How many of you have a job that gives you a 401k?
If you're like me and work as a server then your employer would probably laugh at you if you ask for a 401k through them.
Like you already know if you've read previous posts, I'm a horrible money saver. So I did some research and found out that there are other types of accounts you can open strictly for saving that you cannot touch (which is exactly what I needed!).
They're called IRAs, or Individual Retirement Accounts. Basically you put money into it and you can't touch it for x amount of time, depending on the institution where you set it up at. They do earn interest over time, and taxes are paid depending on what kind of IRA you open (traditional or roth).
I go to my bank whenever I have extra money and I strategically deposit money into my checking, saving, and IRA account.
It may seem nerdy to start saving for retirement at the ripe age of 23, but hey, I don't want to work til the day I die. When 50 or 60 rolls around, I will have choices.
It's all about the choice, and I would rather have them then not... that's for sure!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Financial Aid
YESSS!
The long awaited day is finally here... my financial aid award letter came!
The university played a little trick on me, or perhaps the community college I previously went to didn't show me all my options. On the university award letter, loan amounts are added into your total aid amount while at the community college you have to ask for loan amounts (after waiting in the financial aid office for 3-4 hours).
So, needless to say, I got pretty excited when $9,000 per semester came up as my total award amount (this is what I get for being a "scanner" reader).
This whole state-budget-financial-limbo-fiasco crap really sucks because tuition rates for the upcoming academic year still have not been posted yet. This past year's tuition rate at USF was like $192 per credit hour, so I'm expecting it to be upwards of $210 per credit hour in the fall.
The letter I receive estimates tuition and fees to be $5,800 for the year (2 semesters).. so each semester will cost roughly $2,900 in tuition, and probably another $300 in fees (lab fees, technology fees, green fees, etc.). I was awarded the Pell Grant's full amount of $5,550 (split between 2 semesters) plus an institutional need-based scholarship of $1,200 (split between 2 semesters). That puts me at $3,375 of financial aid money per semester.
Thank GOODNESS I have enough to cover tuition.. I will have to fork over $$ for textbooks (I'm a science major so not only do my textbooks cost more than liberal arts majors, but I also have lab fees for materials in classes like chemistry, biology, and botany) but I am happy to pay it. I have been really worried about paying for tuition at the university level because it costs so much more than the community college.
I feel so extraordinarily lucky to have been allowed to pursue higher education with little costs. THANK YOU, GOVERNMENT! Your investment will not be wasted.
I know the further I go the more I will have to pay... and if medical school really happens then I will definitely be on my own then. But at least I will have a bachelor's degree to be able to work within the medical field to not only make money, but gain first-hand experience and give back to the community all at once.
MOST STUDENTS' MISTAKE: Do everything you can to avoid loans! Exhaust every last option before you even think about taking one out. Don't let subsidized loans entice you, because even though they are "the lesser evil" than an unsubsidized/private loan there are tons of stipulations attached with them (just like any loan).
For instance, (take a subsidized loan which usually defers interest AND payments until you graduate) if you decide that your course load is too much and you drop down to part-time status, you have to pay... If you decide to take a semester off for a family emergency, you have to pay.
MY ADVICE: Work your butt off and save money! That way when the time comes to pay more, or federal aid decreases you have an option before loans come into the picture.*One thing I do (which is probably more of a mental trick on myself) is over-estimate on everything, even if I am shopping.. that way when I don't spend as much and have some left over it's like, "hey look I didn't spend as much as I thought I would!" ... then I take the extra few bucks and put them in my savings account.
=)
The long awaited day is finally here... my financial aid award letter came!
The university played a little trick on me, or perhaps the community college I previously went to didn't show me all my options. On the university award letter, loan amounts are added into your total aid amount while at the community college you have to ask for loan amounts (after waiting in the financial aid office for 3-4 hours).
So, needless to say, I got pretty excited when $9,000 per semester came up as my total award amount (this is what I get for being a "scanner" reader).
This whole state-budget-financial-limbo-fiasco crap really sucks because tuition rates for the upcoming academic year still have not been posted yet. This past year's tuition rate at USF was like $192 per credit hour, so I'm expecting it to be upwards of $210 per credit hour in the fall.
The letter I receive estimates tuition and fees to be $5,800 for the year (2 semesters).. so each semester will cost roughly $2,900 in tuition, and probably another $300 in fees (lab fees, technology fees, green fees, etc.). I was awarded the Pell Grant's full amount of $5,550 (split between 2 semesters) plus an institutional need-based scholarship of $1,200 (split between 2 semesters). That puts me at $3,375 of financial aid money per semester.
Thank GOODNESS I have enough to cover tuition.. I will have to fork over $$ for textbooks (I'm a science major so not only do my textbooks cost more than liberal arts majors, but I also have lab fees for materials in classes like chemistry, biology, and botany) but I am happy to pay it. I have been really worried about paying for tuition at the university level because it costs so much more than the community college.
I feel so extraordinarily lucky to have been allowed to pursue higher education with little costs. THANK YOU, GOVERNMENT! Your investment will not be wasted.
I know the further I go the more I will have to pay... and if medical school really happens then I will definitely be on my own then. But at least I will have a bachelor's degree to be able to work within the medical field to not only make money, but gain first-hand experience and give back to the community all at once.
MOST STUDENTS' MISTAKE: Do everything you can to avoid loans! Exhaust every last option before you even think about taking one out. Don't let subsidized loans entice you, because even though they are "the lesser evil" than an unsubsidized/private loan there are tons of stipulations attached with them (just like any loan).
For instance, (take a subsidized loan which usually defers interest AND payments until you graduate) if you decide that your course load is too much and you drop down to part-time status, you have to pay... If you decide to take a semester off for a family emergency, you have to pay.
MY ADVICE: Work your butt off and save money! That way when the time comes to pay more, or federal aid decreases you have an option before loans come into the picture.*One thing I do (which is probably more of a mental trick on myself) is over-estimate on everything, even if I am shopping.. that way when I don't spend as much and have some left over it's like, "hey look I didn't spend as much as I thought I would!" ... then I take the extra few bucks and put them in my savings account.
=)
Friday, May 25, 2012
Balance/Moderation
Balance and Moderation...
Two simple words each implying steadfastness and the mental ability to know when too much is really too much.
Work, course loads, obligations, promises, family matters, and the like... ALL require this. Too much of any can cause stress, irritability, fatigue, and hopelessness. Not enough can cause rifts in relationships, carelessness, and sometimes mild spouts of depression-like feelings.Balancing all of your obligations, family matters, school work, job(s), and the nitty gritty details inbetween is, in fact, a challenge that everyone struggles with... even for those not in college. So you can imagine how hectic some of us students get when we have midterms/finals on top of all the other crap we have to deal with. Solution? Balance and Moderation.
When I went to orientation for the university, all the faculty members kept reiterating something like, "Hey we know how stressful it is to do what you do.. so we encourage you students to blow off steam and stress with some fun," whether it's college night at your local bar, concerts, zombie vs human chases (which was pretty cool btw!), and a bunch of other weird off-the-wall events that most universities sponsor for their students.
I'm still working on the whole Balance aspect myself.. except for me I do a different balancing act; instead of doing what most people would do (strategically plan and space out job times throughout the week), I'd rather do it all at once and have a few days to do absolutely nothing. No really! See why I said I don't really have it going for myself just yet?
Despite receiving the same suggestions from both my neighbors and my fiance in regards to my work schedule, I think this type of balance works best for me.
For example, here's my work schedule for this and next week:
Wednesday: Ybor job (10pm-3am)
Thursday: Ybor job (9pm-3am)
Friday: mall job (12pm-9pm) and Ybor job (9:30pm-4am)
Saturday: mall job (3:30pm-9pm) and Ybor job (9:30pm-4am)
Sunday: mall job (11am-6pm)
Monday: mall job (12pm-9pm)
Tuesday- OFF
Wednesday- gosh I hope I get this day off!
Thursday- mall job (12pm-9pm) and Ybor job (9:30pm-3am)
[repeat Friday thru Sunday schedule]
TOTALLY off balance, right? Geez just wait until the fall semester starts! I will definitely have to change it up when the time comes, but for right now this works for me. But, I know me. I hate doing something every single day. I love lazy days!
Everyone has different comfort and stress levels. I'd rather just be a caffeine junky for the weekend and then lay around my apartment in my jammies laying upside down on my couch while watching TV and eating Snack Pack chocolate puddings for two days straight (awesome visual, right?).
MY MISTAKE: I probably said it already and doing the WHAM-BAM one-after-another tactic, but so far it isn't turning out too bad.. and I'm banking in the meantime so that works out.
MY ADVICE: Even though we may balance our lives differently in order to moderate our time (and sanity), we must remember that each person is different with different obligations and goals. So do what you can handle without driving yourself crazy. So far my sanity is intact...
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Compare-Me-Not
What do we do when we are in the market for buying some new product? Most people compare two similar products to see which one they would be more happy with. But when speaking in the context of people/dreams/ambitions/life, comparing them between people is not an effective way of deciding what you should do.
I went through a period where I compared my life with that of my best friend; her route had led her to success, so why not me?
Simple!
I'm not her, and I never will be. Some people (dare I say) waste a good portion of their life-time (not lifetime... time within their life) by following in someone else's footsteps (how cliche, but let me explain). When you're young that is all you really have to look at though... you see others (family, friends, classmates, etc) and what they're doing because honestly, who has a crystal clear idea of what they want to be in life? And you see their results! You see them and how their decisions worked for them.
True story: the first thing I ever wanted to do when I was young was to be a garbage man so I could ride on the back of the truck.I would run to the window whenever I heard the ginormous truck rumbling down the street, and watch them work until they rumbled off to the next street. Granted, this was when I was five years old LOL.
As time went on I went through different stages of what I wanted to be "when I grew up" based on a bunch of different factors. The next thing I wanted to do was be in a girl band (hey I'm a 90s kid), then a sports star, professional snowboarder (Kelly Clark doing it big!), and after all that I decided on the military... basically because when I would go to grandma and grandpa's house, my cousin Michael gave his Navy wings to my grandma.. they were on display along with other cool pictures of refueling fighter jets in mid-air. I saw how it worked out for him, and all the cool places he's been, so I made my choice based on that. He's doing it, and it works well for him.. why not me?
Wellllll if you read my previous post then you know what happened with me and the military route. I moved to Atlanta with my girlfriend and we chased her dreams together for over a year.. and we had a blast. But one day I said to myself, "Self, why aren't we progressing in life like everyone else? Mathew (my brother) graduated from Boston College and lives in Colombia working at some embassy, and Kimberley (my sister) is applying to the PeaceCorp while rolling around in her 401k, and what am I doing? Working crappy server jobs without a high school diploma? I'm no fortune-teller but I doubt this will turn out well if I don't figure out what I want to do in life."
Long story short, you will go through many many different "stages" of career paths.. not just while young but even as life progresses. It's a process, for sure! Just remember, your heart, gut, and mind (when all working properly) will never steer you wrong. =)
~~~
My Mistake: Wasting my time following others' career dreams. I could have my bachelors degree by now if I would have figured out what I wanted to do sooner. However, comma (my dad says that haha), I would not take back the time I spent figuring it out for anything. The lessons learned, people I met, places I've been, and fun that was had are memories that won't be forgotten.
My Advice: Do what you like (not "go rob a bank" do-what-you-like, but do what comes naturally to you). Practicality is a must, but when something doesn't seem so practical, you will need a ton of ambition and drive to make up for it. Nothing is impossible!
I went through a period where I compared my life with that of my best friend; her route had led her to success, so why not me?
Simple!
I'm not her, and I never will be. Some people (dare I say) waste a good portion of their life-time (not lifetime... time within their life) by following in someone else's footsteps (how cliche, but let me explain). When you're young that is all you really have to look at though... you see others (family, friends, classmates, etc) and what they're doing because honestly, who has a crystal clear idea of what they want to be in life? And you see their results! You see them and how their decisions worked for them.
True story: the first thing I ever wanted to do when I was young was to be a garbage man so I could ride on the back of the truck.I would run to the window whenever I heard the ginormous truck rumbling down the street, and watch them work until they rumbled off to the next street. Granted, this was when I was five years old LOL.
As time went on I went through different stages of what I wanted to be "when I grew up" based on a bunch of different factors. The next thing I wanted to do was be in a girl band (hey I'm a 90s kid), then a sports star, professional snowboarder (Kelly Clark doing it big!), and after all that I decided on the military... basically because when I would go to grandma and grandpa's house, my cousin Michael gave his Navy wings to my grandma.. they were on display along with other cool pictures of refueling fighter jets in mid-air. I saw how it worked out for him, and all the cool places he's been, so I made my choice based on that. He's doing it, and it works well for him.. why not me?
Wellllll if you read my previous post then you know what happened with me and the military route. I moved to Atlanta with my girlfriend and we chased her dreams together for over a year.. and we had a blast. But one day I said to myself, "Self, why aren't we progressing in life like everyone else? Mathew (my brother) graduated from Boston College and lives in Colombia working at some embassy, and Kimberley (my sister) is applying to the PeaceCorp while rolling around in her 401k, and what am I doing? Working crappy server jobs without a high school diploma? I'm no fortune-teller but I doubt this will turn out well if I don't figure out what I want to do in life."
Long story short, you will go through many many different "stages" of career paths.. not just while young but even as life progresses. It's a process, for sure! Just remember, your heart, gut, and mind (when all working properly) will never steer you wrong. =)
~~~
My Mistake: Wasting my time following others' career dreams. I could have my bachelors degree by now if I would have figured out what I wanted to do sooner. However, comma (my dad says that haha), I would not take back the time I spent figuring it out for anything. The lessons learned, people I met, places I've been, and fun that was had are memories that won't be forgotten.
My Advice: Do what you like (not "go rob a bank" do-what-you-like, but do what comes naturally to you). Practicality is a must, but when something doesn't seem so practical, you will need a ton of ambition and drive to make up for it. Nothing is impossible!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
A little about me
So I realized as I myself browsed through other pre-med student blogs, I don't like to read info from someone whom I know nothing about. In case you're interested about the author, keep reading:
~~~~
My name is Katharine but my friends call me Katie. I'm 23 years old and I live in the beautiful Tampa Bay area with my fiance and little puppy dog. Originally, I grew up in Las Vegas and moved to Florida in 2004.
I've always been a good student until moving to Florida (the education system here SUCKS! and screwed me out of the honors courses I took while in Vegas. I mean really, does your state have "State Edition" textbooks? Why does Florida have "Florida Edition" textbooks? Nevada never had that..). The first Florida high school I attended, I requested to be transferred there for their NJROTC program as I was heavily involved in the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) back home because being commissioned as a Naval officer was my chosen career path.. no backups. That is what I was going to do (my cousin flies fighter jets in the Navy, and he even teaches pilots in the Air Force on certain fighters/bombers). I succeeded in the unit, but decided the next school year to transfer to a new technical high school to study automotive sciences (I have this thing for learning how to do stuff instead of paying other people to do it... ironically this is when I started driving my own car LOL).
*sidenote: I decided against the military for a few reasons... the first, the wars in the middle east were still raging on after 9/11/01; an amazing young man, a fellow comrade in NJROTC, and my prom date never made it back after becoming a US Marine and shipping out to the frontline [RIP Patrick Malone]; and secondly the ONE day when I went into the recruiter's office to schedule an ASVAB exam is when I was t-boned in my car while trying to leave the shopping center.. I'm a believer in the universe and timing, so I held off.
The end of my junior/beginning of my senior year I worked at a Ford dealership as a technician intern, and specialized in suspension/steering and automatic transmissions. This may sound weird, but working on cars is where I got the inspiration to work in the health care field. While taking clutch packs out of a RWD transmission and taking them apart, it felt like car surgery and I loved it. I loved the thought of taking car diagnostic skills and applying them to people. The tests you do to eliminate possibilities and ultimately find the problem for a smooth ride were exciting, thoughtful, and productive.
Long-story-short, I neglected to finish a pesky half-credit in math and ultimately did not graduate in 2007. Fast forward through two years of drifting through Atlanta, GA after-the-fact and you'll find me back in Florida two weeks away from moving back out West with no real plans. This is when me and my fiance (not so at the time) crossed paths again, and he is to thank for helping me find the right path to where I am now.
In 2009 I aced my GED exam and enrolled in my local community college aiming for their nursing program. Two years later, after finishing all of the pre-requisites needed to apply to their program I got to thinking that in the two years it took me to simply finish pre-req's I could have earned an Associates degree. If I stuck around and waited for admission into the community college's nursing program (plus two years of nursing coursework + clinical rotations), by the time I had finished I could have earned a four year baccalaureate degree. So I went to an advisor and looked at other options. One year after making that decision I graduated from HCC with an Associates degree in Medical Sciences earlier this month, 2012.
Nursing is still an option because there is a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree available at the university I will be attending, but there are many many more fields of study within healthcare that I will aim for something else that relates to patient wellness.
Now it is 2012 and I start classes at the University of South Florida in August of this year aiming for a Bachelors degree in Biomedical Science, and possibly a second Bachelors in Political Science. Hopefully this blog will help others, and in another three years I can write about the MCAT, helpful info guides, and the medical school admissions process as I hope I will be taking part in it.
~~~~
I've definitely learned important subject matter, but better than that I learned more about myself and the decisions that I make. With each twist, turn, obstacle, and ultimate decision I am molding myself as an adult who's looking after their own life and future. I know 23 is definitely an adult age, but really 20 years old is when the "hey let's figure out where I want life to take me" thoughts started coming in. Yea I started late (especially comparing me next to the youngest student in my CC graduation, 16 freakin' years old!), but it wasn't too late. The oldest graduate in our class is 73.
~~~~
My name is Katharine but my friends call me Katie. I'm 23 years old and I live in the beautiful Tampa Bay area with my fiance and little puppy dog. Originally, I grew up in Las Vegas and moved to Florida in 2004.
I've always been a good student until moving to Florida (the education system here SUCKS! and screwed me out of the honors courses I took while in Vegas. I mean really, does your state have "State Edition" textbooks? Why does Florida have "Florida Edition" textbooks? Nevada never had that..). The first Florida high school I attended, I requested to be transferred there for their NJROTC program as I was heavily involved in the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) back home because being commissioned as a Naval officer was my chosen career path.. no backups. That is what I was going to do (my cousin flies fighter jets in the Navy, and he even teaches pilots in the Air Force on certain fighters/bombers). I succeeded in the unit, but decided the next school year to transfer to a new technical high school to study automotive sciences (I have this thing for learning how to do stuff instead of paying other people to do it... ironically this is when I started driving my own car LOL).
*sidenote: I decided against the military for a few reasons... the first, the wars in the middle east were still raging on after 9/11/01; an amazing young man, a fellow comrade in NJROTC, and my prom date never made it back after becoming a US Marine and shipping out to the frontline [RIP Patrick Malone]; and secondly the ONE day when I went into the recruiter's office to schedule an ASVAB exam is when I was t-boned in my car while trying to leave the shopping center.. I'm a believer in the universe and timing, so I held off.
The end of my junior/beginning of my senior year I worked at a Ford dealership as a technician intern, and specialized in suspension/steering and automatic transmissions. This may sound weird, but working on cars is where I got the inspiration to work in the health care field. While taking clutch packs out of a RWD transmission and taking them apart, it felt like car surgery and I loved it. I loved the thought of taking car diagnostic skills and applying them to people. The tests you do to eliminate possibilities and ultimately find the problem for a smooth ride were exciting, thoughtful, and productive.
Long-story-short, I neglected to finish a pesky half-credit in math and ultimately did not graduate in 2007. Fast forward through two years of drifting through Atlanta, GA after-the-fact and you'll find me back in Florida two weeks away from moving back out West with no real plans. This is when me and my fiance (not so at the time) crossed paths again, and he is to thank for helping me find the right path to where I am now.
In 2009 I aced my GED exam and enrolled in my local community college aiming for their nursing program. Two years later, after finishing all of the pre-requisites needed to apply to their program I got to thinking that in the two years it took me to simply finish pre-req's I could have earned an Associates degree. If I stuck around and waited for admission into the community college's nursing program (plus two years of nursing coursework + clinical rotations), by the time I had finished I could have earned a four year baccalaureate degree. So I went to an advisor and looked at other options. One year after making that decision I graduated from HCC with an Associates degree in Medical Sciences earlier this month, 2012.
Nursing is still an option because there is a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree available at the university I will be attending, but there are many many more fields of study within healthcare that I will aim for something else that relates to patient wellness.
Now it is 2012 and I start classes at the University of South Florida in August of this year aiming for a Bachelors degree in Biomedical Science, and possibly a second Bachelors in Political Science. Hopefully this blog will help others, and in another three years I can write about the MCAT, helpful info guides, and the medical school admissions process as I hope I will be taking part in it.
~~~~
I've definitely learned important subject matter, but better than that I learned more about myself and the decisions that I make. With each twist, turn, obstacle, and ultimate decision I am molding myself as an adult who's looking after their own life and future. I know 23 is definitely an adult age, but really 20 years old is when the "hey let's figure out where I want life to take me" thoughts started coming in. Yea I started late (especially comparing me next to the youngest student in my CC graduation, 16 freakin' years old!), but it wasn't too late. The oldest graduate in our class is 73.
No one is ever too young or too old for any education.
*
You should never be discouraged from continuing educational endeavors based on stigmas, statistics, or "Negative Nancys,"
*
if you truly follow your heart, gut, and mind, you will never be lead astray.
*
Some things and their subsequent timing happen for a reason...
*
Monday, May 14, 2012
"Excess Hours" update
Here is an update on the Excess Hours legislation post from a few days ago:
According to the University of South Florida's Registrar's Office,
"The law provides for the following exceptions, in which instance the excess hours surcharge will be waived for additional college coursework taken:
1. Articulated accelerated credit (e.g. Advance Placement, International Baccalaureate, CLEP*, Dual Enrollment, etc.)
2. Internship credit
3. Certification/Recertification credit (e.g. teacher, nurses, etc.) and certificate program credits
4. Credits withdrawn due to medical or personal hardship
5. Credits taken by active-duty military personnel
6.
Credits required to achieve a dual major (NOTE: the law only exempts
those hours “required” to obtain a dual major, rather than every credit
hour a dual major student chooses to enroll in.)
7. Remedial and English as a Second Language (ESOL) credit
8. Military Science credits in Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) programs"
*CLEP stands for College Level Examination Program, and it basically is a test you can take to earn credit for a course without taking it. To "CLEP out" of a course, you usually pay a test fee at your college/university's test center and proceed to take a test that covers information ("course objectives") that you would learn in whatever course you are trying to CLEP out of. Students take advantage of this exam usually for one main reason... to avoid paying for a class full of information they already know. This mainly happens if the CLEP test is a pre-requisite for another course you need.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Choosing your professors
Most (if not all) college students swear by the website RateMyProfessors.com (I'll abbreviate RMP) when choosing classes from the ginormous list of options for whatever course you may be taking. For some classes there may be multiple sections with multiple professors ("sections" are each individual class.. for instance, when registering for classes you are usually asked for the section number so the computer knows exactly which class, time, professor, and room you are requesting), while other courses have a limited number of available sections.
When you are faced with a laundry list of sections and professors to choose from, it definitely would not hurt to look them up on RMP first. There are reviews from students sometimes as far back as 2006! RMP reviewers are asked to provide what course they took with the given professor, easiness, helpfulness, topic interest, and clarity based on a one-to-five scale. There is even a "Hottness" (optional!) check-mark in case you like to "enjoy the scenery," LOL.
My Experience: A time or two I simply knew what courses I needed for the semester, and registered for the sections that best suited my schedule. When I first started in college I didn't think it was necessary to be choosy or picky because aren't all sections teaching the same objectives?
After I registered I took the time to look up each professor on RMP. Luckily I did because I totally avoided a biased political science professor who was described as "an extreme leftist" and graded as such. Review after review explained that if she did not agree with your position you would be docked points... and as such, the most successful students wrote papers and took positions in which she wanted to hear. Needless to say, I went back to the available sections list and chose a more neutral professor.
Now don't get me wrong, one review should not make/break your decision to take a certain professor's course.
My Advice: When the same negative description is repeatedly stated over a significant span of time a red flag should be thrown.
When you are faced with a laundry list of sections and professors to choose from, it definitely would not hurt to look them up on RMP first. There are reviews from students sometimes as far back as 2006! RMP reviewers are asked to provide what course they took with the given professor, easiness, helpfulness, topic interest, and clarity based on a one-to-five scale. There is even a "Hottness" (optional!) check-mark in case you like to "enjoy the scenery," LOL.
My Experience: A time or two I simply knew what courses I needed for the semester, and registered for the sections that best suited my schedule. When I first started in college I didn't think it was necessary to be choosy or picky because aren't all sections teaching the same objectives?
After I registered I took the time to look up each professor on RMP. Luckily I did because I totally avoided a biased political science professor who was described as "an extreme leftist" and graded as such. Review after review explained that if she did not agree with your position you would be docked points... and as such, the most successful students wrote papers and took positions in which she wanted to hear. Needless to say, I went back to the available sections list and chose a more neutral professor.
Now don't get me wrong, one review should not make/break your decision to take a certain professor's course.
My Advice: When the same negative description is repeatedly stated over a significant span of time a red flag should be thrown.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Admissions
This article just goes to show that what seems impossible isn't always out of reach =)
http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/the-envelope-please-jason-solis-4/?src=tp
When I apply to med schools I will definitely not exclude ANY College of Medicine no matter what stigma it may hold.
stig-ma:
http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/the-envelope-please-jason-solis-4/?src=tp
When I apply to med schools I will definitely not exclude ANY College of Medicine no matter what stigma it may hold.
stig-ma:
1. a stain or reproach, as on one's reputation.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Work AND School...
You probably know a few stigmas associated with college kids and how they pay for school.
The first:
-the student who works their tail off at two or three crappy jobs, works nights and weekends, and barely catches enough sleep let alone study as much as they should.
The second:
-their parents pay their tuition, give them a car, pay their rent, bills, and the student does not have to work any jobs, which ultimately frees up their time to concentrate on their studies.
So which one are you? I've known one person that was lucky enough to be in the second situation (ironically he is my fiance) while I am definitely the first student described.
I work at a local mall serving concessions on Fridays (12-9p), Saturdays (3:30-9p), and Sundays (11-6p) and I also work in a local nightclub (not a strip club I promise lol) in Ybor City as a VIP bottle waitress on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (9p-4a). Luckily I have been receiving federal Pell grants among some other institutional scholarships to pay for nearly all of my community college tuition, textbooks, and other related expenses up until now. I'm still awaiting this academic year's verdict (i.e. overall amount of financial aid I will receive) and sweating like crazy until I find out.
However now that I am transferring to my local university, tuition costs are almost three times as much, and my financial aid will start to decrease as my credit hours increase. Needless to say I'm pretty stressed. Working like a dog in customer service is frustrating as all hell because I hate dealing with people's crappy attitudes. Granted not all people are rude, but a good portion of them are.
So what is the purpose of this post? Many things on top of me ranting because as I type this I'm sitting in the mall fuming from some customer's lack of respect. It's difficult if you are the first type of student because there are so many other things on your mind that you need to do, and frankly dealing with some stranger's rudeness makes everything seem so much more difficult. It makes you feel like your job sucks and your stuck in it because how else will you pay for school?
MY MISTAKE: Not saving money from my meager paychecks to help myself work less later on when the semester starts to lessen stress caused by the decreased amount of available time and sleep, and the increase of stranger's attitude problems.
MY ADVICE: Save your money, and work as much as possible during academic breaks. Birthday money? Save it. Textbook buyback money? Save it. Yes it's fun to go out and spend an exorbitant amount of cash to make yourself feel good (or is that just me?) but dang it will feel so much better saving that money instead for when you really need it, and not have to work as much as I currently do.
*The time now is 8:30pm and I have to close up the kiosk (job #1) early and risk our business getting fined for a "lease violation," and rush over to Ybor (job #2) to deal with drunk people. At least the club is more laid back and chill than the mall.. no offense to family people but dang Westfield Mgmt is ridiculous when kissing their customer's you-know-whats.
Please excuse this post, it is definitely a rant. But hopefully out of my frustration you will see that saving money is pertinent not just in college, but throughout life. People that work less have more time to concentrate on getting A's (and fun things), while people who work more vent and complain about their days at work, and ultimately struggle to pass their classes with good grades (because if they don't, guess what? It will cost more!). LOL true story.
The first:
-the student who works their tail off at two or three crappy jobs, works nights and weekends, and barely catches enough sleep let alone study as much as they should.
The second:
-their parents pay their tuition, give them a car, pay their rent, bills, and the student does not have to work any jobs, which ultimately frees up their time to concentrate on their studies.
So which one are you? I've known one person that was lucky enough to be in the second situation (ironically he is my fiance) while I am definitely the first student described.
I work at a local mall serving concessions on Fridays (12-9p), Saturdays (3:30-9p), and Sundays (11-6p) and I also work in a local nightclub (not a strip club I promise lol) in Ybor City as a VIP bottle waitress on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (9p-4a). Luckily I have been receiving federal Pell grants among some other institutional scholarships to pay for nearly all of my community college tuition, textbooks, and other related expenses up until now. I'm still awaiting this academic year's verdict (i.e. overall amount of financial aid I will receive) and sweating like crazy until I find out.
However now that I am transferring to my local university, tuition costs are almost three times as much, and my financial aid will start to decrease as my credit hours increase. Needless to say I'm pretty stressed. Working like a dog in customer service is frustrating as all hell because I hate dealing with people's crappy attitudes. Granted not all people are rude, but a good portion of them are.
So what is the purpose of this post? Many things on top of me ranting because as I type this I'm sitting in the mall fuming from some customer's lack of respect. It's difficult if you are the first type of student because there are so many other things on your mind that you need to do, and frankly dealing with some stranger's rudeness makes everything seem so much more difficult. It makes you feel like your job sucks and your stuck in it because how else will you pay for school?
MY MISTAKE: Not saving money from my meager paychecks to help myself work less later on when the semester starts to lessen stress caused by the decreased amount of available time and sleep, and the increase of stranger's attitude problems.
MY ADVICE: Save your money, and work as much as possible during academic breaks. Birthday money? Save it. Textbook buyback money? Save it. Yes it's fun to go out and spend an exorbitant amount of cash to make yourself feel good (or is that just me?) but dang it will feel so much better saving that money instead for when you really need it, and not have to work as much as I currently do.
*The time now is 8:30pm and I have to close up the kiosk (job #1) early and risk our business getting fined for a "lease violation," and rush over to Ybor (job #2) to deal with drunk people. At least the club is more laid back and chill than the mall.. no offense to family people but dang Westfield Mgmt is ridiculous when kissing their customer's you-know-whats.
Please excuse this post, it is definitely a rant. But hopefully out of my frustration you will see that saving money is pertinent not just in college, but throughout life. People that work less have more time to concentrate on getting A's (and fun things), while people who work more vent and complain about their days at work, and ultimately struggle to pass their classes with good grades (because if they don't, guess what? It will cost more!). LOL true story.
money money money
Now who am I to blog about money? I have the WORST spending habits known to man. My habits have gotten better now that I work two jobs like crazy, but to give you an idea of how frivolous my spending habits were I put it like this: every time I got any sum of money, internally it was like a contest to see how fast I could spend every last penny.
Luckily this not-so-awesome trait is evolving into a more money-conscious state of mind. At the moment I am looking into some sort of retirement savings account (IRAs) since neither of my employers offer 401(k) accounts, and even CDs (if I can ever save a thousand bucks....).
So what is this post about? Patience.
Any college kid will tell you that they sell their textbooks at the end of each semester, which is totally reasonable. I mean really, what use will I have for a pre-calculus algebra textbook if I'm taking Life Science Calc II? Go ahead and sell it!
My Mistake: I'm all for the instant-gratification sale to get cash-in-hand ASAP, but then I realized how much money I was losing out on. For example, after my finals I went to my campus bookstore to see how much they would offer me for my textbooks (a chemistry textbook and a political science textbook).. "$30 each," he says. Luckily I had punched in the two book's ISBN numbers the night before into buyback sites (links below) to see how much online retailers would offer. Chegg had the highest price at $45 per book!
My Advice: Shop around.... but like my first post of this blog states, more and more people use the internet for research and services, INCLUDING textbook buybacks. Websites like Amazon.com, Chegg.com, Textbooks.com and more usually offer free shipping on top of the amount they give you in exchange for textbooks in very good condition. All you have to pay for is the box/envelope they ship in ($3 max). *I used Chegg for the first time after hearing about them from many other students, and honestly I was surprised at the turnaround. I shipped them off at my local UPS store on Thursday afternoon, they arrived Monday morning, and I received my checks in the mail on Thursday. Just when I had forgotten about the money, it was sitting in my mailbox. =) Kind of like finding a $10 bill in your dryer... free moneyyyy!
I know it's just $30, but I say this a lot especially when I'm buying non-durable goods (hey I learned something in macroeconomics! Non-durable goods are things like food, coffee, cab service, etc.. things you don't keep basically). First it's $10 here, $5 there, next thing you know you blow through your whole measly paycheck before the weekend is over and have nothing to show for it, except an appetite to spend more money you don't have. Hopefully you have crappy credit like me so you aren't urged to go out and get a credit card to continue the cycle.
*Hey I don't wish credit card debt, or any kind of debt on anyone, but I can say not having access to a line of credit helped me realize that I need to either earn more money or save more money. Not borrow it.
Luckily this not-so-awesome trait is evolving into a more money-conscious state of mind. At the moment I am looking into some sort of retirement savings account (IRAs) since neither of my employers offer 401(k) accounts, and even CDs (if I can ever save a thousand bucks....).
So what is this post about? Patience.
Any college kid will tell you that they sell their textbooks at the end of each semester, which is totally reasonable. I mean really, what use will I have for a pre-calculus algebra textbook if I'm taking Life Science Calc II? Go ahead and sell it!
My Mistake: I'm all for the instant-gratification sale to get cash-in-hand ASAP, but then I realized how much money I was losing out on. For example, after my finals I went to my campus bookstore to see how much they would offer me for my textbooks (a chemistry textbook and a political science textbook).. "$30 each," he says. Luckily I had punched in the two book's ISBN numbers the night before into buyback sites (links below) to see how much online retailers would offer. Chegg had the highest price at $45 per book!
My Advice: Shop around.... but like my first post of this blog states, more and more people use the internet for research and services, INCLUDING textbook buybacks. Websites like Amazon.com, Chegg.com, Textbooks.com and more usually offer free shipping on top of the amount they give you in exchange for textbooks in very good condition. All you have to pay for is the box/envelope they ship in ($3 max). *I used Chegg for the first time after hearing about them from many other students, and honestly I was surprised at the turnaround. I shipped them off at my local UPS store on Thursday afternoon, they arrived Monday morning, and I received my checks in the mail on Thursday. Just when I had forgotten about the money, it was sitting in my mailbox. =) Kind of like finding a $10 bill in your dryer... free moneyyyy!
I know it's just $30, but I say this a lot especially when I'm buying non-durable goods (hey I learned something in macroeconomics! Non-durable goods are things like food, coffee, cab service, etc.. things you don't keep basically). First it's $10 here, $5 there, next thing you know you blow through your whole measly paycheck before the weekend is over and have nothing to show for it, except an appetite to spend more money you don't have. Hopefully you have crappy credit like me so you aren't urged to go out and get a credit card to continue the cycle.
*Hey I don't wish credit card debt, or any kind of debt on anyone, but I can say not having access to a line of credit helped me realize that I need to either earn more money or save more money. Not borrow it.
recent Florida legislation regarding credit hours
If anyone lives in the sunshiny state of Florida then there is new state-wide legislation that you NEED to be aware of. The first time I heard of this was at my USF orientation... needless to say I was shocked, discouraged, and pissed all at once. This legislation applies to all Florida public universities.
It's called EXCESS HOURS [Florida Statute 1009.286]:
- "Fall Semester 2012 and beyond admits will pay double the tuition rate for each credit hour either beyond 132 for students in a 120-hour degree program or 110% in excess of the hours required." (source: http://www.registrar.usf.edu/regurl/os/excess)
With budget crises happening in nearly every state in the American union, state governments are being forced to cut funds and find money in every nook and cranny of their budget. The thought-process in Florida legislator's minds goes something like, "There are students who have upwards of 180 credit hours without a degree. These students are taking away classroom seats from incoming students who need the hours."
Be aware of your state's legislation, laws and statutes by checking the State House and State Senate websites that apply to you. Check the Senate page for more solidified statutes, and check the State House site for things that are coming up.. if you keep on it you can mobilize a campaign to keep legislation like Excess Hours out of your state, and ultimately save you money if you aren't quite sure what you want to major in. (If you have Twitter, local leaders almost always have one! Besides, how many people really follow local leaders? If you keep tweeting them I believe it is the most direct way to get your thoughts across)
MY MISTAKE: Well, this doesn't really qualify as a mistake because nearly all college students changed their major at least once, but I wish I would have not taken the easy route. I originally enrolled in community college to complete a nursing program and get my RN license with a two-year degree. While the program is quite competitive I did all of the Nursing-ONLY pre-requisites because I did not think I needed anything else since I was not planning on transferring for a higher baccalaureate degree. There are options, of course, according to your institution's advising guides, and I HIGHLY recommend considering all of your options.
For example, let's take my big uh-oh [that I am currently facing] with chemistry. The nursing pre-req requirement for chemistry would be satisfied by taking either CHM1032+L "Chemistry for Health Sciences" (with a concurrent lab), or CHM1045+L "College Chemistry I". Now with CHM1045 there is a pre-req course required to register which is CHM1025+L "Modern Chemistry"... but I thought, "ehh, I'm not planning on transferring so I'll take the health science chemistry so I can hurry and apply to the nursing program." Ultimately, I never applied to the program for 2 reasons:
1) I did not think I was competitive enough as an applicant, and
2) If I was admitted, by the time I would've graduated from the program I could have received a 4-yr bachelor's degree from the local university.
So not only does CHM1032+L not count towards CHM1045+L, but I had to go back and take CHM1025+L and essentially waste 4 credit hours which now will add up at the end of my undergraduate career, AND ultimately I will be in EXCESS of 120 credit hours without completing my upper-level degree requirements. In short, I will pay more near the end especially now that this excess hours legislation went through AND dwindling financial aid (the more credits you earn the less $ you get from federal funds).
MY ADVICE: Don't take the easy route! If you have any doubts about your major, PLAN AHEAD. You don't want to take a course designed specifically for one major if there is an option for another course that a) satisfies your requirement, and b) can be used for other majors.
It's called EXCESS HOURS [Florida Statute 1009.286]:
- "Fall Semester 2012 and beyond admits will pay double the tuition rate for each credit hour either beyond 132 for students in a 120-hour degree program or 110% in excess of the hours required." (source: http://www.registrar.usf.edu/regurl/os/excess)
With budget crises happening in nearly every state in the American union, state governments are being forced to cut funds and find money in every nook and cranny of their budget. The thought-process in Florida legislator's minds goes something like, "There are students who have upwards of 180 credit hours without a degree. These students are taking away classroom seats from incoming students who need the hours."
Be aware of your state's legislation, laws and statutes by checking the State House and State Senate websites that apply to you. Check the Senate page for more solidified statutes, and check the State House site for things that are coming up.. if you keep on it you can mobilize a campaign to keep legislation like Excess Hours out of your state, and ultimately save you money if you aren't quite sure what you want to major in. (If you have Twitter, local leaders almost always have one! Besides, how many people really follow local leaders? If you keep tweeting them I believe it is the most direct way to get your thoughts across)
MY MISTAKE: Well, this doesn't really qualify as a mistake because nearly all college students changed their major at least once, but I wish I would have not taken the easy route. I originally enrolled in community college to complete a nursing program and get my RN license with a two-year degree. While the program is quite competitive I did all of the Nursing-ONLY pre-requisites because I did not think I needed anything else since I was not planning on transferring for a higher baccalaureate degree. There are options, of course, according to your institution's advising guides, and I HIGHLY recommend considering all of your options.
For example, let's take my big uh-oh [that I am currently facing] with chemistry. The nursing pre-req requirement for chemistry would be satisfied by taking either CHM1032+L "Chemistry for Health Sciences" (with a concurrent lab), or CHM1045+L "College Chemistry I". Now with CHM1045 there is a pre-req course required to register which is CHM1025+L "Modern Chemistry"... but I thought, "ehh, I'm not planning on transferring so I'll take the health science chemistry so I can hurry and apply to the nursing program." Ultimately, I never applied to the program for 2 reasons:
1) I did not think I was competitive enough as an applicant, and
2) If I was admitted, by the time I would've graduated from the program I could have received a 4-yr bachelor's degree from the local university.
So not only does CHM1032+L not count towards CHM1045+L, but I had to go back and take CHM1025+L and essentially waste 4 credit hours which now will add up at the end of my undergraduate career, AND ultimately I will be in EXCESS of 120 credit hours without completing my upper-level degree requirements. In short, I will pay more near the end especially now that this excess hours legislation went through AND dwindling financial aid (the more credits you earn the less $ you get from federal funds).
MY ADVICE: Don't take the easy route! If you have any doubts about your major, PLAN AHEAD. You don't want to take a course designed specifically for one major if there is an option for another course that a) satisfies your requirement, and b) can be used for other majors.
College Kid Hindsight... because it's always 20/20 after-the-fact
Come One, Come All!
As a recent community college graduate heading into the larger university setting (and with my sights on Grad School), there were a LOT of things I wish I had done differently.
As technology is evolving, so does the "research" most people make using the internet; you know what I'm talking about... YouTube, blogs, Facebook pages, Google reviews. We're all guilty of checking what the internet has to say before actually making a decision whether it relates to a new job, new friend, or a new place to go.I'm going to use this blog to document my trials and tribulations of navigating through both community college (Hillsborough Community College) and university (University of South Florida, GO BULLS!), what mistakes I made, and how YOU can avoid them, and ultimately save a butt-load of money in the long run.
So, WELCOME! =) I hope this blog makes a great resource for high school students, non-traditional students, college administrators, and the like so every student pursuing higher education can be as efficient as possible while earning their degree/certificate.
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