The private student loan market has all but died in the past few years. There are however a number of alternatives that are popping up.
#1. Lending Club – Borrow up to $25,000, however good credit is a must and the loan has a 3-5 year term that begins repayment right away. 
#2. SimpleTuition – Search dozens of lenders to find the perfect student loan to match your needs. Easy, quick, simple.
{ 0 comments }
Requirements can be a pain in the you-know-what. Math, foreign language, physical science. I thought this was college, doesn’t this mean I can choose my own classes? Apparently not. While math, science and English classes can be easy to pick back up after summer, foreign languages can get pretty dusty if you leave them alone for three months. Unfortunately during the summer, our native Spanish speaking professor isn’t speaking to us in fluent Spanish at 8 am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. That way we would be able to keep up on our verb tenses, conjugations and vocabulary. But instead we get stuck with sleeping in and long periods of time where there is little brain work involved. Does this sound like a fair trade off? It definitely isn’t a balanced trade off. To keep our French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Mandarin, Greek, Latin, and German in tip top shape, here are some little ways to keep our foreign languages dust-free this summer.
There are a multitude of web sites that value language, and understand the need for foreign language competency as an important trait to anyone in our global society. Here are a few of them that concentrate on vocabulary, verbs, along with giving learners opportunities for social networking in their foreign language.
Byki – This website offers 74 different languages to learners, which includes the site’s desktop software, online applications, free
Photo by El Monstrito
content, articles and games. The site seeks to go about teaching language from a different angle, that appeals more to the comprehension of adult learners. If you’re seeking to begin learning a language, or pick up where you left off on a language, this site is for you.
Lingolook – This web application was especially designed for English speaking travelers to foreign countries. The guide features basic vocabulary that travelers need, in an easy, user-friendly way. The application uses flashcards to test users, and when travelers are in a hurry for “Where is the restroom?” in French, users simply click on essentials, which leads them to a list of questions that are deemed “essential” questions, then click on “Where is the restroom?” which leads the user to a screen with the written English phrase, the written French phrase, and when clicking on the French phrase a voice says it aloud so the user knows how it is pronounced. To see for yourself, check out the site and see the demo.
vocabfish – A site that allows users to learn over 2000 words in 10 languages. With a scorecard, the site allows its users to track their progress, while the site goes back to the words that the user misses in order to test the weak spots. This site was created to master vocabulary not only through recognizing words but “recalling and pronouncing them.”
italki – This unique site connects people from around the world to learn from each other. The site is used to help connect people online to do free language exchanges, while even setting students up with teachers for paid online lessons. italki also has materials for self-study, along with questions & answer tools and group discussions.
Though we’re living in the 21st century, not all learning has to be virtual. Look up organizations in your area who promote the culture of your desired foreign language.
Alliance française is an organization that seeks to promote French culture and language outside of France. With organizations
Photo by Karen Horton
like this, who’s primary concern is teaching French as a second language, it is great to get hooked up with a membership so that learning a language isn’t simply just reading flashcards and memorizing automated foreign voices from online. But rather being a part of a community of people who are embracing the culture of a particular language, that is what is going to matter and be most valuable.
Get connected with a pen pal who is a native speaker of the language you are learning, and start writing letters! Or start emailing, if that’s your thing.
{ 0 comments }
I was never a fan of handing over those yellow paper dollars to my opponent because I landed on his piece of property on Illinois Ave. Just like handing over those fake paper dollars in Monopoly, paying off student loans will feel the same way. But in the game of Monopoly, it does feel better when I make an investment by buying a piece of property. And paying off student loans should feel like making an investment in Monopoly. Though at first all you see is money being taken from your bank account, later you will see the results when people start paying you for landing on your square… Or rather when your student loans diminish. There are positives to making those monthly payments. The burden is being relieved.
Photo by Mikael Miettinen
There are 4 options that can all be negotiated with your lender, whether it was a private lender before the law on private student loans changed, or whether your sole lenders are companies backed by the government. After graduation there will be a 6-9 month grace period where graduates will not have to pay off student loans, so they have time to look for a job (so they can afford the payments). Unless the graduate is in forbearance with their lender, which allows more of a grace period, he or she will start paying off loans with an amount that is negotiated with the lender. The minimum is usually about $50. Graduates are able to switch their payments to larger payments monthly. The most important thing is to stay on the same page with the lender.
Graduates who have found a well-paying job soon after graduation will start paying off loans in the form of standard payment. This is the best option because loans will be paid off after 10 years, and it has the best interest rate. While this is the quickest payment option, it is also requires the highest monthly payments.
Writing a check
This option is for graduates who have found a job that starts off with a decent wage that will steadily increase over time. The loan payments will start off by mirroring the small wage and over the next couple of years for the next 10-30 years the payments will increase like the graduate’s wage.
This payment option is set up so that monthly payments will be based off of what the graduate is making in their current income. This is for those who have seasonal jobs, or jobs that fluctuate with seasons. With this option, graduates will have 15 years to pay off their loans.
This payment plan has the worst interest rate, because the payer has chosen to pay the least amount per month. This means that by the end of the 30 years it takes to pay off the loan, the loan payer will have paid almost double than they initially borrowed.
If you have questions about any of these options, contact your lender. Or ask your mother, she usually knows.
{ 0 comments }
Right now is the perfect time to do some post-spring deep cleaning out of closets, bookshelves and garages. School has just ended for those on the quarter schedule, and behold it is summer. Whether your closets are bulging with clothes, your bookshelves are bending from too much weight, or you’ve got an unused bike in the garage collecting dust, think about recycling your stuff to businesses that would buy them from you. Some extra cash and extra room sounds nice, does it not?
When selling clothes there are a couple of things to look for, before taking them directly from closet to store. Most shops only take clothes that are in good condition. Which means:
Photo by apreche
Some shops may only take clothes that are ‘in season.’ This means during summer season they will not take winter jackets, and during winter they will not take shorts and tank tops. Keep these things in mind, so you aren’t rejected for all of your winter clothes when you go in during July. You can call certain stores like Buffalo Exchange and ask what kinds of items they are currently buying from sellers. Some other places you can sell clothes: Plato’s Closet, Ebay, Crossroads Trading
Depending on where you sell your used books, there are certain things that buyers look for. It is most likely that buyers will not buy a book if it has these qualities:
Photo by Rob Enslin
These are the qualifications for Powell’s Books in Portland, OR. It is also mentioned that the prices they pay for books, online or in-store, are based off of what they think it will sell for, as well as the ‘desirability, current and historic market values, in-print prices, conditions, and [their] current stock levels.’ Some other places you can sell your books: Cash4books, Half.com, Barnes & Noble, Amazon
When selling old bikes, furniture, televisions and other things that are stowed away in the garage, there is usually more leeway when it comes to pricing, because it’s the seller who sets the price. Selling these items is usually done online so the price is comparable to the quality. Here are some websites where you can sell your stuff: Craigslist, Ebay
Photo by jayhay312
{ 0 comments }
Summer 2010. We are moving back home, some to our parent’s houses, some to an independent and cheap apartment. So begins the vacation that has been looked forward to for the past 13-15 years of life. There are so many possibilities for what this summer holds, and there are ways of holding onto it longer than the short 3 months that the big guys in administration give us. So to make it go by as slow as possible, here are some ways to savor this summer, whether you are working at the gas station or within a close proximity of cleaning products that your mother has bestowed upon you. A job is a job, and with or without one you can take advantage of copious amounts of sun and a lack of nagging professors.
Road Trip
Photo by umjanedoan
And you can usually get more for your books when selling online or in stores that buy used books.
{ 0 comments }
When there is no money attached to a job, it is hard to be enthusiastic about it. But internships have a lot attached to them that college students should be optimistic about. Unlike a job at a gas station or department store, internships are interesting and most of the time geared toward what YOU are interested in. We are usually only employed at those other places because we need cold hard cash. And while unpaid internships don’t give that opportunity, they are pleasing to the soul (and to the resumé). Here is a list of reasons why you should consider an unpaid internship, because experience can be more valuable than minimum wage.
Photo by lululemon athletica
Photo by NewsPhoto!
coworkers, and enjoying going to work. Work should be fun, and this could be a way of learning to love the work without the money.
There has some controversy about unpaid interns in the past few months, like in this article in the NYTimes. But I think that there is still a lot of positive things that we can take from them, even though there is no pay. You can make the call, based on your financial need and your desire for experience. But it’s something to definitely consider, while we have the time during these college years to do something that is beneficial to others and our futures.
{ 0 comments }
We are coming along the home stretch. Whether you are on the semester schedule and you have a few more days of finals, or whether you are on the quarter schedule and enduring these last four weeks of classes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And it is visible! It has been very difficult for my peers and I to stay motivated in classes while the weather has been so wonderful. I am looking forward to a day of May showers, so that I will be forced to stay inside and get things done. But wherever you are in the context of finishing up this year of college, it is important to take a step back and gain perspective, so that the term isn’t wasted on late night fourth meals and full days of playing Frisbee in the quad. Though both of those things are quite nice. I’ve thought of a few things we could all do to withstand this last stretch of classes, projects and exams. I hope it is of great use to you.
Photo by xb3
Limit your consumption until completing x amount of pages. When my roommate is reading or writing for a class, she won’t let herself make any tea (and this girl loves tea) until she has finished a certain number of pages. Hey, it works for some people who have the self-control.
Photo by jurvetson
Remember how close you are to the end. And how far you’ve come this year; all that you have experienced. The end is touchable.
{ 0 comments }
Part-time jobs at restaurants, department stores and the like all have the same process when it comes to applying for a job. They all ask for applicants to fill out an application. The way in which applicants should dress, act and speak when asking for and bringing back an application adhere to certain preferences. While the way someone walks, talks and dresses make them an individual, I am speaking of a certain attitude one should have in this particular setting. Therefore, when asking for an application and turning in an application, there are some definite rules that aspiring employees should follow, especially when it comes to garb.
It’s important to look nice when asking and turning in an application. These are the employer’s first impressions of you as a hirable employee, so it is important to give them a glimpse into who you are through these first impressions. Men: Wear something decent like khakis and a nice polo or button up shirt, with nice loafers or dress shoes. No suit required. And make sure to trim up that beard, boys… Women: Wear appropriate and business-like clothing such as slacks or a skirt that is at least long enough to hit the knees. Pair this with a blouse and some nice flats or pumps. Men and Women: Stick to dressing in neutral colors—blacks, whites, blues, browns—that aren’t overwhelming, trim finger nails to an appropriate and professional length and comb hair back and out of your face, so that it is tangle free.
The last thing you would want while asking and turning in an application is for the secretary, employee or manager to think you are unprofessional. It’s definitely better to be safe than sorry with your attire when applying for a job. Men: Avoid jeans, t-shirts and cut off shirts. It would show the employer you are unorganized and unprofessional. Women: Avoid stilettos, tank tops and halter tops. Men and Women: Avoid bright colors and crazy patterns, as well as strong cologne or perfume. When it comes to footwear, avoid athletic shoes or any kind of sandal. You should probably avoid mustard stains as well…
With a professional look and a positive attitude, you should have no problem getting that interview.
{ 0 comments }
Though we would like to play ultimate Frisbee all day, read books of our choice all night, and make time for eight hours of sleep in between all of that, it isn’t possible while being an employed student. The reality of college life is that there are hours spent daily on textbook readings, writing papers, working so that tuition is paid for, and then class. For some reason I thought I would be much more willing to do work once I was in college. And that is partially true, because what I am learning is applicable to my future career and that glorious diploma.
But overall, there are just a lot more activities cramped into a smaller amount of time. That is the college life, and we are supposed to deal with it somehow. There are some practical things students can do to balance a life of school, work, sleep and play. So why didn’t they tell us these things before we started this kind of life? Because they say we are supposed to learn on our own. They are right in doing this. But now I will tell you some things that have been helpful to me on this journey thus far.
Best of luck to you on balancing the different aspects of your life. Knowing what your priorities are is key. Do this and you will not have to worry about missing deadlines because another area of your life is too overwhelming.
{ 0 comments }
Do you choose to fight the hunger, or give in to a salty, plastic packaged, artificially flavored Top Ramen? How about neither. A while ago I said it’s time to stop the routine of milk & cereal for dinner—now it’s time to stop the eating Top Ramen late at night. I’ve found some options to fulfill those late night cravings that are fiber-filled and will leave you more satisfied than after eating a Beef-flavored package of Ramen.
Check out 10o calorie VitaBrownies. They’re a great late-night snack, filled with fiber and yummy vitamins that will leave you in satisfaction rather than regret.
A delicious bowl of cereal. Avoiding cereals that are high in sugar will be better to eat prior to sleeping, so go for cereals composed of whole grains such as wheat, oats, corn or rice. Add some low-fat milk to your well-portioned bowl (preferably 1 and a half cups of cereal) and you’ve got yourself a great midnight snack.
SaltyGet yourself a snack sized portion of salted popcorn, adding a tablespoon of parmesan cheese to melt on top. Yum! Fat-free popcorn is best for this late night snack.
FruityThere are tons of fruit options for late night snacks, the most obvious and easy being an apple. But to spice up the traditional apple, cut it into slices and sprinkle some cinnamon on top. Zap it in the microwave for about a minute and you have yourself a fruity, cinnamon treat.
Create your own mini-pizza on an English muffin by spreading tomato sauce on one side, melting grated parmesan cheese and a couple tomato slices on top. This is a lot healthier and cheaper than ordering in a greasy pizza.
A SandwichThe ultimate snack that always satisfies… Who doesn’t love a good sandwich? During one of those late nights, make half of a sandwich with turkey, whole wheat bread, tomato, lettuce and light mayo, creating a satisfying snack.
All of these options are great for late night snacks because they are high in fiber and vitamins that leave you satisfied and not too full. Keeping portions small is key, and also having the ability to recognize when you are actually hungry and when you just think that you are hungry. Have fun with these suggestions! Do you have any of your own late night craving creations?
*Brownie photo by: Dichohecho, popcorn photo by: D3 San Francisco, apple photo by: EverJean, sandwich photo by: WordRidden
{ 0 comments }
