Getting a College Degree

Distance education usually rises to the occasion above most
of the traditional universities offering this type of
global education.

Distant learning classes are available to many sections of
the world and a wide course is offered for many who strive
for a high quality upper education. Distance education lets
you to prepare for university admissions and also offers
many other degree courses that can assist people in
attaining degrees for upcoming employment.

Climbing the ladder of success from having low quality
careers to the white collared work assignments needs
distance education and this can be quickly done on your own
time, without any deadlines to meet.

The choice is yours and can be fitted within a convenient
education period so that the training is well imbibed and
you gain the most learning for that future career path.
Even you are very busy in making ends meet it will be
preferred to take those few hours off and really follow the
courses to get results that will take you to a much better
job scope and consequent satisfaction.

Enrolling in a distant learning college is the way you can
acquire university degrees by studying for a bachelor,
masters, fellowship or associate degrees and you don't even
need to move from your home Distance education makes all
this very easy for you since one does not have to spend
waste time in going to a school complaining about the
normal day routine required for full time courses. Neither
is it necessary to work for your education or make too many
changes in the usual life pattern. Tutorials are available
online making the entire education process very convenient

The best feature of distance education is the time span
that suits your convenience. One can begin the process
without many complications, form filling or other details
generally required for obtaining admission. The price of
distance education compares favorably with conventional
institutions and additionally one can avail of easy pay as
you study plans. Distance education is the doorway to
success and a bright career where Distance education excels
in providing many courses of interest to the students who
can choose their package and complete the studies in
comfortable and convenient way.

General Information about Distance education:

Distance education, or distance learning, is a field of
education that focuses on the technology, and instructional
systems design that aim to deliver education to students
who are not physically "on site". Rather than attending
courses in person, teachers and students may communicate at
times of their own choosing by exchanging printed or
electronic media, or through technology that allows them to
communicate in real time. Distance education courses that
require a physical on-site presence for any reason
including the taking of examinations is considered to be a
hybrid or blended course or program.

More about the types of Distant Education: Correspondence
conducted through regular mail. Internet conducted either
synchronously or asynchronously.   Telecourse and Broadcast
where content is delivered via radio or television.  CD-ROM
where the student interacts with computer content stored on
a CD-ROM.   PocketPC/Mobile Learning where the student
accesses course content stored on a mobile device or
through a wireless server


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For more information about distant learning programs,
please visit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashworth_University

Pros and Cons of Student Loan Consolidation

Student loan consolidation is something students are
beginning to consider because of the potential benefits
that it can have on a long term basis. Like with most
financial matters, student loan consolidation isn't all
about positives, though. There are quite a few negatives to
consider before pulling the trigger on consolidation. By
considering all of the potential pros and cons, students
and their parents can be sure to make an informed,
responsible decision with their loan.

The pros of student loan consolidation are many. The most
glaringly obvious positive to consolidating your student
loans is the fact that consolidation can lead to reduced
payments and interest rates. For students that have years
of loans under their belt, this can be an important money
saver and a way to jumpstart a financial future. Obviously,
the resulting interest rate must be lower for the
consolidation that in the prior loans.

As with most loan consolidations, there is the positive of
having the loan more organized. Though a loan is something
that college graduates should be able to keep up with, it
never hurts to have only one payment instead of having to
remember to make three or four different payments. With
student loan consolidation, this is made possible. With
only one payment being due, there's also the hope that your
credit rating could be improved over the course of time.

Though the positives of student loan consolidation certain
make it seem like something that all students should look
into, there are also a few potential negatives for students
and their parents to consider. Student loan consolidation
is quite final, meaning that a decision to consolidate your
student loans can not be reversed or changed. Once the
consolidation is agreed upon, the student loans are paid
off in full by the consolidating company and your payment
responsibilities are shifted.

In addition to being final, student loan consolidation can
be quite tricky. In order to gain this consolidation, one
must work hard to find a reputable bank that is willing to
lend the money. In addition to that, there's the problem of
finding an acceptable interest rate as compared to the old
rates. Because student loans can be both private and
government funded, borrowers must weigh the risk of taking
the government backing off of their loans.

Student loan consolidation must be done on two different
fronts, which makes it especially troubling. The
refinancing of federal student loans can be done at a very
low interest rate and coupled with government backing,
makes for a very easy transaction. Private student loans
must be refinanced and consolidated separately, creating
another hassle. Potential borrowers will find it especially
difficult to find suitors in today's market. Lenders have
tightened up their credit requirements, making it difficult
for students to finance such loans with their lack of
credit history.

There are many positives and negatives that come with the
school loan consolidation process. Though it can be a way
to stay organized and lower the payments, student loan
consolidation is a little bit of a risk. Having such a
large, unsecured loan in one place can have an ill impact
on a person's credit and can be quite a responsibility for
young adults.


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Written by Glen. Search Online for Top College Financial
Aid or find out more information on Top US Online Degrees.
Read More at: http://USUniversityreviews.com

Before You Sign for That Student Loan, You'd Better Consider This!

Right now, college-bound students in Florida (where I live)
and across the country are getting bombarded with ads for
student loans from companies such as Monticello and
Astrive:   "$40,000 in Two Days!"  "Better Rates if Your
Parents Co-Sign!"

This coincides, of course, with college acceptances.  Many
parents and students are opening letters telling them
they've been admitted to the college of their choice, only
to have that brief elation met with the harsh reality of
having no clue about how the heck they're going to afford
college.

One such option is applying for financial aid.
Unfortunately, the "rules of the game" behind how to
maximize the money you're eligible for are complicated, to
say the least.  Most families (78-90% , according to some
industry estimates) fill out the FAFSA and other forms
incorrectly.  This results in the student receiving less
aid than he or she would have normally qualified for, or,
sometimes, no aid at all.

All too often, the student turns to alternative means of
college funding:  private student loans.  However, you need
to think twice if you're planning on financing your college
education this way.

Before you sign your life away, take a deep breath and
consider what you might be getting yourself into.

Most parents and college-bound students do not realize that
student borrowers are not-so-distant cousins to
headline-making borrowers with subprime mortgages. Many
experts, present company included, believe that the student
loan market is poised to experience the devastation
currently affecting the subprime mortgage industry.

Granted, I don't know too many folks up at night thinking
about the commonalities shared by college students and
subprime mortgage holders. I am and, let me tell you, the
similarities are alarming.

For starters, student borrowers and subprime mortgage
holders are ill-advised on financial matters (present
company excluded, of course) - specifically, the
consequences of their borrowing decisions.

It is not exactly news that that adjustable-rate mortgages
(ARMs) resetting to high interest rates are the main
culprit behind late payments, defaults, foreclosures and
ruined credit.

Here's how it works - mortgage companies offer low teaser
rates to get homeowners in the door, but frequently, the
initial required payments are not even enough to pay the
interest on the loans. It gets worse.

Next, when the ARM adjusts upward, homeowners are forced to
refinance to try and make their monthly payments. This
worked for years, because it was relatively easy to qualify
for new mortgages, but this rosy scenario screeched to a
halt simultaneously with the collapse of the secondary
mortgage market, slumping real estate values and a slowing
economy.

The result: subprime borrowers were denied credit, were
forced to stay in their unpayable loans and pushed into
default or, unfortunately, foreclosure. Right here in
Florida and across the country, college graduates burdened
by student loans face similar problems. Just like the
mortgage companies, student lenders offer a low teaser rate
which adjusts upward (it's almost always up, not down,
unfortunately!) after the introductory period.

Next comes the inevitable late payments, non-payments,
defaults and ensuing credit problems.  It's a slippery
slope! The result - payments get jacked up a few years
after the loan originated. And the new spiked payment
almost always catches the borrower by surprise.  Just like
their subprime borrower counterparts, student loan holders
are unable to make payments once the loan adjusts upward.

In most cases borrowers of both student loans and subprime
mortgages claim that they were misled about the terms of
their loans.  They cry that the lenders withheld vital
information, or glossed over important information.

To their credit, and in response to these claims, lawmakers
are starting to call for increased disclosures and
information from the student lending industry.

Don't hold your breath, however.  This could take years.
Your best bet to protect yourself is using your own brain -
asking the right questions, listening to the answers.
"What is the interest rate?"  "When can the loan adjust, if
at all?"  "What happens if I can't make a payment?"

To be fair, many student lenders offer this information
voluntarily, which helps borrowers make better choices. But
this is the exception, not the rule.

Another favorable trend is that many colleges and
universities have become more proactive and supportive in
educating students about all the details surrounding
student loans. Many schools have made available a
"borrowing consultation" offered by their financial aid
advisor.  And in some instances, particularly among the
elite higher education institutions, the financial aid
packages feature little or even no loans, opting instead
for "free" money awards - scholarships and grants.  Harvard
is one such institution leading the way.

It's clear that there is no easy solution for this problem.
However, it's imperative to be mindful of the example set
by the subprime mortgage meltdown, and avoid the
consequences that accompany irresponsible and borrowing and
lending.

College Pete and I are extremely debt-adverse and strongly
urge you to do anything possible to minimize, or flat-out
eliminate, borrowing for college. Think twice before you
sign for that loan!


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Andrew Lockwood, J.D. and Peter "College Pete" Ratzan,
M.B.A. own and operate College Planning Specialists of
Florida.  For a schedule of their free workshops, or other
information about "How to Pay for College Without  Going
Broke" visit their website,
http://www.CollegePlanningAdvice.com or call directly,
954.659.1234.