Tutor Fi Blog » College Preparation and Advice

Kindles and other eReaders: Are They Worth the Expense?

Meaghan Montrose — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:58:12 +0000

Devices for displaying e-books are the latest craze in technology. Some of the popular options include the Amazon Kindle, Sony PRS-700, and Barnes & Noble Nook. These devices allow you to read a book electronically. The sizes of the devices vary but are generally slightly larger in length and width than a traditional paperback, but much less in thickness.

There are many obvious advantages to an eReader such as the portability and decrease in volume. (How great to be a college student with all of your textbooks available on one small device!) However, even with this in mind, is the cost of the devices really worth it?

The SavingAdvice.com blog has posted an article about the cost-effectiveness of these devices. The author of Is an eReader a Wise Purchase? weighs the pros and cons of an eReader. Check out the post for the answer!

Saving Money for College in a 529 College Savings Plan

Meaghan Montrose — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:37:39 +0000

College- most parents want their child to go there, but how do they afford it? The cost of college is getting higher and higher each year. In order to save enough money parents need to start considering a savings plan as soon as the child’s first birthday (or maybe even earlier!). So, what’s a parent (or Aunt or Uncle or Grandparent or Godparent) to do?

One answer, the Smarter Wallet recommends using a 529 college savings plan. According to the post, one of the main benefits to the plan is the flexibility of the investment. Check out the entire post on 529 College Savings Plan As A Child’s Gift.

Attention College Students: Signs Your College Major is Wrong

Meaghan Montrose — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 01:09:32 +0000

The purpose of college is to gain an education to pursue a career. The problem: how do you know you have chosen the correct career to pursue? In truth, you don’t at first. Leaving high school as a 17 or 18-year-old and heading off to college involves many new experiences and adjustments. And during this time you are expected to make a decision about the rest of your life!

Declaring a major is a big task and should not be taken lightly. On the other hand, keep in mind that your decision is not set in stone. It is unfair to assume you know exactly what you want to do before you even have experience. Deciding on a major when you first enter college will help you gain a sense of direction that you can tweak as you continue your education. Perhaps you will start off as a pharmacy major because you are interested in chemistry but find out that you would much rather become a chemistry teacher.

The GoCollege.com blog has put together a post of Warning Signs You Chose the Wrong Major. The first sign discussed in the blog is that you find the classes you are taking boring. Clearly if you don’t enjoy the classes you are taking you won’t enjoy using that information for the rest of your life! The answer: change your major!

Check out the complete post for the other warning signs.

The Best Credit Card Choices for College Students

Meaghan Montrose — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 23:57:00 +0000

Debt often starts during the college years. It is during this time a student is faced with many additional expenses as well as transitioning from their dependence on parents. These costs include tuition, food, clothing, books, car, housing, and much more. The problem is most students don’t have this money readily available, so they turn to loans and credit…and then comes the debt!

Having some debt is not all bad, it is natural. Many young adults (and even old adults) are forced into some form of debt in life. (How many people can buy a house without a mortgage?) The problem is when the debt spirals out of control due to misuse of credit cards and astronomical fees.

The Digerati Life has done some research on the subject of credit cards and put together a post on the Best Student Credit Cards for College Students. Though students still need to exercise caution when using a credit cards, the article gives a few good options for cards. One of the credit cards described actual offers points for earning a high GPA…that is smart all around!

Check out the post for all the details.

5 Ways to Reduce the Cost of College

Meaghan Montrose — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 00:04:48 +0000

College is expensive. It has always been expensive. The problem is with the poor economy and the recent increases in college tuition, affording a college education is becoming harder and harder. College students are already graduating from college with mounds of debt and college loans and then have to face a competitive job market.

Skipping college is not the right solution for most students. Many jobs require a college degree. The best answer is to find a way to reduce the cost of college. The GoCollege.com blog has written a post that provides 5 Major Steps to Reducing the cost of College. One of the suggestions in the post is to attend a community college for the first year or two to earn the basic college course credits before attending a college or university to take specified courses for your desired degree.

Check out the post for more helpful money-saving tips.

Warning Signs that You Chose the Wrong College

Meaghan Montrose — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:04:50 +0000

For many colleges, Thanksgiving means the first semester of the year is almost over. Soon it will be time to take final exams and sign up for new classes the for the spring semester.

By now you have had some time to adjust to college life. The question is, are you happy with your choice? The Go College blog is here with some advice. One of their recent posts discusses Five Warning Signs You Chose the Wrong College.

One of the signs is feeling totally out of place socially. Of course everyone goes through an adjustment period when you first start college. New places and new people can be overwhelming at first. But, if you are still feeling left out and like you don’t belong by this time in the year, you should start reconsidering your choice.

Check out the post on Go College. for the rest of the warning signs. If you do consider switching to another college, try using AcceptEdge.com to choose the right college for you.

Choosing the Right College or University with AcceptEdge

Meaghan Montrose — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:36:57 +0000

AcceptEdge.com is a website designed to help you find your “perfect” college match. The website takes some of the stress and difficultly out of the college search process. AcceptEdge takes into account personal information about a student and their family in order to find the best college matches. It is somewhat similar to the idea of a taking a test to see which career path you are best suited for.

In addition, the site can provide general information about various colleges as well as let students know how they fare against other applicants for a particular school.

Though this website shouldn’t be the final decision maker, it can definitely be useful in narrowing down some of your options. At this time, several services on AcceptEdge.com are available for free, so it doesn’t hurt to give it a try!

Job-Hunting and Resume Tips for Success

Meaghan Montrose — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:19:16 +0000

You are coming to the end of your education and now you need to find something to do with it. You need a job! With the poor economy and the increased number of people getting an advanced education, finding a job can be one of the most challenging obstacles you will face. Because of this, it is important that your resume best reflects your accomplishments and abilities…and you want to get this resume to as many potential employers as possible.

In my blog searches I have come across a few helpful posts that can assist in the job hunt. Check out these posts for some great advice on how to get a job!

The Get Rich Slowly blog has a guest post by Kerry of SquawkFox called 5 Ways To Rescue Your Rotten Resume. The post provides tips on how to reword and rearrange your resume to give the best impression.

The College Finance 101 blog has an article on how to Post Your Resume on 89 Job Sites Instantly. Hanna, of College Finance 101, explains the benefits of a service called Resume Rabbit that can submit your resume to several sites such as Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com for millions of employers to see.

The Get Rich Slowly blog has another helpful post about Job-Hunting Skills. This article focuses on the importance of networking and getting yourself (and your skills) known.

If you still aren’t having luck in the job market or if you are motivated to become your own boss, here are a couple of posts to help you start your own business.

SavingAdvice.com has a post on Starting a Business Resources.

The Young Entrepreneur blog has a post of 38 Free Business E-Books to Help You Succeed.

The Frugal Dad blog posts The Entrepreneur Fund: One Year of Projected Expenses.

The Work at Home Based Business blog shares the 5 Places to Find the Best Home Business Information.

Facebook Concerns for College Students

Meaghan Montrose — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:54:49 +0000

Facebook, one of the top social networking sites, is used by millions across the world. Facebook has the greatest following by students in high school and college. The site is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family. However, the openness and easily shared photos and comments of the student world can collide with the professional world. Many employers and even college admissions offices are becoming more and more interested and concerned with Facebook pages. Colleges and employers don’t want their reputation spoiled by questionable photos and stories plastered on a Facebook page.
The Go College blog recently addressed these Facebook concerns and whether Colleges and employers have the right to monitor students this way. Check out their article, College Students and Social Media.

Ways to Save Big on College Textbooks

Meaghan Montrose — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 13:59:57 +0000

Textbooks- one of the many expenses you are faced with in college. The prices of textbooks can be staggering. Many are over $100! And that really adds up when you are taking five classes each semester! (Think about all the late-night pizzas that could be!)

Have no fear, the Frugal Dad has come to the rescue. A recent guest post from Austin of Foreigner’s Finances, provides some helpful tips on how to decrease your spending on college textbooks.

One suggestion is to avoid the university bookstore and try using online sources such as Amazon.com to find a cheaper rate on the textbook. Find out more suggestions by reading the post, Alternative Options to Save Big on Textbooks, at FrugalDad.com.