Good Morning Everyone.  Today we are discussing (maybe) the most important part of being a college student…our grades.  We go to college to get a good job, but being a recent college graduate can also give us other perks.  Recent college graduates get discounts on several different services such as car insurance.  As recent college graduates have to ask ourselves are our grades as important as our degree?

Let My Grades Pay for My College Degree

During our four years of college we may have studied into all hours of the night, we may have tried hard to manage our work schedule with our school schedule, and we may have lost many hours of sleep trying to be the perfect student.  For some of us graduating from college and earning our college degree may be enough of an academic achievement, and having good grades on top of graduation would just be an added bonus.  I know that my grades definitely suffered due to the fact that I had to work during my college career.   But, since I started working in my domain while I was still in college my potential employer didn’t ask to see my college transcript during the interview process.

We strive to have good grades during college in hopes of finding a good job after graduation.  We need a good job after graduation to help repay our student loans.  But how can we get a good job after graduation without having good grades?  Finding a job in our domain while we are still in college is a good idea, and employers may not ask to see our grades since we have not yet graduated.  Working in our domain during college is also a good idea because it gives us work experience.

The Importance of our College Academic Results

Since I didn’t live through the experience of having to provide my grades to my employer, I can’t speak from the personal experience of getting hired based upon my grades. However, I can tell you that having good grades during our undergraduate degree is very important if we want to further pursue our education with a graduate degree. Investing the time and effort into getting good grades during college is investing time in yourself.  Professors also check our grades if we apply to become a Teacher’s Assistant.

As the job market gets tougher and tougher for recent graduates so does the competition for the scarce jobs that are available.  Recent graduates are not only competing amongst each other, they are also competing with experienced workers who are re-entering the workforce and seasoned candidates who are currently unemployed. More and more employers are comparing a variety of criteria for potential candidates such as work experience, volunteer experience, personal connections, references, and good grades.

In my bank branch we recently hired two new employees and they were both recent graduates.  One of the candidates was a referral from another employee, and the second candidate applied through our website.  I know that our branch manager asked both of them about their college experience including their ability to multi task, which types of classes they took, and their final GPA upon graduation.  That’s right, which types of classes they took.  If you are like me you took a few “easy” classes to help boost your GPA; however it turns out that “easy” courses, online courses, and courses not directly related to our degree can do more harm than good to our college career.

Here are the previous posts in our Going Back to College Savings series:

My College To Do List

My College Check List

Can You Afford To Go To College

The Opportunity Cost of a College Education

Find Free Money For College

College Students Saving Money

Make Smart Money Moves

Good Morning Green Panda Friends!  I hope you all had a nice weekend.  I hope that Hurricane Irene wasn’t too harsh on our East Coast friends and your families.  If you have been affected by Hurricane Irene my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.  It’s time for the next post in our Going Back to College Savings series; today we are discussing how to make smart money moves in college.  Keep reading for tips on how to make money in college as well as the consequences of working in college.

Should You Work in College?

As you may remember from previous posts in our Going Back to College Savings series I worked both part time and full time in college.  It was definitely exhausting and my grades definitely suffered, but if I wanted to attend college in a city away from my hometown I had to work.  I cannot tell you if you should work in college because that really depends on your personal situation and your financial needs.  However, I can tell you about my own personal experience because I worked during all four years of my college career.

I made good friends while working in college, some of whom I am still friends with today.  I enjoyed the social aspect of working during college, and I enjoyed the flexibility in my schedule.  However, working during college means long days and sometimes sleepless nights.  Juggling a school schedule and a work schedule also means very limited time for friends and social activities.  This is why my coworkers became my friends.

Group projects were always the most difficult activity for me in college.  It is already hard enough trying to coordinate the schedules of five different group members; and when you throw limited availabilities and a work schedule into the mix, organizing group projects becomes almost impossible.

I have to admit that I was always a little bit jealous of other students in my group projects who did not have to work during college.  They always seemed to be well rested and they were always available.  However, working during college was a personal choice that I made.

How to Make Money in College!

If you decide to work during college, or if your financial situation requires you to work during college, there are several ways for students to make money in college. Of course there is the obvious way to make money in college which is to get a part time job.  Working part time at a restaurant, a cafe, or a retail store offers flexibility and a possible additional income in the form of tips.  I worked briefly at a cafe during college, and I really enjoyed the employee perk of being able to eat for free; that was a big budget saver.

A recent trend for college students is to Start their own Business.  Being Self Employed definitely also has its benefits.  Students who start their own business in college enjoy flexibility in their schedules, as well as the benefit of being their own boss.  However, starting a business can be very time consuming, and it may not always guarantee a steady income flow. Common Student Businesses include tutoring, writing resumes, blogging, and being virtual assistants.

Here are the previous posts in our Going Back to College Savings series:

My College To Do List

My College Check List

Can You Afford To Go To College

The Opportunity Cost of a College Education

Find Free Money For College

College Students Saving Money

Photo by ComputerJamey

I wanted to interrupt my series today for a time sensitive piece on going back to college. One thing that has been on my mind lately due to a few conversations is the idea of going back to college. I was speaking with a friend that’s considering going back to school. In the conversation was another person that’s definitely going back to school and one person that went back in his late 20s. It was an interesting little discussion. I picked up some cool pointers for an article.

Are you going back to college this semester? I wanted to share some tips so that you assimilate back into the college environment successfully.

(Note: I’m going to assume that you’re a bit more mature and older person that’s looking to get back into college for the sake of this article.)

Consider taking night classes.

You’ll find a more mature crowd in college courses during the evening time sessions. You want to avoid the awkwardness and the jam-packed classes during the day time. It’s a more mature and intimate setting in the evening time. There are less students and the professors spend more time on solving problems with the students, instead of just lecturing for three hours straight.

Schedule in one hour study sessions.

If you’re going back to college and keeping your current full-time job, you’re going to have to manage your schedule so that you don’t fall behind with your studies. I personally went through this process myself so I can relate with practical tips.

My best tip is to hit the library with a watch (or iPad or whatever you use). I set the timer for one hour and work on all major school work that needs to be done. The amazing part is that this hour usually flies by and you’re eager to continue working. I’m a huge proponent of the hour study blocks. Give it a try.

Avoid the noise.

There’s going to be many distractions. As a more mature person you’re going to have to ignore all the plans to get wasted after class or the rumors about who’s doing who around campus. You have to remember to ignore this noise. You already had your fun in your early 20s and now you’re here to get an education so that you can increase your income.

When in doubt you should always think of the bigger picture. In this case the long term view is that you want to graduate with the best grades possible so that you can boost your career earnings. Is it worth following the college gossip and risking this rare opportunity?

Do one thing at a time.

I learned that the human mind can only process so many different thoughts at once. Multi-tasking often over-glorified. Is it worth trying to floss your teeth while driving and reading the last chapter? Nope. This will lead to stress. This stress will ultimately lead to burnout. Burnout will kill your motivation and defeat the whole purpose of going back to college this fall.

This is why I often stress the importance of doing one thing at a time. You’re much better off focusing your energy on completing important task with your utmost focus. I find it most effective to get your most important work done first thing in the morning. I also believe in the idea of completing “2 minute tasks” as they come in, instead of creating a colossal to-do list. You’ll be surprised by your results when you start doing one thing at time. Go ahead an  give it a try.

At the end of the day I want to give you major props for making the decision to go back to college this fall. This is a big step. I hope that it’s a fulfilling journey that leads to a boost in income or a career switch that you really need.

Are you going back to college? Do you have any experience with going back to school as a mature adult? Please share your experiences with us.

(photo credit: scoop_photo)

Good Morning Green Panda Readers.  The weather has made it official; fall is on its way.  With the rain, the drop in temperature, and the brisk winds it is safe to say that fall is upon us.  Soon the leaves will change colours and college students all across this great country will be carrying their books to class and drinking pots of coffee to stay awake during exams.

Personal Finance for Students

Saving Money in College can be very difficult because many people can barely Earn Enough Money to pay rent and afford to eat three healthy meals a day.  Between the cost of tuition, books, and supplies I had to live on a very fixed budget in order to afford living on my own during college.  I definitely made my share of financial mistakes (like paying for cable and not packing my lunch) during college, but I lived to tell about them… so it’s all good. College is a great time for personal growth and personal experiences, but it is not a great time for our personal finances.

I believe that the reason college students are always so broke is because colleges (and high schools) don’t offer a course in personal finance for students.  If we learned about living costs and saving money at a younger age we wouldn’t be forced to learn from our mistakes in college.  Just as all first year business students are required to take an introduction to Micro Economics course, all first year university students should be forced to take a course in Personal Finance for Students.

Personal Finance for Students should include projected costs of our tuition and books, as well as the cost of living in our city.  It would have been very helpful for me during my first couple years of college if I knew ahead of time how much I needed to spend each month on housing, groceries, and public transportation.  It would have also been very helpful if I was taught how to save money and appreciate the value of a dollar before starting to live life on my own in college.

Saving Money in College

Depending on your Program of Study you may have several extra expenses on top of your normal tuition and book costs.  I had two classes in my first year of college that required me to buy drawing tools and various supplies.  Of course I had not planned for these additional expenses (it was over $100); therefore I had to make cuts in my spending in order to be able to afford my school supplies.

The easiest way for students to save money in college is to make cuts to our spending.  Many college students don’t make a lot of money while in college; therefore we cannot save money in college because we don’t have any disposable income.

If we make cuts in our living expenses, and our going out expenses, we can actually save money each month.  Think about the last time you bought food, what did you buy and how much did it cost? Before you spend $1.50 on a bagel at the campus cafe, remember that you can buy 6 bagels for $3.29 at the grocery store. Think about the last time you went out on a Saturday night, where did you go and how much money did you spend? Before you say yes to go clubbing with your friends next weekend, think about how many other things you can do with $60 other than drink alcohol all night and wake up with a hangover in the morning.

Here are the previous posts in our Going Back to College Savings series:

- My College To Do List

- My College Check List

- Can You Afford To Go To College

- The Opportunity Cost of a College Education

- Find Free Money For College

Photo by Pattybot

Good Morning Green Panda Readers.  The 2011 Fall College Semester is about to start and some students may need help paying for college.  Green Panda is here to help you pay for college and find grants for college students.  I personally feel that a college education should be more affordable to the masses.  More people would be able to find better jobs if they had a higher education.

How to Pay for College

In an ideal world students would be able to get a College Education Without Debt.  But unfortunately his is not a reality.  If you are wondering how to pay for college or if you need help paying for college we are going to help you find free money and grants for college students.

Most college students apply for a student line of credit or a student loan to help pay for college.  Debt is a common way for students to pay their way through college.  Many financial institutions offer different types of Credit for College Students.  Credit has to be paid back after graduation; if we don’t have the income to make the minimum monthly payments on our student loans our credit history can really be negatively affected.  Bursaries, Grants, and Scholarships are free money that is available for college students.

Grants for College Students

An alternative to applying for a student loan or line of credit is to apply for Bursaries, Grants, and Scholarships to help students pay for college.  Bursaries can be awarded to students by Governments, Private Corporations, or their College.  Student Bursaries can be awarded for athletic or academic achievements.  Bursaries can also be awarded for financial needs.  To find Bursaries for College Students check on your College website or Google Bursaries for College Students in your State or City.

A Grant is an amount of money that is offered by Governments to Students, and it is money that does not need to be paid back.  Students must apply for Grants with their Federal or Local Government. Some Colleges and Corporations may also offer Grants for College Students.   Grants can be available to college students for a variety of reasons including having dependants, being a student with a disability, or if you are a student with a low income.  Government Grants are available for both Part Time and Full Time Students.  It is advised to check with your Student Aid Office or your Student Services Office to find Grants that are available for College Students.

Scholarships are offered based on merit and academic achievements. Scholarships are available for Undergrad as well as Graduate College Students.  Student Scholarships may also be offered for Students who wish to Study Abroad.  Students usually have to apply for Scholarships; the selection process can include conducting interviews as well as writing an essay.  There is also a deadline for Scholarship applications.

Here are the previous posts in our Going Back to College Savings series:

- My College To Do List

- My College Check List

- Can You Afford To Go To College

- The Opportunity Cost of a College Education

Photo by SMB College