Recent College Planning Testimonials

Before knowing Bay Area College Planning  Specialists, I was feeling very overwhelmed with the complexities surrounding college planning and the future of my girls. I was  stressed thinking about it and I didn’t know how to start the process. Anyway, I forgot how I got the initial contact info for their company, but I called Bay College Planners to take advantage of their free workshops and consultation.

And since I am a working mother, the more I realized it I needed their expertise.

I now consider Gerna and Dan to be like family members who care much about my children’s college education. They have provided guidance to my children as far as choosing the right university for their majors. They helped my girls apply for private scholarships and now both of them are attending Dominican University of San Rafael with generous scholarships and grants. 

I have been worry-free since I made them my partners in my girls’ future and college planning. Thank you guys and God bless.

Amor S, Martella and Mickaela - Pinole, California

December 2009 Free East Bay Area Workshops 

Alameda Free Library Workshop
1550 Oak Street,
Alameda, CA 94501
Date: Tues Dec 8th
Time: 6:30pm-8pm
 
Redwood Christian High School Workshop
1000 Paseo Grande, 
San Lorenzo, CA 94580
Date: Tues Dec 8th
Time: 7pm-8:15pm
 
Webinar: “Learn the Insider Secrets to Get Free Financial Aid for College!”
Register NOW

Date: Wed Dec 9th - Time: 6:30pm-8pm PST 

Moraga Library Workshop
1500 St. Mary’s Road,
Moraga, CA 94556
Date: Sat Dec 12th
Time: 11am-12pm

Filed under: Bay Area, College Debt, College Financing, College Planning, Consultants, High School, Mothers, Parental Guidance, single mothers, single parent families , Decisions, Choosing Universities, Parental Guidance, self improvement, self help, college funding, College Planning, Testimonials

A Parent’s Guide to Financial Aid

By Dorian Ramsey

Many believe that being a parent is the happiest moment in the life of a human being. Probably you still remember the excitement that you felt when your wife gave birth to your first child. There are times that you will not sleep because you want to take care of your child even in the midst of the evening. You want to ensure that he/she will sleep soundly through the night.

It is true that happiness comes with children in the family. However, such happiness could be achieved if you are responsible enough with your children. You need to provide all of their needs, starting from their infancy until the time that they are studying. Although it will really cost you a lot, you have the responsibility to your children, especially in giving them the education that they need.

If you have children who are now going to college, you have to think of their financial needs. Probably you still remember your own collegiate years and you are aware of the financial needs of an ordinary college student. However, the difference is that you are now the parent-you will now be the one to think of the different payments that you need to settle for your children’s college education, such as college application, scholastic
assessment test expenditures, transcript of records, and others. Add to it the lodging and food allowance of your children if the college or university is far away from your own residence.

Thinking all of these college-related expenses could be overwhelming and bothering as well, especially if your salary is not enough to support such expenses and your family’s financial needs at the same time. But if you know how to get a college financial aid for your children, you will find out that everything will work out smoothly.

How you will start your search for the college financial aid for your children? Here are some tips that you can start with:

* When your children are still on their high school years, you should start searching for potential universities that offer college scholarships for deserving freshman students as well as financial aid programs funded by different organizations. You
may start your search on the Internet to look for possible college financial aid options for your children.

* Once you find a prospective university, visit their main office and inquire for any college scholarship or financial aid offers.

* Always ask for the cut-off dates of filing and submission of college financial aid application forms.

* Tell your children about the importance of a scholarship to their college education. Make them aware that they have plenty of options to consider as long as they have good high school scholastic records. In this way, you will be able to motivate them to study harder and make good grades, thus increasing your chances of a good financial aid.

* You may also consider filing an application for financial aid programs funded by the Federal government. State-owned colleges and universities offer this kind of financial assistance to qualified and deserving students who want to pursue their college studies despite of financial difficulties. You may submit the FAFSA (Free Application Form Student Aid) personally.

* Make certain that you have completed all the FAFSA requirements (such as present statement of bank accounts, monthly income records, present mortgage information, and others) and understand the rights or specialadvantages before accepting the financial aid for your children. You may also check if the financial aid is renewable.

With different financial aid programs such as college scholarships and federal grants, you are assured of a bright future for your children despite of the financial difficulties
that you are currently experiencing.

About the author:
To read about lying and body language, why do men lie, why people lie, baby strength, worlds strongest baby , toddler health and other information, visit the Knowledge Galaxy site.

Filed under: Admissions, Applications, College Debt, College Financing, College Planning, Grants, High School, Mothers, Parental Guidance, Pell Grants, Scholarship, Students, Tuition, single mothers, single parent families , Admissions, Choosing Universities, College Applications, college expenses, College Financing, college funding, College Planning, financial aid, Grants, money, parents, Scholarships, student financial aid, student loans, Students, Tuition, Universities

Which Loans for College Students?

By Owen Jones

Let’s suppose that you have a teenager who will shortly be graduating from high school. You will feel happy naturally, the same as any other parent. whose child is passing out high school. It is one of those milestones in life that you have successfully circumnavigated, in spite of all the financial obstacles that you have probably experienced. It is time to be happy, for you have fulfilled your role of giving your child a brighter future.

But as most would say, a high school graduation is not the be all and end all. In deed, it is only the beginning of tougher challenges that await you and your child in the following years of college education.

At this moment, you need to begin thinking about how you will finance the courses of your college-bound teenager. With the increasing cost of tuition fees, you need to plan ahead well of time to avoid any problems, especially if you not well-off. I should imagine you already know how hard it is to have to cope with the increasing costs of your child’s high school education before. The earlier you start thinking about your child’s college education, the less you will have financial problems afterwards.

If you think you will ever be faced with financial issues again, it is vital that you know the different financial aid programs available for your college-bound child. Just keep reading to learn the financial aids that can help you:

A Grant: it is the first type of college financial aid that you should apply for. It only requires you to complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application form. Once the form has been sent, it will be checked and if
your child qualifies, he/she will get the full amount of what he/she has applied for. At this moment, you need not do anything much further except provide the name of the college or university that your teen wants to enrol into.

Scholarships: Although a scholarship is mostly intended for students who have the ‘brains’ but do not have the ‘money’, not all college scholarships are intended for academics. Students who do not have the best academic record can still qualify for many other college scholarships. There are college sports scholarships, community service work scholarships, social involvement scholarships and many others. These are only a few of the different types of scholarships for your child if he / she is not that academically talented.

‘Student Loans’: these kinds of loan have rather lower interest rates compared with other sorts of loan. Some loans are off-set, which means that the interest does not accumulate until a student finishes college. Moreover, these loans do not require collateral, and therefore, you do not have to worry about putting your own home up as collateral against the student loan for your child. Most of these loans are available on various repayment plans at low interest rates and low monthly installment payments.

If you haven’t yet started looking for any of the various financial aid programs available, it is advisable that you start now. These financial aids are there to help you and will provide the funds needed for your child’s college education. You can be free from worries about the cost of your teen’s education, if you begin early enough.

About the author:
If you want information on gettingcollege education funding then you really
should visit our website on applying for scholarships and grants

Filed under: Admissions, College Debt, College Financing, College Planning, FAFSA, Grants, Parental Guidance, Pell Grants, Scholarship, School supplies, Students, Tuition, single mothers, single parent families , Admissions, College Applications, college expenses, College Financing, college funding, college planning tips, financial aid, Grants, parents, planning, Scholarships, student financial aid, student loans, Students

Simple Guide For College Students

By Tom Tessin

College is one of the best actions that people can take in order improve the quality of their lives. By going to college people not only increase their earning potential and employment opportunities; they also learn how to become more productive members of our society. The process for turning college students into high quality citizens begins in school. Here is a simple guide for students so that they can get the most out of their experience.

Go to Your Classes

Students pay money to attend a university and this means that they should go to their classes. The college experience is ultimately about the education process over anything else. It’s through this education process that a student is being prepared for the profession that they want to be involved in. So the best thing that any student can do is to show up for their class, be on time, and make sure they absolutely learn something.

Pay your Tuition

You can’t go to school without paying your tuition, well if we don’t take scholarships and grants into consideration. Students who have to work to attend school should make it a point to pay for their expenses while attending. Again, this is because the education for your profession is the most important reason why you’re there.

Have a Social Life

Being social in college is okay as long as it doesn’t interfere with your education. Many people get sidetracked in college because they allow the other aspects of the college life to get in the way of their main purpose for being there. Have a social life in college because it’s a part of the process for you becoming a productive member of our society but don’t allow this social life to get out of control.

Stay out of Debt

Many college students have charge cards and loans that they blow on things they more than likely didn’t need. Spending extra tuition money on foolish pleasures or things is not the best thing to do. Don’t get it wrong, it’s okay to spend some of the money on getting some of the things you want, but remember that you’re going to have to pay that money back one day. Also, charge cards are a college student’s enemy. The laws are
changing because credit card debt is out of control in this country and one part of these changes has to do with college students and credit. The bottom line is students under the age of 21 won’t be able to get a credit card unless they can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can pay it off or if they have parents who can.

There are plenty more areas that can be covered for this simple college guide for students but the main thing to remember is that college is about your education and that education is what you will need in order to help you make a better life for your family and yourself.

About the author:
Find great student articles like this, and more of Tom’s work all on his student blog.

Filed under: Bay Area, California Colleges, Campus Lifestyle, Career Path, Classes, College Debt, College Planning, High School, Junior College, Public Service, Social Networking, Students, athletics , academic quality, Career Path, Classes, college expenses, college planning tips, college students, Freshman, self help, self improvement, Social Networks, Students

Tips for Saving On College Expenses

By: Christy Belden

Whether you’re a traditional, first-time college student or a returning student with other financial obligations, college is expensive. In fact, it can be one of the most expensive-and stressful-times in a person’s educational career, and one where
money can be the scarcest. Tuition is only the tip of a steep financial iceberg, one that can be difficult to navigate effectively. Sometimes, the number of purchases a student has to make can be so overwhelming that they overspend just to relieve
the stress.

But while tuition is rarely negotiable, it is possible to strategically cut spending on other college expenses while still obtaining the tools you need too make the most of
your college experience. By being open to alternative means of obtaining books, supplies and transportation, you can possibly save thousands every semester. Here, we discuss five tips for cutting costs on non-tuition college expenses.

Rent or Buy Used Textbooks Textbooks are notoriously costly. New hardcover textbooks can cost hundreds of dollars, and multiple editions are often used for standard college courses. Students with heavier course loads or more complex
subject matters might have to shoulder expenses in the thousands for books alone. However, there are alternatives to the standard campus bookshop. Online services now offer both rented and used textbooks at dramatically discounted prices. While it takes a few extra days to receive your materials, you’ll ultimately spend hundreds less, even with next-day shipping.

Consider Software Alternatives Nearly every student now carries his or her own personal computer, and professors expect that students have the ability to purchase and use standardized office software. Campus supply stores often sell copies of major-name office software, but these can be hundreds of extra dollars. Alternative programs available online can often be downloaded for free, most with close enough emulation of the standard software format that they can be accepted just the same by professors. Try OpenOffice or GoogleDocs to get started, or invest sometime searching for your own.

Push Your Dollar Farther Even with college classes being moved more and more online, there are still cases in which traditional materials, such as book bags, pens, pencils, notebooks and binders, are going to be necessary. These materials may only be a few dollars at your local chain office supply store. Over time, these expenses add up. Consider making a trip to your local dollar store if you need traditional materials. In general, dollar stores will have back-to-school sales just the same as department stores, but with the lower cost.

Ride the Bus Especially true for universities in large cities, parking passes are also a hefty expense for any college-bound student. Even if you only use your vehicle to make it to class quickly or travel on the weekend, you could pay hundreds each year to allow for parking on campus. A bus pass is considerably less expensive, and while it requires a bit of lifestyle adjustment, it is ultimately easier on your wallet.
You’ll save on gas expenses, parking expenses, and you’ll also be doing your part for cleaner air.

Open a Checking Account Foreign ATM fees are a common occurrence on college campuses. If you’re going to a school away from home, your home bank might not be represented, meaning you’ll be paying foreign ATM fees every time you need cash. And while making ATM withdrawal doesn’t seem like a large expense,
over time fees can slowly add up. Open an account with the local bank or credit union most widely represented by convenient on-campus ATMs. By avoiding ATM fees, you’ll gradually save yourself a respectable amount of extra cash.

Want more tips and suggestions on how to save? Check ‘n Go, a leader in the paydayloan industry, offers many helpful articles on smart savings in their new Financial Planning section.

About the author:
Christy Belden works in interactive marketing for Leapfrog Interactive. Visit LeapfrogInteractive for more information.

Filed under: Accounting, Campus Lifestyle, College Debt, College Financing, College Planning, Grants, Scholarship, Students, Tuition , academic quality, college expenses, College Financing, college funding, college planning tips, financial aid, Scholarships, student financial aid, student loans, Students, Tuition

Loans Are Nice, Scholarships Are Better

By Kristin Morris

 

We all know that college is undoubtedly expensive. It is one of the biggest financial investments a person makes in his or her lifetime. I’ve been out of for a little over a year now and know that paying for college will be on my mind every month until my student loans are paid off sometime over the next ten years. Loans are great because they allow you to pay off your education over a period of time after you graduate, but you do end up paying back more than you borrow due to the interest you pay. The federal Perkins and Stafford loans, which I took out, have

interest rates ranging from 5 to 6.8 percent. Scholarships on the other hand are essentially free money, and there is so much free money out there just waiting to be snatched up for those willing to look.

 

In college, between classes, co-curricular activities, a social life, and my beauty sleep, every minute of my day was accounted for. Scholarships were the absolute last thing on my mind. Nonetheless, my mom would occasionally send me a new scholarship that she had found online and encourage me to apply. I certainly do not blame her for trying since I was going to college partially on her dime, but I kept telling her that I was too

busy and that I would worry about scholarships later. I now realize that applying for scholarships doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming as I had previously thought.

 

ScholarshipPoints.com, an Edvisors company, gives away over $100,000 dollars annually in scholarship money. By signing up, which takes less than a minute, and participating in different activities you can earn points. Each point you earn is worth one entry into the free scholarship of your choice. There are monthly $500 and $1,000 scholarship drawings and a quarterly $10,000 drawing. In addition other scholarship opportunities arise throughout the year for members. The next $10,000

scholarship winner will be drawn on October 31, and it’s not too late to sign up, and this is just one opportunity.

 

There are literally thousands and thousands of scholarships out there. Some scholarships are so unique that very few people even apply making them very noncompetitive. Do you excel in leadership and community service? There are scholarships for you! Are you left-handed? There are special scholarships for you! Do you play the bagpipes? Well, there are scholarships for you too! The point is the money is there, you just need to take the time to find the opportunities that are right for you.

 

StudentScholarshipSearch.com can help connect you with hundreds of great opportunities with 873 links worth a jaw dropping $9,761,962,903 in scholarships and awards. If you are crunched for time you can parse through the Featured Scholarships section which funnels out large monetary awards and scholarships that are fast and easy to apply for. You can also search for local scholarships that are specific to your state or country of residence. These scholarships sometimes have a smaller pool of applicants so your chances of winning are a lot better.

 

If you devote just an hour a week to researching and applying for scholarships I think you’d be surprised just how many you qualify for. Today I look back on my college experience with only two regrets; I wish I had taken the time to apply for more scholarships and wish I’d discovered the pastabilities meal in the café during my freshman year, yum! Had I taken that hour week to search for scholarships I might have come out of college with a much smaller loan obligation. Though had I discovered the past abilities plan during my first year in school my waistline may have been a bit thicker come graduation. I guess I really

only have one regret after all.

 

About the author:

Kristin Morris works for the Student Loan Network creating content focused on financial aid, student scholarships and student credit.

Filed under: Campus Lifestyle, College Debt, College Financing, College Planning, Grants, Scholarship, Students, Tuition , academic quality, college expenses, College Financing, college funding, financial aid, Scholarships, student financial aid, student loans, Tuition

How To Find About Online Scholarship Programs

By John Goldman

With college costs skyrocketing uniformly, scholarships prove to be an effective measure to make your education more economical. But you can’t get scholarships if you don’t apply under defined parameters. You need to be smart while applying for scholarships.

Online scholarship websites are an immense source of information. Some websites supply databases and you can hunt for the most suitable scholarship. Some accumulate lists according to fields such as scholarships for Law, Nursing, Teaching and Military studies.

Some of the popular websites who provide exclusive information about getting online scholarships are Fastweb, CollegeNet; a scholarship acts as a benefit or a fiscal aid to support the candidate to carry his or her studies.

One source of acquiring scholarships that is unnoticed are online colleges and universities. As these institutions are not considerably established, many people are under the wrong notion that they don’t have any scholarships available. Even though
some colleges may not offer, they should never be neglected.

Nowadays, all the signs indicate that the internet will play a very crucial role in education; it becomes important for students to ensure they put some efforts in browsing the internet for online scholarships. The internet has been the most advanced modus operandi to get any information. It has numerous advantages.

More scholarship information can be stored via internet as compared to any physical library. To get scholarship online, the foremost thing is to use a scholarship search engine. This facilitates to filter scholarships which are not suitable to the individual. This would enhance to make research easier, accurate and much faster. In addition, several colleges and universities are allowing students to gain their degree online. The internet has played a pivotal role in getting scholarships easily and allow you to obtain degree without borrowing a great deal of money.

As an example we can see how feasible it would be to get an online scholarship for a Law school. One of the easy ways to obtain a Law scholarship is via internet. First, visit relevant website. Then scroll down until you find “apply for a law scholarship”
and then click on it. Once you have clicked on it you will be taken to a page that says – download the school reference scholarship kit and you will get to see the next available dates for law school admissions.

Once you click the download button the second page will open in Adobe Reader. Now, fill the application carefully and print once you are done with it. Then mail the application. Ensure that you keep phone numbers and address of the school in case you need to get in touch with them.

Scholarship can be obtained via any one of these source too:-

Guidance counsellors: Before starting to explore possible scholarship available one must consult guidance counsellors. They can be a rich source of information for local scholarships.

Non-profit organizations: Many non profit organizations facilitate meritorious students by taking responsibility of their education funds. Community foundations: They have a provision of giving fiscal aid in the form of grants and scholarships to people in the area.

Labor unions: Labor unions play crucial role by pumping funds for education for their members and dependent children.

Houses of worship: Members of local house worship can be benefited. But religious organizations may have some available.

Chamber of commerce: This is a boon for students who wish to pursue their career in business and public service. Sometimes you can get small scholarships to local students.

About the author:
John Goldman is one of the foremost advisors in matters relating to Government Grants,Scholarships and Financial Aid.For more information on how to locate scholarships, view our CollegeScholarship Guide

Filed under: Admissions, Applications, College Debt, College Financing, Grants, Law Schools, Med School, Mothers, Nursing, Nursing schools, Online Universities, Scholarship, Tuition, Universities, single parent families , Choosing Universities, College Applications, College Financing, College Planning, Grants, Scholarships

Preventing College Debt From Accumulating

By Devora Witts

One of the biggest problems of college students and newly graduates is student debt. Since the aid that the government provides to help those in need go through college studies is not enough to cope with all the expenses, students resort to all kind of financial sources in order to raise the money that they need. Student debt accumulates rapidly and eventually, when the main part of the debt becomes due, the repayment installments are too onerous and sometimes absolutely unaffordable. That is why we suggest some measures to reduce if not avoid these results.

It is not possible in most cases not to resort to private institutions when you need financing for coping with college expenses. The government does not provide all the money needed and there are always additional expenses not contemplated in the federal student loan programs. However, it is possible to borrow smartly and to keep to a minimum the amount of money you need to borrow for getting by extra college expenses.

Loans Instead Of Credit Cards

A way to avoid additional debt during college periods is to avoid using credit cards for coping with additional expenses. It is sometimes better to budget what you will need and request a personal loan. That way a higher control over your expenses will assure that debt will not accumulate and you will get used to putting aside the money needed to pay for the loan’s installments every month.

Credit cards and the famous minimum payments can ruin people’s finances due to the lack of discipline. This is a considerable problem especially for college students which are not used to being careful with their spending habits. Minimum payments contribute to debt generation and accumulation due to interests. Personal loans on the other hand, have fixed payments (or with little variations) and fixed amounts. Thus, budgeting with these financial tools is significantly easier than with credit cards.

Shopping For Lenders, Taking Advantage Of Offers

From time to time there are wonderful offers from lending institutions that want to obtain customer fidelity offering 0% APR products or subsidized rates. It is a good idea to subscribe to as many newsletters as possible from different financial institutions so you can receive in your mail or email the current promotions. Remember though to examine the offers closely for any hidden fees or costs that some lenders like to conceal on the fine print.

Shopping for lenders is essential. You have to request quotes from as many lenders as possible before deciding for a specific one. Remember that financial products are just that, products. Thus, you can bargain with lenders as you can do so with a trader, merchant or retailer. It is a good idea to show them what other lenders are offering you and ask them if they can improve their offer. Rest assured that they will happily reduce the rate or exempt you from fees or costs in order to keep you as a client. Do not hesitate to negotiate with lenders; after all, you have nothing to lose.

About the author:
Devora Witts is a certified loan consultant who instructs people regarding Consolidation Bill and Bad Credit Fast Loans. To get aid with your financial
situation you can visit her at http://www.badcreditloanservices.com

Filed under: California Colleges, Campus Lifestyle, College Debt, College Planning, Refinance, Students , academic quality, Awareness, College, College Debt, college expenses, college planning tips, money, self help, self improvement, student loans, Students, Universities