Local Educator

So you’re ready to earn that degree now, right? Even if it’s an online degree, you’re still going to be living the life of a student and trying to keep costs manageable. Whether you’re attending an on-site school, or an online college, you’re still going to have to live somewhere and it is possible to save money without having to live in a dive. Enter the college roommate. Splitting your accommodation costs in half can mean the difference between being able to successfully finish your degree or living off of instant noodles in misery.

There is an endless stream of roommate resources available online and some are of course better than others. A few of the more popular sites are;
RoommateNation.com
Roommates.com
Roommate Express
Roommate Locator

Just because you have the resources you need, don’t think your work is done. You are looking to potentially share your personal space with a stranger so you’ll need to do a little homework to choose which site is going to work best for you. Try them out; see what questions they ask in order to make up your profile. Does it give you sufficient room to clearly state what you are looking for? The more information that they require to complete your profile means that you are far more likely to find a compatible roommate while you are getting your degree. The main things to keep in mind when looking for a roommate are;

-Use common sense when meeting anyone in person and if possible, speak to other clients from the site to see what their experience was like.

-Make sure that your new roommate’s lifestyle is compatible to yours.

-Whether you’re looking to fill a vacancy in your place or looking for a room elsewhere, be sure that you are very clear about your expectations. Shared chores, bills or household responsibilities need to be clearly laid out and mutually agreed upon.

A roommate can be a great experience if you put some effort into finding the right one for you.

Let’s face the facts, college isn’t cheap. Granted, attending an online school or online college can take some of the bite out of the cost, but even an online degree can set you back more than a few of the old green bucks. No fear though future professionals, your dorm room can still look swanky, even on a student budget. Less money just means that you need to be more creative. Don’t panic if you’re not a crafty sort of person because here are a couple of room changing ideas using nothing more than bed sheets and pillow cases. No sewing skill required!

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The quickest way to brighten, freshen, or change a room is color. Painting the walls a fun shade seems obvious but if you’re living in a dorm, chances are that painting walls is off limits. There are other ways to infuse color into your room though, and all relatively cheap and easy. Instead of spending fifty or more dollars on a brightly printed duvet cover, check out the store’s selection of sheets. Most often you can buy flat sheets by themselves rather than as part of a set and if you get it one size larger than you need you have just created an inexpensive bedspread. Sheets also tend to come in a wider selection of patterns, colors, and styles than actual duvet covers, and at a fraction of the cost. Add a couple of bright pillow cases and you’ve already given your room a whole new vibe.

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Pillow cases can also be used to create bright cushions for your couch or chairs. Just fold the excess material inside, and as they are also most often sold as separates, you can mix and match the colors and patterns. Bed sheets can also make excellent window coverings without that tacky “towel pinned to the wall” look. If your window doesn’t have a curtain rod, you will need to buy and install one. They are very inexpensive, easy to install and can be picked up at any hardware or department store. Bed sheets of course only come in predetermined sizes whereas windows do not. Take the wide hem (the one that would be at the head of the bed) and cut just enough of the stitches along the side of the hemmed part to fit the curtain rod through. If they are too long for the window, simply let them drop as it will give your windows the appearance of being larger than they are. Getting two smaller sheets to cover a window is a far better idea than a single large one as you will have a part in the middle like regular drapes that you can open or pin back. They will have the neatly hemmed and finished look of drapes but again, at only a couple of bucks each!

Color is an excellent way to jazz up a plain room, and at only the cost of a couple of bed sheets, why wouldn’t you?

Once you’ve finally earned that online degree, what do you do with all of your textbooks? Think about it, if your degree took a couple of years, that’s going to equate to an awful lot of books, and a stroll around any book store will quickly tell you that they are anything but cheap. The important thing to remember is that your textbooks become outdated relatively quickly therefore if you’ve made the decision to sell them sooner is better than later. If you’ve got textbooks sitting around from 5 years ago, you’re going to be out of luck however, if you just finished your degree at an on-site or online college then chances are there is a market for your books. If you’ve managed to keep them in good shape, used paper rather than scribbling in the margins, all the pages are intact, etc, reselling your used textbooks can net you a decent amount of money.

There are several routes available, all with their own pros & cons, and checking out your local used bookstore is an excellent place to start. Campus bookstores or free local classified like kijiji or Craigslist are also a good bet. Though they may not have quite as large a volume of traffic as some of the larger book selling sites, you will be saving the re-sellers cut of the profit. The big site’s of course offer sheer volume which will increase your chances of a quick sale and may be worth getting a slightly lower price after their cut. Some of the big sites include;

Barnes & Noble
Amazon
SellMyTextbooks.org
BooksIntoCash.com
Campus Book Swap

These sites let you input your text ISBN number and you know almost immediately whether or not they are interested in that text and how much they will pay you for it. Most sites will then forward a shipping label to you and you receive the cash once they have received the textbook(s). An alternate to selling your book, particularly if you have more schooling ahead of you, is trading. Sites like Bookswap.com let you off load the textbooks that you no longer need, while picking out a few that you do. The market for used textbooks for on-site or online degree programs is huge and definitely something worth checking out. Unless of course you intend to just make a coffee table out of them.

If you’re thinking about heading off to college or university, or even thinking of getting an online degree at one of the many online schools available, you absolutely have to check out FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) . If you aren’t utilizing this important resource then you may be missing out on some really great funding options. Applying for and receiving government funding can often seem like more trouble than it’s worth as the sites and processes are often confusing and buried under miles of red tape. FAFSA is a different kind of site. It’s easily navigated, which as some of you know, is not usually the norm when dealing with government websites.

Besides containing the actual application for federal aid, the site is packed with useful information for students, including a FAQ section which is always an excellent place to start. FAFSA provides future students with multiple funding options and have also included links to other sources of government funding which is incredibly helpful if you’re just starting the process and are not yet aware of all of the options available to you. There is also some great information on scholarships; where to look for them, who offers them and why and how to apply for them. They also offer tips and tricks to make sure that you are applying for valid funding. For instance, did you know that it should be free to apply for a scholarship? If you are being asked to pay an application fee, it may be a less then reputable offer. Tips like that are invaluable for the student that is attempting to navigate the funding process for the very first time.

It’s a difficult journey at the best of times and between class schedules, credits, books, and first day jitters, the last thing you need is to get tripped up when looking for a way to pay your tuition or to buy that new computer you’ll need for your online college classes. FAFSA is an excellent student resource that should not be overlooked.

If you enjoyed our post, 10 Questions for your college recruiter, then I think you will also benefit from this post. Or maybe you just like lists. Either way, read on.

A really terrific recommendation letter is one of those things that people rarely think a lot about. Until you need one, that is. Every employer, every university- including online schools or colleges- will require one. You may be under the impression that these letters are just a formality and are, at best, just skimmed. Let me tell you here and now that you would be wrong.

A recommendation letter tells the enrollment personal several things about you, including whether or not you care enough to make sure your recommendation is the best that it can be. Now granted, you’re not writing it yourself, but there is certainly nothing wrong with insisting that it’s well written and to the point.

The first step to achieving this is picking the best person to write your recommendation. Choosing an individual with a professional job is your best bet as it will give it the immediate impression of importance. Do you have a good relationship with your doctor or your guidance counselor at school? Is there a friend of the family that is a lawyer or other such position of authority that you could ask? Essentially you are looking for someone that knows you in either a personal or professional manner, and that can also include former employers.

Your second step is to give whoever you chose a clear direction in which you would like your recommendation to go based on their knowledge of you. Keep in mind that your on-site or online college will be looking for information that shows how you will be an asset to their facility. Have you done a lot of volunteer work? What clubs or committees are you involved with? Do you work well with a team and strive to complete tasks that are given to you? Ideally, your recommendation letter should sell you. It should highlight your positive qualities and what you have to offer.

Your final step in ensuring that your recommendation letters stand out above all others is to read it! I know that sounds silly but all too often students forget this step. What if the writer inadvertently made a spelling error? What if you are later asked about information or clarification from that letter? You need to read it carefully as this letter is representing you. Make sure that it does so in a way that you are comfortable with.

There are many important questions you should be asking any college recruiter when deciding on your future. Education certainly doesn’t come cheap these days so you really need to do your homework to make sure that you’re going to get what you pay for. If you are physically attending a college or university, it’s a little easier to gauge whether or not that school will be a good fit for you because you are on-site. However, should you decide that you will be going with an online college there are several vital questions that you need to ask before making your final decision. Attaining an online degree does require some addition investigating as you will not have the same type of physical contact with peers and instructors that you would at an on-site facility.

1- If a computer is required is yours adequate?

2- Is the time allowed per section or per assignment clearly laid out? Does it seem reasonable?

3- If you require additional time to complete an assignment is there a penalty? If so, what is it?

4- What type of access do you have to instructors?

5- How quickly can you expect a response?

6- How regularly are students evaluated on their progress?

7- If an evaluation shows the student having difficulty is additional support available?

8- How many people successfully complete the program per year?

9- Do employers recognize this training?

10- Is it possible to speak with past graduates? Were they happy with the program?

These are, of course, just the basics. When you are committing your time and money to a degree, it is extremely important that you know where your money is going and whether you are confident that you will be able to turn that training into the career you desire.

An efficient and well trained accountant has always been a required component to any business or individual that has a mind to maintain a healthy financial life. Acquiring an online degree in accounting or finance is also one of the easiest ways to ensure your financial security.

As long as there is money on this planet, accountants will remain essential in providing the data required to assess present and future economic activities. Practical application and critical thinking will allow you to excel in this faced paced and challenging industry in which you will analyze and understand complex financial information. Whichever accounting degree you decide on from certification, a bachelor degree, or Masters to a PhD in accounting, the training for your online degree will provide you with the skills and the tools that you need to succeed in today’s market.

There are several avenues for future accountants to choose from with unlimited job options. If you are under the impression that accountants sit in small offices and crunch endless streams of numbers all day, then you are sadly mistaken because accounting specialties are extremely diverse. Forensic Accountants that investigate white collar crimes such as securities fraud and embezzlement, Management Accountants, Budget Analysis, Trust Accounting, Tax specialty, Audit Accountants and of course, Financial Accountants. Besides public accounting firms, there is a huge need for exceptional people in government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, professional organizations, and independent firms.

With the economic troubles of the last few years, more and more businesses and private citizens are taking proactive steps to ensure their financial safety and those steps almost always include retaining a professionally educated accountant. Your online accounting degree will ensure that you are not left behind in this hiring wave of the financial future. Your financial future.

Switch on your TV and on any given day and you will find a sea of interior design based programs. In fact, there are entire stations dedicated to similarly themed shows. Whether staging, full remodeling or just revamping an outdated room or two, interest in interior design is at an all time high, as is the need for well trained professionals in the field. This trend presents you- the future student- with the unique opportunity to get into this creative and dynamic industry while the public interest in interior design is skyrocketing.

The fundamentals of design and their subsequent specialties also lend themselves well to online degrees which open the field of opportunity to many more prospective students that were perhaps not in the position to attend full time university classes in the past. An online degree offers you the same high level education as a classroom, but with the flexibility to learn at a pace that suits you and your lifestyle. There are many different levels of certification available when pursuing your interior design degree online and include, but are not limited to, associate degree, Bachelor of Science in Interior Design, Residential Planning Diploma or Professional Interior Decorating Diploma. Online degrees are becoming more common place in today’s hectic world and are happily recognized by employers as well earned education.

Interior design is a multi-faceted career choice with unlimited options for creative individuals and those wishing to find their own specialty niche. It’s a diverse career that is more about functionality and cohesiveness than just “picking out pretty throw pillows” as some people may assume. Specialties include computer planning and design, blueprints, home staging, construction aspects, residential design, commercial design, set design including film, TV and theater, and transportation design (ie; yachts & cruise ships, train, bus or vehicle interiors, etc.) It is a career that can lead you down several different paths, dependant on what your passions are.

Get the training. Get the career.

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Law firms across the country have been dropping the habit of being overburdened with too many high paid lawyers and are moving towards employing far more paralegals. It is much more cost effective for the firms and simply allows paralegals more responsibility and of course opens up many a vast number of job opportunities. This is great news if you are thinking of getting your paralegal associate degree or one of the many other options in this ever expanding field. The work is both challenging and rewarding and an online degree can get you into the work force with a well paid career at your own pace, and from the comfort of your own home.

Besides the financial rewards, paralegals have almost unlimited options with their job choices. Though almost 70% of paralegals work in law firms, you can also chose to specialize in areas such as banking, estate planning and probate, insurance companies, title companies, government agencies, engineering firms, accounting firms, and more.

You also have the ability to determine what level of degree you wish to attain including a paralegal associate degree, paralegal certificate, advanced paralegal degree or professional paralegal. Your level of pay will increase with your level of certification and your level of certification is limited only by your desire to achieve. Receiving an online paralegal degree is the perfect option for those unable to attend full time classes, or those that have commitments in the home because it offers flexibility that is not possible while attending a regular university program. Students graduate with a recognized education and the ability to step into a career rather than just another job.

With the instability of today’s job market, a top notch education is more important than ever and online schools make that a feasible option for those who may have felt that no option previously existed for them.

*This is fourth in a series of posts regarding interview preparation and job seeking tips for recent graduate. Be sure to check out our first post, Dressing and Preparing for an Interview, our second post, Best Sites to Locate Jobs, and our third post, Make your Resume Count.

If you received an online degree it is very easy to forget how much a first impression matters. Just because you were able to do your assignments in the comfort of your own home doesn’t change the fact that your first day at a new job is whole other story. The dreaded first impression. How do you make it a good one? How do you rise above all of the other business length skirts and power suits in a building full of strangers?

Making a Positive Impression

Easy. It really is.

First- Be on time! If you’re late on your very first day, you may as well not bother showing up. It tells your employer that you just couldn’t be bothered and is usually a deal breaker no matter how great your resume is.

Secondly- Look the part. Remember when you went for the interview? How was everyone else dressed? Is this a formal office or a casual one? Close toed shoes, open toed shoes? Tie or no tie? You need to look professional. Yes, you might even need to pull out the iron and the board. Ladies, it doesn’t matter how nice you may think they are, keep the cleavage in check!

Thirdly- Smile. I know it sounds obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people forget this. These people- your new co workers- don’t know you so be friendly. They don’t need to know your whole life story, they just need to see you as approachable and open.

Lastly- Be confident but don’t try and dominate every conversation. Some new staff may see you as a threat so the last thing you need to help you fit in is to waltz in as though you know everything all of the time. There is a huge difference between confidence and arrogance.

Online schools may have prepared you to know your new job, but common sense will be what carries you through your first day. Calm yourself down, take a deep breath, and face that first impression knowing that you have what it takes to make it a good one.