Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Paying For Medical School With Military Scholarships


The military has a modern tradition of paying for many different types of postsecondary and graduate-level education programs for individuals who are willing to serve in the armed forces after graduation. Medical professionals are needed in the different branches of the service as much as they are needed throughout the country. The Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) provides military scholarships to individuals who are interested in joining the Army, Navy or Air Force after graduating from school. The program has many benefits and also has many eligibility requirements.
HPSP Program Overview
The HPSP is a program that is offered by the Navy, Army and Air Force. It offers to pay for 100 percent of the cost of tuition for students who are pursuing a professional degree as a doctor, a specialist, a nurse or a variety of other medical occupations including psychiatrist. The program will also cover the cost of books and other related expenses. In addition, each qualified individual is given a monthly stipend that totals just under $2,000 for ten months out of the year to cover other expenses such as food, clothing and housing. The program will cover any number of years of study as long as each year is attended as a full-time student and is focused on medicine.
Requirements For The Scholarship
Individuals who apply for HPSP military scholarships must meet a number of requirements. The applicant must already have a bachelor degree that can be used towards a graduate-level medical school education. This person must also be enrolled in a graduate program. It is important that the applicant be a full-time student since part-time students are not covered. Both the post-secondary and graduate schools must be nationally accredited. Additionally, the student needs to have the physical and personal qualifications that are necessary in order to join the branch of the military that is sponsoring the scholarship. People who are going to enter the Army must also qualify to be an officer candidate.
During School And After Graduation
Each student must serve one year of active military duty for each year of education that is paid for. The minimum amount is three years even if the graduate program only lasted for two. While attending the college or university the student is bound to serve 45 days of active duty each year. Individuals who complete schooling will enter the armed forces as a commissioned officer. There is no requirement to continue serving in the armed forces once the number of committed years has been completed.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Extended Unemployment Benefits


Unemployment is a headache that has plagued many nations for years. Today the rates have shot up nonetheless. Some countries though, especially the developed nations, have a provision that seeks to provide the unemployed with funds for their daily expenditure. Through the US Federal State Employment Program, the United States government offers the unemployed this reprieve. Individuals who have lost their jobs are given regular unemployment benefits that run for a period of up to twenty-six weeks. If this period elapses without one having secured a new job and depending on the unemployment levels in his/her state, then an extension of these benefits is considered. This is what is called the extended unemployment benefits.
It follows that with extended unemployment benefits one must have lost their job without a responsibility of their own, save for a few instances such as an appalling work environment and cases of sexual molestation. Just a few examples... This is common in all states but other eligibility criteria may differ from one to the next.
When the unemployment rate exceeds six percent, then the unemployment level is said to be high. When one exhausts their unemployment benefits without having secured an employment opportunity within the twenty-six week window, the state normally will have notified you regarding extension of benefits which depends on the unemployment rate in your state. Regardless of this, you should seek clarification from your unemployment office a few weeks before you exhaust your regular benefits just to be sure and plan ahead. Extended unemployment benefits are of two sorts which are Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) and Extended Benefits (EB).
Emergency Unemployment Compensation-is usually offered in states that have an unemployment rate of above six percent. Extended unemployment benefits in states that have unemployment rates of below six percent is limited to twenty weeks. With EUC, however, benefits stretching up to an additional thirty-three weeks are offered since unemployment rate is said to be high. This legislation came about as a result of the economic recession of 2007 that saw many people lose their jobs and was to go until December 2009 but was extended to 2013, January 2.
Extended Benefits-this form of extended unemployment benefits is an extension of EUC. It is normally considered in states that may have unemployment rates of above 6.5 percent and an extra thirteen weeks of benefits are given on top of the EUC. If the unemployment rate exceeds 8 percent, an extra twenty weeks of benefits, on top of the EUC, will be given.
The weekly updates to the unemployment office are still required of you even when receiving extended unemployment benefits, so keep looking for that job relentlessly and getting proof of this to continue receiving the benefits.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

College Grants


Paying for college can be a real challenge and it can be even more complicated if you have to take out a large number of student loans that you will need to repay when you are done with college. This is one of the reasons why so many people have a hard time starting their lives and why they are not able to get out of debt. But, it would be really nice for people to have access to funds that will help them with college that they are not going to be required to pay back. That is why you will want to learn more about grants, what they are and how you may be able to get them.
College grants will be a form of free money that students will have access to if they meet a set of certain criteria or guidelines. Free means that they will not have to repay any of this money when they are no longer in college. While this is nice you should know that searching for grants can be very complicated and time consuming. This is because you will find that some grants are going to be available in one state or one area but they will not be available in another state or another area. That means that you are going to need to be responsible and flexible when you are carrying out your search.
You might be wondering about some of the most common ways that you might be able to qualify for these types of grants. Most of the time you will be eligible if you have served in the armed forces in the United States or you are part of a minority group. This could be religious or even ethnic. If you have a special talent related to sports then you may be able to get a grant as well. There are even some individuals that will tell you that they got their grant because they were going into a certain area of study or career choice.
Some grants may be sponsored by a certain industry while others may be sponsored by the state. Those students that are thinking about applying for a state grant will need to complete the federal student aid form. This is also known as the FAFSA and it must be completed in order to determine if you are eligible for any grants at the state level or not. You will be required to have a social security number and you must be a U.S. citizen if these are the types of assistance that you are looking for.
If you have been given a grant from the state then you must be willing to promise that the money will only be used for educational purposes. If you spend the money for anything else then you may end up being required to pay it back. This can cause a lot of problems for you so you will be better off spending it the way that it was intended.
The educational facility that you will be studying at will need to be on an approved list. Many times they will need to be accredited if you are interested in getting any grants or even student loans for that matter. You will also be required to keep your grades at a certain level if you want to be able to keep your grants. This is not going to be free money that you will be able to waste.
While you might think that loans are the sure bet to get you through college you will not feel that way when you are done with college and you are ready to make a life for yourself. When you see just how much money you will need to pay back with interest it can really make you sick. Yes, grants are going to be a little more time consuming and it can often be more difficult to find them but it can be worth it when you are finished with your college education. You are going to be able to make a good living at a great job and use that money for a home, car or to start a family.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Eligibility for College Grants


When you decide that you would like to apply for a college grant you might be wondering what you need to be able to qualify. Much of the time you must be eligible for federal financial aid. This will be determined by filling out your FAFSA and you are not going to be able to get into a college unless you complete this form in the first place. There are some other eligibility factors that might make it easy for you to get a grant as well.
First off, if you have a parent that was killed in Afghanistan or Iraq then you might be able to get one of these grants. If you are a non-US citizen then you should be excited to know that you may still be able to get one of these grants. That can be done by ensuring that you have a green card because you will be able to apply as an eligible non-citizen so you might still be able to get a grant that you need.
There are some individuals that are going to try to get a grant for college and they are concerned that they will not be able to do this because they have been convicted of a crime. While this may not make it impossible for them to get a grant it can limit the grants that they will have access to or even the amount of money they may be able to get through these grants. Those students that may be struggling with intellectual disabilities might find themselves eligible for different college grants as well.
No matter why you were given a grant you should know that you will be required to do a few things that can help you keep them. For starters you must make sure that you are staying on track towards your graduation. You cannot take time off and refuse to take the classes that you need. In fact, there may be times when you are going to lose your grant all together if you do not have a certain number of hours each semester. You will be notified about all of this when you agree to take the grant so you should make sure that you are clear on all of this and you know what you are getting into.
You also need to make sure that you are completing an updated FAFSA form each year. This is not going to be negotiable and you must make sure that you are doing this for any loans that you want to keep in the first place. You have to have this on record with the college that you are attending.
There are a few things that you can do that might cause you to lose your college grants that will go beyond not completing your FAFSA each year. In fact, you will see that if you do not keep your grades up you will lose your funding and they will take your grants away. If you are in school and you are convicted of a felony charge while you are there then you will have your grants taken from you as well. Finally, if you have student loan payments that must be made and you have not been able to do that they you will lose your grants.
It is very easy to see that there are a lot of different things that you should know and that you must follow if you want to keep your grant. This can be a great way to get through college without the need to pay for loans that you must repay with really high interest. When you stop and think about how much money you might be able to save on your college education you will be more willing to apply for grants and to follow the rules and guidelines that you need to in order to keep the money coming in. You should know by now that you have rules and guidelines everywhere and you have to follow them if you want to gain anything and that will include college grants. If you are not able to follow them then you will have to find another form of financial support.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Tips for College Students to Win Farming Scholarships


For students who have grown up on a farm or whose families are embedded in agricultural industries, the idea of winning college scholarships for an education is an exciting idea. There are many schools and organizations throughout the country that offer farming scholarships to worthwhile applicants. In some parts of the country, such as the heartland, this is a critical step on the route to a college education. Many students plan for years around going away to school and coming home to run the family farm. There are many different factors that come into play for students hoping to earn farming scholarships. These are just a few of the considerations that will affect whether or not they have a reasonable chance at earning one.
Studying Agriculture
One of the most important aspects of consideration for farming scholarships is whether the university of choice has this major as an option. Equally important is whether the student has a chance to succeed in the field if given one of these career specific scholarships. For example, a student who has grown up on a farm and wishes to go to college and major in business or agriculture has a much better chance of earning a grant or scholarship than one who applies for it, but plans to be a professional football player or a doctor. Committees that make these determinations typically choose the students who have the most promise in advancing the field or have the greatest need. The student's potential may be seen in the form of good grades, experience, future goals, strong work ethic and drive.
Experience
Students who have spent years in the local 4-H club or who have joined the Future Farmers of America are likely to have experience in agricultural and farming projects. These should be outlined on a student's applications for college scholarships. For example, winning a blue ribbon at the county or state fair is an accomplishment that tells a scholarship committee the applicant has a knack for agriculture and hard work. Day-to-day living experiences are also an important part of a college scholarship essay. The daily routine of waking up and milking cows, watering crops or running a hay baler can be turned into a testimony of work ethic, drive and creativity.
Intangibles
Students who have an eye on career-specific scholarships are often competing against many worthy opponents. The idea is to find as many sources of college money as possible and apply for all of them. Sometimes it only takes one to cover financial obligations for school. Many committees believe that success in school often correlates to success in life. As a result, good grades, a fair number of extracurricular activities and a genuine interest in the subject are all important groundwork for earning college scholarships. Any testimony toward the student's good character is a bonus.