Student Aid Center

Finding The Value In Giving Back

Volunteering can be a very rewarding experience that will leave you feeling like a better person. But the warm fuzzies are not the only reason to volunteer. Helping out a good cause can also boost your resume, get you school credit, and could even lead to a job. It helps the community too.

Whatever cause you feel strongly about, there is a way to help. For most college students, time is their way of donating because their wallets are often light. You can find out about different organizations through your school; many have student outreach programs and can set you up with a contact person for many organizations. You can also try searching online to find out how to help your cause.

Take cancer, for example. Many people’s lives have sadly been touched by cancer. But there are a lot of organizations that work to bring awareness about the disease, raise money for research or patient services, and provide programs to improve the quality of life for patients. There are even various organizations for different types of cancer; and you can choose which part of the cancer cause is most important to volunteer your time to help.

There is a way to help with every cause and with any level of time or money. Once you volunteer with a cause, you can talk to the staff about possibly interning in a department that you are interested in and build valuable experience while supporting something you believe in.

After you have helped out mankind by volunteering, help yourself with your student loans by calling the Student Aid Center. The Student Aid Center prepares documents required by the Department of Education.

Budgeting 101

So many adults will tell you to start a budget when you start paying your own bills and will talk up how imperative they are. But no one ever really tells you how to do it. Sitting down to actually write everything out can seem daunting but it will only take you about thirty minutes to an hour and can be eye-opening to how much money you may be wasting, without realizing it.

1. Gather all financial information you can. Your bank statement, credit card bill, student loan overview, utility bills, pay stubs; anything that makes money come in or out of your pocket. Make sure you factor in everything.
2. Create a list of monthly expenses. Rent, utilities, student loans, groceries/eating out, gas, etc. Make sure to include all your monthly bills, like theme park pass payments and magazine subscriptions. The little amounts can be easily missed, but are important to include.
3. Break expenses into two categories: fixed and variable. Fixed expenses are things that won’t change much month to month, like rent, and are essential to live. Variable expenses are still important but change month to month, like groceries or gas. Look at an average of your variable expenses and budget it for the higher amount so you will always have enough.
4. Total everything up and make adjustments. Once you have everything on paper and can see where your money is really going, you may have to (or want to) adjust how you spend your variable expenses. You may find going out to eat three nights a week doesn’t leave enough to start saving for a new car or house like you want.

Budgeting is extremely important to keep yourself from incurring more debt after college. To get student loan help, call the Student Aid Center. They have over 300 employees to help provide assistance with the preparation of documents required by the Department of Education.

Student Discounts CanSave You Big Bucks

One of the benefits of being a college student is the great discounts. Many local and national businesses offer discounts to students. Grocery stores, bars, drugstores, even banks will give you a discount just for showing your student ID. Take advantage of these programs and see how much you can save!

Restaurants offering many different types of food offer discounts to students, especially if they are found near campus. “Taco Tuesdays” is just one example of restaurant promotions and discounts that students can take advantage of.

Drugstores offering basics like laundry detergent, shampoo and chips may also offer a student discount. Showing your student id on certain days can get you discounts up to 20% off your total purchase.

Local boutiques and specialty shops are a way to get cool clothes or even team gear from your school for cheaper. Many offer discounts during the school year to stock up on school colored clothes and accessories for the big game.

Public transit is another way to save using your student id. Many bus systems give free or reduced rates to students. This will not only help you save money on gas or purchasing a vehicle but also helps the environment.

Most schools offer a directory of nearby businesses that will give discounts to students. Check with your Student Life Office or Booster Club to get a list. Another great business that can help save you money is the Student Aid Center. They provide assistance with the preparation of documents required by the Department of Education.

Get More Value From Your Education

Choosing to go to college is a big decision that has lots of benefits. It can also be overwhelming when the structure that most students are accustomed to disappears for the freedom that college offers.  Make the transition easier and get the most out of your education.

Take advantage of tutoring. Many universities offer quality and free tutoring programs and services. This can make the difference between a C and an A on your midterm. They will help you study, review your papers, and go over those challenging math concepts to get you a great grade.

Attend extracurricular seminars and lectures. Attending these events may not only get you extra credit in some classes, but they are often really interesting and feature impressive speakers. Universities will sometimes host speakers who are famous in their field. This provides the opportunity to hear these professionals speak live, ask questions, and maybe even meet them. This can inspire you and possibly even help you choose a career path if you have an   Undecided major.

Save your course materials. Keeping your old lecture notes, exams, and papers can make a great reference point during your upper level courses. Having that great chart your professor grew in Introduction to Chemistry may come in handy when you are studying for your Organic Chemistry midterm and can’t remember all the details.

Making the most of the classroom education you earn in college can make your degree worth even more because you will walk away from graduation with a brain full of knowledge. If high student loan debt is getting you down, call one of the 300 employees at the Student Aid Center for help. The Student Aid Center provides assistance with the preparation of documents required by the Department of Education.