Obama would spend more to make college affordable
By LIBBY QUAID and JUSTIN POPE -

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Obama on Thursday proposed a huge expansion of the government’s role in making college more affordable and putting it within reach of more students.

In his budget plan, Obama seeks to link growth of the Pell Grant program to inflation for the first time since the program began. It would grow by more than 75 percent over the next decade.

Obama also seeks to overhaul the student loan system by ending a massive program of government-subsidized loans made by private lenders. Instead, he would boost direct lending by the government in an attempt to save money and protect students from turmoil in financial markets.

“Our basic thought is, rather than continue to subsidize banks, we want to help dramatically more students get more access to more aid,” Education Secretary Arne Duncan said on a conference call with reporters.

The changes in federal aid, an Obama campaign promise, would transform a long-standing partnership between the government and the private sector.

Last year, private lenders made $56 billion in loans to about 6 million students under the subsidized Federal Family Education Loan, or FFEL, program. The government set the terms of and backed the loans, and supporters say it helped students by giving them private-sector capital and good customer service.

Obama’s plan would end subsidized student loans in 2010, though officials said private-sector lenders would still be hired to service direct government loans. Last year, the government made $14 billion in loans to 1.5 million students.

Another $18 billion is borrowed directly from private lenders, usually after students have maxed out on their eligibility for federal loans.

The budget announcement sent shares of student lending companies plummeting. Shares of SLM Corp., better known as Sallie Mae, sank 31 percent; Student Loan Corp. fell 22 percent; and Nelnet Inc. dropped 54 percent in trading Thursday.

Kevin Bruns, a spokesman for the trade group America’s Student Loan Providers, said the subsidized program has given families uninterrupted access to student loans.

“It has been a rare source of stability,” Bruns said. “Now is not the time to talk about abolishing it.”
The budget plan was embraced by Democrats on Capitol Hill, where House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller of California said the student loan overhaul would save billions of dollars and make student loans more reliable. Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said, “The doors to college will be far more open.”

Democrats applauded Obama’s effort to keep Pell Grants growing. Lawmakers have frequently failed to do so, even as college costs zoomed.

In the 1980s, the maximum Pell Grant covered half the average cost of a public four-year college; by 2006, it covered less than a third. Pell Grants mostly support students from families earning under $30,000 a year.

Obama proposes to take Pell Grants out of lawmakers’ hands, giving the program a mandatory stream of dollars like Social Security and Medicare, and to index Pell Grants to the annual inflation rate.

The newly enacted economic stimulus bill will raise the maximum grant, currently $4,731, to $5,350 on July 1 and to $5,550 next year.

J.D.’s Comments: Although the student loan system does need reform and to trim the fat, most of Obama’s proposals will benefit families and individuals living under the poverty line. Statistics show that less than 10% of Americans live below the poverty line. So what about the other 90%? From a governmental perspective it is a good move to help those who are under the poverty line. Simply stated if they (people & individuals under the poverty line) earn a degree, certificate or trade and are employed, these people will make more money thus pay more taxes. So the other 90% are left to fend for themselves and pay full sticker price for college unless they understand how the system works and use it to their advantage legally.

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5 questions for Harvard’s admissions dean
By Tracy Jan, Globe Staff | February 24, 2009

Five questions for William R. Fitzsimmons, Harvard University’s dean of admissions and financial aid.

Q: You recently lead a high-profile commission that recommended de-emphasizing the SAT and ACT from admission requirements. A number of colleges have already made the tests optional. Do you see this ever happening at Harvard?

A: We do not foresee a time that Harvard would be test optional. Only a few years ago we were receiving applications from about 5,000 high schools each year and now the number has grown to over 8,000. We need some common yardsticks that enable us to gauge in a rough way what is being learned in an ever-increasing and diverse high school context, not to mention the increasing number of students who are home-schooled.

We continue to believe that the College Board’s Subject Tests, along with either the SAT or ACT with the writing tests, allow students the best opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned thus far. Advanced placement and international baccalaureate results are also helpful.
J.D.’s comment: there are over 750 colleges that do not require standardized testing, while some schools exempt students who meet grade-point average or class rank criteria.

Q: Starting in March, students who take the SAT have the option of only reporting their best scores to colleges. The “Score Choice” policy, which you support, is controversial. What is your response to high school students and counselors who say it helps the wealthiest students, who can afford to take the SAT multiple times?

A.: Score Choice rests on the same principle that has supported our admissions process for decades: that applicants should be free to present their own best case. We have always counted an applicant’s highest test scores and have allowed students to decide whether they wanted to send all their test scores. That same belief to choose how best to make the case for admission underlies our long-standing invitation to submit essays, CDs, academic or creative projects or anything else that best represents academic, extracurricular, and personal accomplishments.

We seek to bring to Harvard students with the maturity and independent mindedness to exercise choice responsibly. The fact that test results will not automatically be part of the permanent record may also help to alleviate some of the stress that pervades the college admissions process and distorts the junior and senior years of high school.

Standardized tests are only one factor among many in Harvard’s holistic admissions process. The Committee on Admissions has always taken into account the fact that test scores can be affected by such factors as schooling, intensive test preparation and socioeconomic background. We have long been aware that the test-taking experience of students may be affected by their financial and educational resources. In particular, we recognize that students from modest economic backgrounds have a limited number of fee waivers for tests and may not be able to take them as many times as affluent students.
J.D.’s comment: having money or not is not a good excuse for poor grades or test scores. Free resources are available to help any student. Check with a local library for SAT prep books, online resources like number2.com or collegeboard.com have an ACT or SAT question of the day.

Q: You recently recruited students in China, saying there is no limit on the number of international students Harvard may accept. What would you say to a student from a small town in Massachusetts who’s afraid of being supplanted?

A: First and foremost, Harvard will always be a Massachusetts and New England institution. We work extremely hard on our recruiting and outreach in Massachusetts and New England because we feel it is vital for Harvard to play an important role in educating the future leaders from the place that has done so much to shape its mission. We have always had a policy of admitting a Boston or Cambridge student over others when the credentials are approximately equal.

In the same way, we pay special attention to students from Massachusetts and the rest of New England. Students from our home area benefit enormously by living with and learning from classmates who come from all parts of the United States and abroad. We will continue to seek the best students from around the nation and throughout the world.
J.D.’s comment: no comment

Q: Do you think Harvard’s recent financial-aid initiative succeeded in making the incoming classes more economically diverse?

A: Our recent financial aid enhancements have had a dramatic effect on the economic diversity with the incoming classes. Under our new financial aid initiative, families with incomes of $60,000 or less are not required to contribute to the cost of a Harvard education — while those with annual family incomes of $60,000 to $180,000 incomes are

asked to contribute 0-10 percent of their incomes. Students are not required to take out loans and we do not take home equity into account in calculating financial aid.

There has been an increase of approximately 30 percent in the number of students from families of incomes of $80,000 a year and below. In addition, approximately 60 percent of the incoming freshman class this year is receiving need-based grant/aid, compared to less than 50 percent only a few years ago.
J.D.’s comment: Interesting move. Other colleges are following in suit and reevaluating their financial aid packages and system.

Q: What would you like Harvard’s student body to look like in 10 years?

A: In the next decade and beyond we will continue to reach out to students from near and far to attract those who bring academic, extracurricular and personal excellence to Cambridge. We anticipate that financial aid will become even more important in the years ahead and that more students from low- and middle-income families will need< financial assistance to be able to attend college.

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Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education
Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP)

What is the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) Program?
It is a program that establishes a federal-state partnership to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to students who have demonstrated financial need. Federal funds are provided to match appropriated state funds supplied by the states on a dollar for dollar basis. Each participating institution, public, or private provides institutional matching funds which are equal to the amount of funds provided by the State for the LEAP Program.

Which institutions are eligible to participate?
Only public and private postsecondary institutions that are properly licensed in Arizona and accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency (which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education) are eligible.

Who is eligible to receive LEAP awards?
Arizona residents who are attending a participating eligible Arizona postsecondary education institution as either a full-time or half-time undergraduate or graduate level student and who can demonstrate financial need are eligible for LEAP awards.

How do students apply for the LEAP program?
Students apply for LEAP awards at their institution’s financial aid office. All LEAP awards must be approved by the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education.

Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education
Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP)

What is the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) Program?
It is a program that establishes a federal-state partnership to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to students who have demonstrated financial need. Federal funds are provided to match appropriated state funds supplied by the states on a dollar for dollar basis. Each participating institution, public, or private provides institutional matching funds which are equal to the amount of funds provided by the State for the LEAP Program.

Which institutions are eligible to participate?
Only public and private postsecondary institutions that are properly licensed in Arizona and accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency (which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education) are eligible.

Who is eligible to receive LEAP awards?
Arizona residents who are attending a participating eligible Arizona postsecondary education institution as either a full-time or half-time undergraduate or graduate level student and who can demonstrate financial need are eligible for LEAP awards.

How do students apply for the LEAP program?
Students apply for LEAP awards at their institution’s financial aid office. All LEAP awards must be approved by the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education.

How large are Arizona LEAP awards and must they be repaid?
The maximum LEAP award is $2,500 and minimum is $100 per academic year. LEAP awards are grants and do not have to be repaid.

Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP)
What is the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) Program?

LEAP is a program that establishes a federal-state-higher education institutional partnership to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to students who have demonstrated financial need. Federal funds are provided to match appropriated state funds supplied by the states on a dollar for dollar basis. Each participating institution, public, or private provides institutional matching funds which are equal to the amount of funds provided by the State for the LEAP Program.
Institutional Participation in LEAP:
The deadline for submission of the program participation application is April 30th of each year. If your institution is already participating in the LEAP program, an application will automatically be mailed to your institution each year. If your institution would like to participate in the LEAP program, please contact the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education at 602-258-2435 ext. 102.
Which institutions are eligible to participate?
Only public and private postsecondary institutions licensed in Arizona and accredited by an accrediting agency which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education are eligible.

Secure Submission of Student Applications:

All participating institutions have been issued a user name and password to submit student applications online. If you have forgotten your user name and password, please contact the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education office at 602-258-2435, Ext. 102, and the Program Manager can provide you with that information. If you are a new participating institution, also contact the Commission for to be assigned a user name and password.
Private Postsecondary Education Student Financial Assistance Program (PFAP)
What is the Private Postsecondary Education Student Financial Assistance Program (PFAP)?

PFAP is a program established by the Arizona State Legislature to provide financial assistance awards to qualified students who wish to complete a baccalaureate degree program and are attending a participating private postsecondary institution.
Institutional Participation in PFAP:

The deadline for submission of the program participation application is June 30 of each year. If your institution is already participating, an application will be mailed to your institution. If your institution would like to participate in the PFAP program, please contact the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education at 602-258-2435 ext. 102.

Which institutions are eligible to participate?

Only private postsecondary institutions that are licensed in Arizona and accredited by a national accrediting agency (which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education) are eligible.

Postsecondary education grant program; fund; program termination; definition

A. The commission on postsecondary education shall develop, implement and administer a postsecondary education grant program. The commission shall develop application forms, procedures and deadlines and shall select eligible students each year for participation in the postsecondary education grant program. The commission may establish partnerships with qualifying schools for the administration of the postsecondary education grant program. Participating full-time students shall receive a grant in an amount of two thousand dollars annually for a maximum of four calendar years to be used to pay all or a portion of the following:
1. The tuition charged at a qualifying school.
2. The cost of books required for classes at a qualifying school.
3. The fees charged at a qualifying school.
B. The amount of a grant awarded to a participating part-time student enrolled at least half-time for the academic year as defined in 20 United States Code section 1088 shall be prorated in accordance with the part-time status of the student.
C. Employees of private postsecondary institutions and family members of employees of private postsecondary institutions are not eligible to receive a postsecondary education grant pursuant to this section if the employee or family member is eligible for tuition reimbursement or a tuition waiver as a benefit of employment.
D. A student who has a baccalaureate degree from any postsecondary educational institution is not eligible to receive postsecondary education grant monies pursuant to this section.
E. Students who provide satisfactory proof to the commission that the student has met each of the following criteria are eligible to submit an application for consideration by the commission for a grant under the postsecondary education grant program:
1. The student either:
(a) Is currently a resident of this state and has been a resident of this state for at least the past twelve months.
(b) Is a member of the military service of the United States stationed in this state or the spouse or dependent of a member of the military service of the United States stationed in this state.
2. The student has met the qualifications adopted by the commission. The commission shall adopt minimum qualifications that are comparable to the admissions standards established by the Arizona board of regents for Arizona public universities.
3. The student registers for enrollment as a student in a baccalaureate program at a nationally or regionally accredited private postsecondary educational institution in this state that awards four year baccalaureate degrees.
4. The student has provided high school transcripts as proof of graduation if the student has graduated from a public or private high school. If high school records no longer exist for a student or after every reasonable effort has been made to obtain official records, the student may submit a letter certified by the high school from which the student graduated or the original high school diploma.
5. The student has completed and submitted a free application for federal student aid.
6. The student is a citizen or legal resident of the United States or is otherwise lawfully present in the United States.
7. If the student is eligible to apply for monies from the private postsecondary education student financial assistance fund established by section 15-1854, the student shall apply for and receive monies from the private postsecondary education student financial assistance fund before the student is eligible to apply for a grant from the postsecondary education grant fund established by this section.
F. The postsecondary education grant fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. The commission shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. The commission shall make awards for payment of tuition at qualifying schools to students who are selected to participate in the postsecondary education grant program pursuant to subsection A of this section.
G. If the amount of monies available for postsecondary education grants in any fiscal year is insufficient to provide grants to all eligible applicants, the commission shall award grants to eligible students in the order in which the applications were received by the commission, except that priority shall be given to qualifying students who received a grant in the previous fiscal year and who are still in good academic standing at the same qualifying school. The commission shall maintain a waiting list for all other applicants.
H. A student who fails to receive a baccalaureate degree within a five year period of receipt of the program award shall reimburse the postsecondary education grant fund for all awards received pursuant to subsection A of this section. On receipt of supporting documentation from the student, for good cause shown the commission may provide for extensions of the five year period to obtain a baccalaureate degree.
I. The commission shall submit an annual report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the joint legislative budget committee that includes a detailed description of the amount of monies distributed under the postsecondary education grant program during the previous fiscal year and that includes the total number of qualified applicants for grants, the total number of grants awarded, the qualifying schools attended by grant recipients and the total number of qualified applicants who were placed on the waiting list. The commission shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state and the director of the Arizona state library, archives and public records.
J. If the commission is notified by a qualifying school that a student who has received a postsecondary education grant is no longer in good academic standing at the qualifying school, the commission shall immediately discontinue the grant and the student shall reimburse the postsecondary education grant fund for any unused portion or any unlawfully used portion of a grant received pursuant to subsection A of this section.
K. The commission shall develop a marketing strategy that is designed to provide information about the postsecondary education grant program to all high school students in this state.
L. The program established by this section ends on July 1, 2016 pursuant to section 41-3102.
M. For the purposes of this section, “qualifying school” means a nationally or regionally accredited private postsecondary educational institution in this state that offers four year baccalaureate degrees.

www.azhighered.gov
Arizona State Grant Programs
EGSG – Early Graduation Scholarship Grant program
PEG – Postsecondary Education Grant
PFAP – Arizona Private Postsecondary Education Student Financial Assistance Program
LEAP – Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership
ACAAP – Arizona College Access Aid Program
SLEAP – Special Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership
Application Information and Instructions

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Test date                      Registration deadline               Late fee registration

Register for the ACT here actstudent.org/index.html

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“HELP FOR PAYING OFF YOUR STUDENT LOANS” (read the fine print)
By Kim Clark, U.S. News and World Report

A new federal program starting this fall promises relief and hope for millions of students and recent graduates burdened with big federal educational debts. Starting July 1, those with federal student loans can ask the government to limit their monthly payments on their federal student loans to less than 15 percent of their income. Many of those who qualify for the new Income-Based Repayment (IBR) program will pay much less than that.

Those who earn less than a base budget allowance of one and a half times the poverty level for their household (which was $10,400 a year in 2008 for a single person) won’t have to pay a penny on their federal student loans. Everybody else who qualifies for IBR will have to pay 15 percent of the difference between their income and the base budget allowance.

Best of all, those earning a low income because they are in public-service jobs can have their remaining federal student debts forgiven after 10 years of income-based payments. Those who maintain low incomes and stay current on their income-based payments for 25 years can also have their remaining debts forgiven, no matter what job they have.

“It will be an enormous help to many thousands of borrowers,” says Edie Irons, spokeswoman for the Project on Student Debt.

To take advantage of the new repayment program, current students should make sure to limit their borrowing to the federal student loans–primarily Stafford, Perkins, or Grad PLUS loans. By shopping around, students can still save a few hundred dollars on even federal loans. Those who’ve left school and are now faced with bills can simply apply to their lender for the new Income-Based Repayment option. Be careful not to mistakenly apply for older and less attractive but similar-sounding plans offered by the government and some lenders such as “Income Contingent Repayment” and “Income-Sensitive Repayment,” Irons advises.

Anyone hoping for public-service loan forgiveness should first consolidate their loans directly with the federal government, because private lenders won’t offer that goodie. Once that’s done, they can apply for IBR. Then, they’ll need to keep excellent records because the burden will be on the students to apply for forgiveness after 10 years of payments. They’ll have to prove that they made all the payments on time and didn’t violate any other rules of the forgiveness offer.

There are plenty of other catches in the new program, warns Deanne Loonin, a student loan expert for the National Consumer Law Center:

**Those who qualify for payments that don’t even cover their interest will see their total debt actually rise year after year until they qualify for forgiveness.

**While those who earn debt cancellation through public service probably won’t have to pay taxes on the amount forgiven, those who have any debts cancelled because of low income after 25 years might very well have to pay income taxes on the debts from which they are released.

In addition, she notes, the new program won’t reduce payments on defaulted student loans. Those who have already fallen so far behind on payments that they are in default will be rejected for the program. The program also won’t cover:

**Private, alternative, or “signature” educational loans.

**Parent loans such as federal Parent PLUS loans or any kind of alternative or private loans.
 
**Other pressing debts. If you earn enough so that your federal education debt makes up less than 15 percent of your income above the base budget–even if most of your earnings go to medical bills or private educational debt, you won’t qualify for Income-Based Repayment. The current rules will also likely disqualify, for example, debtors whose spouses are comparatively high earners–even if those spouses are also burdened with big education debts. 

Those who worry they might be affected by some of the fine print can take heart, however. The Project on Student Debt, National Consumer Law Center, and other groups are lobbying for improvements to the law. Congressional staffers say their bosses and the new administration are considering some tweaks.

J.D.’s comments: If people who are trying to qualify for this program don’t follow the rules precisely then they will be kicked out of the system and not qualify for this relief. I believe we need true Student Loan Reform, with clauses for hardship, layoffs and extreme medical misfortune. Read the fine print.

weblink: http://www.finaid.org/loans/ibr.phtml

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By J.D. Wyczalek (why-zall-ick)Sorry but you missed the deadline, sorry we don’t have any aid to give out, sorry the program you wanted has been eliminated, sorry the campus you want to attend is closed, sorry the scholarship programs have been eliminated. — These sad words are what many hopeful college bound kids will hear.

Budget cuts result in programs being slashed, reduced or down right cut. While promises have been made to current college students the future is still uncertain.

Waiting until the senior year of high school to start the college admission road may find these students on the sidelines wondering what happened. You have probably heard the proverb that there are three kinds of people: Those who take action, those who watch while the action takes place, those who wonder what just happened.

Now in this day and age it is even more important to learn the intricacies of college admission and financial aid as well as starting the college journey early, preferably as a high school freshman – sophomore.

State colleges may have been considered safety schools. A “safety school” is a college that students are sure they’ll get into and would prefer not to attend. The best way to hedge your odds is to apply to a select handful of colleges.

Many counselors agree to apply to Reach Colleges, Safety Schools, and Good Match colleges. I disagree. A reach college is a school in which the student may or may not be admitted. You should apply to safety and good match colleges to hedge your odds of being admitted. Throw in a few private colleges as well as public colleges to add flavor. All the while research the college’s historical financial aid policies to ensure scholarships.

Not having a financial college plan or just winging it is a recipe for disaster. Start now.

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by J.D. Wyczalek

They say that it is always darkest just before dawn. Well it just got a whole lot darker.

Now, not only will it be more difficult to get into an Arizona state school it will also cost more. And for some families much much more.

With the budget cuts the Arizona State University system has suspended funding of the AIMS scholarship program. Parents who were counting on this money for their new college freshman may be in shock.

Many parents have asked me how this is going to affect their student. In these uncertain economic times it is guaranteed the bottom line is it will be more expensive to send your student to an Arizona state school.

It is of extreme importance to research colleges especially during this chaotic economic turmoil.

While state colleges in California, Arizona and Florida to name a few, have been hit hard, some private colleges are now looking more attractive. While endowment funds have been hit, some private colleges are weathering the storm better. 
In response to the budget cuts ASU is closing about four dozen academic programs, many on the Tempe campus, and scaling down administrative operations at its Polytechnic and West campuses, in response to state budget reductions, which have totaled $88 million. The social work program in Tucson will also be closed, and is also suspending funding of its AIMS scholarship program. Arizona State University says it is forced to enact an enrollment cap. The application deadline for next semester’s freshman class will end March 1, five months early.
Northern Arizona University announced closure of its Social Research Center public-opinion research laboratory and its Center for High Altitude Training plus keeping more than 100 positions unfilled.

So what can parents do? Depending on what grade your student is would depend on the strategy. As a high school freshman, sophomore or junior add more colleges to your list, preferably 6 to 8, including private colleges. As a high school senior, compare award letters in the upcoming months and look for scholarships that your student has a high percentage chance of winning.

Examiner article

KTAR article

ArizonaRepublic article

Learn the truth about how to position your student for colleges to beg and plead your student to come to their school, register for a local workshop now.

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Yes there are all kinds of unusual scholarships

University freshman awarded Scholarship, Miss Angus crown
By: Dallas Duncan Posted: 2/5/09

For University freshman Katie Gazda, beef is a whole lot more than just “what’s for dinner.”

As the newly crowned Miss American Angus, she will spend this spring traveling across the country to various Angus beef shows to present awards and share information about the Angus beef industry. The contest, which includes a first-place $1,400 scholarship, was sponsored in November by the American Angus Association Auxiliary, an educational organization that promotes the involvement of youth in the beef industry.

“I wanted to be [Miss American Angus] since I was 5, because the first Miss American Angus from Georgia was crowned when I was 5,” Gazda said.

  Katie Gazda, Miss American Angus

The competition began with a national scholarship contest, in which 15 to 20 state finalists competed. The scholarship was open to high school seniors from states in the South, Midwest and Northeast, said Mary McCurry, the co-chair of the Miss American Angus contest and the 1971 Miss American Angus winner. Contestants had to be members of both their state Junior Angus Association and the National Junior Angus Association. The top five winners from that competition would then have the opportunity to compete for the title. The five finalists went through several more contests, including a personal interview, a speech on “The History I’m Making Today,” two impromptu questions and a written test about the beef and Angus industries.

Gazda is no stranger to the industry. Her parents own the Gazda Cattle Company in Athens, and she has shown Angus cattle since age 9. She is also the vice president of the Georgia Junior Angus Association.

As a former Miss American Angus, McCurry knows well the internship qualities of the contest. Gazda has “risen through the top and come through the ranks” she said, and Gazda would “always be a voice for agriculture [and] a role model and mentor to youth.”

“When you’re awarded positions like this, they’ve seen something in you that’s worth sharing,” said Chris Morgan, assistant professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Gazda’s academic adviser. “My gut feeling is that she’ll represent us well.”

Gazda said the contest could be a stepping stone to a future career.

“I do believe that my range of activities and interests make me well-rounded and would be beneficial to an employer when making the decision to hire me,” Gazda said.

After completing her undergraduate degree, Gazda said she hopes to pursue a master’s degree in agricultural communication at Oklahoma State University.

She said she wants to work for the American Angus Association or Certified Angus Beef in journalism or marketing.

http://www.angusauxiliary.com/scholarships/index.html

J.D. says: “The key to winning a scholarship is to eliminate as much competition as possible. In the case of the Angus Scholarship it was only open to members of the State Junior Angus Association and the National Junior Angus Association thus eliminating a high percentage of the population.”

Original article posted here.

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by J.D. Wyczalek

Adderall: AKA my study buddy, ralls, bennies, amps, a-bombs, the A train, Addy. Side affects insomnia, vertigo, headache, diarrhea, not hungry and over dose may cause death.
It’s an academic steroid running rampant on campuses across the US. It’s a huge asset if someone wants to spend 12 hours studying without fatigue. However it is illegal without a prescription.

Adderall is one of several drugs that calm attention deficit disorder patients by stimulating their brains. The drugs activate the frontal lobes of the brain, an area that monitors task performance.
The prescription drugs should be used only as intended and only under medical supervision.

For normal, healthy people who do not have diagnosed attention deficit problems, Adderall can cause emotional and physical strains by making them hyperactive, paranoid and delusional while putting them at risk for heart attacks or strokes. As much as you want to believe it, you are not immortal.

The results of an overdose can vary by person. It can be fatal in extreme cases.

Reselling amphetamines, such as Adderall, is a class B felony.

Any felony will get you kicked out of college and land you in jail. In addition to that you will loose ALL your scholarships and no longer be eligible for ANY financial aid AND you will be forced to pay back all scholarships that you had previously earned. (The FAFSA asks if you have a drug related felony thus rendering you unable to qualify for aid.)

Don’t risk it

You worked hard to get into college. Don’t do something illegal that will get you thrown into prison. Drink a couple cans of Starbucks/Monster/Red Bull or better yet pace your study time out over the semester so you won’t have to pull an all-nighter.  Create a calendar and check off list of all the things due that semester. Create a game plan to win.

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Unorthodox scholarships offer aid for other than straight A’s
By: Katie Ruppel original post

In these times of economic uncertainty, everyone is looking to save a buck, especially those paying for college or working to pay rent on their own. If you think the only way students can receive a scholarship is by making straight A’s or being the star basketball player, you’re wrong. The university and other programs and institutions offer a handful of scholarships with unusual criteria but not so unusual rewards (money). If you spin the dreidel in December or aspire to be the next Willy Wonka, you might be eligible to receive one of these scholarships.

The following are special eligibility scholarships:

The Zelda Ramsey Scholarship

Any ladies in the house? The Arlington Business and Professional Women’s Club Inc. gives away its annual Zelda Ramsey Scholarship to women in need of financial aid. The $500 to $1,000 scholarship is aimed at women who are returning to college after being part of the work force.

The Bermont Family Undergraduate Jewish Student Scholarship

This scholarship gives away a varied amount of money to undergraduate students whose parents are religious leaders of the Jewish faith.

JELD-WEN Foundation Scholarship

This scholarship awards a $2,000 scholarship for tuition, fees and books to an incoming freshman eligible for financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. What’s the catch? The applicant must come from a town with a JELD-WENwindow and door plant nearby, so crack open that old map of your hometown you have laying around in your attic and start the search.

The Adrienne Miller Perner Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship offers its scholarship to female ballet majors whose parents or grandparents are or have been part of the armed forces or military. Although the scholarship is based on talent, if you can’t stand on your toes or do 32 fouettes in a row, there’s still hope. Those who volunteer and are active in the community can also qualify, even if you’re not the best of in your class.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship

This scholarship is given out to student who best exemplify the values and ideals of MLK in their own lives. Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA, two letters of recommendation, and a 750-word essay describing their “Service to Humanity” – their present or proposed career, and how it would reflect the dreams of MLK.

TCU is not the only institution offering monetary rewards. Here is a list of scholarships awarded for various qualifications and talents:

The Klingon Language Institute

Hablas espanol? Sprechen Sie Deutsch? How’s your Klingon? The Klingon Language Institute awards $500 to a language studies graduate or undergraduate student recognized by his or her department chair. The award is not limited to Trekkies, however: a degree toward any language will suffice.

The National Candy Technologists Scholarship Program

The snozberries taste like snozberries! The National Candy Technologists Scholarship Program gives $5,000 to a biological, chemical or food science major with a sophomore standing or above and a 3.0 GPA. Applicant must send in evidence of their interest in confectionery technology to the American Association of Candy Technologists, whether it be a research project or work experience. Hopefully an Oompa-Loompa or two will fit into the prized package.

The American Nudist Research Library Scholarship

Want a scholarship for doing nothing? How about wearing nothing? The American Nudist Research Library Scholarship awards $1,000 to a freshman or sophomore college student who has spent three years in a nudist organization and sends in a short essay detailing his or her experiences (but not too detailed, please). So drop your pants and get writing.

The Little People of America, Inc., scholarships

The Little People of America, Inc., scholarships range from $250 to over $1,000. If you or an immediate family member have been diagnosed with dwarfism and is an LPA member, you could be eligible.

The National Make It With Wool Competition

Have you any wool? Students in a college-level fashion or design class can enter the National Make It With Wool Competition. In order to win the $1,000 scholarship, competitors must create a garment made of 60% wool, and send it in to the national MIWW office with a description, photo and video explaining its marketability and appeal to the wool industry.

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