget cuts, and a 4 year in California after the budget cuts... And while it's hard to get a class now, it was harder at the community college.)
Then there are points that are either pro or con, depending on how you feel about it:
-Community colleges do not have housing (as far as I am aware; they do not in my state), so you would probably still have to live at home.
-Community colleges do not offer any of the "perks" you would find at state universities, such as exercise rooms, wifi, or a student union.
I'm sure there are points of consideration I'm not considering. But for the most part, these are things that should be considered in deciding whether or not Community College or a 4 Year College is right for you.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Updates and Junk and Stuff
I haven't updated my blog in awhile; as a film major, I had to do film major related things... Like direct the PSA that I pitched!!! I also had mid-terms in my survey of film class, hopefully I did well. That said, let's get to the update part.
So this quarter seems to be more organized than last quarter. If you remember, last quarter I couldn't even begin to register for classes until three weeks prior to the quarter starting. Winter quarter starts on January 4, and I'm registered already. This will lead me into a rant.
As you may know, in order to keep my unemployment, I have to register for night classes. Well, right when I tried to register for classes at 6:30 am today (my appointment began at 6:00 am, as did all the juniors), there was only 1 class left for me to register into. One of the classes I had wanted to enroll in had managed to fill already; another was completely canceled. I would lose my financial aid if I only had 1 class, so I began to worry. I'm great at worrying. I'm also great at thinking things through before it turns into a panic. So I realized that my unemployment will run out at the end of this year, anyway. I won't have "I'm on unemployment" as an excuse to take night classes anymore. On top of that, I figure most part time jobs are built around hiring students who go to school all day. So, I'm still looking for full time work, which I will accept if I get, this quarter. But as soon as unemployment runs out, I'm going back to being a "regular" student, which means 9:50 am classes, and I will then look for part-time work.
So, I also managed to register for an extra class, so I'm full time plus 4 units next quarter, to make up for the 4 units I don't have this quarter because of registration problems. Noticing that I would only have one lower level requirement for my major left, I decided I should try to make that a class of mine so I can get all the lower level requirements out of the way. Lo and behold, my school isn't offering it this quarter. It's a freaking graduation requirement for my major, but the school is all like, "Nah, don't want to give it." What. The. Freak.
Seriously, I blame Arnold Schwarzenegger. Cutting educational funding hurts people. So I got registered into classes I need, albeit not at the times I preferred, but I'll take what I can get. But I was already having a hard time registering, and I'm a Junior. Only Grad students and Seniors registered before me. Think about the poor Freshmen, some of which can't register until next Wednesday, then think about the kids who for whatever reason didn't get financial aid and have to wait to pay their tuition and then register. There aren't going to be any classes. That's really sad. Here we have Americans going for higher education, and instead of being rewarded, we basically have to fight each other tooth and nail just to get a class.
So this quarter seems to be more organized than last quarter. If you remember, last quarter I couldn't even begin to register for classes until three weeks prior to the quarter starting. Winter quarter starts on January 4, and I'm registered already. This will lead me into a rant.
As you may know, in order to keep my unemployment, I have to register for night classes. Well, right when I tried to register for classes at 6:30 am today (my appointment began at 6:00 am, as did all the juniors), there was only 1 class left for me to register into. One of the classes I had wanted to enroll in had managed to fill already; another was completely canceled. I would lose my financial aid if I only had 1 class, so I began to worry. I'm great at worrying. I'm also great at thinking things through before it turns into a panic. So I realized that my unemployment will run out at the end of this year, anyway. I won't have "I'm on unemployment" as an excuse to take night classes anymore. On top of that, I figure most part time jobs are built around hiring students who go to school all day. So, I'm still looking for full time work, which I will accept if I get, this quarter. But as soon as unemployment runs out, I'm going back to being a "regular" student, which means 9:50 am classes, and I will then look for part-time work.
So, I also managed to register for an extra class, so I'm full time plus 4 units next quarter, to make up for the 4 units I don't have this quarter because of registration problems. Noticing that I would only have one lower level requirement for my major left, I decided I should try to make that a class of mine so I can get all the lower level requirements out of the way. Lo and behold, my school isn't offering it this quarter. It's a freaking graduation requirement for my major, but the school is all like, "Nah, don't want to give it." What. The. Freak.
Seriously, I blame Arnold Schwarzenegger. Cutting educational funding hurts people. So I got registered into classes I need, albeit not at the times I preferred, but I'll take what I can get. But I was already having a hard time registering, and I'm a Junior. Only Grad students and Seniors registered before me. Think about the poor Freshmen, some of which can't register until next Wednesday, then think about the kids who for whatever reason didn't get financial aid and have to wait to pay their tuition and then register. There aren't going to be any classes. That's really sad. Here we have Americans going for higher education, and instead of being rewarded, we basically have to fight each other tooth and nail just to get a class.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Picking a Major: It's Not Rocket Science
There's this girl who's in a few of my classes. We tried to catch her up on what she missed the other day about lighting, she said "it's not rocket science." When she didn't do the reading, we tried to fill her in what it was about and she said "it's not rocket science."
Yeah, it's not rocket science, but you didn't major in rocket science! A rocket scientist isn't going to go around his job saying, "It's not brain surgery", is he? Really think about your major before you pick one. If all you can say about it is, "It's not rocket science"...well, then major in rocket science.
It's important to major in something you care about, otherwise classes will suck. She's a film major, like me, and I don't even like one of my classes but I deal with it because I apparently need it, and I can see it's purpose. Just because you think your major is "easy" doesn't mean you don't have to actually learn about what's going on in class. It may not be rocket science, but that's only a problem if you plan on being a rocket scientist.
Yeah, it's not rocket science, but you didn't major in rocket science! A rocket scientist isn't going to go around his job saying, "It's not brain surgery", is he? Really think about your major before you pick one. If all you can say about it is, "It's not rocket science"...well, then major in rocket science.
It's important to major in something you care about, otherwise classes will suck. She's a film major, like me, and I don't even like one of my classes but I deal with it because I apparently need it, and I can see it's purpose. Just because you think your major is "easy" doesn't mean you don't have to actually learn about what's going on in class. It may not be rocket science, but that's only a problem if you plan on being a rocket scientist.
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