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.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Hey, School in Financial Crisis....
Announcer: Hey, school in financial crisis, you have had to cut classes, cut how many students can register for school, delay financial aid so students couldn't register for classes, furlough staff, and cut back hours for student services. What are you going to do now?
School: I'm going to put a $45,000 biometric hand scanner in the basement gym!
No, I'm not making that up. The school totally did that? Why? Because it's a cost-saving measure. Over what, you ask?
PRINTING STUDENT IDS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PRINT ANYWAY.
Yes, the gym currently used a system where the student would use their ID to access the gym, but the school decided... Yeah, no. So they installed a $45,000 biometric hand scanner and used the argument that it was cheaper than printing student IDs.
Okay, yes, if in some magic world that means that there would be no need for student IDs at all. Let's see, just a small sample of reasons a student might need an ID:
1) To identify themselves as a student. I can tell that lately the school cares jack $*&@ about saving the STUDENTS money, but students still need the ID itself for a "student discount".
2) You need a student ID and a class schedule to get student email.
3) The student ID doubles as a card you can load money on to use at the printers and copiers in the library.
4) I probably didn't check this out completely, but you need a student ID to check out books in the library.
5) You need a student ID and a class schedule to get a parking pass or to buy transportation passes from Transportation Services.
You know, just some other reasons I can think of that building a biometric hand scanner in a gym isn't going to save money over printing student IDs.
Seriously. Do you realize the BENEFICIAL ways that money could have been spent?
School: I'm going to put a $45,000 biometric hand scanner in the basement gym!
No, I'm not making that up. The school totally did that? Why? Because it's a cost-saving measure. Over what, you ask?
PRINTING STUDENT IDS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PRINT ANYWAY.
Yes, the gym currently used a system where the student would use their ID to access the gym, but the school decided... Yeah, no. So they installed a $45,000 biometric hand scanner and used the argument that it was cheaper than printing student IDs.
Okay, yes, if in some magic world that means that there would be no need for student IDs at all. Let's see, just a small sample of reasons a student might need an ID:
1) To identify themselves as a student. I can tell that lately the school cares jack $*&@ about saving the STUDENTS money, but students still need the ID itself for a "student discount".
2) You need a student ID and a class schedule to get student email.
3) The student ID doubles as a card you can load money on to use at the printers and copiers in the library.
4) I probably didn't check this out completely, but you need a student ID to check out books in the library.
5) You need a student ID and a class schedule to get a parking pass or to buy transportation passes from Transportation Services.
You know, just some other reasons I can think of that building a biometric hand scanner in a gym isn't going to save money over printing student IDs.
Seriously. Do you realize the BENEFICIAL ways that money could have been spent?
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
An Unexciting Update
I know I've mentioned before that the school paper is a thing of beauty; it's a beautiful thing. (Yes, I repeat for emphasis.) It also keeps me informed as to what is going on here on campus. It's not so easy going back to school here; it's not easy being a traditional student going here.
-I wasn't the only one affected by the student loan delay. In fact, I'm only one of tons of students who could not register for classes while waiting for financial aid. Many could not add classes at all.
-There's soon to be caps on enrollment to 12 quarter units per quarter. Except you're not full time until you hit 12. That's right; the school wants to make it harder for students to be full time. In many instances, if you're not full time, you can't get financial aid. Not only that, it would force students to be in school for more quarters, and since the school charges the same for 6.1 units to about 16 units, in the end it'll cost the student more.
-Raising tuition 30% and reducing classes is just... A douche bag move. There, I said it.
Of all things the economy needs, reducing the future work force by making sure there's no school for them is high on the list of things not to do, I'm sure. I don't know, I'm no economist. I'll ask an economy major for clarification, maybe. Either way, there's a monkey wrench in my plan to finish school to be employable... And that's the school and the government treatment of education.
-I wasn't the only one affected by the student loan delay. In fact, I'm only one of tons of students who could not register for classes while waiting for financial aid. Many could not add classes at all.
-There's soon to be caps on enrollment to 12 quarter units per quarter. Except you're not full time until you hit 12. That's right; the school wants to make it harder for students to be full time. In many instances, if you're not full time, you can't get financial aid. Not only that, it would force students to be in school for more quarters, and since the school charges the same for 6.1 units to about 16 units, in the end it'll cost the student more.
-Raising tuition 30% and reducing classes is just... A douche bag move. There, I said it.
Of all things the economy needs, reducing the future work force by making sure there's no school for them is high on the list of things not to do, I'm sure. I don't know, I'm no economist. I'll ask an economy major for clarification, maybe. Either way, there's a monkey wrench in my plan to finish school to be employable... And that's the school and the government treatment of education.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Just an update thingie
Yeah, I didn't think of a clever title. So, on Tuesday in my... I forget what it's called class... we pitched our ideas for the PSAs like I thought. Mine made the teacher laugh. He said he never heard anything like it before and he liked it. I hope it's in the pool today after he read my synopsis, I'd really like to make it.
Yesterday I had my... Class that we watch movies in (I forget class names). I don't think I like it but I have to take it. That only means one thing: Work my butt off so I never have to take it again. :) I am pulling out a highlighter when I get home and highlighting the heck out of my book, and I am taking notes. I only have 7 more classes than the final, so... Whew.
So this week I got a lot of things done before classes. I got my student ID, I got the book for my class that we watch the movies in... I went to go get train passes but the school is like "Even if you buy your 10 trip passes now you won't get them until the end of the month and they'll be for November." I'll decide between now and the 25th if I even want them. I did some other stuff, but I don't remember what. I'm going to buy work out clothes soon and start working out in the student center. By working out I mean, hit the treadmill and the bikes. Cardio is love. I know one should strength train too, but... I don't like lifting heavy things, cardio is love. :)
So hopefully tonight I'll know if my PSA got picked for production. My fingers are crossed.
Yesterday I had my... Class that we watch movies in (I forget class names). I don't think I like it but I have to take it. That only means one thing: Work my butt off so I never have to take it again. :) I am pulling out a highlighter when I get home and highlighting the heck out of my book, and I am taking notes. I only have 7 more classes than the final, so... Whew.
So this week I got a lot of things done before classes. I got my student ID, I got the book for my class that we watch the movies in... I went to go get train passes but the school is like "Even if you buy your 10 trip passes now you won't get them until the end of the month and they'll be for November." I'll decide between now and the 25th if I even want them. I did some other stuff, but I don't remember what. I'm going to buy work out clothes soon and start working out in the student center. By working out I mean, hit the treadmill and the bikes. Cardio is love. I know one should strength train too, but... I don't like lifting heavy things, cardio is love. :)
So hopefully tonight I'll know if my PSA got picked for production. My fingers are crossed.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
First Day of School
Picked up a school paper, you know I'm addicted to those, and they're hiring it seems. I'm terribly shy (no, really, I am) so I don't know if I'll actually call and say "hey, I'm a writer", but it is an idea. Only had my one class tonight, and already we're going to produce PSAs as our first group project. We all get to pitch in ideas, then we get to pick the best ones to make. I'm putting in a video game addiction PSA pitch since I was joking about making some all summer anyway. Actually, I have three ideas for PSAs, but the one that requires a set and a budget is the one I'm going to pitch. The other two... I can just do them in my own free time if I want. I digress.
As soon as I stepped on campus, I was given a flyer for protesting budget cuts to education. There was even a form to fill out in the paper for how the budget cuts affect students personally... So I filled it out. It's not even anonymous, it has my full name and where I go to school, and a copy of it is going to be sent to the school system's regents and Schwarzenegger. Oh, and you know how I say my school is lazy? The teacher didn't even know he had our class until yesterday. I really don't like how my school is run. That's okay, the teachers don't either. However, class was cool and I have a feeling I'll love the classes. As long as they're, you know, around. But yeah, basically a basic first day of school.
As soon as I stepped on campus, I was given a flyer for protesting budget cuts to education. There was even a form to fill out in the paper for how the budget cuts affect students personally... So I filled it out. It's not even anonymous, it has my full name and where I go to school, and a copy of it is going to be sent to the school system's regents and Schwarzenegger. Oh, and you know how I say my school is lazy? The teacher didn't even know he had our class until yesterday. I really don't like how my school is run. That's okay, the teachers don't either. However, class was cool and I have a feeling I'll love the classes. As long as they're, you know, around. But yeah, basically a basic first day of school.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Less Than 24 Hours Crunch
You remember being a kid and how even though summer was fun and you could do that forever, you're kinda excited for the new school year? No? That was only me? I'm a nerd? Oh, okay. Either way, I have that feeling right now, which is a feeling I stopped having after my first year in community college.
I know what I'm wearing for the first day of school... I have my school supplies... I'm taking cereal to school to snack on because I can... I feel pumped but at the same time nervous. It's the same nervous feeling I'd get starting a new school as a kid... And I grew up in a family of modern day nomads, so that happened a lot. Will I make any new friends? Will my teachers like me? I actually find my situation adorable.
I also find it comparable. That may be confusing, but I realize that I can compare my experiences with various members of my family. There's my brother who's in the middle in my family who is also a junior in college, but has been in college for like 7 years. There's my youngest brother who started his freshman year of college this year after a four year break from high school. Then there's my cousin who is just fresh out of high school and starting her freshman year in college, hoping to finish in four years. My Van Wilder brother and I were traditional students once upon a time, so it'll be interesting to see if our cousin follows our path or finishes like most traditional students do. It'll also be interesting to see how each of our years are going.
I'm so excited I won't be able to sleep. That's how it always is the last day of summer vacation for me. And it's been five years of summer vacation.
I know what I'm wearing for the first day of school... I have my school supplies... I'm taking cereal to school to snack on because I can... I feel pumped but at the same time nervous. It's the same nervous feeling I'd get starting a new school as a kid... And I grew up in a family of modern day nomads, so that happened a lot. Will I make any new friends? Will my teachers like me? I actually find my situation adorable.
I also find it comparable. That may be confusing, but I realize that I can compare my experiences with various members of my family. There's my brother who's in the middle in my family who is also a junior in college, but has been in college for like 7 years. There's my youngest brother who started his freshman year of college this year after a four year break from high school. Then there's my cousin who is just fresh out of high school and starting her freshman year in college, hoping to finish in four years. My Van Wilder brother and I were traditional students once upon a time, so it'll be interesting to see if our cousin follows our path or finishes like most traditional students do. It'll also be interesting to see how each of our years are going.
I'm so excited I won't be able to sleep. That's how it always is the last day of summer vacation for me. And it's been five years of summer vacation.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Two Day Crunch
Actually, right now, the only thing I'm sweating is how I'm getting home from school. I guess walk. In excess of fifteen miles. I'm dedicated to my education.
So, besides the little set back of I don't know how I'm getting home from school (if I jog it'll go faster and I might lose some weight), I have almost everything taken care of. I need a student ID and a school email, and that's it.
Okay, and I've been promising to do blogs on financial aid and I never did. Because it is hard and boring to go through all of it. So I'm basically just going to break down the financial aid I managed to receive: federal student loans.
How much money you can borrow from the government is dependent on status (dependent or independent student) and year in school (increases progressively the further in school you are), and there are limits. There are three kinds. There's the Perkins loan, which is for those who need it the most. You are not responsible for the interest on it while you are still in school. Then there's the two Stafford loans. The first one is a subsidized, in which you are not responsible for the interest while you are in school, but it is need based. The second one is the unsubsidized loan, which is not need based, but you are responsible for the interest while in school and it capitalizes. There are no credit checks for government student loans. If it's not enough, you can look into private loans, but they do require a credit check. To apply for the student loans, you have to apply for them on the FAFSA (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov), and then check with your school for any other information they may need.
The other thing I'm going to mention about financial aid is that the FAFSA is the gatekeeper. State aid applications are the keymaster. Yes, I'm referencing Ghostbusters. Get over it. Check with your financial aid office or high school counselor for due dates, but if you want any government money for school... Gotta fill them out.
So, besides the little set back of I don't know how I'm getting home from school (if I jog it'll go faster and I might lose some weight), I have almost everything taken care of. I need a student ID and a school email, and that's it.
Okay, and I've been promising to do blogs on financial aid and I never did. Because it is hard and boring to go through all of it. So I'm basically just going to break down the financial aid I managed to receive: federal student loans.
How much money you can borrow from the government is dependent on status (dependent or independent student) and year in school (increases progressively the further in school you are), and there are limits. There are three kinds. There's the Perkins loan, which is for those who need it the most. You are not responsible for the interest on it while you are still in school. Then there's the two Stafford loans. The first one is a subsidized, in which you are not responsible for the interest while you are in school, but it is need based. The second one is the unsubsidized loan, which is not need based, but you are responsible for the interest while in school and it capitalizes. There are no credit checks for government student loans. If it's not enough, you can look into private loans, but they do require a credit check. To apply for the student loans, you have to apply for them on the FAFSA (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov), and then check with your school for any other information they may need.
The other thing I'm going to mention about financial aid is that the FAFSA is the gatekeeper. State aid applications are the keymaster. Yes, I'm referencing Ghostbusters. Get over it. Check with your financial aid office or high school counselor for due dates, but if you want any government money for school... Gotta fill them out.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Stuff Has Been Accomplished
Okay, somehow, I still don't have a student ID. Or a full time schedule. But I do have the full amount of my student loan approved and a 2009-2011 catalog, which means the school finally put out a catalog.
Actually, there is a lesson to be learned in what happened with my student loan and what caused problems. Make sure you check all the right boxes when you fill out an application for your school. I mistakenly only checked unsubsidized instead of both boxes. But, someone in processing made a mistake too and they did approve the full of the subsidized loan, which I qualified for based on need, but they didn't think to process the unsubsidized loan, too. Either way, when it was all discovered, my loan was processed and approved in 2 minutes instead of the usual 6 to 8 week time frame. Since distribution was today, I just hope it was processed in time for that, especially since school starts in a week and a half.
So remember, when it comes to financial aid, cross all your t's and dot all your i's. It might cost you.
Actually, there is a lesson to be learned in what happened with my student loan and what caused problems. Make sure you check all the right boxes when you fill out an application for your school. I mistakenly only checked unsubsidized instead of both boxes. But, someone in processing made a mistake too and they did approve the full of the subsidized loan, which I qualified for based on need, but they didn't think to process the unsubsidized loan, too. Either way, when it was all discovered, my loan was processed and approved in 2 minutes instead of the usual 6 to 8 week time frame. Since distribution was today, I just hope it was processed in time for that, especially since school starts in a week and a half.
So remember, when it comes to financial aid, cross all your t's and dot all your i's. It might cost you.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Countdown: 12 Days
Okay, special crunch time edition. I am going to to the campus on Monday to try to take care of the following things, which if I can not take care of means I can't go to school:
-Even though last time they told me to my face I should get my unsubsidized (non-need based) loan, it doesn't appear to have been approved.
-Still need a catalogue
-Need one more class to be full time; will get "advisement" as to what that will be, but it needs to be nights or Saturdays.
-Still will end up stranded two nights a week somewhere between school and home.
If I can get the first thing taken care of, I will take care of the next two. The last one can only be taken care of after I receive the funds from the first thing. If I can't get it taken care of, no school this year. And I do mean this year. The school isn't taking students for winter and spring this year, so if you don't start in fall you don't start this year.
-Even though last time they told me to my face I should get my unsubsidized (non-need based) loan, it doesn't appear to have been approved.
-Still need a catalogue
-Need one more class to be full time; will get "advisement" as to what that will be, but it needs to be nights or Saturdays.
-Still will end up stranded two nights a week somewhere between school and home.
If I can get the first thing taken care of, I will take care of the next two. The last one can only be taken care of after I receive the funds from the first thing. If I can't get it taken care of, no school this year. And I do mean this year. The school isn't taking students for winter and spring this year, so if you don't start in fall you don't start this year.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Education Cuts Hurt Somebody-But Who? Non-Financial Aid Edition
I truly believe where there's a will, there's a way and with stick-to-it-iveness, things can be accomplished. But I say that as a girl who's never had a "safety school" and never been rejected from a college she's applied to. I have, in fact, rejected colleges. But with budget cuts, someone is going to feel the hurt. Let's see if we can find who that is and help them out. I do warn that what I say is from a Southern Californian point of view, though I feel my advice would benefit everyone.
Let's start with the most obvious of applicants: high school students. I'm actually more worried about them since the cost to support them all "four" years at a four-year school (four is in quotes because it can be closer to six years) is less than for them to transfer in as a junior. In fact, I've noticed that application dates for any given semester at some colleges has a later cut-off date for transfer students than freshman applicants. The formula for high school students is an easy concept though: get good grades, do well on the SATs, participate in extra-curricular activities, and write a good essay. I took a gamble in high school I don't think many students could afford to do these days, but I will point out I had a weighted 3.8 GPA and leadership roles in extra-curricular activities. I only got a 940 on the SATs. It wasn't exactly an earned 940; my dad and I learned I skipped a line on one of the tests and answered at least 20 questions on the wrong line. But I wasn't willing to sacrifice another $60 and another Saturday at sixteen, and felt a 940 was good enough. I did get into the school I applied to, but I rejected them when I couldn't get sufficient financial aid. With the budget cuts, I would suggest that students put up the money and give up the Saturday to take the test over. But that isn't to say you can't get in if you're not perfect: school's accept whichever students they think will offer their school the most. If you only have a 2.9, leadership in extra-curricular activities can help save you. If you're applying from out of state, I wish you good luck, because you have to stand out even more: everything otherwise equal, schools tend to accept local students first.
I suspect very little can hurt a transfer student...except a kink in their momentum. Say you finish all your requirements to transfer in a Fall semester. Many schools aren't letting students transfer mid-year any more... You would have to take a year off! And trust me, one year turns to five very quickly. Well, how would you like to get more credits out of your way while you wait? It takes 60 semester units to transfer as a junior, but you can transfer up to 72 semester units. That's about an extra semester's worth, so you can continue at your current school in the Spring and transfer it all the next fall. But you don't want to transfer next fall? Try to finish in summer school, then. Or if you're truly inclined...wait a year. My advice for out of state transfer students is the same as out of school high school students: do a lot to make yourself stand out.
So, who do I think that budget cuts are hurting? The out of state kid, the kid who doesn't want to waste time and money to retake a test, the kid who isn't doing extra-curricular activities, and college students who finished their transfer credits in the wrong semester. But who knows, if you write your essay on how you plan to overcome that diversity, you might have a shot.
Let's start with the most obvious of applicants: high school students. I'm actually more worried about them since the cost to support them all "four" years at a four-year school (four is in quotes because it can be closer to six years) is less than for them to transfer in as a junior. In fact, I've noticed that application dates for any given semester at some colleges has a later cut-off date for transfer students than freshman applicants. The formula for high school students is an easy concept though: get good grades, do well on the SATs, participate in extra-curricular activities, and write a good essay. I took a gamble in high school I don't think many students could afford to do these days, but I will point out I had a weighted 3.8 GPA and leadership roles in extra-curricular activities. I only got a 940 on the SATs. It wasn't exactly an earned 940; my dad and I learned I skipped a line on one of the tests and answered at least 20 questions on the wrong line. But I wasn't willing to sacrifice another $60 and another Saturday at sixteen, and felt a 940 was good enough. I did get into the school I applied to, but I rejected them when I couldn't get sufficient financial aid. With the budget cuts, I would suggest that students put up the money and give up the Saturday to take the test over. But that isn't to say you can't get in if you're not perfect: school's accept whichever students they think will offer their school the most. If you only have a 2.9, leadership in extra-curricular activities can help save you. If you're applying from out of state, I wish you good luck, because you have to stand out even more: everything otherwise equal, schools tend to accept local students first.
I suspect very little can hurt a transfer student...except a kink in their momentum. Say you finish all your requirements to transfer in a Fall semester. Many schools aren't letting students transfer mid-year any more... You would have to take a year off! And trust me, one year turns to five very quickly. Well, how would you like to get more credits out of your way while you wait? It takes 60 semester units to transfer as a junior, but you can transfer up to 72 semester units. That's about an extra semester's worth, so you can continue at your current school in the Spring and transfer it all the next fall. But you don't want to transfer next fall? Try to finish in summer school, then. Or if you're truly inclined...wait a year. My advice for out of state transfer students is the same as out of school high school students: do a lot to make yourself stand out.
So, who do I think that budget cuts are hurting? The out of state kid, the kid who doesn't want to waste time and money to retake a test, the kid who isn't doing extra-curricular activities, and college students who finished their transfer credits in the wrong semester. But who knows, if you write your essay on how you plan to overcome that diversity, you might have a shot.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Confusing Times at Unnamed University
I was going to go into this rant about how unsubsidized loans should be offered to students who obviously have need and blah blah blah because of the fact they're not even need based. Well, then I went to the school and found out I have nothing to worry about... They just have the most confusing award letters ever.
The award letter is "just our first offer to you". Apparently, if they approve you for a student loan, you can still request any amount you want, despite the fact the subsidized part of the loan is need based. It then takes up to 8 weeks to process. You don't even have to sign the award letter like they tell you to.
So, my loan stuff should be cleared up in a couple weeks. Seriously, I'm just too confused about what happened today to even get into details. I've been meaning to actually describe the whole student loan process, and I will soon once I'm finished reading the literature I snagged from financial aid.
The award letter is "just our first offer to you". Apparently, if they approve you for a student loan, you can still request any amount you want, despite the fact the subsidized part of the loan is need based. It then takes up to 8 weeks to process. You don't even have to sign the award letter like they tell you to.
So, my loan stuff should be cleared up in a couple weeks. Seriously, I'm just too confused about what happened today to even get into details. I've been meaning to actually describe the whole student loan process, and I will soon once I'm finished reading the literature I snagged from financial aid.
Monday, August 24, 2009
So Much to Do with a Month to Go
Crunch time. This is really where I'm the most nervous that I won't get every kink out before September 24. The problems I'm still having:
-School still has no catalog
-I really think my school isn't giving me the additional, non-need based (unsubsidized) loan I actually do need.
-Not 100% too worried as long as tuition is covered, but I'll get back to this.
-To keep unemployment, I have to take classes at night and Saturdays. I have no problem with this except for one thing: two nights a week I'll get stranded half way home.
-Need a car for ride-share purposes at least, but without the additional unsubsidized loan, I can't afford it.
-Still can't sign online promissory note, and when I even asked the school what I need to do next for the loan, they just tell me everything should be cleared in time for the distribution dates.
-School still has not released information on Fall Quarter distribution dates.
-Thanks to that last minute tuition increase I complained about not that long ago, I'm not 100% sure tuition will be covered, since the subsidized amount of the loan they approved only covers what tuition *used* to be. This one worries me the most because I did all this work to go back to school and I might not even get to go.
I like being prepared for things and I'm so unprepared right now it's hurting my chest. Any ideas/comments?
-School still has no catalog
-I really think my school isn't giving me the additional, non-need based (unsubsidized) loan I actually do need.
-Not 100% too worried as long as tuition is covered, but I'll get back to this.
-To keep unemployment, I have to take classes at night and Saturdays. I have no problem with this except for one thing: two nights a week I'll get stranded half way home.
-Need a car for ride-share purposes at least, but without the additional unsubsidized loan, I can't afford it.
-Still can't sign online promissory note, and when I even asked the school what I need to do next for the loan, they just tell me everything should be cleared in time for the distribution dates.
-School still has not released information on Fall Quarter distribution dates.
-Thanks to that last minute tuition increase I complained about not that long ago, I'm not 100% sure tuition will be covered, since the subsidized amount of the loan they approved only covers what tuition *used* to be. This one worries me the most because I did all this work to go back to school and I might not even get to go.
I like being prepared for things and I'm so unprepared right now it's hurting my chest. Any ideas/comments?
Friday, August 21, 2009
Help me fund my back to school adventures...
It's really easy. Just vote for this video every day between now and September 7. If I win, I get money for college. One lucky voter will also get money for college, so what's it going to hurt? Vote everyday and increase your chances!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Crap, I Forgot to Come Up With a Catchy Title...
So I visited my college today. Got some things accomplished... Learned some things about the school I will definitely like... And got some things completely not accomplished.
Let's start with what I got accomplished, because it's made numerous appearances in this blog: my student loan. I went to the financial aid office today and they told me the only thing they were waiting on was for me to do my electronic entrance counseling. Great. Awesome. I did that in April. So they sent me to one of their computers to log back into the site I'm pretty sure is run by the government (way to try to screw me, government...I'm kidding) and print out the entrance counseling thing and hand it to them and now everything is squared away. They say. I'm still paranoid, but whatever, they said it should all be cleared up by the time check disbursement starts. However, since I do have to wait for all that to clear up, things related to me having money to give to the school...like registering...got so not accomplished. But it will be, it will be. As always, my paranoid self is on top of it, not going to let it get out of control. However, the financial aid people were very nice and friendly and that was just refreshing.
So while I was in the financial aid office, I picked up literature on financial aid. I was going to research it and share the useful information...but the three booklets total like 200 pages. And no less of 100 of them are on student loans alone. I didn't read that much for entrance counseling, my goodness. Those poor trees.
So, after the financial aid I ate lunch, then I went to the bookstore to go get a Fall 2009 schedule of classes. Except, they sold out. All gone. But if I really wanted, for the last weeks of summer school, they had THOUSANDS of Summer 2009 schedule of classes. Methinks someone failed at ordering and ordered the quantities a little backwards. I finally got an ETA on the school catalog..."a few weeks". Nice. A few weeks could either mean "just in time for you to hope the classes for fall semester are available" or "just in time for you to hope you planned the right classes for your major or else you're screwed this semester". Either way, it's "a few weeks" later in coming out than it really should be. Of note, it is the only school in it's system that does not have a current catalog. I googled.
After that, I walked around, learned that some teachers' offices are serious business (it had a cash office lock on it, and it was a teacher office), and saw a list of available TVF classes near the advisement office. I'm hoping that the omission of Intro to Screenwriting was a mistake, or I can't take a class I need in the fall. After this, I was starting to get bored, so I headed back to the train, but not before grabbing a school paper and an Aquafina from a Pepsi machine. Sidebar, I'm no math major, but I'm pretty sure, Pepsi machine, that $2.00-1.35 isn't $0.30. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's $0.65. Where the hell is my other $0.35? Seeing as I have over $60 in a piggy bank telling myself it "isn't only" thirty-five cents, it was a little bit hard for me to just let that go. It's not like I was going to break the machine open, and if I bothered to complain people would think I was crazy, so I did just let it go.
The paper I got from the school...is a thing of beauty. It's a beautiful thing, it needs to be admired. The staff...they do not care what people think of them! There was one article complaining about how there are homeless students who can't afford school but then went into detail about how much money the President of the school was making, and it was completely unapologetic in all the dirt it dug up. There was a column written by a student as the Republican Party writing a love letter to it's ex-girlfriend America asking her to take him back. It was wonderful. I love unapologetic, opinionated people...you know, when the opinion is based on how they interpret facts and they express said opinion in an educated manner. They had an ad right there soliciting for reviews on books and movies and stuff and I was like, "I watch movies. I read books." It would probably never be fluff, because I can be incredibly critical on things I like, even. I might look into it, it depends if I decide I have time, plus would give me a way to be involved in the school.
If there are any classes left, I am excited for the fall quarter to begin on September 24. If anything, it'll be interesting.
Let's start with what I got accomplished, because it's made numerous appearances in this blog: my student loan. I went to the financial aid office today and they told me the only thing they were waiting on was for me to do my electronic entrance counseling. Great. Awesome. I did that in April. So they sent me to one of their computers to log back into the site I'm pretty sure is run by the government (way to try to screw me, government...I'm kidding) and print out the entrance counseling thing and hand it to them and now everything is squared away. They say. I'm still paranoid, but whatever, they said it should all be cleared up by the time check disbursement starts. However, since I do have to wait for all that to clear up, things related to me having money to give to the school...like registering...got so not accomplished. But it will be, it will be. As always, my paranoid self is on top of it, not going to let it get out of control. However, the financial aid people were very nice and friendly and that was just refreshing.
So while I was in the financial aid office, I picked up literature on financial aid. I was going to research it and share the useful information...but the three booklets total like 200 pages. And no less of 100 of them are on student loans alone. I didn't read that much for entrance counseling, my goodness. Those poor trees.
So, after the financial aid I ate lunch, then I went to the bookstore to go get a Fall 2009 schedule of classes. Except, they sold out. All gone. But if I really wanted, for the last weeks of summer school, they had THOUSANDS of Summer 2009 schedule of classes. Methinks someone failed at ordering and ordered the quantities a little backwards. I finally got an ETA on the school catalog..."a few weeks". Nice. A few weeks could either mean "just in time for you to hope the classes for fall semester are available" or "just in time for you to hope you planned the right classes for your major or else you're screwed this semester". Either way, it's "a few weeks" later in coming out than it really should be. Of note, it is the only school in it's system that does not have a current catalog. I googled.
After that, I walked around, learned that some teachers' offices are serious business (it had a cash office lock on it, and it was a teacher office), and saw a list of available TVF classes near the advisement office. I'm hoping that the omission of Intro to Screenwriting was a mistake, or I can't take a class I need in the fall. After this, I was starting to get bored, so I headed back to the train, but not before grabbing a school paper and an Aquafina from a Pepsi machine. Sidebar, I'm no math major, but I'm pretty sure, Pepsi machine, that $2.00-1.35 isn't $0.30. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's $0.65. Where the hell is my other $0.35? Seeing as I have over $60 in a piggy bank telling myself it "isn't only" thirty-five cents, it was a little bit hard for me to just let that go. It's not like I was going to break the machine open, and if I bothered to complain people would think I was crazy, so I did just let it go.
The paper I got from the school...is a thing of beauty. It's a beautiful thing, it needs to be admired. The staff...they do not care what people think of them! There was one article complaining about how there are homeless students who can't afford school but then went into detail about how much money the President of the school was making, and it was completely unapologetic in all the dirt it dug up. There was a column written by a student as the Republican Party writing a love letter to it's ex-girlfriend America asking her to take him back. It was wonderful. I love unapologetic, opinionated people...you know, when the opinion is based on how they interpret facts and they express said opinion in an educated manner. They had an ad right there soliciting for reviews on books and movies and stuff and I was like, "I watch movies. I read books." It would probably never be fluff, because I can be incredibly critical on things I like, even. I might look into it, it depends if I decide I have time, plus would give me a way to be involved in the school.
If there are any classes left, I am excited for the fall quarter to begin on September 24. If anything, it'll be interesting.
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