Summer Job/Internship Information

Dear Parent, 

It's almost summer job time. With spring break fast approaching and many students coming home for their week-long hiatus from classes, it's a good time for them to start thinking about either summer jobs or internships. 

It used to be that internships were only for college juniors and seniors and that one would be enough. But with an increasingly competitive job market, many students are entering the job hunt with two, three, four or even more internships under their belts and on their resumes.

So where will the younger student start? Since most interns are unpaid, it's not too much skin off an employer's back to hire one for the summer, even if it's part time. So your child should start by calling places around home that might let them into the office for the summer. Is your child looking into sports management? Then they could ask the local sports team or recreation center.  Writer? They could run copy at the local newspaper. What about for the science-minded student? How about local chapters of the Environmental Protection Agency? The local hospitals also might be looking for extra hands in the summer months. 

Remember that these same outlets might be hiring for summer help, which still looks good on the resume with some cash to boot.

For the upperclassmen, the best place to start the internship hunt is their school's career office, which is inundated with requests for interns. Another good place is through their academic departments, but sometimes it's worth it to pick up the phone and start calling. At any age, initiative helps when trying to land that one internship that might open the door to bigger and better things.

Younger students can still search the same way as older students do for internships though they may not qualify based on their age. They can check with their college's career office or ask in their academic department about openings and see what they find. Still, the path to some of the more competitive internships could be through simple summer internships in the younger college years.

Until next month…Best Wishes!

Is Your Student Considering Studying Abroad?

Dear Parent, 

Every student with a desire to see the world or a need to succeed at least thinks about it, and thousands of American students do it every year: study abroad.  Even when international relations are tense and unsure, students from around the country and around the world pack their bags and head into a foreign world looking for a different perspective.  If your student is considering studying abroad, here are a few things we’d like to pass along to you for consideration. 

How safe is it, really? The answer lies in where you'd like to go. England? France? Spain? Even if Europeans might not be as happy with Americans as they used to be, Europe still welcomes American students (and their money, too). The Middle East? That's a whole different set of parameters. A lot of schools have stopped accepting applications and have pulled students out of war torn countries. It depends on where the school is and what the current climate is, and how volatile. 

What about paying for study abroad? Most schools have programs built into their curriculum that will allow students to pay the same tuition to their home school but study somewhere else as a visiting student. Another option is to take a semester off from the home school and then pay tuition at the foreign school. Your school's Study Abroad Office will be key in ironing out these kinds of details. They'll know the ins and outs of overseas travel and study, especially when it comes to forms. They can also point you to students who have been through the program and who will give you practical advice…like this tidbit we heard from a student who studied in Greece: sew a Canadian flag on your backpack. It'll keep the anti-American sentiment off your back, at least on the surface. Sneakers and baseball caps are dead giveaways.

Students will also have to pick up the tab for flights and expenses while living abroad which can really add up, so they should again turn to their study abroad office to see if they offer scholarships. If not, they might know where scholarships are available. Loans are also an option, as is, of course, saving up in advance.

Seems like a lot of work, right? But, the vast majority of students who do study abroad say the experience is more than worth it, if not for what they learn, but to get a better view and perspective of what it's like to be a global citizen.  If your student is even considering studying abroad, be sure to begin to check into the process now.  It is always best to have all the facts in advance so you can make an informed decision!

Until next month…Best Wishes!

Randy Stoltz, President

Searching for Cheaper College Text Books?

Dear Parent, 

It’s that time again: time for your student to buy the college text books they’ll need for second semester. Most parents and students greet this with dread. College books are not cheap! 

But there are alternatives to the college bookstore and their heavy prices. Internet bookstores have come along and changed how students buy their books. Not only have Barnes and Noble and Amazon started college arms of their popular websites, but there are a crop of websites that cater solely to second hand books with heavy doses of college texts.

Here are a few you might want to check into:

www.half.com   While this is now part of e-bay, it still offers buckets of books at dirt-cheap prices. This isn’t a warehouse, but a way for other users to post what they have, what condition they’re in, and they vie to be the lowest price. Users can search by title, author or ISBN number. The downside? You might be waiting for your book, depending on when the seller puts it in the mail. Check their rating per other users first before putting down your money.

http://www.textbookland.com/   This site will search for prices on the same book across the internet, scanning through such popular websites as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ecampus and Powells. 

http://www.ecampus.com/   Ecampus is another textbook site but one that some say is more user friendly, and it has a host of other areas that would interest the college student. 

www.bn.com and www.amazon.com   Their prices might slant a bit higher, but their service is national, and they keep track of their sellers to make sure that they are delivering the used books on time whereas a half.com user might get a bit lazy, depending on the seller.

Used books are usually a better deal. Even if the book you have is one edition older than the one on your professor’s desk, the changes are usually few, but you might want to check with your professor first if you’re worried that you’ll be outdated. For texts of “classics,” especially for the humanities, there won’t be much more of a difference than introduction material and page numbers. Shakespeare isn’t still doing rewrites. Still, finding at least the same manufacturer might cut down on your being on different pages than the rest of the class.

Start searching now, though, because, pretty soon, the used books are going to be gobbled up fast. Don’t have a book list? Try your college registrar’s website, or ask the professor.  They are usually willing to help when asked. 

Most students and parents do not realize that they have other options when it comes to buying books.  Why not check out these websites to see if you can save some money?

Until next month…Best Wishes!

Randy Stoltz, President

Important Information Regarding Medical Expenses!

Dear Parent, 

As we approach FAFSA renewal time, here is some important information for you to know.

To be able to deduct medical expenses on your federal tax return, your family must have expenses in excess of 7.5% of their AGI.  However, college financial aid guidelines are not necessarily as strict.  Some families who do not qualify under federal tax law just assume they will not qualify under the financial aid rules either, so they enter ‘0’ for their medical expenses when it comes to financial aid forms.  This can be a costly mistake!

Here is a quick example.  Let’s say a family’s adjusted gross income is $50,000 and they had medical expenses of $3,000.  As far as the IRS is concerned, the family would not get a medical deduction.  The $3,000 of medical bills falls short of 7.5% of $50,000 ($3,750).  However, under the financial aid formulas, the family may indeed receive a deduction against income.  Under the Federal Methodology, the financial aid officers can use their discretion for this item.  Under the Institutional Methodology, the rules for this expense category are more defined.

Therefore, even if the family does not have enough medical and dental expenses to qualify under the federal tax law, they should not assume that it would be a waste of time to disclose these figures.  Many colleges are using the Institutional Methodology which will make an allowance for un-reimbursed medical expenses in excess of 3.5% of the family’s income.  If the family is filing out the Profile form, there is a place on the form to report this information.  Many of the schools’ separate financial aid forms ask for this information as well.

What constitutes a medical expense?  Here are just a few:  doctors, dentists, prescription eyeglasses, therapists, health insurance premiums that were deducted from a paycheck or paid personally, medical transportation and lodging. 

If your un-reimbursed medical expenses are in excess of 3.5% of your family’s income, please be sure to forward that information to us. 

Until next month…Best Wishes!

Randy Stoltz, President

Now That Your Student Is In College…

Dear Parent, 

Congratulations...your student is off to college…or just about on the way! 

It’s an exciting time yet it can also be a “mix of emotions” for both students and parents! No doubt your student is very eager to start their college adventure…and all it entails…including settling into their dorm and meeting new friends.  Yet, it is also common for them to have feelings of fear and uncertainty mixed in with all that excitement.  This is a “whole new world” for them, and it’s going to take a bit of adjusting time as they learn to adapt in their new environment.  And, for you parents, it’s also a mix of emotions.  Though you are also excited for your child to embark on their college years, certainly you have your concerns as they head off on their own for the first time and you leave them that first night alone in the dorm.  This time of year can be a bit of a “whirlwind” for both student and parent…but…hang in there…soon the “dust will settle” and all will fall into place!! 

It is my heartfelt desire to see your student succeed and reach their goals and dreams for their college years.  Along with that, I don’t want to see you “go broke” trying to make that dream come true.  To date, I have done my best to help you with the college funding process and I will continue to do so.  Any “tidbits” of information that I receive that I know can be of help to you, I will be sure to pass along.  

In the meantime, my staff and I are here if you have any questions.  Please do not hesitate to call.

Until next time....Best wishes!! 

Work Study…An Option to Consider!

Dear Parent,

Some students receive the opportunity to partake in "Work Study" as part of their financial aid package. "Work Study" is a program that sets aside on-campus jobs for those students who qualify. It is not for the cost of tuition, rather it is money set aside for the cost of living for students to earn, money they will never need to pay back. 

What can a work study job be?  Well, just about anything. Some can be the mundane like a desk attendant, or re-shelving the library.  Some require knowledge such as a tutor. Then there's some that might be more appealing: intramural sports referee, student newspaper reporter, radio DJ. It all depends on your campus and what they have to offer. 

What you can do is contact your school's financial aid office, which will point you in the right direction for starting a work-study job hunt now.  Keep in mind, too, that some of the best jobs require a bit of extra skill, just like they would in the real world. You wouldn't have someone who's never seen a basketball game working a scoreboard. But since college campuses are so broad in their interests, there's likely to be something for everyone.

One thing to remember though is that work study is a valuable thing. Not everyone gets it, and there are jobs put to the side just for you. They're also a great way to network, even if your job is answering the phones in an academic department.  Use work study to its fullest advantage.

Until next month…Best Wishes! 

Randy Stoltz, President