Posts Tagged Education
Scholarships And Grants In North Carolina: Seeking For Financial Assistance For Your Education
Posted by admin in University Scholarships on September 21, 2011
Acquiring scholarships and grants in North Carolina can be done in various means. A number of scholarships, loans, and other financial aids are available for North Carolina residents through the different federal and state programs. If you are interested in availing such grants, the following are some things that you might want to consider.
First, you must determine which degree is best suitable for you. Knowing what you would like to get an education for is important – as this would help you determine which schools you can go to. There are certain scholarships offered to a select set of students based on their academic performance, or their skills in the arts and sciences. Such college scholarships are merit-based, which specifically provide assistance for students who want to continue their education based on a specific expertise.
Second, you must consider which school you would want to attend. Certain scholarships and grants are only limited to a certain set of schools, colleges, or universities; and as such, you must first determine where you want to get your degree. For instance, the scholarships offered by the North Carolina Sheriffs Association for undergraduate studies of Criminal Justice are available only for specific schools such as the University of Carolina at Pembroke, at Charlotte, or at Wilmington (plus seven other universities). If you have decided to take Criminal Justice from any of these universities, then you might be able to avail of this particular scholarship.
Third, you must be able to get the best financial aid that would fit your needs and your proficiency. Certain institutions provide financial aid to those who would most likely be working for them in the future. Examples of such grants are the college internships provided by certain medical schools.
Although some scholarships might require you to have exemplary grades in high school before getting financial assistance, certain grants require only a certain set of qualifications when screening their scholarship applicants. Some scholarships, for instance, only require that you are a legal resident of North Carolina to become eligible for their offer, while others require that any of your parents be currently employed in any of the offices of the state. An example of this financial aid is given by the State Employees’ Credit Union Association, which provides financial aid to students who are dependents of those working in the public sector.
The specified amounts of the grants might vary, as well as their duration and awarding methods. Some grants would send you the award directly, while others would pay for your tuition by sending it to the school that you are attending. Other grants also provide stipends and book allowances, depending on the degree of the program.
If you believe that you are eligible for scholarships and grants in North Carolina, then you might want to apply for a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) immediately. Once you have done so, you can expect that your application would be evaluated to determine if you are eligible for any of the available grants and scholarships.
I’ve done a bit of research, Here are available scholarships and grants in North Carolina. Scholarships in North Carolina
What You May Not Know about Consolidating Education Loans
Posted by admin in Private Loan on March 26, 2011
La Jolla, CA (PRWEB) September 1, 2006
Refinancing education loans can be so simple and attractive that many borrowers tend to overlook some critical points about student loan refinancing.
?Sometimes what borrowers don?t know could save them a great deal of money, time, and frustration,? says Chris Studer, President and CEO of ScholarPoint. ?Student loans have become a fact of life for most students today and the following little know facts can save them big bucks when refinancing education loans.?
Consolidation Loans have a fixed interest rate versus a variable interest rate
Most education loans have a variable interest rate which can mean significant changes in the monthly payments when interest rates increased on July 1st, 2006. With a fixed interest rate, the monthly payments and total payoff balance is a set amount. Some education loans such as the Perkins Loan and the HPSL (Health Professionals Student Loan) are fixed rate loans. Before consolidating it?s important to weigh the repayment benefits of rolling these kinds of loans into the consolidation.
Consolidation lenders vary significantly in terms of money-saving incentives
What separates one lender from another when it comes to consolidating education loans are the types of incentives each offers. Lender incentives can greatly reduce monthly payments and the total amount owed over the lifetime of the loan. Many lenders offer incentives for auto-debit payments, but rarely more than .25%. Another standard incentive is a 1% reduction in interest rates after 36 months of on-time payments. When shopping for a lender to consolidate your education loans, look for one that goes above and beyond these standards. ScholarPoint for example, offers an auto-debit interest rate discount of .50% and a 1% reduction in interest after only 24 months, a full year earlier than the norm.
Your loans must be current in order to consolidate education loans
If you?re behind on your loan payments, you?ll need to get caught up before refinancing. Once you refinance, you?ll most likely enjoy much lower monthly payments to ease your budget once you are caught up.
Private education loans and federal education loans cannot be combined when refinancing
Federal student loans are funds lent by the government or authorized education lenders. These loans are guaranteed and subsidized by the federal government and have to be certified by your school. The most common name for Federal student loans is Stafford (subsidized or unsubsidized, PLUS, and Perkins. Private student loans are credit-based loans offered by independent lenders. These loans tend to have a higher rate of interest and may require a co-signer. Those who have both types of education loans will need to secure 2 different consolidation loans. It?s best to consolidate federal education loans first then start the process of consolidating your private education loans. You can however, consolidate federal subsidized and unsubsidized loans together. They do need to be tracked separately, but a quality lender will take care of this for you.
Your deferment and forbearance limits start over when you consolidate
One of the most important benefits of education loans is that they allow students to put their loans in to deferment or forbearance status during difficult times encountered while building their careers. When you refinance, you are essentially getting a whole new loan, meaning that in most cases your deferment and forbearance limits are reset.
Consolidating during the post graduation grace period allows you to lock in the lowest rate
Interest rates during the grace period (6 months after graduation) are .60% lower than after the grace period when loans move into repayment status. Consolidating before the grace period is over helps to lock in this much lower interest rate. It?s best to start the consolidation process soon after graduation to ensure that there is adequate processing time. You can specify that your new consolidated loan begin at the end of your grace period so that you may enjoy both benefits.
Refinancing education loans is one of the easiest ways to lower monthly bills and make paying back your college education affordable. Keeping these little known facts in mind can save you a great deal of money and make consolidating your education loans a smooth and simple process.
ScholarPoint Financial, Inc. is a national online consumer lending company specializing in student loans and offering a full range of innovative education finance solutions. Loan options for students and their families include PLUS, Stafford, Consolidation and Private loans. ScholarPoint combines industry-leading borrower benefits, best-in-class service and innovative technology. Unlike many other traditional loan sites, ScholarPoint?s technology platform was designed exclusively for its website, integrating the entire process for an online experience that is simple, instant, and complete. http://www.ScholarPoint.com
Joan B. Coyle
Vice President for Public Relations
Washington Partners, LLC
1101 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005
202-289-3903
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