After hearing stories about unemployed college graduates with six-figure student debt loads, Americans may be skeptical about college value and wary about college costs. Recent research shows college remains one of the best investments you can make.

• • More money over a lifetime. Full-time college students generally forego a living wage while studying, but after graduation, they more than make up for that income shortfall by earning more over their lifetimes than those with only a high school diploma. Also something to consider in the college-value-to-college-cost equation: those who earn degrees in science- or math-related fields generally earn more as soon as they graduate than students in other majors, according to studies cited by The Wall Street Journal.
• • Non-monetary value. According to studies cited by U.S. News & World Report, “College graduates are healthier, contribute more to their communities, and raise kids who are better prepared academically.”
• • Living an inquisitive, well-rounded life. Value can be intrinsic, and it often is with a college degree. College introduces students to new ideas and can awaken interests and aptitudes people didn’t previously know they had.
• • Zeroing in on work you enjoy. Especially at colleges that offer a wide range of programs and the flexibility to study across disciplines, higher education can help those unsure about a new career path decide upon the best one for them.
• • Technological literacy. Especially for older adult learners, the speed with which technology has changed the workplace can be daunting. In most college programs, students are required to learn to effectively work with technology, experience that can serve them well post-graduation.
• • A bootstrap out of poverty. College is a particularly good value for students from low-income families because receiving an education is the best chance of helping them break out of low-paying jobs.

College value versus college cost is often difficult to quantify: how do you place a value on learning? “Higher education is an investment in human capital,” former Gettysburg College President Katherine Haley Will told National Public Radio. College value outweighs “any simple calculation of costs.”

Sources:
John Guthmiller • The Values of A College Education • Oct 02, 1997
Sonoma State University
Sue Shellenberger • Weighing the Value of That College Diploma • Dec 16, 2009
Kim Clark • How Much Is That College Degree Really Worth? • Oct 30, 2008
Breaking the poverty cycle through higher education • Mar 05, 2009
University of Louisville

Resources

• The Daily Dish| The Daily Dish blog, Catherine E. Toth …
• 6 Things to Consider When Deciding to Go Back to School « College …

Conventional wisdom is that college is worth the money because it provides a path to considerably higher earnings than usually can be earned with a high school diploma alone. But is that true?

If you are considering attending college, you likely are at least partially drawn in by the prospect of earning more money when you graduate. The College Board, a not-for-profit association, has long contended that college degrees are worth the money because they pay off over high school diplomas to the tune of $800,000 more in pay over the course of a 40-year career.

However, in recent years increasing tuition costs and a difficult job market have called those figures into question. In an interview with Forbes magazine, Mark Schneider, of the American Institutes for Research, called the calculation “a million-dollar misunderstanding.”

Reduced Earnings Still Higher for College Grads

Taking into account the increasing cost of college, student loan debt, and breaks in employment, Schneider estimated that college graduates earn about $280,000 more than high-school graduates. A researcher commissioned by The College Board in 2007 put the figure at about $450,000.

Most researchers agree that college is worth the money, because graduates, on average, do earn more than their counterparts with only high-school diplomas.

One way to make sure that college pays off for you is to take advantage of grants and scholarships when applying. Carefully read the terms of any student loans you apply for to make sure the terms are favorable. And research average salaries in your desired field so you can deicide how much debt, if any, you are comfortable taking on.

College offers more than just a path to a higher salary–it offers a change to learn and grow. A carefully thought out financial plan can help you achieve that.

Sources:
Jennifer Cheeseman Day and Eric C. Newburger • The Big Payoff: Educational Attainment and Synthetic Estimates of Work-Life Earnings
U.S. Census Bureau
Mary Pilon • What’s a Degree Really Worth? • Feb 02, 2010

Resources

• Invincibelle Column » Challenges Counting Women Leaving/Re …
• Community College Turns Out Wind Power Graduates | Green Life …
• How Worthy is my College Degree? | Student Loan Blog
• Student Loan Forgiveness Programs for College Graduates | Student …
• experience within the biotechnology and « King's College London …
• Age, Education, and Functional Decline » Sociological Images
• Vanguard News Online
• unemployment rate by educational attainment chart
• Forbes (Magazine) Thinks We're Pretty! | The Ink
• Forbes ranks Fayetteville among nation's top sports towns …
• We Can Fix Everything But The Weather![*] Reason Saves Cleveland …
• Pittsburgh Leads List of Affordable Housing by Forbes | World …
• Forbes Magazine: Beware Who Fixes That Broken Laptop | Data …
• Is Adison High School online Legit? – Education Scholarship
• DO you need a college education or some other education like trade …
• education is good economics
• Would you commit a % of your life's earnings for cash today? « An …
• The Dawn Blog » Blog Archive » Out of harm's way
• Craig Venter: Without Scale, Algae Fuel Companies “Playing”
• The N of an era: America's nitrogen dilemma—and what we can do …

With the national economy still fragile and many Americans struggling just to make ends meet, what’s the best way to tackle the high cost of college? Explore a number of strategies to make college more affordable.

Unless you’re a football or basketball high school stand-out with serious scholarship prospects, entirely avoiding the high cost of college probably isn’t possible. However, you can take steps to offset or minimize what you pay for that sheepskin.

According to The College Board, one year of tuition and fees at a private university now cost a whopping $26,273, while that education costs $7,020 per year at the average state school.

Financial Aid Helps with the High Cost of College

2009-10 College Prices • http://www.collegeboard.com • http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/add-it-up/4494.html • The College Board

Of all undergraduate students, 66 percent received some type of financial aid in 2007-08, with the average amount being $9,100, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

• Scholarships and grants. More than half of 2007-08 undergraduates received grants. All students hoping to secure financial aid should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) no later than February 1 of the year they intend to begin their studies.
• Loans. Two-thirds of four-year college graduates incurred some debt to pay the high cost of college, with the average being $23,186 in 2007-08. But think carefully before taking on debt, and apply first for government loans for students with favorable interest rates.
• Tax credits and deductions. The federal government has a variety of tax credits and deductions designed to minimize the high cost of college. These include allowing withdrawals from Individual Retirement Accounts tax-free to pay for college, hefty tax credits such as the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning credits, and federal income tax deductions for student loan interest payments.
• Pay as you go. Working your way through school may not be your ideal way of dealing with the high cost of college, but it’s an option. Increasing numbers of students attend college part-time while also working. Even if you go to school full-time, the federal student work-study program pays you at least the minimum wage for 10-to-15 hours of work a week.

With careful thought about your post-college career aspirations and some advance preparation, the high cost of college can be made manageable.

Sources:
Fast Facts: Financial Aid for Undergraduate Students
National Center for Education Statistics
Free Application for Federal Student Aid
2009-10 College Prices
The College Board

The College Board reports that student tuition at American universities continues to rise more quickly than inflation. At an average cost of $24K a year (not including room and board), many worry about their ability to cover escalating educational expenses. However, what if there were a way to keep college prices in check? What if you could go to school for free?

How Some People Slash Their Tuition Prices and Go to School for Free

If you really do some digging around, you might be surprised what you find. It may take a little more time and energy upfront, but if you can avoid paying $24K a year in tuition prices, isn’t it worth it? Below are some of the more popular methods for reducing some or all of your college fees:

• • Apply to a tuition-free college where prices are nonexistent. In exchange for a free education, these programs ask you to volunteer 15-30 hours every week in a work-study program.
• • Apply for scholarships. There are hundreds upon thousands of scholarships, ranging from $50 to full rides. In most cases, the only real cost is effort. If you write the essays, obtain some recommendations, lick a few stamps, and stay on top of the deadlines, you could amass enough free money to cover all of your collegiate expenses.
• • Join the armed forces. The Active Duty M.G.I. Bill provides up to $37K for tuition prices. Get an education, stay in peak physical shape, serve your country, and walk away with little or no college debt.
• • Ask your employer for help. If you are going back to school to earn a degree that could somehow benefit your current company, your boss may be willing to help cover some or all of the expenses. In exchange, you might be expected to stay on the job a few extra years so that the company can earn a “return” on its investment.

Stanley Rubenti

Stanley Rubenti is a world traveling writer and editor who has lived in Japan, the US, Thailand, and France. He currently resides in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where he offers college admissions advice for international students interested in studying abroad.

Sources:
Alison Damast • Pssst! Wanna Go to College for Free? • Nov 14, 2007
Job Profiles • How to go to College for Free • Dec 31, 1969

Higher education is becoming increasingly less affordable. As such, you should make every effort to reduce your tax burden by taking advantage of student loan interest deductions when filing for your taxes. You would be surprised by how many people out there are unaware of this process. Do not make the same mistake. By following the steps below, you can save money, making it easier to tackle your college loans in the future.

Steps for Claiming Tax Deductions from College Loans and Interest Payments

1. First you must determine whether or not you are even eligible. If the loan is in your name and you are not a dependent, then you may qualify. It is important to remember that if you are currently married, you are not allowed to file your taxes separately.
2. Do you make over $70K a year as an individual or $145K together with your spouse? If so, then you may not qualify.
3. Next, calculate the amount of student loan interest that is eligible for deduction. This is the total government or bank interest you are required to pay within the given tax year. Loans from family members or 401(k)s do not account. You may deduct up to and including $2,500.
4. You must next determine whether or not you may make a full deduction or only a reduced deduction. If you are married and filing jointly with a combined income above $115K, you can only pay a reduced deduction, which is your combined income minus $115K all divided by $30K. If you are filing as an individual, and you make over $55K, then you can only pay a reduced deduction. This amount is your combined income minus $55K all divided by $15K. Subtract this deduction from your eligible student loan interest.
5. Enter the remaining student loan interest (reduced or non-reduced) on line 33 of Form 1040.
6. Voila. You are done.

Stanley Rubenti

Stanley Rubenti is a world traveling writer and editor who has lived in Japan, the US, Thailand, and France. He currently resides in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where he offers college admissions advice for international students interested in studying abroad.

Source:
Deborah Nelson • How to Deduct Student Loan Interest from Your Taxes • Dec 31, 1969

According to Sloan Consortium, almost 3.5 million college students took one or more online courses in 2006-2007. And as distance-learning programs continue to garner credibility with industries and employers, that number should rise considerably over the coming decade. Here’s why.

In the Beginning: The Age of Degree Mills

Those brave enough to test the waters of the birth of online education found a mixed bag. Most of the big-name schools offered only a few sparse courses online or snubbed the concept entirely. For example, the Washington Post reports that you can take business courses from Harvard Extension if you have online access. No one, however, can earn a Harvard MBA online.’ And because the Internet inevitably promotes commercialism, cardboard-fronted colleges began offering degrees based on life experiences (read: no academic rigor required). Degree mills allowed anyone to pay a small fee to receive a diploma that wasn’t worth much more than the card stock it was printed on.

Accreditation Arrives: More Schools, More Options

The notion that working students could earn a valid university education without compromising their professional or personal obligations was too valuable to die. The demand was too great, and colleges knew a good thing when they saw one. So distance learning followed the path of accreditation. Validation groups such as The Council for Higher Education Accreditation and The Higher Learning Commission began the arduous task of examining online degree programs and ensuring their applicability to learning and professionalism.

The Future of Online Education

With an economy that is unsure at best, students, recognize the potential of the online education. And so do investors. According to BloggingStocks, a slowing economy and corporate layoffs are sending the population of unemployed and mid-career changers back to online school. And AOL reveals that total degree enrollment in Apollo Group Inc., a player in the distance education industry, rose 11 percent to 345,300 students versus one year ago. The bottom line? The point where online learning meets meaningful accreditation has given distance education a renewed credibility.

Sources:
America
AOL money & finance
BloggingStocks
Washington Post

Accreditation: The process by which students, families, government officials, and the press know that an institution provides a quality education. Colleges and universities in the US are accredited by one of 19 recognized institutional accrediting organizations.

Accreditation Means Value

The definition of “accreditation,” offered in the leader of this article by Community Foundation, is only half the story. Ensuring the quality of the degree program you choose has implications in your profession and in your wallet. Degrees without national or regional accreditation are typically ignored in the real world, a fact that most students don’t realize until after graduation. They’re then passed over for promotions and pay increases due to a diploma that carries little to zero weight. Colleges and universities recognize this, so they pour a great deal of human and financial resources into accreditation. Schools that do flourish in enrollment; those that don’t will fall by the wayside.

Why Colleges Seek Accreditation

The Council for Higher Education Accreditation has been tracking the last century of accreditation efforts by US colleges and universities. Currently, there are 7,000 higher education institutions and 17,000 specific degrees programs accredited by one or more of the national bodies. Some of the top reasons why colleges seek accreditation include:

• * Earning federal and state government funding, as well as private sector financial support

• * Protecting students and consumers from fraud and abuse

• * Encouraging major innovation while maintaining quality

• * Facilitating states that carry out licensure of the professions

• * Responding to the current climate of accountability

Accreditation is in the best interest of all stakeholders, including students, federal and state governments, and the college and universities themselves. And as accrediting standards and procedures continue to fine tune, the distance learning concept will grow in popularity and application.

Sources:
CHEA
Community Foundation

A Google search for ‘accredited online schools’ serves up more than 2.74 million results. Confusing? Yes. And the process of choosing an accredited distance learning program can be, as well. But here are a few guidelines to keep in mind to ensure that your efforts, and your money, don’t go to waste.

Sifting Through the Acronyms

According to The Council for Higher Education Accreditation, accreditation is the primary means of assuring and improving the quality of higher education institutions and programs in the United States’. This goal is accomplished through an intense process of review by one or more of the 19 national and regional accrediting organizations. CHEA. SACS. HLC. As you look at the college or university that you plan to attend, it’s a good idea to find the acronyms that represent the accrediting bodies, usually listed on the school’s home page. These acronyms are a good indicator of the legitimacy of the program you intend to complete.

Take It a Step Further

Don’t be fooled by fancy seals. Online diploma mills can easily post an official-looking emblem on their site in an attempt to satisfy your accrediting curiosities. Do your homework and contact the office of enrollment. Ask them what national or regional accreditations they have earned and what they’re doing to maintain or improve their standards. Still not satisfied? Contact the accrediting agencies directly to verify the information you receive. Also, you can check with your industry to find out which agencies they recognize. Just a little legwork before you begin your program will save you tens of thousands of dollars, as well as a great deal of heartache.

Sources:
CHEA
Community Foundation

In the United States, non-governmental organizations evaluate colleges and universities and grant accreditation to those that meet nationwide standards. The accreditation process is therefore not conducted directly by the government, although the accreditation agencies are themselves evaluated by the US Secretary of Education. The process is intended to assist students in deciding on where to continue their education, to promote the general elevation of educational standards around the country and to determine which institutions are worthy of private or public funds.

Accreditation begins with the establishment of educational standards, which is continuously performed by the accreditation agencies in cooperation with colleges. Colleges seeking accreditation conduct an intensive internal evaluation of their own practices and educational environment to determine whether it is up to par with those of other schools in addition to the agreed-upon standards. This evaluation includes close scrutiny of the curricula of specific courses at the college, judgment of the caliber of the professors leading the institution and the quality of the work of the students themselves.

Following this self-evaluation, the accreditation agency visits the school and conducts its own assessment of those same aspects with guidance from the school’s report. The agency then determines whether or not to grant accreditation, and in the case of a successful application, the college is listed in the agency’s publication of accredited schools.

After the initial process, the agency makes periodic reevaluations of the college to ensure compliance with its standards. The process is an important step in the establishment of a new educational institution, and most are not successful without winning accreditation.

Source:
US Department of Education – Overview of Post-Secondary Accreditation

Registered Nurses

The number of registered nurses in the United States is expected to increase by more than half a million over the next decade, making it the fastest-growing occupation in the country. Responsibilities include performing routine tests, educating patients about their ailments and providing them with treatment and medication.

Post-secondary education is a necessity for a position as a registered nurse. Most nursing programs are either two or four years and lead to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, respectively, although some hospitals offer diploma programs that usually take three years to complete. Entrance into nursing specialty fields often requires a master’s degree.

Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts

Network analyst positions are expected to grow by 37% in the coming years, which is the largest percent increase among of all types of jobs studied. Network analysts design, implement and test communications equipment for computers, from small office networks to the internet.

The degree requirements vary with each specific network analyst position. Most employers are looking for those with a bachelor’s in computer science or a related field, while some positions require only an associate’s and some require an MBA.

Veterinary Technologists and Technicians

Positions as veterinary technicians are expected to increase at a much faster than average rate as well. Veterinary technicians work alongside veterinarians, performing diagnostic tests and providing treatment to all types of animals.

Most veterinary technologists have an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree in the field, and both involve extensive laboratory training with live animals. The associate’s programs are nationally accredited and usually take two years to complete, while the bachelor’s programs are offered at only a handful of colleges.

Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics–Registered Nurses
Bureau of Labor Statistics–Computer Scientists
Bureau of Labor Statistics–Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
Bureau of Labor Statistics–Charts from the ‘Tomorrow’s Jobs’ Section