The Real and hidden cost of college

For most college age students and their families, it has become very difficult to afford the sky rocketing cost of education. The typical college expense can run from $30,000 - $50,000 per year. Each year the cost to attend college  rises 3%  which out paces inflation. This cost typically does not include hidden costs  such as extra fees,  student activity fees, class dues etc.

While the economy continues to slump,  many people are questioning  whether the huge cost on a bachelors degree is even worth it.  The latest statics show, only 1 and 5 college graduates had a job prior to graduation in 2009. To help you and your family afford college, you should look at tuition and any additional fee that may be charged, these additional fees are not disclosed unless requested.

By federal law, Universities are required to provide the overall cost of attendance. The reality is, many schools provide the lowest possible estimates and only reveal these costs when asked. As consumers, we must factor in activity fees, lab fees, health clinic fees, gym fee and technology fees. You also have to account for room and board,  text books, supplies, health insurance, and transportation  expenses. You can do some research on various costs at  http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

How to prevent wasting good money?
The number one way in which families waste money on college is when students drop out or take forever to finish. The drop rate for the average freshman is 55%. In addition, 45% of the students take 6 years to get their degree. When the economy is down these numbers are worse.

The worst case scenario is when the student flunks out of school. To prevent drop out, the student has to want to be in school  and recognize the value in the investment in education. College is an investment and you should look to get the greatest return on your investment. Of course, this is easier said the done.

Financing college -- if you are looking at college in the next few years, here are some tips:
Scholarship link http://www.usnews.com/education/paying-for-college/articles/2010/01/24/10-steps-to-raise-15k-or-more-for-college-now.html

Financial aide from admissions http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/rip-offs/10-things-college-financial-aid-offices-wont-tell-you-15281/

College Education 101 bang for you buck

The value of a college education is dependent on getting the most bang for your buck. In order to get the most bang for your buck, we must understand the economics of the degree obtained.  To be successful after college and in your career, students must be smart,  attend a high quality college, and earn a degree in high demand.

The real value of a college education based on a US News report is about $300,000 during a life time.  College graduates on average earn $20,000 a year more than high school graduates. For the average person who works 40 years that amounts to $800,000 minus inflation over these years, the real dollars are $450,000 today.  Subtract the cost of the college education at $30,000 per year and that gives you at net value of $300,00.

The benefits of a college degree are: a good quality job with benefits such as health insurance. Typically college graduates can find and keep their jobs. The unemployment rate of college graduates tends to be must lower such as  2 - 3%.  Most college graduates who are willing to work hard, have smartest, and dedication can find a rewarding and well paying career.

Higher Education and the Economy

Now that the graduate has that degree, where do we go from here?

In the USA, we face many problems on multiple fronts that we need college graduates to help solve. First and foremost, we need more graduates in the field of science, math, engineering, and technology to drive innovation.

We need graduates who can lead in developing a balance between spending on the military and socail programs that uplift and help US citizens and deal with immigration problem.

We need new innovative educators who lead in fixing our education system. There needs to be a balnace between spending on education and actually education our students. We should once again make education a top priority for all, not just the wealthy and private.

We need new graduates who will lead in solving the health care dilema. How do we make health care affordable and cover the millions of un-insured.

In short, we need our educational institutions to prepare the graduate of tomorrow who are willing and able to make the world and the USA a better place for all.

The Best College Education

The best education is one the affords your a satisfying and rewarding career that compenstates you very handsomely.

The old saying goes that college is the best four years of your life. You go to college, choose a major , in my case, Businesss Administration, get your degree, and live happy ever after.

The problem is the cost of higher education has sky rocketed, since I graduated. Since 911or the last decade, the economic climate has made it difficult for graduates to get a job that is related to their field of study or major. Many times graduates are forced to take the best job offer available. The first job out of college may have no relationship to your major and this can adversely affect a students career path.

If a college graduate never gets a job related to his or her field of study, how valuable is the college degree? The question becomes what is the value of a college eduction and how do you measure this?

Thanks to my followers

I hope you all have the greatest year of your life!

Nexus One and mobile productivity, and our digitial life

Now that Google has launched the Nexus One into the smart phone market against BlackBerry and iPhone, how does it stack up?

Base on reivews, here are some the key features it brings to the table:

• The interactive home page does sound cool,  there is a pond setting where the water ripples when touched and leaves float around.
• The Andriod open source O.S. has improved built in speech recongnition software. The applications that use voice (as opposed to typing) is where most of the productivity gains will occur.

• The voice recongination software allows you to pull up contacts by speaking their name,  saying message will converts voice into type. The voice recongination software can annouce who is calling you, convert in bound SMS tesx to voice, say calendar appoints, read email etc.
• Popular internet socail media sites are built in such as: Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Google Maps GPS and search accept voice commands.
• Retail price over the web is $529 which is unclocked or can use any carrier, T-Mobile contract $179, not yet available on Verizon network.
• GPS shows current location and direction from here
• Great screen 3.7 inch and  fast 1 GHz processor
• Many open source applications to improve productivity

Taking these capabilities to improve performance, productivity and staying in touch is key.

I will be reviewing these voice applications on the Andriod O.S. and the BlackBerry platforms. I will let you know how they can help you achomplish more.

The Journey

The journey began with an idea and possibly a dream. It all seemed to fit in the grand plan or the master scheme.

We studied, read up, prepared for the great journey. We all seemed excited, energized, that the journey would be a great success. Most every one believed in the grand plan, but I know some doubted it's success.  I knew my utmost confidience would lead the team to success.

After some soul searching, I realized the journey would require a detailed business plan.  I would have to learn how others made their journey a success.
A sound business plan would require a great foundation, some financing, and confidence in the teams skills and expertise.  The foundation has been built, the required elements acquired, and any potentail issues and problems have been minimized.

Now that the team is ready for the journey, we are getting closer to the moment of truth. As we prepare for the rubber to hit the road, when know we must sell and market the master plan for ultimate success. We need to establish a solid customer base and a true following. In short we need to stand out in the crowd.

As we reflect on where we started to where we have come,  we realize it about the journey and not neccessarily the destination. We continue to fine tune the plan so the journey has the greatest chance for success. Establishing a great sales pitch, niche, and good chemistry will ensure the journey is grand.