Great Part-Time Jobs for Students

College students are usually in a constant state of low funding. Between taking out student loans, paying for books and having a social life, it's hard to keep any money in your checking account. If you're thinking about getting a job to get more cash, good for you. It's an excellent decision that can really make life easier on a college student. For one, it can help pay for groceries, school supplies or even goes towards paying down the interest on your student loans. However, before you jump into the workforce, make sure you thoroughly examine your academic schedule to make sure you'll still have plenty of time for your studies. Also, look into the possible opportunities for work-study programs, where your hours at work go towards paying off your tuition debt.

Once you've confirmed that you'll be able to handle both a job and your school responsibilities, it's time to go job hunting. Need help thinking of some ideas? Here are some great part-time jobs that students can try out in order to get that extra cash during the semester.

Intern: While many intern jobs are unpaid, you just might be able to find one that actually pays if you look hard enough. These jobs are ideal for college students since they also have the added bonus of getting valuable, real-world experience that can go on a resume. You might also make some great contacts to help you get a job after graduation.

Library Aide: Every campus has a library, so why not try to work there? It's a quiet, calm place not far from your classes. You'll get first pick at the best books and journals for research papers. Plus, you might be encouraged to study more either right before or right after heading to work since you're already in the best study spot on campus.

Cafeteria: It's not the most glamorous job, but it's a very social one that can be fun at times. Some students are lucky enough to land a job in the cafeteria located in their dorm or one of their main classroom buildings. What could be more convenient? Like working at the library, this is a part-time job that is easy and often offers short hours to accommodate a busy student's schedule.

Administrative Assistant: Colleges have dozens of offices, each accommodating different departments and programs throughout the university. Many students are able to find jobs working in one of these offices to support a department head or professor. This is great for those who excel in organizational tasks like filing, answering phone calls and sending important letters and faxes.

Resident Advisor: After freshman year, most students are offered the opportunity to apply to become a resident advisor, or "RA," for one of the campus dorms. This involves living in the dorms and being a confidante and guide for incoming freshman the following year. This job may have its ups and downs with homesick students or roommate squabbles, but it can also be a lot of fun and a great way to meet new friends.

 

How to Find Housing During College

For many freshmen in college, finding a place to live is easy. If your college provides dormitories for incoming students, this will be your automatic living situation for your first year on campus. Dorm life can be stressful if you have trouble dealing with the cramped spaces and less-than-ideal cafeteria food, but it also affords plenty of great opportunities. Many students make friends with roommates and neighbors, and plenty of dorm activities provide a great way to socialize with other students. It's also convenient since the dorms are right on campus.

After freshman year, however, many students have to find another place to live near campus. Students may be able to live in the dorms again if their school has the space. One way to do this is to apply to be a residential advisor, or RA. These are usually sophomores or juniors who live in the dorms with freshman and advise them on a wide range of matters, whether it's a roommate conflict or academic problem. They are trusted confidantes who are expected to be available most of the time for whenever the students in their dorm need some help. It's considered a part-time job at most universities and comes with decent compensation.

If you are anxious to get out of the dorms, it's time to start looking at nearby residences. If you have a car, you'll have more options when it comes to housing. You can search for affordable apartments or rental units within a 10 or 15-mile radius of campus. Without a car, you'll need to limit your search to places within walking distance or near a bus line. Either way, most schools often have plenty of rental spaces near campus since there is always a high demand for places to live.

Before you start your search, talk with friends to see if anyone would like to share an apartment or house with you. Having roommates can considerably reduce your costs, plus it will provide you with a fun, social space to spend your college years.

Start your search by looking online. Craiglist can often be a great place to find places to live, as can other sites like Rent.com. Larger cities may even have free apartment-finding services, like Apartment Finders or Apartment People. These services provide someone who will take you around to find places that suit your location and price range. Make sure to include all your potential roommates in the search until you find a place that you all like.

If these online options don't work, check with your university to see if they have any off-campus housing services. Many schools will list apartments and houses in their school newspaper, while others have a specific resource set up for students who need to find a place to live after freshman year. You can also talk to upperclassmen about how they found their apartments or to find out if any them are planning to move when the school year ends. No matter how you go about finding a place to live, start your search early. Many students sign a lease for an apartment or house as early as 6 months before they actually move in.

 

Managing Your Student Loan Debt

Nearly every college student takes out student loans during their undergraduate education. With tuition skyrocketing year after year, few have any other option in order to finance their education. Unfortunately, many students are not ready to face the growing debt that has ballooned during their time in school. The average student graduates with about $22,000 in student loan debt. This number doesn't even include the interest, which on unsubsidized and private loans has continued to grow month after month. Furthermore, students end up paying several thousand dollars more than they borrow due to the interest that builds up during their repayment period.

Feeling overwhelmed? Take a step back and relax. Whether you just started college or you're about to graduate, there's plenty of things to do to ensure that you manage your school loan debt properly. For starters, students just starting out in college should be sure to investigate every possible avenue for tuition funding. Sure, it's easy to head to the Sallie Mae website, fill out a form, click send and wait for a check. But you should first look into every possible scholarship, grant or work-study opportunity available to you. These are great sources of free financial aid which you don't have to repay after school. Look online for possible funding opportunities, and check with your school's financial aid department to see what scholarships and grants are available through your school.

If you're well into college, it's not too late. See if you can find any scholarships or grants as well. Also, try to work a part-time job if possible. It shouldn't interfere with your studies, but if you can sacrifice a few hours each week you should be able to pay off your student loan interest for that month. It may seem insignificant now, but if you ignore that growing interest amount, you'll have an extra thousand dollars or so which you'll end up having to pay off later on.

Every student should start exploring their repayment options as soon as they approach graduation. Federal loans offer several options for repayment, including an option to have monthly repayment amounts based on your income. That means that your loan repayment amounts will be capped according to how much money you make. Each time your income increases, the repayment amount will increase as well. This helps to keep repayment amounts manageable for most graduates. If you can pay more, always do so since it shortens the amount of time you will have to make repayments.

If you're having serious trouble making your monthly repayments, forbearance or deferment are two last-resort options. These should only be used for dire circumstances since, in many cases, your interest continues to grow under these terms. Another way to make loan payments manageable is through consolidation. Only private loans can be consolidated, which helps to lock in a low interest rate for your repayment amount. Also, it can offer additional repayment options for graduates who are struggling to make their monthly payments.

 

The Best College Resources Online

Whether you're a few years away from entering college or you're already well into your undergraduate career, it's never too late to learn about the best college resources online. These websites will offer you a wide range of information about college, including how to handle student loans, how to apply to college, which colleges are right for you and where to find financial aid. All of this information is invaluable to future and current college students everywhere. Make sure you check out the sites listed here, each of which are excellent resources for all your college-related questions.

U.S. News and World Report: If you're thinking about applying to college, it's time to do some serious research. You'll want to find out which colleges are the best for your specific needs. Not everyone is looking to go to an Ivy League school, but this website can help you find the best colleges not just nationwide, but also in your state or region. Each school is accompanied by helpful facts and figures, including how many students attend the school, when it was founded and annual tuition rates. It's also a great resource if you know which program you'd like to study. For example, they offer a comprehensive list of the top nursing schools in the nation. Check out this site to learn more about your college options and where to get the best education.

CollegeBoard: This website offers a little bit of everything for the future or current college student. The site offers great info about finding the right school for you, applying to college and how to get student loans. Students can search for schools based on location, cost, majors and more with a special College MatchMaker tool. The site is also affiliated with several standardized tests, including the SAT and AP tests, so students can register for those exams online. Parents can also check out the site for helpful hints about financial aid and college options.

FastWeb: This website is the leading source of scholarship information online. High school and college students should become familiar with this website as soon as possible. Searching the site, students can come across dozens or even hundreds of scholarship opportunities which apply to them based on their location, school, financial need, major or academic and athletic accomplishments. The site also offers plenty of helpful advice for students regarding financial aid, part-time jobs, the military and other means of financing a college education. In short, this is one of the most invaluable resources for college students on the net.

Student Aid on the Web: This is a government website which every college student will have to visit at least once a year. This is where students will access the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which allows students to get unsubsidized and/or subsidized loans from the federal government. Additionally, students can visit this site for information about loan forgiveness, repaying federal loans, and other federal student aid programs. There are also helpful links for information about applying to college, choosing a school and preparing for a college education.

 

The Nursing Shortage: Why Hospitals Need You

Many health care students are unaware of the growing problem with a shortage of nursing staff in U.S. hospitals. Did you know that at least 30 states are currently suffering from a serious shortage of nursing professionals? Hundreds of thousands of nursing positions are currently unfilled in this country alone. By the year 2012, that number may exceed one million. This serious shortage of nurses continues to be a serious problem in health care facilities all over the nation. The great need for nurses is one excellent reason to consider nursing as your future career in health care.

There are a number of reasons that the nursing shortage has occurred and continues to get worse year after year. One of those reasons is the fact that nursing used to be a much more popular career choice than it is today. In fact, 35% fewer women claimed that they would choose nursing as a profession in the 1990s than they did in the 1970s. In just two decades, the workforce was significantly cut in nursing. This also is the reason that there are few young nurses in comparison to the nurses over 40 years of age. In fact, about half of the RN workforce is expected to retire over the next ten years. This comes from a good thing, in the long run - as more professional careers became open to women, these females experienced more choices than they ever had before as far as their professional futures. However, it has had a serious effect on the nursing shortage in the U.S.

There is also a serious shortage when it comes to nursing educators. There are actually thousands of nursing school applicants who are interested in pursuing their bachelor's or master's in the nursing field. Unfortunately, over 30,000 students are turned away each year due to a lack of nursing teachers. For this reason, many experienced nurses are currently being encouraged to go back to school to learn how to become a nursing educator and prepare the next wave of nurses for health care in America.

Why do we need so many more nurses today and in the coming years? The Baby Boom generation is quickly approaching their senior years, meaning that there will be a larger need for health care professionals than ever before. As these individuals age and require more home health care, surgeries and general medical care, nurses will be needed to help cover their health care needs.

How does this apply to you? For starters, you can consider going to nursing school to become a nurse and help contribute to the solution to this nursing shortage. If you're an experienced nurse, you can consider returning to school to become a nursing educator. Alternatively, you can get involved with a professional association or other advocate group which will promote funding to educate more nurses in the United States. Whatever field in health care you pursue, however, will definitely help to alleviate the coming wave of health care needs in our country.

 

The Best Places to Study

Whether you're attending school on campus or online, you'll need to establish a few options for when it's time to study. If you're a full-time student, it's likely that you'll have a quiz or test to study for at least once a week on average. Plus, when midterms and finals come around, you'll be studying just about every chance you get in order to prepare. Start your semester off right by scouting out some of the best places at school, at home or around town where you can get in a good study session.

The following are a few places you can try to get you in the mind set for studying. Remember, if one place doesn't work out for you, that's okay. Keep trying until you find a location that suits your most productive studying style.

The Library

This option is the most obvious study locale for college students. Some students find, however, that a campus library may be distracting. Not only do you run into friends and classmates, but college libraries aren't always as quiet as you might imagine. Try your local library instead to get in some quality study time. Or, if you're lucky, maybe you can find a quiet spot tucked away in your campus library.

The Coffee Shop

While some people long for absolute silence during their study sessions, others need the hum of background noise in order to focus. A coffee shop can be a great place to study if you aren't distracted by people watching or nearby conversations. These shops tend to play mellow, calming music over their speakers for customers to enjoy, or you can always bring an iPod to drown out the noise. Although the background noise and comfy chairs at coffee shops may be a draw for many students, it can't be denied that there's nothing more convenient than having your next caffeine boost just a few steps away.

The Lawn

Many college campuses have a central lawn, green space or "quad." Whatever it's called, it can be a great place to find a sunny or shady spot, spread out a blanket and get some studying done. Some students find that the quiet calm of the outdoors does more for their study habits than being cooped up in a library. Just make sure you have a back-up study spot for when the weather isn't cooperating.

The Kitchen

Studying at home is another option that many students prefer. Although it's tempting to curl up on the couch or lounge on your bed to study, avoid making yourself too cozy when hitting the books at home. Choosing a spot you associate with sleep or relaxing can lead to unsuccessful study sessions. Instead, try sitting at the kitchen or dining room table to get your studying done. You're likely to be much more focused and organized when you have a designated table space for your studying.

Other Helpful Hints

While location is important, don't forget to bring everything you need when studying. Here's a quick checklist for your next study session:

• Textbooks
• Notebooks
• Highlighters
• Pens/Pencils
• Laptop
• Snacks
• Drinks

 

 

College Visits: Required or Optional?

To be honest, college visits are never mandatory. There's always the option to visit the school if you want to. But when you think about it, shouldn't a college visit be required? If you're going to spend four or more years at a university, shouldn't you have first-hand experience of what it's really like there?

Many people disagree, saying that students are perfectly capable of doing the necessary research to find out if a school is right for them without making the visit. Truth be told, it is much easier to get a sense of what a college is like thanks to the Internet. Most schools have extensive websites where students can explore everything about the college. Some even have virtual tours of the campus, including classrooms and dorm rooms. These features make it easier than ever for students to find out about the colleges they like before making a decision about which one to attend.

However, many others recommend that students visit every school they are seriously considering in their college search. These colleges include only the schools the student is applying to and expects a chance of actually being accepted. Counselors, professors and college students often agree that the on-campus experience can't be traded for exploring a school's website. The feeling of being on campus, sitting in on classes and talking to actual students can be some of the most powerful aspects of a student's decision to attend a school. Some even liken the experience to buying a house without ever setting foot inside; you may see plenty of pictures or video of the house online, but it doesn't compare to the feeling of actually being inside the house.

Why not visit a college then? There are several factors which may influence a student's decision about whether to attend a school, and it doesn't necessarily have to do with whether they need that in-person experience to make a choice. For some students, travelling long distances and possibly even staying in hotels to visit several colleges is simply too expensive. They either have to choose one or two colleges to visit or none at all based on their financial situation. Many students are also too busy to make college visits. Unless the college is very close by, it's hard for some students to make time in their schedule between high school classes, homework, study groups, athletic teams, student organizations and time with friends and family. These are all important aspects of a high school student's life which make it difficult to stop everything in order to go on several college visits.

In any case, the decision about whether to visit a school is completely up to the student and their family. Therefore, it's always an optional part of the college application process. However, students who have the opportunity and the means to visit their top schools should do whatever they can to make that trip. The experience they have could end up being the deciding factor in their final college choice.