college

Financial Motivation For A Two-Year Education

When it comes to college, you are considering an expensive proposition any way you look at it. There are, however, ways in which you can significantly reduce your overall expenses when it comes to getting your college degree. The first method, which in many cases is the most preferred, is by attending a community college for the first two years of your college educational experience. Believe it or not, you can literally save thousands of dollars throughout spending two years on the community college level.

You will hear all kinds of arguments on why it is better to attend all four years at a university. The universities almost always make these arguments. Unfortunately, their opinions are a little bit biased in these matters. Most universities offer equivalent courses with community colleges meaning that the first two years of study should transfer with no problems or snags along the rocky road to your degree.

The universities make money each semester you begin classes as a student. It is in their best interest financially to have you from the beginning rather than as a transfer. In fact, many universities offer lower level classes as auditorium classes. They pack more students into categories and have fewer professors or graduate students teaching the courses and maximize their money off the first- and second-year students rather than those in upper-level classes. Yet another reason to consider a community college for the first two years of your education.

Most community colleges are mainly commuter campuses. This means you won’t face the high housing costs that are associated with universities, particularly if you are attending college close to home. Community colleges also offer far fewer distractions that cost additional money than most major universities. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t ample social opportunities; it merely means that there are fewer of them. This also leaves fewer distractions than universities present when it comes to studying.

Community colleges simply cost less all around. While it would be nice if you could receive a full four-year education at this level, they are able, for the most part, to keep expenses down by not requiring the level of qualification that universities need of their professors for upper-level courses. You will have excellent, if not a superior quality of education at lower levels than you would have on the university level, but you will also eventually need to move on to the university level to complete your education.

For this reason, you would do well to save half of your savings over university costs for each of the two years you are attending community college and apply it to your university education. This will ease the burden of the additional costs of the university and feel as though you are paying the same amount for tuition throughout your education although you are literally saving thousands of dollars on your educational expenses.

Some states have educational savings plans that allow parents to save for tuition at current costs by enrolling. These plans cover two years of community college education and two years of university education. By locking in today’s prices, you are eliminating inflation. When you consider the fact that college tuition is increasing at an alarming rate this is by far an excellent way to go. You should check with your state and see if they offer a similar plan to parents of younger children and what the requirements are to enroll your child today.

If you are looking for a real value in education whether you only go for your two-year degree or move on to a university to finish your four-year degree you should find that a community college education offers a significant value for the money. Most people see that every penny they spent in a community college was a penny well spent.

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Educational Savings Accounts

When it comes to getting a college education, financing is one of the most important considerations that you will need to make. Unfortunately for far too many, it is one of the last factors thought about when it comes to the education of our children. If you are a parent, you owe it to your child and yourself to plan and plan carefully to cover the cost of your child’s education. There are, fortunately, a few great ways in which you can do this.

The most common is to begin by opening an educational saving account for your child (under the age of 18). When you open educational savings account for your child, you can contribute up to $2,000 per year per child. It is a combined total contribution however and includes the financial gifts of grandparents, friends, and family in addition to your contributions. The money from these funds can be withdrawn tax-free if they are used for educational purposes.

Educational expenses, in this case, include books, tuition, fees, supplies, and college room and board provided that your child is at least a part-time student. If you do not use all the funds for your child, there are options as far as what to do with the remaining funds in the account. The first option would be to leave the funds in the account and allow the account beneficiary to withdraw them up until the age of 30. There is a penalty involved, and the recipient will be required to pay income tax on those funds. You could also elect to roll those funds over to the next child under the age of 18 who will have educational expenses in the future.

The money you set aside in these accounts to cover the cost of the education of your child or children is not tax-deductible. However, it is a great way to begin saving money and investing in the future of your child. If you start spending the maximum amount $2,000 per year upon birth, your child should have a nice nest egg to help cover educational expenses.

If your child is fortunate enough to qualify for scholarships and other sources of financial aid you can turn the funds over as a graduation gift or save it for the next college student in your family that comes along. Either way, you’ve saved yourself a good part of the worry that goes along with providing for your family by having this fund set up for your children.

You can sign up for programs like Upromise to subsidize your contributions with donations from corporate sponsors as their way of thanking you for buying their products or using their services on any credit cards that you, your friends, and your family members have registered to go into your child’s account. Every edge you give yourself when it comes to investing in the education of your children is an edge worth having. College tuition rates are rising at an alarming rate while corporate expectations of college degrees are growing at the same near lightning speed. It means that a college degree is more critical for our children than in any past generations.

Take the time now to check into securing the future of your children by establishing an educational savings account. Let friends and family know that any gifts they are planning to give your children that involve money would be appreciated if they instead invested in the future of your children rather than now. You can also ask your friends and family to sign up their credit cards with Upromise to provide a little bump in donations to your child’s college savings account. These small steps add up to significant savings throughout 18 years. You might find that the investment you are making is adequate to cover the costs of your child’s tuition in full.

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Why a University Education?

The world in which we live is constantly evolving. We are demanding more and more from our citizens than ever before and in order to live up to the demands of the world, we need a solid education upon which to base our skills and knowledge. There are many alternatives available for receiving an education these days, which is good news for those who have not yet managed to obtain a four-year college degree. Truthfully, that degree is the difference in literally hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime than not having a degree.

Four Reasons for a Four-Year Education

Money. The first reason that you should consider a university degree is a fact that it will substantially increase your earning potential. If nothing else appeals to you, this is typically the one reason that most people return to school after years in the workplace. If you are in high school and haven’t really had to deal with the bills and burdens that many adults face it’s difficult to explain how important any edge when it comes to earning ability truly is. However, you should be aware that you need to choose your major wisely if money is your sole motivation. Not all careers pay equally when compared to the education required to enter them.

Insurance. This may seem like a strange term to use when discussing why you should get a university education, but this is perhaps the best insurance you can find as far as employability goes. Having a university degree gives you a competitive edge over those who do not. In many cases, you will find that education is beginning to trump experience as employers are seeking workers with more rounded skills rather than those with very specific skills. The modern university typically requires a brief exposure to all kinds of information and coursework that isn’t necessarily related to your major. This provides graduates with a broader understanding of the world (at least that is the assumption).

Employability. Believe it or not, those with degrees are much more employable than those that do not have them. There was a time when the trend was to employ those who had experience over those who had an education. That trend is rapidly evaporating as companies want employees that can fill multiple roles more and more often. The limited exposure to certain ideas or ideals and principles that most people receive as part of their university education makes you a more employable candidate because you should be able to adapt and adjust, as this was required during your educational process.

Confidence. There is nothing quite like believing in yourself. Getting a four-year education is one way to build confidence not only on a personal level but also on a professional level. Whether or not you realize it, this is often the best reason for pursuing a university degree. This reason, as a matter of fact, will affect all the other things I mentioned above. If you have more confidence in your ability you will be more willing to go out there and get the job done. As a result, you will earn more money and you will ensure that you are an asset to your company by proving yourself to be just that.

Regardless of your personal reason for pursuing a university degree, there are very few wrong reasons to get your degree. Good luck in your educational pursuits. I know they will serve you well.

In closing, we invite you to share your comments on this and or other posts. If you find the information useful, please Like & Share us and subscribe to this site for an update as we reveal new strategies. Remember to keep an open mind and Shift 4 Freedom.

A Community College Education is a Good Start

Many people search and search for the University they will attend upon graduation from high school. Eager students look forward to their time at university while parents wring their hands hoping that their children choose to attend a university that is not only close to home but also within their budget limitations. Another worry that parents have when their children decide to attend college is whether that university they attend will have the specialized and individualized services that their children were accustomed to receiving in high school. Face, it; larger universities tend to be rather impersonal when it comes to the education of their students.

One answer to all those worries and more is to transition your students from high school to a two-year college rather than throwing them to the University wolves so to speak. Many people find that two-year colleges can, in fact, provide superior educations to four-year universities for those first two years or foundation college level courses. You will not get the specialized or specific instruction in a two-year college that is available to upper-level students on a university level but most students find the first two years of their college educations focused on getting the requirement and prerequisite courses rather than the specialized courses in their intended field of study.

Many people also find that those first two years at a community college-transitioning from a small pond to a larger lake-are much easier to handle than going straight from high school to a university-out of the pond and into the ocean. Universities often have lower level classes as auditorium classes. These classes offer little individual instruction and are often sink or swim sorts of classes. Those students who have special learning needs are often lost in the shuffle when entering a university. Community colleges offer smaller classes and ample opportunities for tutoring as well as classes on how to learn to study.

Two-year colleges are also much easier on the budget than most universities. Most people find that community college does not place nearly the financial burdens on families that universities place. Add to that the fact that most community colleges offer very flexible class scheduling and even some courses online and you will find that there are many reasons to consider community college that go well beyond mere budgeting requirements.

Another benefit to students who wish to enter the work force sooner rather than later is that you can get a degree or certification in certain programs from a two-year college. This means that you can actually graduate and begin earning much sooner than if you were to attend a four-year college in search of a degree. If you aren’t sure you want to invest the next four or five years of your life in pursuit of a degree or you simply aren’t ready to commit yourself to one line of work for the rest of your life it is an innovative idea to spend two years in a community college rather than making the leap straight into a university setting.

If you are considering whether a community college or two-year education is the best course of action for your specific needs, I really recommend creating a list of pros and cons of each and balancing your budget to see where your needs are most likely to be fully met. Remember you can always transfer to a university once you’ve completed your two-year college education or at any time during that education if you meet the universities admission requirements. Good luck and remember that your college education is one of the largest indicators of your future earning potential so take it seriously.

Discover the secrets why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. Click Here to view a video with more life tips! In closing, I invite you to share your commits on this and all the posts. Like us on Facebook and Google Plus. Remember to keep an open mind and Shift 4 Freedom.

A Community College Education is a Good Start

Many people search and search for the university they will attend upon graduation from high school. Eager students look forward to their time at the university while parents wring their hands hoping that their children choose to attend a university that is not only close to home but also within their budget limitations. Another worry that parents have when their children decide to attend college is whether that university they attend will have the specialized and individualized services that their children were accustomed to receiving in high school. Face it, larger universities tend to be rather impersonal when it comes to the education of their students. One of the primary reasons for attending higher education is to learn more about a chosen subject and develop networks.

One answer to all those worries and more is to transition your students from high school to a two-year college rather than throwing them to the university wolves so to speak. Many people find that two-year colleges can in fact provide superior educations to four-year universities for those first two years or foundation college level courses. You will not get the specialized or specific instruction in a two-year college that is available to upper level students on a university level but most students find the first two years of their college educations focused on getting the requirement and pre-requisite courses rather than the specialized courses in their intended field of study.

Another benefit to students who wish to enter the work force sooner rather than later is that you can get a degree or certification in certain programs from a two-year college. This means that you can graduate and begin earning much sooner than if you were to attend a four-year college in search of a degree. If you aren’t sure you want to invest the next four or five years of your life in pursuit of a degree or you simply aren’t ready to commit yourself to one line of work for the rest of your life it is a good idea to spend two years in a community college rather than making the leap straight into a university setting.

If you are considering whether a community college or two-year education is the best course of action for your specific needs, I recommend creating a list of pros and cons of each and balancing your budget to see where your needs are most likely to be fully met. Remember you can always transfer to a university once you’ve completed your two-year college education or at any time during that education if you meet the universities admission requirements. Good luck and remember that your college education is one of the largest indicators of your future earning potential so take it seriously.

Don’t try to set all your goals in one day – instead, Click here to view a video with more life tips! In closing I invite you to share your commits on this and all the posts. Like us on Facebook and Google Plus. Remember to open your mind and Shift 4 Freedom.