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3 Fastest-Growing Careers with a B.A. Degree

2012-02-28T16:32:00.001-08:00

Are you thinkingabout applying for a FAFSA student loan to pursue a B.A. degree but you’reunsure of what career path to take? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many people have the same concern. Thegood news is there are plenty of paths to take when it comes to finding a solidcareer.

According torecent statistics taken from the Bureau of Labor, there are a few jobs thatwill grow extremely fast between now and 2018. Here are three of the fastest-growing careers:

Athletic Fitness Trainers

An athleticfitness trainer basically helps athletes heal and prevent injuries. Becoming anathletic trainer provides a swarm of possibilities. For example, you could workin a variety of settings, such as working with professional or amateur sportsteams. You can work in a sportsmedicine clinic, university sports programs or work with athletes on a privatebasis. Some athletic fitness trainers choose to teach at a university level --the options are endless.

Income: The median income level for an athletic fitness trainer isapproximately $39,640. If you choose to work independently as a trainer, youcan earn considerably more.

ComputerApplications Software Engineers

A computerapplications software engineer develops, designs, evaluates and tests softwareand systems that make computers function properly. In this particular career, you will be involved in a varietyof software types, including business applications, word processing, networkdistribution, operating systems and even computer games.

As a computer applications softwareengineer, you can work with a company and help them organize their computerneeds. For instance, you can helpthem coordinate their computer system for payroll record-keeping, billing,inventory, order processing and more.

Income: The median income starts at $79,780. Some engineers start off working with a company and branchoff onto their own by starting a business. As an independent software engineer,you can earn an unlimited amount of money.

EnvironmentalEngineers

What do Environmental Engineers do? Theirjob is to ensure that our planet is in livable condition for futuregenerations. The ultimate goal of an environmental engineer is to helpconstruction companies and cities discover ways to build (homes, businesses,etc.) efficiently without harming the environment. They also aid in cleaning up environmental mistakes fromprevious years and work with factories to ensure they operate without excessivepollution.

Income: The median salary of an environmental engineer is $74,020.

There you have it, three of thefastest-growing careers you can choose with a B.A. degree. To get started onyour path to success, simply apply for a FAFSA student loan. Before you knowit, you’ll be living your dream of earning a bachelors degree and landing agood job.

Finally...Great Student Loans all in One Place

2012-02-15T08:24:00.000-08:00

Do you need a GED or High School Diploma to apply for FAFSA?

2012-02-06T16:00:00.001-08:00

Get one online! Online-highschool.org offers the best online programs for getting your GED and High School Diploma Online!

Top 4 Future Careers That Pay Over $60k

2012-02-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

Thinking about attending college to land a good paying job? Are you concerned about the high costs of obtaining an education? You may want to consider applying for a government student loan program. With a government issued student loan, you don’t have to worry about paying your way through school. All you have to do is focus on the one thing that matters most -- your education. So, whether you want to earn your Bachelor's degree, Masters degree or PhD, now is the time to grab the bull by the horns and get your degree.

Why is Getting a Degree Vital?

Having a degree is more important in today’s job market than ever before. Recently, Newsday published an article that discussed the state of the job market. Small and large businesses are no longer hiring workers just to fill a position. They are ‘only’ hiring qualified employees that will enhance their company’s growth and profitability. If you want to be a part of that number, you will need to have a degree.

Here are the top four future careers that pay over $60,000 a year:

Personal Financial Advisors

According to experts, there is an estimated 62,800 new jobs that will be added between now and 2018. The median income for personal financial advisors is $64,750. Personal financial advisors help individuals with insurance, investments and taxes.

Market Research Analysts

Thinking about starting a career as a market research analysts? By 2018, there will be 70,000 new jobs added in the U.S. The average income is over $60,000. Degree requirements include a bachelor’s degree. What is a day in the life of a market research analyst like? A market analysts works with Fortune 500 companies to provide special insight into target audiences and demographics. More and more companies are hiring marketing professionals to help grow their business.

Registered Nurses

Within the next 8-10 years, there will be a total of 581,500 jobs added according to labor experts. The median income level is $64,690. As a registered nurse, you will give basic medical care to patients and manage their records. With baby boomers getting older, there will be a major increase in the amount of people seeking medical treatment. Plus, there has been a greater emphasis on preventative care. The medical industry is growing at a rapid pace. There will be plenty of jobs available for those within the health field.

Accountants

If you're thinking about pursuing a career as an accountant, your tasks will involve preparing financial statements, managing books and tax payments. According to recent labor statistics, there has been a significant increase in the number of businesses. There has also been several changes in corporate regulations and financial laws. This has all contributed to the demand for more accountants in the job market. The median income for an accountant is $61,690 a year.

There you have it -- the top four careers that pay more than $60,000 per year. Don’t put off earning your degree any longer. Applying for a government student loan gives you peace of mind while pursuing your degree and your dream job.

Do you need a GED or High School Diploma to apply for FAFSA?

2011-07-07T23:08:00.000-07:00

Get one online! Online-highschool.org offers the best online programs for getting your GED and High School Diploma Online!

How Gifts Can Effect Your FAFSA

2011-06-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

Graduation is approaching for many students and relatives are trying to figure out the best gifts to hand out. You’d probably assume that money would be the most economically smart thing to ask for. You’re definitely going to need the extra cash, what with all the expenses that come with going to college, making new friends, eating out, etc. But wait! Receiving money as a gift may effect how much money the federal government is willing to give you.

Now, a gift of $10 from your 2nd cousin will not do any damage, but if you know someone who is planning on giving you a substantial monetary gift, you may want to ask them for something else. Rick Darvis, co-founder of the National Institute of Certified College Planners in Plentywood, Mont. warns that "A cash gift from (anyone) other than a parent is reported as income on the (federal) financial aid form," says Darvis. "(Student) income is assessed at a 50% rate. That means that a gift of $10,000 could potentially cost $5,000 in financial aid." Your FAFSA has a section dedicated to such gifts. This section is called “student’s untaxed income.” This part wants to know the amount of "Money received, or paid on your behalf (e.g., bills), not reported elsewhere on this form." This includes any money you’ve received from grandma and grandpa, your mom or dad who doesn’t have custody of you, and any family friend. Any cas you receive subtracts fifty cents on the dollar from your need-based federal aid.

By-passing the FAFSA trouble and going straight to the college wont help either. If the college/university was planning on awarding you a $10,000 grant, but they see that you have $10,000 coming in, they’ll take your grant away.

Read next time for Part 2

"The Five-Minute FAFSA"

2011-05-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

The folks behind the YouTube channel FastWebContent have made a six minute video to help you file your FAFSA. If you ave any trepidation, you should definitely use this video as a tool!

FAFSA Test Runs

2011-05-19T15:27:00.000-07:00

At this point, if you haven't already filed the FAFSA, you may just think of it as a big headache. However, you don't have to rush through it! You can do a test run of FAFSA on the Web by going to www.studentaid.gov and then to the FAFSA demonstration site. This is a good idea, as you will get a preview of the documentation that you (and your parents) will need to complete the form, such as annual tax return, earnings records, Social Security numbers, and so on, and of the amount of time you'll need to fill in the form.

TIP: You may not be done with financial aid forms even after you complete FAFSA. Sometimes, colleges may require additional information and will ask you to complete their own forms or the College Scholarship Service (CSS) PROFILE (www.fafsa.com/profile.htm), another widely used form to help determine eligibility for financial aid. Scholarships often have their own special application forms.

It doesn't cost you anything but time (and some aggravation) to make the FAFSA application. Help in completing the form is available from your high school, the college financial aid office (which often has workshops for parents and students, sometimes at your local high school), and as well as online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Help For Fafsa

2011-05-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

Want help? You don’t have to simply accept the aid that is offered, according to Reecy Aresty of PayLessForCollege.com, who specializes in helping you gently negotiate a higher award of money that does not have to be repaid.

Arresty offers a free review of financial aid packages to my readers. If you hire him to negotiate on your behalf, the fee ranges from $195 to $395, depending on the number of schools involved. You can e-mail him at Reecy@PayLessforCollege.com.

Says Aresty: “Although May 1 is the deadline for non-refundable deposits at many schools, some families opt to make multiple deposits in order to keep the aid appeals process going beyond May 1.” Aresty notes that if the aid offers are close, it may be worth losing a deposit at one school to gain more grants of money at another.

Signing on for a financial aid package is one of the largest financial decisions any family can make, so do your research and don’t just look at the bottom line. Like your home mortgage, you expect to repay this loan over the years, while the value of the asset — your home or your education— grows over the years. As we’ve all learned, that’s a good idea over the long run — but the payments can be a huge burden over the short run

College tips: stay in state, search for best financial aid package [ChiSunTimes]

FAFSA for Adults

2011-05-02T13:14:00.000-07:00

Although 18 is technically when someone is ushered into adulthood, we all know that most 18 year-olds are anything but adults. Not only have they not gone into the world on their own, but they are not financially independent. This means they have to file the FAFSA with their parent’s tax information and can receive loans easily with a co-signer. However, teenagers are not the only ones applying to college nowadays. With the economy forcing people into unemployment and eliminating many entry level jobs, more and more adults 25 years and older are applying to college. In fact, in 2008 these applicants were up 18 percent from the year 2000, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

If you were one of these lucky men and women, you still have the opportunity to file the FAFSA and get all the free money you can for your new college career. Not only does the FAFSA determine your eligibility for government-subsidized or government-sponsored financial aid, other need-based grants and scholarships might ask for your FAFSA, too.

The form doesn’t require information on your debt or mortgage, a factor that may scare some adult filers away. Also, adult students can call the financial aid office and request a “special circumstances” form. This form allows the school to amend your FAFSA form in a way that might get you more aid. For example the aid office can make an adjustment if your income is likely to be lower than what you had to report because you or your spouse lost a job or your unemployment benefits are about to run out. It will also take into account unusual and sudden increases in expenses, say a temporary increase in medical bills or a child starting private school. Also if your circumstances change while attending, you can revisit the student aid office and they may be able to help you receive more aid.

What is the Pell Grant?

2011-04-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

Although the critical March 2nd deadline for the FAFSA has come and gone, you can still file yours and receive one very important grant.

The Pell Grant, originally known as the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant, is for students with financial need who have not earned their first bachelor's degree. The only way to get this grant is through filing the FAFSA. The Pell Grant is sponsored by the US Department of Education, They use the financial information reported on the FAFSA to determine the student's financial need.

The Pell Grant was originally created for students who were financially unable to obtain higher education, therefore students receive the grant on a need-based criteria. You also must be a US citizen with a high school diploma or equivalent.

Last year, the maximum amount you could receive for the the Pell Grant was $5,500. The amount you actually receive depends on many factors including cost of attendance and whether or not you plan on being a full or part-time student.

Don't miss your opportunity, file the FAFSA today!

FAFSA Filings Rise as Economy Slumps

2011-04-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

The effects of the recession are becoming more and more apparent. One of those signs is the number of students filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The Columbus Dispatch reports that Ohio State alone saw 10,600 more filings and estimated a million more nationwide.

Diane Stemper, OSU’s director of student financial aid, believes there are many factors contributing to the 22 percent increase, but the recession is still the biggest cause. "Many people who used to have the resources to send their children to college have lost their jobs or been downsized," Stemper said. "Declining home and stock values, coupled with rising food and gas prices, are also taking a toll."

Six out of ten students today are taking out loans to help with the cost of college, meaning more graduates with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to pay off. The FAFSA is one way to curb the growing number of loans.

Colleges see spike in student-aid requests [The Columbus Dispatch]

Why Everyone Should Apply For Financial Aid

2011-04-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

There’s still time to fill out a FAFSA form to get money for college! At this point in the game, some of you may have given up, surrendering to the rapidly growing costs of college. You may even believe you and/or your family can handle the price tag. Why go through the trouble when there’s a chance you won’t get any money at all?

There is only one guaranteed scenario in all this confusion: If you do not apply for any financial aid you will not get any money. Even if you can afford tuition, you will probably need help paying for the dorms, food, books, etc. It all starts adding up!

Most colleges accept students using a “need-blind” process. This means they cannot use your financial situation as criteria for your acceptance. It also means there really is no reason to put off finishing your FAFSA. You’ve put in all the hours getting in, why not do a little more work to go comfortably?

To find out deadlines for your state visit the FAFSA website.

Facebook App Pledges to Help You Find Scholarships

2011-04-22T16:47:00.000-07:00

Whether you’re looking for financial aid for college for the first time or you’ve done it for the past four years, the process can seem daunting. Trying to get as much money as you can as the deadlines fly by is frustrating and unfair when all you want to do is go to school. Well, the people at Facebook have heard your cries and are planning to launch an app to help by January, 2012.

Connect Fund will use demographic information provided by the Facebook user to recommend financial aid options including grants, student loans, and the Free Applications For Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA. In addition, as with many popular Facebook apps, users will have the option to share their experience with their Facebook friends.

According to the Huffington Post, the application was developed by Devin Valencia, a 24 year old graduate of The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, for the “Get Schooled College Affordability Challenge.” Valencia received $10,000 in prize money for her idea.

MTV, the College Board and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have pledged $100,000 towards getting the app up and running by the January deadline. Hopefully, finding money for college will soon be as easy as playing Farmville.

Financial Aid Facebook App? Program Promises to Help You Find Money For College [HuffPost]

Want help filing the application?

2010-11-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

I found a great guy who can help you file the FAFSA application quick and easy. He also gives great college admissions counseling! Check them out: http://www.collegeadmissionspartners.com/

FAFSA Deadlines

2010-11-01T13:29:00.001-07:00

State Student Financial Aid Deadlines

State deadlines may be earlier than the federal deadline.
TIP: State forms do not replace filling out the FAFSA. You must fill out the FAFSA to receive federal student aid.
Note: Date received means received by Federal Student Aid unless otherwise indicated.
Remember to apply early before funds run out.

State	Deadlines
Alabama	Check with your financial aid administrator
Alaska	April 15, 2010 @
American Samoa	Check with your financial aid administrator*
Arizona	Check with your financial aid administrator
Arkansas	For Academic Challenge - June 1, 2010 @ For Workforce Grant - check with your financial aid administrator For Higher Education Opportunity Grant - June 1, 2010 (fall term) @; November 1, 2010 (spring term) @
California	For initial awards - March 2, 2010 +* For additional community college awards - September 2, 2010 - date postmarked +*
Colorado	Check with your financial aid administrator
Connecticut	February 15, 2010 #*
Delaware	April 15, 2010 @
District of Columbia	June 30, 2010 @#*
Federated States of Micronesia	Check with your financial aid administrator*
Florida	May 15, 2010 - date processed
Georgia	Check with your financial aid administrator
Guam	Check with your financial aid administrator*
Hawaii	Check with you financial aid administrator*
Idaho	Opportunity Grant - March 1, 2010 @#*
Illinois	As soon as possible after January 1, 2010. Awards made until funds are depleted.
Indiana	March 10, 2010 &
Iowa	July 1, 2010 @
Kansas	April 1, 2010 @#*
Kentucky	March 15, 2010 &#
Louisiana	July 1, 2010 @
Maine	May 1, 2010 @
Marshall Islands	Check with your financial aid administrator*
Maryland	March 1, 2010 &
Massachusetts	May 1, 2010 @#
Michigan	March 1, 2010 &
Minnesota	30 days after term starts @
Mississippi	MTAG and MESG Grants - September 15, 2010 @# HELP Scholarship - March 31, 2010 @#
Missouri	April 1, 2010 @#
Montana	March 1, 2010 #&
Nebraska	Check with your financial aid administrator*
Nevada	Check with your financial aid administrator*
New Hampshire	May 1, 2010 @
New Jersey	2009-2010 Tuition Aid Grant recipients - June 1, 2010 @ All other applications - October 1, 2010, for fall and spring terms @; March 1, 2011, for spring term only @
New Mexico	Check with your financial aid administrator*
New York	May 1, 2011 @+*
North Carolina	Check with your finanacial aid administrator
North Dakota	March 15, 2010 &
Northern Mariana Islands	Check with your financial aid administrator*
Ohio	October 1, 2010 @
Oklahoma	April 15, 2010 @#
Oregon	OSAC scholarship - March 1, 2010 Oregon Opportunity Grant - check with your financial aid adminstrator
Palau	Check with your financial aid administrator*
Pennsylvania	All 2009-2010 State Grant recipients and all non-2009-2010 State Grant recipients in degree programs - May 1, 2010 @* All other applicants - August 1, 2010 @*
Puerto Rico	Check with your financial aid administrator
Rhode Island	March 1, 2010 &#
South Carolina	Tuition Grants - June 30, 2010 @ SC Commission on Higher Education - no deadline
South Dakota	Check with your financial aid administrator*
Tennessee	For State Grant - February 15, 2010 @# For State Lottery - September 1, 2010 @#
Texas	Check with your financial aid administrator*
U.S. Virgin Islands	Check with your financial aid administrator*
Utah	Check with your financial aid administrator
Vermont	Check with your financial aid administrator*
Virginia	Check with your financial aid administrator*
Washington	Check with your financial aid administrator
West Virginia	April 15, 2010 @#*
Wisconsin	Check with your financial aid administrator
Wyoming	Check with your financial aid administrator*

* Additional form may be required. Contact your financial aid administrator or your state agency.
+ Applicants encouraged to obtain proof of mailing.
# For priority consideration, submit application by date specified.
@ Deadline by midnight, Central Daylight Time.
& Deadline by midnight, Central Standard Time.

FAFSA Scams?

2010-10-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

Most people wouldn't believe it but did you know there are actually FAFSA scams? That's right, there are people who claim to get you FAFSA money, will take your personal information and sell it for their gain. It's similar to identity theft. Beware of these scams and read all about them on the FAFSA site: http://www.fsa4counselors.ed.gov/clcf/scams.html

Did you know?

2010-10-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

Thousands of schools, individuals and corporations give out scholarships every year for everything you can think of. From sports to community service to GPA, you can find a scholarship for just about anything you can think of these days! http://www.studentscholarships.org is the best free scholarship database around...check it out to search for scholarships based on YOU!

Where can I get information about Federal student financial aid?

2010-10-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or 1-800-730-8913 (if hearing impaired) and ask for a free copy of The Student Guide: Financial Aid from the US Department of Education. This toll free hotline is run by the US Department of Education and can answer questions about federal and state student aid programs and applications. You can also write to Federal Student Aid Information Center
PO Box 84
Washington, DC 20044

What's the difference between a Scholarship and a Grant?

2010-10-21T12:45:00.001-07:00

S. No.	Scholarship	Grant
1	Scholarships are provided by organizations not necessarily non profit organizations	A Grant is a financial aid provided by non-profit organizations.
2	A Grant is a financial aid provided by non-profit organizations.	Grants are generally tax exempt
3	A student is required to fulfill certain requirements before and after the scholarship is granted, like maintaining a required GPA.	Students are required to provide a details about the project for which grant money was awarded to them.
4	Scholarships are granted to those students who fulfill a specific academic performance, and should apply for the same in order to avail the benefits of scholarship.	For receiving a grant the student/individual/organization is first required to apply to the donor along with the details of the project that requires funding.
5	Scholarships are not necessarily issued by government organizations.	Sometimes, money is given out by government in the form of grants to correct financial imbalance that arise between taxation and spending.
6	Scholarships are specifically granted for gearing up college education.	Grants are given under a variety of circumstances namely financial assistance to students, entrepreneurs, small business people, and victims of natural disaster.
7	While some scholarships are based on gender, others are based on the field of study the student is majoring in.	Grants are generally issued for a cause.
8	After the scholarship is granted, the student is expected to maintain certain level of academic performance to qualify for the scholarship program.	Individuals and organizations receiving grants are required to present a detailed report on the project for which the grant was issued in order to ensure proper utilization of funds given by way of grants.

Great Link!

2010-10-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

Below is a link to the step by step process you go through in order to get Federal Student Aid. With all of the info on the FAFSA government site, I found this link to be very informative and easy to follow: http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/F4CApp/index/what011a.jsf

Welcome!

2010-10-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
I'm a strong believer that everyone should have an opportunity to go to college with or without having rich parents. I didn't attend college myself which is partly why I'm on a mission to show the rest of the world how anyone, from all walks of life, can attend college. Follow me as we discover the FAFSA, learn about others experience with the FAFSA and figure out how you can go to college! Welcome to the adventure of your future...