There is plenty of misinformation about higher education, obtaining financial help for schooling, and earning degrees. Unfortunately, those who have never been through the process view it as a complex set of hurdles and confusing rules. The good news is that the situation is not nearly as baffling as it’s often made out to be. Plus, there are some excellent bargains for those on a tight budget or who possess limited resources. What are some of the most relevant facts you should know about these topics?
In addition to the fact that community colleges are an excellent place to acquire two full years of inexpensive coursework, applicants should realize that they can get a cosigner to help gain loan approval faster and with better terms. Plus, while business and liberal arts continue to be the most popular majors, engineering and IT undergrads tend to score the highest starting salaries right out of the gate. Nursing graduates also do very well in the job search journey, and there’s plenty of scholarship money available for students in all major fields of study. Finally, it’s essential to choose online programs with care to get the best values from accredited institutions. Consider the following information before setting out on your educational quest.
Students Get Better Loans Faster With Cosigners
Adults who want to help a child, employee, friend, or any college loan applicant can do so by being a cosigner. It’s even possible for prospective pupils to obtain a student loan refinance with a cosigner and to boost their chances of approval with reasonable interest rates. But when it comes to a routine education loan, cosigners are also a major factor for applicants to get approved and get loans with much more favorable rates and terms than they could get by applying alone. What many don’t know is that it’s possible to help someone out just by appending a signature to the student’s financial application. There aren’t many other ways to do a good deed for someone you know who needs a bit of help getting financing for their educational journey.
Community Colleges are a Bargain
For more than 50 years, the best kept secret in the world of higher education is the local community college. As tuition, fees, and other schooling expenses continue to rise in the 2020s, utilizing community colleges are still one of the best bargains around. By design, the institutions are mostly two-year affairs and offer a wide range of basic and a limited number of specialized courses. The beauty of choosing a community college for your first four semesters of collegiate work is that costs are affordable, locations are many, and there are no academic entrance requirements in most cases. Some earn associate degrees during the two-year span, while others transfer to a four-year university or traditional college after completing their studies.
Business & Liberal Arts are Most Popular Majors
While business and liberal arts majors have long been the most popular choices for college attendees, IT and engineering grads tend to pull the highest salaries during their initial year of employment. Nursing and education graduates also do quite well in terms of salary and finding jobs soon after receiving their diplomas. An added benefit for newly minted nurses is that they can choose practically any location in the US from which to launch their careers.
There’s Scholarship Money Available
Every year, millions of dollars in scholarship money goes unclaimed because no one applies for all the available awards. The most efficient and effective way for people to get as much cash as possible for collegiate purposes is to use an all-in-one platform that lets users search and apply for multiple scholarships at once. Applicants only need to fill out one general application that they can use and customize as necessary. There’s no reason to leave money on the table, so be sure to connect with a reputable provider and get busy searching for funds.
Choose Online Programs Carefully
One of the newer wrinkles in the educational universe is online learning. It’s important for applicants to realize that while most distance learning opportunities are legit, there are some that are not. The solution is to double-check the school’s credentials and make sure that it’s accredited by a reputable certifying agency, like the North American Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Never send money to an online institution until you’ve fully vetted them. Getting an education from the comfort of home is an increasingly popular way to attend to family obligations, work a full or part-time job, or simply avoid the hassles associated with commuting from home to distant classrooms.