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 , Choosing Universities, college funding, College Planning, Decisions, Parental Guidance, self help, self improvement, 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

Approval Requirements for Home Schooling

By Hong Kirby

There is more or less a general consensus on the inherent value of education. However, people may often disagree about the right method toward achieving that education. The majority of the population would rather opt for institutionalized formal education, referring to education offered in public or private education institutions like primary and secondary schools. However, as has been the recent trend, many parents in
particular have begun considering or even going on ahead with home schooling their children. Home schooling, prevalent prior the inception of formalized school systems, is making a return to the mainstream because some parents either do not approve of the curriculum of school systems or are even against the idea of formalized school systems, or find themselves holding greater capacity to educate their children in the best possible manner.

Perhaps you are interested in home schooling your child, and conceded, you have your own reasons for doing it. But just like picking a school for your child, the decision to home school is a very big one. This would most obviously translate to you taking your child out of a previous social learning environment and into the home to educate him or her; moreover this also means that from then on, you are going to be fully responsible for the intellectual rearing of your child.

It is perhaps for this reason that certain guidelines are set by the state or local education offices before you can actually home school your child. It is best to consider these guidelines first because your state can help you through the process, and moreover, may enlighten you on relevant issues on home schooling. I’ll expound further.

Majority of states in the United States would require a legal minimum of state notification of your intention to home school your child. In a rare few (including Texas, Alaska, Missouri, Illinois, and Oklahoma, among others), you may go on ahead with home schooling your child without informing the state.

Other states however, would require you first to notify the state and afterwards acquire your child’s grade records should he or she have attended a public school. After this, some states may require you to create a curriculum you intend to follow for your home schooling program, be accredited as a parent-teacher, and to host a home visit by your local education officials. Later on, during the period when your child is already being
home schooled, some states may require for you to submit to them evaluation scores, attendance records (states may require a minimum number of ’school’ days for home school too) and even test scores.

It is very important for you to find out the different requirements for home schooling in your state. For one, it will help you make sure that once you home school your child, your child’s education is actually being recognized by the state. Without state approval, your home schooling may not be regarded, which may increase the difficulty for your child to move on to a university or college. Second, the state may provide you with
various forms and guidebooks as you home school your child. This assistance may prove valuable to you, especially if you are home schooling for the first time. Third, by finding out these requirements, you will be able to submit to the state all the required documents that you must submit periodically. In this way, you are also assured that your child is at par level with any other child enrolled in a regular school setting. In the
same manner, by approaching your local education authority you may actually inquire about the college application process of home schoolers.

Home schooled children may be required a marginal number of steps that regular applicants are not required to take in order to qualify for their chosen university. Some universities may require your child to take the G.E.D., an exam that will help test the sufficiency of their knowledge from home school to be considered as qualified college applicants, while others may require state accreditation. Moreover, by visiting your local education authority you will also find out the various state and local government scholarships for which your child may or may not qualify.

While home schooling may pose some added burden once you are ready to return your child to a regular school system, it has proven beneficial to many in the past. Visit your state or local government education office in order to make an educated decision, and in order to get the approval you’d need to push through with home schooling your child.

About the author:
To learn about geraniums, geranium magnificum, geranium care, honeysuckle plants, goldflame honeysuckle , honeysuckle flowers and other information, visit the Gardening Central website.

Filed under: College Planning, Home Schooling, Mothers, Parental Guidance, Public Service, Students, single mothers, single parent families , college planning tips, Home Schooling, Parental Guidance, parents

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

Scholarships for Moms: Why Obama Is Behind It

Scholarships for Moms: Why Obama Is Behind It

Author: Marlon Jackson

Article:

President Barack Obama has provided government funding for

mothers to go back to school. It will be an enriching experience

for the mothers to get involved in a professional environment

after dealing with their children most of the time, but there is

a more important reason – to fuel the workforce with valuable

employees. There are many jobs out there that need filled but

there is a lack of workers that have the necessary skills to do

these jobs.

A lot of these moms have likely thought about going back to

school and entering a career in a field they have always dreamed

about working in, but this is merely a dream to them. Well Obama

thinks it can become a reality if they are willing to do the

work necessary to receive their college degree. The funding is

awarded is a gift, not a loan, meaning that it does not have to

be paid back.

Interested moms need to first decide what their course of study

will be, and then pick the school where they will go. It is

important to make sure the right school has the program you are

interested in. Make sure to do thorough research so that you are

making the right choices as far as your education. Some colleges

let you do the studying at home, using an online degree program,

which is convenient for moms with busy schedules. They still

will have to set aside enough time to take the online classes

and study to ensure a successful experience.

It might seem too challenging to go back to school, but just

think about the rewards you will experience once the degree is

earned. You will be able to find a valuable career and earn more

income to support the family, and your children will be excited

about the achievement you have accomplished.

About the author:

So what’s holding you back? Take advantage of a $10,000

scholarship drawing. Registration is free if you visit <a

href=”http://www.scholarshipsformomsfinder.info/”>http://www.scho

larshipsformomsfinder.info/</a>Scholarships for Moms: Why Obama Is Behind It

Author: Marlon Jackson

Article:

President Barack Obama has provided government funding for

mothers to go back to school. It will be an enriching experience

for the mothers to get involved in a professional environment

after dealing with their children most of the time, but there is

a more important reason – to fuel the workforce with valuable

employees. There are many jobs out there that need filled but

there is a lack of workers that have the necessary skills to do

these jobs.

A lot of these moms have likely thought about going back to

school and entering a career in a field they have always dreamed

about working in, but this is merely a dream to them. Well Obama

thinks it can become a reality if they are willing to do the

work necessary to receive their college degree. The funding is

awarded is a gift, not a loan, meaning that it does not have to

be paid back.

Interested moms need to first decide what their course of study

will be, and then pick the school where they will go. It is

important to make sure the right school has the program you are

interested in. Make sure to do thorough research so that you are

making the right choices as far as your education. Some colleges

let you do the studying at home, using an online degree program,

which is convenient for moms with busy schedules. They still

will have to set aside enough time to take the online classes

and study to ensure a successful experience.

It might seem too challenging to go back to school, but just

think about the rewards you will experience once the degree is

earned. You will be able to find a valuable career and earn more

income to support the family, and your children will be excited

about the achievement you have accomplished.

About the author:

So what’s holding you back? Take advantage of a $10,000

scholarship drawing. Registration is free if you visit <a

href=”http://www.scholarshipsformomsfinder.info/”>http://www.scho

larshipsformomsfinder.info/</a>

By Marlon Jackson

President Barack Obama has provided government funding for mothers to go back to school. It will be an enriching experience for the mothers to get involved in a professional environment after dealing with their children most of the time, but there is a more important reason – to fuel the workforce with valuable employees. There are many jobs out there that need filled but there is a lack of workers that have the necessary skills to do these jobs.

A lot of these moms have likely thought about going back to school and entering a career in a field they have always dreamed about working in, but this is merely a dream to them. Well Obama thinks it can become a reality if they are willing to do the work necessary to receive their college degree. The funding is awarded is a gift, not a loan, meaning that it does not have to be paid back.

Interested moms need to first decide what their course of study will be, and then pick the school where they will go. It is important to make sure the right school has the program you are interested in. Make sure to do thorough research so that you are making the right choices as far as your education. Some colleges let you do the studying at home, using an online degree program, which is convenient for moms with busy schedules. They still will have to set aside enough time to take the online classes and study to ensure a successful experience.

It might seem too challenging to go back to school, but just think about the rewards you will experience once the degree is earned. You will be able to find a valuable career and earn more income to support the family, and your children will be excited about the achievement you have accomplished.

About the author:

So what’s holding you back? Take advantage of a $10,000 scholarship drawing. Registration is free if you visit <a href=”http://www.scholarshipsformomsfinder.info/”>http://

www.scholarshipsformomsfinder.info/</a>

Filed under: Admissions, Applications, Career Path, Career Search, College Financing, College Planning, Mothers, single mothers, single parent families , academic quality, Career, Career Path, Career Search, College Financing, college funding, College Planning, financial aid, money, Mothers, Obama, self help, student financial aid

How Single Moms Can Find Grants – Two Easy Steps

By Felicia Ramone

One of the most ignored ways of finding a financial education is through grants. Grants are sums of money that are given by federal or private institutions to help individuals pay for a variety of things. One of the things that grants are used for is to pay for college. Single moms can have their entire college education paid for through federal grants. Here are two easy steps to do this.

Grants are not simply given to people because they request them or because they need them. People must qualify for them in order to receive this federal or private funding. It is applied for over the Internet or forms can be filled out and sent in by mail.

The grant process, one shoe have filled out and submitted to paperwork can take several weeks for the application to go through. Depending upon your financial situation, you may or may not be approved. If you’re in a financial bind, and you have very little money or assets, you may find that your application process is much more quickly.

The Obama administration has a two-step process for applying for  grants.

The first step is to fill out the FAFSA. This is the federal grant paperwork that you need to get your financial aid process going. This required paperwork is necessary in order to get you into the federal system that you can qualify for grants such as the Pell Grant.

The second step is to submit this paperwork as quickly as possible. Most people recommend submitting it by February 2 if you’re going to go to college in the fall of the same year. This gives the federal processors time to process your application and to make sure that you get the funding issue are entitled to.

Following these two steps, you will be able to move forward toward earning a college degree. Most students take out loans and end up paying them back nine months after leaving college. Many students, including single mothers can apply for the Pell Grant and receive thousands of extra dollars for their education. Do this today.

About the author:
Visit our sites for more information on finding free grants for students or obtaining financial aid and federal funding through the Obama administrations stimulus package.

Filed under: College Financing, College Planning, Grants, Mothers, Pell Grants, single mothers, single parent families , financial aid, Grants, Pell Grants, Single Parent Mothers

College Financial Aid – Why Dads Should Earn A College Degree

By Thomas Simon

There is a lot of talk about women earning a college degree, especially single moms. But what about dads? In today’s economy, many men are losing their jobs. Our country is in a recession. We need to consider where we are going with our careers and lives. Here are a few tips on how to improve your economic situation and get a free college degree at the same time.

Getting an education leads to better economic and employment. That is just a statistical fact. It is an investment in your future. However, before you decide to get on your high horse and run back to college, there are a few things you need to consider.

1 – Your job is your livelihood. Do not quit it.

2 – Find a way to go back to school in your spare time.

Though this is rare, if you are a single dad and have to take care of a small family at home, you should do school in the evening, or online via a telecom class, nightschool, or over the Internet.

Back to financing…

If you currently make a lot of money at your job, you will probably not get financial aid. You may get a grant, but it will be specialized and not from the feds. Pell grants are offered to those that do not have a house or mortgage payment, so you will have to search in other areas to find this college money.

Your best bet is to:

1 – Apply for the many grants available to the general public. This could be groups in your local area, but you are better off to go nationally, look for ones that fit your particular major, and submit the paperwork.

2 – Student loans are not a good choice, but some programs like the TEACH program allow you to work off your grant if you are going to be a teacher. Otherwise, Stafford loans, that are refinanced later at lower rates once you complete school, are going to be your best bet. Obama’s stimulus package is geared more toward those with a need, so you may have to bite the proverbial bullet and get a few loans.

Best tip:

Don’t give up! You can get a good degree and improve yourself even if your time and funding possibilities are limited. Many great people began this way and only through perseverance did they succeed. And so will you.

About the author:
Click here for more information on federal grants or obtaining financial aid for college, please visit our sites.

Filed under: Admissions, Career Path, Career Search, College Financing, College Planning, Online Universities, single mothers, single parent families , academic quality, Career, Career Path, Career Search, college expenses, College Financing, college funding, college planning tips, financial aid, Scholarships, Single Dads, student financial aid, TEACH Program, Tuition, Universities

Plan Ahead to Help Your High School Students Benefit from CLEP

CLEP Exams Help Students and Parents Save Thousands of Dollars in College Tuition…

College Planners

College is more expensive than ever. Common solutions to saving money for college include sending high school graduates to less expensive, community colleges. Parents also enroll their kids in AP courses in high school, in hopes that passing the AP exam at the end of the year will exempt their child from having to take mandatory general education courses their freshman year, thereby saving a lot of money. Other students vie for competitive scholarships. However, unless grades are impeccable and extra-curricular activities are impressive and noteworthy, a good scholarship can be hard to come by.

The most overlooked way to save thousands of dollars in college tuition is the CLEP exam. CLEP, or College Level Examination Program, which allows your child to earn college credits by studying for and taking an exam that demonstrates their knowledge about any one of 34 different subjects. CLEP exams, which only cost around $70 to take, are actually less expensive to take than AP exam and don’t require high school students to enroll in the more vigorous and time-consuming AP courses. Parents will benefit the most from CLEP if they figure out an early course of action and plan accordingly. Some crucial questions parents should know about CLEP follow:

How Many CLEP Exams Can My Child Take?

Different colleges accept up to 3 to twelve credit hours for each exam taken. You must contact the college of your choice to see if there is a cap on how many credit hours can be transferred from the successful completion of a CLEP or an AP exam. Students serious about saving money with CLEP should apply to the colleges of their choice before deciding which and how many CLEP exams they will study for. Some students can save a year’s worth of tuition by utilizing CLEP. To find out which colleges give credit for CLEP, visit the above link.

What Classes Should my Child Take to Prepare for the CLEP exams?

The beauty of the CLEP exams is that your child doesn’t have to take specific classes in order to pass. Often, general knowledge gleaned from experience, reading, and mandatory high school classes is a good basis for passing the CLEP exams. However, be sure to study these tips to pass CLEP. It may be best for your child to study for exams that have content she feels most familiar with. If she ends up taking the CLEP exam before she knows what college she is attending, be sure to get a copy of the CLEP transcript form. You can request a transcript through www.collegeboard.com or by calling 1-800-257-9558. Be sure to have your child’s social security number and test information on hand.

Navigating the CLEP Process with Outside Help

Students who plan to go on to college should have contact with their guidance counselors. Make sure the guidance counselor is informed of your desire to use CLEP to your child’s benefit. Your guidance counselor should help you find testing sites, plan a course of action, be in contact with potential colleges’ admissions counselors, and should help your child find study resources and facilitate communication with his teachers to help gain study support.

CLEP is a great way to ensure your child has a successful and affordable college career. Whether your child wishes to transfer to a local community college or wants to move to a large university in another state, CLEP will help make the transition a smooth one.

About the author: Students who must take an introductory psychology course as part of their undergraduate degree requirements may be interested in taking the CLEPtest instead of attending the actual course. College academic counselors can be excellent resources for students who are interested in learning how they, too, can use CLEP tests…

Filed under: AP Courses, Admissions, Applications, CLEP's, Classes, College Planning, High School, Mothers, PSAT, Parental Guidance, SAT, Students, single parent families , Admissions, Classes, CLEP, College Applications, college planning tips, Parental Guidance, parents, PSAT, SAT, Students