By: Anamika Gupta
Government College Financial Aid Comes in Many Forms - Scholarships, Fellowships & Student Loans
When it comes to finding funding for college the answer may be as close as your back yard. Visit at http://themotley-fool.blogspot.com
Everyone considers federal government sources of aid to make their college dreams come true but overlook what their state has to offer. State financial aid sources exist to help students who are reaching for a higher level of education. Here is some information to point you in this possibly lucrative direction.
Start with your high school guidance counselor. Any information about grants, scholarships, loans, and other programs offered by the state will be funneled through their office. Make an appointment to talk with them and gather as much information as you can on the options available.
Contact your state educational office. Every state has one. If they have a website, visit and see what they can tell you. States are ready to help students, especially if they plan on attending a state school.
Ask the state educational office for a financial aid handbook. Any scholarships, loans, and grants that are provided by the state can be found in the pages of that book. Study it carefully. Apply for all of the programs that even remotely apply to you, your situation, and your skills.
Scholarship monies are available for attending a state school. A state college or university may not be your first choice, but don't count them out. One distinct advantage of a state-supported school is the cost. The average cost per year could be half that of a private college or university in another state.
States set aside money for students pursuing certain fields of study at college. The funds encourage students to stay within state to receive their education. This doesn't mean that you have to attend the same college for all four years. If you truly want to study elsewhere, you can transfer after the first year or two, but understand that these funds more than likely will not follow you to your new school.
Counties issue grants based on their need for graduates to pursue a specific discipline. Teachers and nurses are in high demand. Areas where there is a significant shortage offer students the chance to go to college for little or nothing in return for a certain number of years of service in the needy area.
States provide grant money for minority students. These grants give money to qualified students based on race, religion, and sex. If you fall into one of these categories, apply for the grant and get the money you need for college.
The best thing about grant money is that it does not have to be paid back. It is important to check with the grant foundation on the renewal particulars of the grant. You don't want to miss out on money in subsequent years because of a failure to renew the grant.
Local businesses and civic organizations offer scholarships for students planning on attending college. For some of these scholarships, students are chosen based on their academic record in high school. Other ones require an application to be filled out for consideration.
Banks in your state may offer college loans for parents and/or students. The loans supplement any costs that are not covered from other financial aid sources. Loans should always be a last resort when considering all forms of aid, but they are available if you need them.
Another avenue of inquiry is the financial aid office of a state college. After deciding to attend a state school visit or call their financial aid office to learn about any state grants or scholarships that are available on their campus. The state government or corporations may partner with state-funded schools or private colleges to offer money to students in need.
With all of the state sources that you find, be mindful of application deadlines. Many of the deadlines will be around the same time so staying organized is a must to get all of the information in on time. Late applications will not be considered.
State financial aid sources do exist. Check with state educational offices and your high school guidance counselor for more information.Visit at http://themotley-fool.blogspot.com
Article source: http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/government-college-financial-aid-comes-in-many-forms-scholarships-fellowships-student-loans-1050253.html
Monday, July 20, 2009
Money Mastery - Three Easy Steps to Mastering Your Financial Destiny
By: Anamika Gupta
When I was a kid I was constantly told, "We can't afford that; we can ONLY get this; ask your dad if you can have that; you must save your money for a rainy day; start saving now for retirement."Visit at http://themotley-fool.blogspot.com
Don't get me wrong, I understand the intention of some of these messages and that they may even hold value for some folks but I also have learned that these statements can lead to potential financial paralysis.
By hearing those statements over and over again, I developed what could have been my Money Destiny. That Money Destiny led me to believe I would never have enough money, that I must always save and never spend, and that I was not financially safe. These messages repeated themselves in my mind every time I needed to make a money decision or anytime I thought about money. Soon thereafter I found myself resenting the "mean green" and at times wanting to rebel against it. Thank goodness I realized one day that should I continue down this same Money Destiny road, I was destined to have just enough (not plenty) or none at all for that matter or worry about money constantly, and stay in the middleclass.
When I noticed how I was making decisions that would keep me in the same place and never propel me forward financially, I knew it was time to bust my old patterns, break debilitating money-habits, and create a new money system, a new Money Destiny. Doing this was going to take some mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical work, oh yeah, and finacial work as well! It meant I was going to have to stop listening to what I had been told all my years growing up as a child as well as stop playing the "tape recording" of these messages over in my mind. It also meant I was going to have to buck this old system every time it flashed before my eyes! My intention in sharing this article with you is to help you break down your conditioned mindset and build it up with a new one that actually works with you and not against you. This is a mindset that YOU are going to create, nobody else will be creating it for you. Isn't that exciting?
So what does mastering money look like? Mastering your money literally boils down to one thing: your mindset. Have you ever noticed that when your bills are paid off for the month and you have some extra "bread" in savings, you are just bouncing around the planet like you are rich (even if you aren't)? However, on the contrary, have you noticed that when you don't have enough to make ends meet and you're struggling to figure out where the next dollar will come from to pay your rent or mortgage, you never seem to see the light? And, have you ever noticed that you actually decided, either consciously or subconsciously, which of those scenarios would play out in your life?
What I would like for you to do is sit for a moment and put yourself into both situations. First, visualize yourself in the moment when you have no money, nothing in the bank, in fact you may be in the negative. You're not going to be paid for another week and all of your bills are due yesterday. What is the first feeling that you notice? Desperation, anger, frustration, helplessness? Take a quick note of that. Now, go to the visual of having money in the bank, all bills paid off and in essence you feel free. You have extra money to do what you would like and everything seems to be going right in the world. Again, take note of the first feeling that pops up for you when sitting in this visualization.
Let's take an even further step. Picture that you are in control of both scenarios. You actually designate or choose which will happen in your life. And, you actually choose the same scene over and over again. Which do you choose? Do you choose the visualization with lots of money and financial freedom or do you choose the daunting visual? I venture to guess you wish to choose the one of Money Mastery.
The concept of Money Mastery has to do with having a destiny when it comes to money. Some folks actually are destined to be rich, middle class or poor. For most of us, we witnessed how our parents behaved with money, listened to things they said and then modeled after them. If our parents were rich, we figured as adults that we, too, had the right to be rich. If our parents were poor, we grew up thinking we did not deserve to have more money so we followed in the footsteps of our poor parents.
I am here to tell you that you don't have to follow in anybody's footsteps when it comes to mastering money except your own. Today, you get to decide your new Money Destiny in just three steps.Visit at http://themotley-fool.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/money-mastery-three-easy-steps-to-mastering-your-financial-destiny-1050294.html
When I was a kid I was constantly told, "We can't afford that; we can ONLY get this; ask your dad if you can have that; you must save your money for a rainy day; start saving now for retirement."Visit at http://themotley-fool.blogspot.com
Don't get me wrong, I understand the intention of some of these messages and that they may even hold value for some folks but I also have learned that these statements can lead to potential financial paralysis.
By hearing those statements over and over again, I developed what could have been my Money Destiny. That Money Destiny led me to believe I would never have enough money, that I must always save and never spend, and that I was not financially safe. These messages repeated themselves in my mind every time I needed to make a money decision or anytime I thought about money. Soon thereafter I found myself resenting the "mean green" and at times wanting to rebel against it. Thank goodness I realized one day that should I continue down this same Money Destiny road, I was destined to have just enough (not plenty) or none at all for that matter or worry about money constantly, and stay in the middleclass.
When I noticed how I was making decisions that would keep me in the same place and never propel me forward financially, I knew it was time to bust my old patterns, break debilitating money-habits, and create a new money system, a new Money Destiny. Doing this was going to take some mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical work, oh yeah, and finacial work as well! It meant I was going to have to stop listening to what I had been told all my years growing up as a child as well as stop playing the "tape recording" of these messages over in my mind. It also meant I was going to have to buck this old system every time it flashed before my eyes! My intention in sharing this article with you is to help you break down your conditioned mindset and build it up with a new one that actually works with you and not against you. This is a mindset that YOU are going to create, nobody else will be creating it for you. Isn't that exciting?
So what does mastering money look like? Mastering your money literally boils down to one thing: your mindset. Have you ever noticed that when your bills are paid off for the month and you have some extra "bread" in savings, you are just bouncing around the planet like you are rich (even if you aren't)? However, on the contrary, have you noticed that when you don't have enough to make ends meet and you're struggling to figure out where the next dollar will come from to pay your rent or mortgage, you never seem to see the light? And, have you ever noticed that you actually decided, either consciously or subconsciously, which of those scenarios would play out in your life?
What I would like for you to do is sit for a moment and put yourself into both situations. First, visualize yourself in the moment when you have no money, nothing in the bank, in fact you may be in the negative. You're not going to be paid for another week and all of your bills are due yesterday. What is the first feeling that you notice? Desperation, anger, frustration, helplessness? Take a quick note of that. Now, go to the visual of having money in the bank, all bills paid off and in essence you feel free. You have extra money to do what you would like and everything seems to be going right in the world. Again, take note of the first feeling that pops up for you when sitting in this visualization.
Let's take an even further step. Picture that you are in control of both scenarios. You actually designate or choose which will happen in your life. And, you actually choose the same scene over and over again. Which do you choose? Do you choose the visualization with lots of money and financial freedom or do you choose the daunting visual? I venture to guess you wish to choose the one of Money Mastery.
The concept of Money Mastery has to do with having a destiny when it comes to money. Some folks actually are destined to be rich, middle class or poor. For most of us, we witnessed how our parents behaved with money, listened to things they said and then modeled after them. If our parents were rich, we figured as adults that we, too, had the right to be rich. If our parents were poor, we grew up thinking we did not deserve to have more money so we followed in the footsteps of our poor parents.
I am here to tell you that you don't have to follow in anybody's footsteps when it comes to mastering money except your own. Today, you get to decide your new Money Destiny in just three steps.Visit at http://themotley-fool.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/money-mastery-three-easy-steps-to-mastering-your-financial-destiny-1050294.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
