WHEN YOU NEED EXTRA MONEY FOR COLLEGE

The Smart Option Loan ^® can make up the difference between total cost of school and any financial aid that the student may receive. Use the extra funds to pay for tuition, books, housing, computer and other education expenses.

Students will make a small, monthly payment of $25 to help save on capitalized interest.

tip: jump over to the Sallie Mae site for more information

Furthering Lunar Exploration

NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) are teaming up to sponsor a contest challenging college students to think about what sorts of conditions astronauts will face when we return to the moon, then design projects that may be actually be incorporated into future lunar exploration.

The RASC-AL (2009 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts Academic Linkage) competition is aimed at undergraduate and graduate engineering students, though other students are welcome to compete.

"As NASA faces the challenges of going back to the moon, it's important to stimulate the creativity of the next generation of engineers," said Pat Troutman, senior systems analyst at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. "The RASC-AL contest gives engineering students a unique opportunity to combine their academic studies with real life learning and come up with design solutions."

15 Teams To Compete In June 2009

Initial work is due by November 28 and on that date student teams must submit a summary of and an outreach plan for their proposed projects. Teams have a choice of selecting one of four themes: outpost to settlement, initial lunar outpost, bringing the world along with virtual exploration and novel approaches to increase sample return from the moon. The RASC-AL Steering Committee of NASA and industry experts will evaluate the proposals and select as many as 10 undergraduate and five graduate teams to compete against each other at a forum next June in Florida.

"NIA is excited to collaborate with NASA on the RASC-AL design competition," said Dr. Robert Lindberg, NIA president and executive director. "Students will gain valuable experience working in a team environment and presenting their project to peers, industry experts and NASA."

Seed Money To Be Provided

Each chosen team will be expected to submit a written report, prepare a poster and give an oral presentation at the RASC-AL forum. The steering committee will score the students' work and award first and second prizes in undergraduate and graduate categories. To cover costs of travel, registration, and incidentals each team will receive $5,875.

The June forum will give faculty and students the chance to meet with NASA and industry experts, introduce concepts and data from the competition into NASA exploration program planning, develop relationships that could lead to participation in other NASA student research programs and show the benefits of NASA-university-industry cooperation.

For more information about the Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts Academic Linkage competition, please go to: http://www.nianet.org/rascal. For more information about NASA programs, go to: http://www.nasa.gov/

2008/10/09 campus academics

Last week, we discussed trade schools and how they can be a very good way for a person to transition from one career to another. After all, if you already have a bachelor's degree or some form of education beyond high school, can you really see yourself attending classes for the next four years full time? Most people cannot.

Excellent Opportunities To Learn Online

Thanks to the rise of online learning, educational opportunities for students has never been better. For the most part, you can take classes when you want and at the speed that works best for you.  Best of all, unlike attending a brick and mortar institution, if a new job does come up, you won't be forced to make a choice between it and your continued schooling. By taking online classes you can juggle your schedule accordingly and do both!

Our partner site, SayLearning.com has a wealth of information pertaining to online learning, including career specific occupations. Did you know that all degree levels can be earned online? Not just a certificate or diploma, mind you but associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees can had through schools who offer these programs via the internet.

Types of Online Course Study

The areas of discipline are wide and varied too and include, but aren't limited to the following subjects: business, government, nursing, education, law, management, nonprofit, architecture, masonry, technology, digital media, psychology, fashion, culinary and more. Some coursework can be completed 100% online while others may require the occasional onsite class or third party testing.

Schools Promoting Online Learning

From the onset, schools dedicated to providing online learning helped to bolster online learning including the University of Phoenix, DeVry Institute, The Art Institutes, Kaplan University, ITT Technical Institute, Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America, Westwood College, Lincoln Tech, ECPI College of Technology, CDI College and many, many more.

Traditional colleges, those with large campuses scattered across the country, are also offering online coursework, some of which can be completed entirely without ever having to set foot on campus. These schools include the University of North Carolina, Brigham Young University, University of Michigan, Princeton University, Stanford University, Arizona State University, Rutgers University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Caldwell College, College of Charleston, University of Chicago, University of Alaska at Anchorage, Pepperdine University, Tulsa University, Boston College and many, many more schools.

Yes, You Have Options

Of course, taking classes is one thing but affording it is something else. With many people having lost their jobs recently and with others worrying about their finances, taking a class could be the last thing on their mind. Fortunately, grant programs, college scholarships, student loans and other options can remove that barrier, allowing unemployed or career changing students to advance themselves at this time. Check out these online tools to help you weigh your options.

2009/04/06 campus advanced education

Students planning to head off to college over the next few weeks have been given some ammunition by AutoWeek, in their bid to convince Mom and Dad to buy them a new car. Owned by Crain Publishing, AutoWeek is one of the top car magazines read by auto enthusiasts. And what better time to release their "list of vehicles to send the kids off to college in" when the nation's "cash for clunkers" program is about ready to kick off?

AutoWeek editors have voted and have come up with their list of top cars that students will want to drive off to college in. Besides these new models, the editors tempered their list by saying that "used cars will do the trick" perhaps to avoid the ire of cash strapped parents with no plans to buy new.

In any event, AutoWeek's list is made up of the following 2009 and 2010 models:

--  2010 Hyundai Elantra Sedan
--  2010 Honda Civic
--  2010 Mitsubishi Lancer
--  2010 Ford Escape
--  2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid
--  2010 Kia Soul (pictured)
--  2010 Dodge Caliber SE
--  2010 Ford Focus
--  2010 Chevrolet Cobalt Sedan

And what's my opinion of the list? Not bad, though some of the models listed can easily top $25,000, which may be a bit of a stretch for most families. Noticeably absent were a number of the smaller, entry level models including the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit, cars that can do the job as well.

Source: AutoWeek

2009/07/21 campus cars

Way back during the days when I attended college, the student newspaper was a hot mover. Everyone knew where they could find the most recent issue and if you didn't snag your copy soon after the news stands were filled with them, then you were out of luck. Yes, the library always carried back issues and various pages could be found scattered on tables in the student center. Still, to get a fresh copy with the ink still wet you'd have to move pretty fast.

Here in the 21st century, the student newspaper is under siege. It isn't difficult administrators withholding funding that is causing the problem, rather it is the way that people get their news: the internet is taking its toll on the college newspaper, much as it has been on your local daily. In a few more years, will the dead tree media depart from your local campus? It could, if a report in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is on the money.

College students don't read anymore. Well, that is not an entirely accurate statement as many college students do read, but they are reading what is posted online instead of what has been printed. True, many classes require students to purchase textbooks, but the bulk of student's private reading is through social networks (MySpace and Facebook, for example), forums, blogs and news sites.

In Washington State, many community colleges have axed their newspapers for a variety of reasons including staff turnover and funding, but also because no one is reading them.  At North Seattle Community College, the student newspaper -- The Polaris -- took a break for the summer, but when the students returned in September, the newspaper stayed on break.  Never mind that the college doesn't even have a journalism department -- the newspaper apparently died because of lack of interest.

Of course the death of dead tree media begs an important question: why can't college newspapers make the transition to online media as so many daily newspapers have done? Likely, many won't and for the following reasons:

• Journalism departments at some colleges are non-existent or poorly staffed.
• Staff turnover, always a problems with student newspapers might be just as common with online versions of the same.
• For most students, working on a college newspaper is an extra-curricular activity.  Balancing studies, social life, and work keeps people busy with other pursuits.
• Oversight could be an issue. Inasmuch that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled several times in favor of free speech for college students, university administrators may be hesitant seeing instantly updated college news posted to the web. Just think about this: posting an unflattering photograph to the newspaper's website could cause some ruckus. Perhaps that is why some schools would simply prefer to allow their student papers to die.

Of course, there is an easy way around this problem, one that anyone can handle: start your own blog based on what is happening on campus and you'll soon attract a healthy following. Isn't that what student news should be all about anyway?

2008/01/14 campus news

Colleges and universities across America require that their students take certain classes, standard curriculum to meet graduation requirements. In the mix of classes are electives, those courses which are supposed to make students' college experience well rounded, giving them the tools they need to succeed in life.

At Bates College -- located in Lewiston, Maine -- fifteen lucky freshmen are taking the class of their dreams: Red Sox Nation: Baseball and American Culture is a course that is being offered by history professor Margaret Creighton, who came up with the idea following the Red Sox's loss to the hated New York Yankees in the 2003 American League Championship Series. The following year the Boston Red Sox won the World Series which led to the course first being offered in 2005.

Now being taught for just the second time, Creighton's Red Sox Nation course was filled up one minute after it was made available for online registration this fall. Twelve men and three women take the weekly three hour class, wearing their Red Sox paraphernalia, eating popcorn and peanut snacks, and discussing the team's exploits while in class.

Though the Boston Red Sox are at the centerpiece of the curriculum for the course, students take a look at major league baseball and its place in American culture in history. Specifically, Creighton requires that her students take a look at baseball's role as it relates to politics, religion, race, and gender, an “American Cultural Studies” elective like none other.

Among the many topics that come up in class are:

• The class differences between those fans who occupy the bleacher seats versus the people who can afford the more expensive seats located behind the dugout.
• How baseball mirrors American immigration policy in light of the huge influx of players from Latin American countries.
• Whether football and NASCAR have replaced baseball as the country's top sport.
• How has the Red Sox fan base transformed over the years? That is, from a mostly white, male northern New England following to one where women and minorities are some of the most passionate fans?

The students do take a field trip to see the Red Sox in action, supposedly to observe fan behavior as much as how the team is doing on the field.

Yes, students do receive credit for the course toward their graduation, an unusual area of study that is also near and dear to the hears of Bosox faithful.

As far as Professor Creighton's allegiance goes? This one-time Yankees fan is now a passionate Red Sox follower.

2008/10/01 academics

Most financial aid that is awarded to students comes from in-state colleges and state aid agencies. Check with these institutions about college financial aid options and programs: