college education
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Over the years, I have talked with many parents who were going to great lengths to get their child into the ``right'' college. By ``right'' they mean colleges like Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard or Yale. Those universities are top of the line -- the ones to which we dream of sending our children. Of course, as time goes by, other questions arise: Does the child want to go to college? Are his or her grades good enough to be accepted? Does the college of choice offer the breadth and scope of a particular program? Is it affordable? As we mark National College Week, one thing remains constant throughout a parent's dreams: A college education makes a difference to the lives of young people. Census data show that bachelor degree recipients now start out at an average salary of about $45,000 a year. Over the period of 40 years in the workforce, that is almost $2 million. One barrier is the cost of a good college education. Frightening stories abound -- of parents mortgaging their homes and retirement accounts. But consider, if you will, the cost of attending a state university. In California there are 32 possibilities (23 California State University campuses and nine University of California campuses), plus dozens of community colleges that charge very reasonable fees and provide excellent programs. Each system and each campus within those systems has its strengths and weaknesses. It makes sense for parents and their students to review the curriculum. There is a perfect fit out there for every student. And often that fit does not come until a student has experienced a year or two at a junior college. Sonoma State University, for example, enrolls approximately 60 percent of transfer students. There are many reasons for attending college. A major one is to be well-prepared for employment. Technology has become a part of every worker's life whether he or she works as a brain surgeon, at the local 7-11, as a police officer, musician, chiropractor or engineer. Technology is only a small part of a student's experience at college, but it's an important one in the ``Technology Age.'' This is an exciting time to be a student, on the cusp of revolutionary changes in how we communicate. At the California State University we expect to see approximately 117,000 additional students in the next 10 years. These are the children of the Baby Boomers who are now thinking about college. To accommodate their needs, we must consider new and efficient ways to educate them in a high-quality, yet affordable way. Recent statewide reports show that people think the cost of attending the California State University is about twice as high as it actually is. In fact, CSU has not raised fees since 1994. For the past two years, fees have been reduced by 5 percent per year. Sonoma State's annual fees are about $2,000. These fees are affordable by most families and can often be offset by scholarships and loans. Students in the CSU pay less than a fifth of the cost of their education; the state of California makes up the difference of $4,514. Whether your child attends Yale University, Sonoma State University, Santa Rosa Junior College or another school within your family's reach, your child will benefit. Consider what your child would look like as a college graduate. Ruben Armiana is the president of Sonoma State University.
Putting Johnny and Suzie through college these days might strain even a financial genius. But if you think a college education is expensive these days, imagine what the cost will be in 10 years, which is about the time today's grade school kids would start thinking about a bachelor's degree. In a survey of colleges, the College Board of New York found that four years at a public college starting in 1995 will cost a tidy $41,687. A private college will cost a lofty $87,103. Fast-forward to 2005, the board has projected that the average cost of a college education will be $74,000 at a public college and a whopping $156,000 at a private institution. It's an enormous challenge for parents and students. Both must find creative ways to meet the rising costs. Parents with young children need to start a savings plan now. The longer one waits, the harder it is to reach a financial goal. It's a savings concept. If you don't have a lot of money, you can put small amounts into a mutual fund, government bonds, or perhaps stocks, if you're really aggressive. Among the mutual funds that focus on college saving is the Nuveen Tax-Free College Investment Program. Your investment and reinvested dividends build up tax-free over a long haul. It's putting compounding to work. You need to build a small amount into a large amount during the next decade. The idea is, the longer you consistently invest, the greater your chances are to save enough to put your children through college. Mike Bagley of Santa Rosa started setting aside money for his daughter Sophia nine years ago. Today, she's 20 and starting at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in September. ``I started a combination of things to save over the years. Every time I got a bonus, I set it aside for her education. I also had a steady sum of money going into various programs,'' Bagley said. Bagley, a certified financial planner and agency manager at MetLife, suggested several college strategies. Employees who have company 410(k) retirement plans may borrow from the plan to pay for the children's education. They generally have five years to repay the loans. Other savings tactics may employ life insurance policies, annuities and government bonds. ``The first step is, parents need to determine how much investment risk to take and how much time it takes to reach their financial goal,'' Bagley said. One of the least expensive ways is a life insurance policy that allows borrowing without tax consequences. ``If a person had a life insurance policy that grew in value over the years, he could borrow from it, up to the cost basis. There would be no tax liability,'' Bagley said. Federal savings bonds give decent yields and federal taxes are forgiven on series E bonds, if the money is used for tuition, Bagley said. If parents invest in mutual funds or stocks, they may want to shift that money into no-risk investments when it's college time, he advised. No-risk investments include money market mutual funds, certificates of deposit and federal treasuries, Bagley said. People who have difficulty saving might consider payroll deductions or having an amount automatically withdrawn from their bank accounts and deposited into investment accounts. One strategy is for grandparents to set up an annuity offered by insurance companies for their grandchildren's education, according to Chris Ranney, a partner with Brecek & Young financial services group in Petaluma. In this manner, the annual contributions to the annuity would grow at a tax-sheltered rate until the grandchildren are ready for college. Parents can set up annuities, but their age is a key. People who aren't at least 59-1/2 incur fewer penalties when withdrawing from their annuities. It's important to have an annuity that allows 10 percent withdrawals per year without incurring a penalty from the insurance company. Most annuities do. As an example, if the grandparents put a lump sum, $100,000 for example, into an annuity, they would be allowed to access up to 10 percent or $10,000 a year. When they take out money, two things may happen. If they are younger than 59-1/2, any earnings they withdraw could be assessed a 10 percent penalty by the IRS. Plus, the earnings could be taxed as income at the grandparents' tax rate. If the earnings are minimal, so would be the taxes. If the earnings were $2,000, the federal tax would be $200. In addition, the IRS would levy an early distribution tax of 10 percent, or $1,000, for grandparents under 59-1/2. The net effect is, Johnny or Suzie would have $8,800 a year for education through their grandparents' annuity. If the grandparents are older than 59-1/2, they could withdraw 10 percent with no insurance company penalties and no IRS early withdrawal penalty. They still would face a 10 percent federal tax on any withdrawn earnings. ``An advantage of the annuity is, the grandparents would retain control of the asset and get what is left in the annuity after their grandchildren graduate. It can be a really good deal for them all,'' Ranney said. That's a big point. An annuity continues earning in a tax-deferred status while Johnny or Suzie are in school. When the education is done, some assets will be left for the grandparents. Take our case of the $100,000 lump sum put in an annuity. If the annuity earned 6 percent a year, the ending balance would be $83,257 after taking out $40,000 in four years. Another resource some parents tap is home equity, when they obtain second loans on their houses to finance their children's educations. A home equity loan is a tax deduction, but it's also more costly than college student aid. The interest rate on a home equity loan often is high and loan payments begin immediately. A home loan can work if parents can afford it. Colleges typically don't require loan payments until after graduation. So, while the student is in school, his loans are interest-free. If money is an issue or time is short, a local university or junior college might be the logical starting point for a new student because the costs are less. In hunting for financial resources, look to the colleges themselves for assistance. College students received about $42 billion in financial aid in 1993-94, of which 54 percent were student loans. The Santa Rosa Junior College has lists of grants and scholarships available to students.
college education on Video:
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The future of society/college
by rss@youtube.com (wolf102286)
2 Jul 2008 at 3:02pm
Stuff that constantly haunts my thoughts
Author: wolf102286
Keywords: society school college education
Added: July 2, 2008
moving in with the parental units
by rss@youtube.com (theinvisibledingo)
1 Jul 2008 at 7:19pm
it sucks. but its totally worth it in exchange for a college education. :) -Ash. p.s. it's my first youtube video, so if you think it stinks, suck it up dude.
Author: theinvisibledingo
Keywords: moving in parental units first youtube video
Added: July 1, 2008
The Edge of Heaven Movie Trailer
by rss@youtube.com (AppleMoviesTrailers)
30 Jun 2008 at 8:25pm
In a Turkish enclave in Bremen, patriarchal widower Ali brings home Yeter, a local prostitute, to tend to his domestic needs. Yeter is saving money to finance her daughter Ayten's college education in Turkey. When Yeter is accidentally killed, Ali's son Nejat heads to Turkey to find Ayten, who unbeknownst to him, has embarked on her own rebellious journey to Germany. Multi-layered and poignant, THE EDGE OF HEAVEN delves into German-Turkish relations and age-old generational divide. Winner of the Best Screenplay in the Cannes Film Festival 2007. Directed by Fatih Akin (Head-On, Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul). In Theatres: May 21st, 2008 Foreign Rating: NR Fatih Akin (dir.) Hanna Schygulla Patrycia Ziolkowska Baki Davrak Nurgul Yesilçay
Author: AppleMoviesTrailers
Keywords: The Edge of Heaven Movie Trailer New Release
Added: June 30, 2008
Dorm Talent
by rss@youtube.com (mimizart)
30 Jun 2008 at 3:53pm
What you get for $60K plus college education.
Author: mimizart
Keywords: lip sync college dorm cute guys
Added: June 30, 2008
Antioch College 1855-2008?
by rss@youtube.com (randjl)
30 Jun 2008 at 3:19pm
This documentary chronicles the important history, sad closing in 2008, and hope for the future of Antioch College. Tags: antioch college closing education liberal arts yellow springs ohio Views: 1 Comments: 0 Added: June 30, 2008, 07:46 AM Broadcast: Public | Live! Raw File: Antioch.flv
Author: randjl
Keywords: antioch college education yellow springs non stop alumni
Added: June 30, 2008
SLCC Native American High School Tour You Can Do It!
by rss@youtube.com (nettgary)
30 Jun 2008 at 10:07am
SLCC Native American High School Tour You Can Do It!
Author: nettgary
Keywords: SLCC Salt Lake Community College education Native American Indian
Added: June 30, 2008
SLCC Native American High School Tour Why College
by rss@youtube.com (nettgary)
30 Jun 2008 at 8:58am
SLCC Native American High School Tour Why College
Author: nettgary
Keywords: SLCC Salt Lake Community College education American Indian Native
Added: June 30, 2008
SLCC Native American High School Tour Transfer
by rss@youtube.com (nettgary)
30 Jun 2008 at 8:53am
SLCC Native American High School Tour Transfer
Author: nettgary
Keywords: SLCC Salt Lake Community College education American Indian Native
Added: June 30, 2008
SLCC Native American High School Tour Student Support
by rss@youtube.com (nettgary)
30 Jun 2008 at 8:40am
SLCC Native American High School Tour Student Support
Author: nettgary
Keywords: SLCC Salt Lake Community College education Native American Indian Student Support
Added: June 30, 2008
SLCC Native American High School Tour Living
by rss@youtube.com (nettgary)
30 Jun 2008 at 8:37am
SLCC Native American High School Tour Living
Author: nettgary
Keywords: SLCC Salt Lake Community College education American Indian Native
Added: June 30, 2008
SLCC Native American High School Tour Flexible
by rss@youtube.com (nettgary)
30 Jun 2008 at 8:34am
SLCC Native American High School Tour Flexible
Author: nettgary
Keywords: SLCC Salt Lake City Community College education American Indian Native
Added: June 30, 2008
SLCC Native American High School Tour Financial Aid
by rss@youtube.com (nettgary)
30 Jun 2008 at 8:27am
SLCC Native American High School Tour Financial Aid
Author: nettgary
Keywords: SLCC Salt Lake Comunity College education American Indian Native Financial Aid
Added: June 30, 2008
SLCC Native American High School Tour American Indian Studen
by rss@youtube.com (nettgary)
30 Jun 2008 at 8:03am
SLCC Native American High School Tour American Indian Student Leadership
Author: nettgary
Keywords: SLCC Salt Lake Community College education Native American Indian
Added: June 30, 2008
MakeBeliefsComix.com
by rss@youtube.com (Jennsblue)
29 Jun 2008 at 6:23pm
A City College class in New York discusses how MakeBeliefsComix.com, a site where you create your own comic strips, helps them learn English in a unique and fun way.
Author: Jennsblue
Keywords: city college education comics comix makebeliefscomix.com students interviews esl esol
Added: June 29, 2008
WGC For Poland
by rss@youtube.com (purplecauliflower)
29 Jun 2008 at 7:29am
A short video from students from Wellington Girls College in New Zealand to Liz' new students in Poland! Enjoy
Author: purplecauliflower
Keywords: WGC wellington girls college education comedy
Added: June 29, 2008
college education Books
by Alex Harris, Brett Harris
Amazon Price: $11.55
Customer Review: we really have to embrace the message of this book. we have all been robbed of much through the culturally promoted "kick back, do nothing but live and let live years" of teenagerism. I am very thankful for the book and its message.
by Jonathan Orsay
Amazon Price: $110.22
Customer Review: I'm a pre-pharm student and I was told that it would be helpful to use the mcat review books because it's more informative. I'm not sure how these books got so many good reviews because beside for the cute pictures and animations it was lacking a lot of useful info. Additionally, there's barely any math review in the package, and there's a big chunk of calculus on the Pcat and Mcat...I was kind of disappointed...
by Kaplan
Amazon Price: $9.60
Customer Review: These flash cards are fantastic; they helped me to a perfect score on the GRE Verbal section. While it helps if you use these in conjunction with other GRE exam prep guides, these cards can serve you well on their own. Note though, this is a flashcard 'flip book', not a set of true flashcards. If you're looking for real English flashcards, try Vis-Ed's line of cards, but be aware that their English flashcards are very basic.
Bonus GRE tip: It helps to know several languages for the GRE verbal section. Many of the 'increasing difficulty' words are foreign words imported into English. Look out for them! This vocab book points you in the right direction for these, but the list is not exhaustive.
by Princeton Review
Amazon Price: $13.57
Customer Review: I took the SAT back in fall and came back with the egregious score of 1800, so I began studying. I weighed my options and picked this book. The reasons were: the explanations after every section more than suffice to understand why I missed the question; the math section is very comparable to the actual exam, using the same tricky wording and problems; also the reading selections I found quite interesting and also pretty challenging. Well in all, I came out with a 2250 on the May examination. Keep in mind, it really is just practice, I really enjoyed this book, but almost any book out there can produce the same result.
by Robert H. Miller
Amazon Price: $12.89
Customer Review: Law School Confidential provides a complete and insightful analysis of the law school experience; Robert Miller covers everything from admission advice to making smart career choices. I picked up this book during my junior year of college, hoping it would help determine if law school was a smart move for me. The book, by combining the author's experiences with those of several other recent law school grads, gave me a comfortable understanding of what exactly to expect from law school.
By reading LSC I came to learn what a law school education would do for me, what it would require of me, and how to get the most out of the experience. Coming from a lawyer-free family, the knowledge and advice was priceless and significantly deeper than anything provided by my college's Pre-Law adviser.
Perhaps the most valuable aspect of Miller's book is its honesty. LSC paints a realistic and sometimes critical picture of the law school experience. This honest depiction of law school is an absolute necessity for those that want to make a well informed decision on what often amounts to a huge commitment of time and resources. Law School Confidential allowed me to make this decision with confidence, and I look forward to enrolling this fall as a result.
by Scott, Ph.D. Calvin, Jonathan Orsay
Amazon Price: $19.77
Customer Review: This book is decent. Some good questions, but many a bit too trivial for MCAT. If you're pressed for time, this book may not benefit you too much.
by David M. Killoran
Amazon Price: $64.99
Customer Review: 50% of your score on the LSAT is tied to Logical Reasoning. You may think you are hot on this subject, but everyone can benefit, and should benefit, from detailed study on the subject. Logical Reasoning should be where you make up for points lost in the Logic Games. This book, with real LSAT examples (not imitations) will help you do this with well-expressed strategies to check your answers and to eliminate wrong answers - that means you SAVE TIME! Pay a little extra for this if you are serious about Law School. As for a Kaplan book? I got suckered into it over this book, at first. The comparison? Take your Kaplan book and use it as a coaster or kindling in the fireplace. Kaplan is useless.
by Phillip E., Ph.D. Pack
Amazon Price: $11.55
Customer Review: I used this book and Dr. Sanghera's AP Biology Flashcard Quicklet to prepare for the AP Biology exam. I love both of these books and here are my reviews:
This book is cool. It's to the point and covers all the topics very concisely. So, that saves you lot of time that you can use elsewhere. However, it gives you all the info that you need to pass the AP Biology exam. It's short and sweet: material is covered in a reader-friendly way; easy to follow, understand, and retain. I used this book in combination with the following book: the Flashcard Quicklet.
AP Biology Flashcard Quicklet: Flashcards in a Book for Biology StudentsFlash cards are cool tools to review your preparation for the exam. I like this style of flash cards though: flash cards in a book. Loose flash cards could be annoying; they are hard to keep together...flash cards in a book are cool..no lost cards...easy to keep them together..Besides, in this book, the flash cards are very much self contained; good and easy to follow answers and explanations....You can use this flash card book with any AP Biology book or without any book...it's not tied to a specific book...The coverage of topics is quite comprehensive and there is lots of space to make your own notes...I love it...
I would say these are the only two books you need to pass the exam.
by Princeton Review
Amazon Price: $14.93
Customer Review: This book should not decide where you go to college. It has some interesting info on each school, along with a lot of really cool surveys. However, it is very uncomprehensive and, of course, can't do anything even close to capturing that schools feel and color completely on paper.
If you're interested on looking up some college after hearing its name or something similar for some initial info on a college, this is a good choice.
by Ron Suskind
Amazon Price: $10.85
Customer Review: The protagonist makes no excuses for himself. I love that. I think he realised early on (after the book was written) that he wanted to be most of all "real." It wasn't to be about how he overcame, living in the ghetto etc but more importantly, the emotions and finding himself.
At certain points, I am like this kid is not a very pleasant person but even with that I could understand where he was coming from. This made him real.
He also along the way learnt he was in charge of his and only his destiny. He couldn't pull his siblings up. or his mom and I think for the longest time that must have irked him a lot.
He had to also learn to let go of this incessant rage murking in his soul. He had to face these demons so he could finally interact in the real world in a full capacity. This was not easy for him to do and he had so many missteps.
This is a tale not fairy tale perfect but gritty and still on-going, right now as we speak.
Cheers,
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