College is expensive! Sometimes you have to hustle to make ends meet. These 10 tips will help you stay afloat until payday.

1. Save up before you spend your money on new stuff. Avoid using credit cards.
2. Join a credit union or find a bank that offers free student checking accounts.
3. Prepare your FAFSA and apply for financial aid with your school
4. Apply for scholarships.
5. Don’t buy textbooks unless absolutely necessary, and if you do, be smart about it.
6. Learn how to eat on a college student’s budget.
7. Make a budget and track your spending with a service like Mint.
8. Don’t get a credit card unless you can use it responsibly.
9. Cut the cable cord and sign up for Netflix, or Hulu. If you already take advantage of Amazon Prime’s student discount, you may be able to access their library of free TV and movies. If you’re really on a budget, you can use sites like Popcorn Flix, Crackle, Tubi TV, and Snag Films.
10. Use your school’s gym, computer lab, health clinic and other resources that your tuition pays for.

The internet, which used to bring a sense of anonymity, is now the easiest way to find out everything about you. We learned in March 2018 that Facebook has given away the private data of over 50 million users. Now that your information is out there and freely accessible to practically anyone, it may seem like there’s nothing you can do to protect yourself.

Fortunately, there are a still a few ways to improve your online privacy and keep your private data private.

Dos and Don’ts for Online Privacy

• Don’t post personal information (phone number, address, school, job, etc.) on anything public
• Don’t post pictures, bulletins, notes, etc. that show you doing something that is illegal or would otherwise get you kicked out of school/fraternity/clubs
• Don’t become “friends” with someone you don’t know
• Don’t post anything threatening someone. Besides being terrible, it can be used against you by future employers and the police
• Don’t post inappropriate comments on public websites
• Don’t provide your credit card information on unsecure websites
• Do set your online profiles to private
• Do delete any posts, pictures, or videos that you don’t want potential employers (or your grandma!) to see
• Do protect your profiles, blogs, email, and cloud storage with strong passwords
• Do avoid sharing private information when logged into public Wi-Fi
• Do Ungoogle Yourself

Free Antivirus Software

• AVG
• Avast
• Norton Security
• Clam Xav
• Comodo Firewall
• Sandboxie browser protection

If you want to go totally nuclear, you can delete yourself from the internet. This isn’t really your best option, as most employers look for some kind of online identity, and nearly all applications are done online.

The English language is very complicated and there are many sets of similar words that people have trouble with. Are you one of the many that confuse these words?

accept – to receive: “She would not accept my proposal.”
except – all but: “Everyone went except John.”

access – admittance, a way of approach: “No one had access to the room.”
excess – amount larger than needed: “He had an excess of paper.”

accent – particular way of speaking: “She had a New York accent.”
ascent – upward climb: “The mountain has a long ascent.”
assent – to agree: “The teacher assented to accepting a late assignment.”

advice – recommendation: “His advice was to study.”
advise – to make recommendations: “He advised me to study.”

affect (verb) – to influence: “Her actions will affect the rest of us.”
affect (noun) – an emotional response: “Even when his dog died, he showed little affect.”
effect – result: The effect of his good grades helped him get a scholarship.”

alter – to change: “She had to alter her plans.”
altar – platform in a church: “The priest stands at the altar.”

capital – 1) city/town that holds government seat: “Austin is the capital of Texas.”
2) supply of wealth: “You need capital to start a business.”
capitol – 1) U.S. Congress building in Washington D.C.: “You can tour the capitol.”
2) a building where a legislature meets: “You can go to Austin to see the capitol.”

conscience – sense of right or wrong: “Some people seem to have no conscience.”
conscious – aware of: “He made a conscious decision to help us.”

eminent – well known: “He is eminent in the field of psychology.”
imminent – about to happen: “The storm was imminent.”

stationary – unable to move: “I rode the stationary bike.”
stationery – paper for letter writing: “I bought new stationery.”

College students have about a million things going on at any given time. When you’re that busy, it’s easy to forget things. Unfortunately, what’s forgotten is usually important and course-related. If you’re looking to improve your memory and your academic success, keep on reading.

8 Ways to Improve Your Memory

1. Be flexible.

Experiment with what helps you remember, whether it’s a mnemonic device or color coding your notes. Studies show that chewing gum, listening to classical music, or burning candles all have a positive impact on memory. Find what works for you.

2. Overlearn.

Practice and reorganize what you intend to remember in as many ways as possible. Use it while speaking and writing, even act it out. The more time you spend, the more it’s ingrained.

3. Imitate.

Schedule study time to reflect the time of day when you’ll be using the material.

•       Make study time the same as test time.
•       Create a similar environment.
•       Study without music if the room will be quiet.
•       Study at a desk instead of on your bed.

4. Rephrase and explain.

Try role-playing. Take the view of the teacher and explain the material to someone else, your dog, or a stuffed animal. Teaching the material requires a higher level of comprehension and an ability to highlight the most important facts.

5. Eliminate accidental and unrelated associations.

A study situation where a phone rings constantly produces breaks in the association process. If you’re singing along to Eric Clapton throughout your study session, you will relate the material to Eric Clapton. This is only helpful if your topic is indeed Eric Clapton.

6. Eliminate previous mistakes.

Take note of any previous mistakes you’ve made while studying and make a conscious effort to avoid them.

7. Decide on order of importance.

Some things are more important than others. Decide on the big picture and organize everything else around that.

8. Become emotionally involved.

This doesn’t always work with schoolwork, especially if you don’t care about a particular subject. But notice how you remember things you care about. If you can somehow relate the topic to something you care about, you’ll remember it better.

Bonus Tip:

Put your phone away! There is a strong correlation between cell phones and lower test scores. Splitting your attention between your material and your phone is going to lower your recollection and increase your study time.

Few people know how to create a successful outline, and that amazes me.

The first step is to understand the material you’re reading. If you’re simply taking chunks of the chapter, you’re not going to get anywhere. There are two different outlines: research outlines and chapter outlines. I’ll cover both here.

Research outline

Every good research paper should start with a great outline. A great outline serves as the skeleton for your entire paper.

Once you’ve figured out your topic and the general direction of your paper, creating an outline is straightforward. You must thoroughly understand your thesis before completing the outline. If you’re confused or stuck on a thesis, don’t worry about it until the end. Start with the information.

Once you’ve gathered your research, you generally know the idea of what you want to talk about first. If you’re completely lost, choose the idea that would be a great opener – something that’s controversial, interesting or your audience would agree with. To choose what’s next in line, ask yourself, “After idea A, what is an easy transition?” If you’re going from dogs to VCRs, there’s probably not going to be an easy connection. Transitions between different sections can be made very simple if you choose topics that seem to flow well together. Also remember that nothing is set in stone. If later you realize you should have put topic B where topic F is, change it.

Because this article is so long, I’m going to cut it off here and allow you to view the rest of entry if you choose to do so. (more…)

Here’s a list my favorite teacher gave me back in high school. It’s compiled of things that should never be in a formal composition.

Don’t you dare…

• Use a contraction (don’t, couldn’t, etc.)
• Use “things” or “stuff”…be specific
• Use “nice” or “some” – too vague, over used
• Use “a lot” or worse – “alot”
• Use “bunch”
• Use slang
• Use “this, that, those, these” as pronouns, only use them as adjective before a noun or pronoun
• Put a comma before “because”
• Use “different than” – correct usage is “different from”
• Use “irregardless”- it’s a not real word, use regardless
• Use “off of”
• Use “plus” instead of “and”
• Write in passive voice when your sentence works in active voice.
• End a sentence with a preposition (to in, at, etc.)

Knowing how to calculate your GPA is essential for college students. Many scholarships require a minimum GPA, as do some programs and internships. But, surprisingly, a lot of students don’t know how to calculate their own GPA.

Your grade point average is an important part of your transcript. I’ve included a tutorial to calculate it manually, but be sure to check out the link at the bottom for a super easy to use calculator.  

How to Calculate Your GPA

To calculate your GPA you’ll need to know your average and the weight/credit (number of hours) for each class. You get a certain number of grade points for each class, depending on your grade. Points are awarded according to the chart below.
A=4 points
B=3 points
C=2 points
D=1 point
W/F = 0 points

Multiply the grade points by the weight of the class. For example, if your biology class is 4 hours and you made a B, you get 12 points for that class. Find all the points for every class and add them up. Then add up the total hours of all classes. To find your GPA, you divide total grade points by total number of hours

Here’s an example transcript:

GPA = GRADE POINTS / TOTAL HOURS
3.3125 = 53 / 16 –> This student has a B.

GPA Calculators

If that’s just too complicated, time-consuming, or you’re lazy (like me); here’s a GPA calculator for you provided by Back2College. It makes everything wonderfully simple.

Another great calculator is this one, provided by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.

How to Raise Your GPA

If your GPA is looking less-than-stellar, there is still hope! This handy calculator helps you determine how you can raise your GPA in college.

The best way to keep your GPA up is to know your GPA! If you are always aware of your grades, you don’t risk getting a particularly low one that will have the nasty effect of majorly dropping your cumulative GPA.

Filling out the FAFSA

Have you filed your FAFSA yet? If not, here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Myth: If my parents make too much money, I can’t get any financial aid

Fact: You won’t qualify for nice things like Pell grants, but you can still qualify for federal loans. Depending on which year you’re in, you can get a nice chunk of tuition covered with a Stafford loan. I was able to get a subsidized loan, meaning the government pays the interest while in school. Unsubsidized you must pay, but the interest rate is incredibly low.

Myth: I only need to fill out the FAFSA once.

Fact: You need to submit the FAFSA every year that you need financial aid. Once you’ve filled it out the first time, though, you only have to submit a renewal each year.

Myth: I don’t have to worry about paying loan interest while in school.

Fact: Depends on your loan. If you get a loan with no accruing interest until after you graduate, then you don’t have to. But most loans do accrue interest. If you have a Parent PLUS loan, pay that interest right away. Better yet, don’t get another one of these loans unless you really, really must. The interest rate is incredibly high and if you let it build up while you’re in school, you’ll be amazed at the amount owed by graduation.

Myth: I don’t have to file scholarships and grants on my taxes.

Fact: Sometimes you do. It depends on what kind of scholarship. Always ask your financial aid office.

What are Student Loans

Student loans are loans from private lenders or the government that you can use for college. They are different from other loans, especially because you can defer payments until after graduation. If you aren’t careful, you can end up owing a lot more than you borrowed.

I was able to get a subsidized Stafford loan through Wells Fargo (the government pays the interest while I’m in school) for $3500, but all the rest is in a Parent PLUS loan, which has a high interest rate and although payments are differed, it accrues interest now. If you can get Stafford loans, even if it’s unsubsidized, I’d take advantage, even if you need another loan as well.

Private Student Loans vs. Financial Aid

The first place to learn about private student loans versus federal student loans is the Federal Student Aid website.

The biggest reason people choose private loans is because the amount you can borrow is up to $40,000 for one year, which is a lot more than financial aid offices award students. There are other loan companies, such as Sallie Mae, Think Financial, or Chase.

If you’re going to go this route, I suggest thoroughly researching the company and the rates. Be sure to read the fine print and make sure you’re getting a fixed rate. Some companies, such as Sallie Mae, have allegations against them. Also, private loans usually require good credit to be approved so it helps to have a parent or older family member that’s willing to help. But if they’re going to put their name on it, sometimes it’s better to take out a second mortgage or do a home equity loan with a better rate.

Once you get your student loan reimbursement, you can decide what to do with it. The Federal Student Aid website has a good guide for what to do once you receive financial aid.

Repaying student loans

If you have federal loans, your options are simple. The interest rate is lower, so it’s usually best to just pay them as scheduled. Private loan terms usually vary from provider to provider, while government-backed loans are stuck with the federal terms given, no matter who your lender is.

One option is consolidation, which is not the best option unless you seriously can’t afford the monthly payments. Consolidation leads to a higher interest rate because you’re extending the life of the loan and there are more complications with private loans. Depending on your financial plan, consolidation can be a good or a bad option.

There are also options for loan forgiveness if you are going to be joining the Peace Corps, the military, or teaching certain subjects.

Also, you can’t simply just declare bankruptcy anymore and be done with your loans. Certain federal loans will go away, but not private loans. The government decided on this a few years ago because too many students were coming out of college and declaring bankruptcy right off the bat. There are certain circumstances surrounding the issue, which are covered in more detail here.

The FinAid website also has a useful Loan Calculator.

You will have a research paper assignment in college. It’s inevitable. And, as tedious as they are, they teach you a lot about how to find reliable sources of information.

Since there is no escaping them, I have created a short list to help you successfully complete your first research paper.

Most professors require you to use scholarly, peer-reviewed articles as the basis for your research. Yes, they are as boring as they sound. Your best bet is to start with the abstract, which most of them have. If you can sit through that, you can sit through the rest of the article. Read it in chunks. A few pages at a time, highlighting important information so you don’t ever have to read it again.

Save the article for your citations now. Citation Machine is your friend, your hero and your savior. Choose the format (MLA, APA, Chicago or Turabian) and input the information. BOOM. Citation complete.

Tips for College Research

• Read the abstract or summary first
• Read in chunks, taking breaks
• Highlight
• Bookmark the article
• Make your citations now and keep a running bibliography

Other articles and resources

• Citation Machine
• Google Scholar
• Zotero
• How to Build a Paper Research Database
• Beyond Wikipedia: 20 References You Can’t Do Without
• Beyond Wikipedia: 15,731,298 References You Can’t Do Without

Living on a tight budget means cutting back on a lot of things. One of the first things to go for college students is food, because it can be so expensive. I know how hard it is to be creative when trying to eat for only a few dollars per meal. Fortunately for you, I made a list of budget meals for college students. While they’re not all healthy, you’ll be fed with money in the bank.

Most college students can budget about $5 to $10 a day for meals each month, and Ramen noodles get old quick. I have a few tips that can help you make the most of your grocery budget without breaking the bank.

Tips for Meal Planning

Coupons

Coupons make a huge difference. You can score major discounts when you combine manufacturer coupons with your local grocery store’s coupons.

Shop Store Brand

Let’s keep it real: the only good mac and cheese is Kraft. But for most everything else, the store brand is just as delicious as name brands. In some cases, like the Costco brand Kirkland Signature, the store brand is often better!

Meal Planning

Never shop hungry and always shop with a list. Plan your meals for the week, utilizing leftovers as often as possible. You can make a crock pot full of shredded chicken on Sunday, and use it throughout the week for nachos, quesadillas, soups, burritos, chicken salad, and so on. Plan ahead so you know exactly what, and how much, you need.

Go Meatless

Meat is often the most expensive part of a meal. Try out “Meatless Mondays” for an easy way to cut a few dollars from your budget. Replace meat with black beans, tofu,

Budget Upgrades

If you’re budget is tight at the end of the month, you might still get stuck with Ramen noodles. Keep your kitchen stocked with affordable items Sriracha, green onions, dried seaweed, veggies, and soft-boiled eggs for an instant upgrade.

Buy In Bulk

If you’re lucky enough to have access to bulk stores like Costco or Winco, these are most often your most budget-friendly bets.

Budget Meal Ideas

Here is a list of cheap, but filling, meals that I eat regularly.

Meatless

• Eggs. Scrambled, fried, poached, boiled, baked, in a frittata, as a quiche – eggs are a great source of protein.
• Grilled cheese & tomato soup
• Cheese quesadilla
• Upgraded ramen
• Protein pancakes
• Oatmeal with fresh fruit and Greek yogurt

Meat-Based

• hot dogs/chili dogs
• spaghetti
• baked fish (we live by the coast so seafood is way cheap)
• stir-fry
• nachos
• hamburgers
• jambalaya or dirty rice (ground meat is cheap, we get sausage on sale)
• tacos (ground beef or chicken are cheaper than steak)
• chicken quesadillas
• if you find porkchops on sale, add mushroom soup
• macaroni and hot dogs
• Frito pie
• Homemade stroganoff (I will post my recipe at some point, but you can find them online)

Pre-Packaged

• frozen pizza
• store brand TV dinners
• Spaghetti-O’s (or your favorite canned meals from childhood)