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A Mountaineer Answers

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A debt life sentence–that is what college means in the eyes of many college undergraduates. Interesting enough a college student will in fact spend most of their lives in this prison of debt, where they will endlessly continue aiming to pay back all money borrowed for their college education. This can last up to 35 years or more. Truthfully, this is unjustifiable; how can students only work to pay off loans for an education that should be free or at least less expensive? Undergraduate students are burdened and troubled with the expenses presented while attending college. The high tuition cost, housing, and the price of books are all expenditures but yet, huge essentials that dig an even deeper hole into the pockets of college students. Nonetheless, these expenses can be decreased if the college student approaches wiser decisions both financially and personal. There are solutions; the root of the problem purely lies on the lack of awareness.When it comes to looking for a college, pretty much everything we think we know and quite a lot of what we do –is just wrong. So wrong that most students end up paying far more than what they have to, and graduate nearly smothered in a swamp of debt. I was intrigued to find just how much this burden is currently affecting my fellow West Virginia University undergrads.This interest of mines leads me to conduct a survey on 100 undergraduates. The survey contained questions related to college expenses, present financial status, and career/major. What are the true factors causing financial distress to undergrads? The thought of attending college education is becoming far out of reach for many students and their families. Likewise, the cost of going to college severely impacts the students’ earning potential once out on the real world. Consequently, most students along with their families seek the alternative of outside assistance. They must rely on additional resources to supplement the high cost of college education.Not all government grants cover all the demand for the price of college alone, which leads them to create one tremendous debt burden with a goal to obtain a very much cherished degree. Charles Pope, editor for the Department of Education says, “Today’s generation will start their lives soon after graduating with a $100,000 in debt before they get married and/or own a house.” The main root to this alarming issue is the little knowledge on grants, loans, etc. and the lack of financial planning college students’ bear.The information is there, in fact there are numerous books and updated software available on the subject. However, the time is not always there. There lies the answer- implementation, but most people simply choose to not spend their time sorting through books of endless repeated material.It is important to note that the cost of college has risen almost immediately, at twice the rate of inflation for the past 20 years. Since then, many undergraduates have become victims to this drastic growth on tuition cost. Universities individually provide current students with reliable information on the subject of financial aid. These advisors can help guide students and place them on the right path to avoid all unfavorable positions revolving debt.West Virginia University offers financial counseling to its students Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.; these times are all open for students and they are always more than welcome to just visit on a walk-in basis. Also, the University has one specifically assigned site for all and any financial aid related concerns, the site it’s the following: financialaid. This site has links to several useful websites that might be quite helpful to students. One of the links I would recommend to West Virginia University undergraduates would be the “Financial Planning”, which is found on the Home page of the actual site. The following ten questions may be a good start to a successful discussion with your financial ad advisor.1. What types of financial aid do you offer?
2. What are the requirements for need-based aid and for merit-based aid?
3. If I get a work-study job, how many hours will I be required to work per week?
4. Do you offer a tuition payment plan that lets me pay the college bills in monthly installments over the academic year?
5. If I don’t apply for financial aid this year, will that affect my eligibility for financial aid in subsequent years?
6. If I win a scholarship, do you reduce my financial aid package?
7. Which application forms are required to apply for financial aid?
8. What are the deadlines for applying for financial aid?
9. Where can I find information about other sources of financial aid, such as state grant programs and scholarships?
10. When will I receive my financial aid award letter?Conversely, the government assumes that most students should know these two rules of thumbs in order to gain advantage of financial assistance. If a family’s income is above $75,000, they are unlikely to qualify for financial aid at most public universities. Secondly, if a family’s income is above $120,000, they are unlikely to qualify for financial aid at most private colleges. However, this piece of information is not well-known or in most cases not properly shared with college students.Although, the government does lend a hand with the cost of college education, most students and their families still will struggle to meet and pay all the balance left that is owed to the college. Lisa Chedekel, writer of, “States seek to Help”, lays out a number of strategies that can enhance financial cash flow to provide funds for college expenses. Unfortunately, students cannot physically change the high prices of tuition; this is all under the dictation of our government. However, students are skilled enough to perhaps allow themselves to change their financial management ways currently practiced. Chedekel affirms that the cost of college can include a variety of items including some you might not expect. By understanding college costs, you can compare schools and explore options for how to lower your costs. Evidently, there will be other schools less expensive than West Virginia University; but ask yourselves this question- Will you ever find a place like Morgantown? For any true Mountaineer the answer is simply, no. And so exploring other options to lower expenditures becomes a must.The key to solving any problem rests on signaling out the causes. For this particular issue: tuition, housing and cost of books are all expenditures that trigger and raise the total cost of college. Tuition covers the cost of taking courses and those course costs vary by school. As WVU students the university is our home; maybe the smartest approach would be to take a combination of three credit courses and fewer per semester. Although, this will push-back your graduation date; in the short-term, you are saving some amount of money for expenses that may present to you on that current year. This approach will decrease your overall tuition cost applied to you for that semester attended. If this does not seem adequately fitting for you individually; than possibly accepting bigger loans can be of great help. Loans normally are accompanied with large interest rates; nevertheless, students can in effect take action to decrease these rates or adjust their repayment plans.When repayment begins on federal student loans, there are in fact several options you can choose from depending on your own personal financial situation. The standard repayment plan allows you to pay off your loans in a 10 year period. This is the quickest option that costs you the least amount of interest over the life of the loan. On the contrary, the extended plan allows you to pay off your loan in equal payment over a period of time up to 30 years. This will cost you more in interest, but could make your payments more affordable. Again, these two plans are routes to take given only your precise circumstance economically.Another option to consider is the graduated plan. Charles says, “This repayment option again allows the borrower to make payments over a period up to 30 years; however, the payments start out low and gradually increase over the life of the loan.” This last option is merely based on the assumption that the borrower’s income will gradually increase during the life of the loan.Furthermore, West Virginia University strives to give its students an exceptional learning experience. The school makes an effort to provide all mountaineers with any additional financial aid they may need. Scholarships are a great way to reward yourself by getting the most for your money. WVU has four scholarships available to its students: The Freshman Scholarship at West Virginia University, PROMISE Scholarship, Transfer Scholarship and Diversity Scholarship.The application process for the Freshman Scholarship is actually quite easy. Students complete the admission application along with ACT/SAT scores sent to the school. These two steps get the process started fairly quickly. The deadline for most scholarships is February 1, of your senior year in high school. Then there is the Promise of Greatness at WVU; only sponsored by the state of West Virginia. It pays an amount of $4,705 to most colleges in the state. By March 1, the Promise application must be submitted. Also, students must file a FAFSA form before this date. The Promise Scholarship is a reward for your outstanding work and achievement. Interesting enough, up to 40 percent of all Promise scholarship recipients choose to attend WVU. On the other hand, the Transfer Scholarship is awarded to those students who have submitted their transfer application by July 1, 2013. All transfer students who maintain or currently have a 3.00 GPA with a minimum of 15 credit hours to WVU are eligible for this scholarship. The amount of money awarded will range from $500-$2000 per year. If the student meets these prerequisites then a letter will be sent in mid-June prior to attending the school. West Virginia University also has one last scholarship available to minorities. The school offers incoming freshmen the chance to apply for the Diversity Scholarship. This program was designed to attract talented minority students who are or have been misrepresented on college campuses.What stops you from applying now? Re-think and consider these reasons: College costs a lot more than it used to, the state support for students have decreased substantially, and in fact most parents have no money to cover the cost. Scholarships are essential to ensure that you won’t struggle to make huge student loan payments upon graduation. They are no longer just a bonus.Secondly, the cost of housing is another expense that influences college debt. Based on the survey roughly 50% of undergraduates live off-campus and this surprisingly enough appears to be the best option weighted against on-campus housing. The cost of dorms at West Virginia University ranges from $729-$1,555 in the Honor Halls. For any student attending a college near home, then the smartest decision becomes evident- live at home. Others who are available to live off-campus do so. Definitely consider sharing a house or apartment with multiple roommates, this will for sure cut down the cost of rent and, even carpooling will save you money on gas. Joe Cline, writer for the College 101 website, says, “College students lack enthusiasm, they are plain lazy”. Although many can find this somewhat offensive, Cline implies that most students possibly do not conduct an in depth adequate research when it comes down to comparing what is best for them. This turns out to in fact be true.Personally, I live about 15 minutes from the school and I pay less than most undergrads surveyed. I chose to look into housing “far” from campus for two reasons; one being that I wanted to separate myself from downtown Morgantown (High Street) primarily — WVU is the number one party school. Second reason was the fact that the price of housing does decrease according to distance. Moreover, West Virginia University sponsors upperclassmen to live on-campus as resident advisor to upcoming freshman. This option reduces the total cost of room and board. Keep in mind also, the idea to work part-time, but be sure to set your priorities first.Likewise, the cost of books is also hurting the wallet of most college students. The survey conducted astonishingly showed that all 100 undergraduates believe the cost charged for books is unacceptable. C. Susan; writer for the Department of Education, understands the discontentment of students regarding the cost of books. She states, “The national average cost of books and supplies hovers around $1,100 per year.” This figure can clearly alarm anyone, especially college students. What is the solution? Well, one must become more frugal when the season to purchase books comes around. There are actually several options to choose from that will able students to save a bit of cash in their pockets. One option would be to buy used books; both online and from the school itself.Textbooks represent one of the largest expenses in any school’s budget. The only real difference between new and pre-owned textbooks is the huge savings off publisher net prices. Students will receive high-quality textbooks and achieve the same performance. On some occasions visiting bookstores near the school will offer you the best deal. For example: The Book Exchange, Barnes and Nobles, Bookholders. All these stores are in fact in walking distance from the school. The amount of money saved with the purchase of a used book approximately is 30% off the actual cost. Second; this is an option quite hidden to many students– the ability to simply deal with monthly renewals from the library. Yes, you are allowed to rent books at a much lower price. Thirdly, ask friends or others students whom have previously taken your course and make white-and-black copies on only chapters discussed in class.There is really no reason to breakdown under the overwhelming stress of college. You have options and your West Virginia University degree awaits you. More than ever, attending college provides opportunities for graduates. Yes, it is outrageously expensive–but then again nothing is ever handed to you at zero charge. Today’s economy is becoming increasingly competitive, and in order to give yourself the best chance for a well-paying job, you must first understand the importance of a college degree no matter its price tag.

Accumulair® Emerald 18x36x1 (17.5×35.5) MERV 6 Air Filter/Furnace Filters (4 pack)

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Up to 8-times more effective at capturing micro particles than ordinary fiberglass filters. Economical, high-capacity media makes this filter an ideal upgrade from standard fiberglass throwaways. Rugged and durable. Will not warp or leak under normal operating conditions. Excellent for high-velocity systems and maximum air flow.
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Flowmaster 842553 50 Delta Muffler 409S – 2.50 Offset IN / 2.50 Offset OUT – Moderate Sound

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This two chamber design Incorporates Flowmaster’s patented delta flow technology. The delta deflectors generate Increased scavengIng for better performance and reduced Interior sound. Milder exterior tone and reduced Interior resonance over standard 40 Series. Constructed of 16 gauge 409S staInless steel and fully MIG welded for maximum durability.
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Tamron AF017S-700 Autofocus 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens for Konica Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras

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70-300mm macro lens with f/4-5.6 maximum aperture for digital or 35mm cameras Easy-to-use macro switch lets you alternate between 180mm and 300mm focal lengths Minimum focus distance of 59 inches from subject (normal) or 37.4 inches (macro) 9-blade circular diaphragm provides beautiful soft-focus imagery; 62mm filter diameter Measures 3 inches in diameter and 4.6 inches long; weighs 15.3 ounces
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VPN Special pricing starts from just $4.99/m with a 30 day money back guarantee.

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BEST DEAL $4.99/month VPN HideMyAss Securing and encrypting your web connection has never been very easy. Simply install our software, enter your account and click on the connect button Zero technical knowledge is essential. Easy connection Simply enter your account to the dashboard, select our VPN servers and click connect. Your internet connection has decided to be encrypted plus your online identity changed. The dashboard will update and make sure your brand-new IP address and virtual location. Get Now Summer Vacation Special Price $4.99/month

Keeping in Touch With Seniors’ Health Long Distance

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There are an estimated five to seven million long distance caregivers in America today, and the number is increasing rapidly as boomers reach retirement age and beyond. Generally, we start calling it long distance caregiving when the travel time that separates the caregiver from the older adult is greater than one hour. The distance combined with the demands can put a lot of strain on caregivers and their families. Yet, there is more than just a telephone or the local neighbor to mom or dad that can help caregivers keep in touch with the older adults for whom they are responsible.Skype is not just for the younger, high-tech generation. Many of you may already know about this free, internet-based technology that allows two people to see and hear one another by way of their computers. This modern face time is a great way to personalize the long distance communication that must fill the time between personal visits to mom or dad. You can set it up to be almost as easy as a phone call for families to stay in touch in a more personal way.Keeping track with older parents who may be suffering from early onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s can be fraught with anxiety for the distance caregiver. But it can be as easy as getting a cell phone for your older parent with its GPS connected to your own smart phone. It is not obtrusive, and it allows family to help keep tabs on the comings and goings of an older parent or even when the parent simply is not getting out.For helping an older parent run errands, get to a doctor’s office visit or shop for the week’s groceries, you also can create a virtual community of people and resources. There is a website perfectly tailored to the special needs of long-distance caregiving call Lotsa Helping Hands. It offers a free way to set up a private community of people who can be that extra helping hand when needed by simply sending out the request as one would send out an announcement to a group on any of the social networks. It brings to the 21st century the opportunity for the whole village to contribute to caring for its seniors.Finally, it would not be the complete story without the old standard, “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” The Philips Lifeline places the senior just the push of a button away from help. There also is a new optional feature that can detect the sudden movement of a fall and place the call without the button ever being touched.There are more technological advances that can place a sensor mat at the bed side or a camera in the room, but honestly, these can get a bit intrusive. I suggest always that we balance safety with quality of life, and Big Brother never was much of a caregiver. In the end, it is also important to remember that these tech options are supplements to – and not replacements for – the human touch and presence.

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PCNTDA – The Real Estate Catalyst For Pimpri Chinchwad

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The Pimpri Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA), popularly known as Pradhikaran, has been a major catalyst in the planned development of Pune’s burgeoning PCMC area, transforming this once exclusively industrial zone into one of the hottest destinations for those buying property in Pune – and indeed in the country.Over the last three decades several thousand acres of land have been acquired, developed, zoned, brought into the jurisdiction of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) and PCNTDA and made available for residential and commercial purposes. The result has bee a paradigm shift in how the real estate market sees properties for sale in Pune. It can safely be stated that, in terms of the Pune property market, the Pimpri Chinchwad map will never look the same again.Under the leadership of capable and committed IAS officers, the development of this fertile Pune real estate Mecca spans the entire gamut of activities. These include multi-lanes roads (including the Spine Road), strategically located fly-overs, public parks and urban forestation, residential zones including MIG and LIG Housing on a public private partnership basis, ample potable water supply and a comprehensive drainage network.Simultaneously, other service sectors have also grown rapidly, particularly schools and colleges. There are now over 25 colleges in Pimpri Chinchwad, offering graduate and post-graduate education in virtually every discipline – healthcare, retail, entertainment, banking and financial services and public transport.The International Convention CenterThese developments have attracted some of the world’s largest companies from the automobile, IT and engineering sectors. It will also become the home of one of India’s largest International Convention Centers (on a 200-acre plot at Moshi, just off the Pune-Nashik Highway.)The governing authorities’ vision for the ICC includes the intention of holding the international auto exhibition that will take place in India in 2012 there. Accordingly, a hall admeasuring 100,000 square feet is being developed – this hall will equal (if not rival) similar exhibition hubs in Munich, Shanghai and other major metros around the world.Cutting-Edge Residential ComplexesLeading builder-developers from the Pune property market have been quick to spot the opportunity to create ultra-modern residential complexes in this region. These complexes are being designed and executed to meet the lifestyle expectations of the cultured and cosmopolitan middle class.Another market driver is the fact that Pimpri Chinchwad now offers diverse career and business opportunities. The concept of integrated town is now increasingly coming into vogue in this growth-centric area of PCMC. The more established developers active in this region are now offering highly evolved integrated townships that offer apartments in various configurations to suit all budget levels.In fact, the most advanced of these townships features amenities such as shopping mall, multiplex, club and sports complex, school, hospital, hotel and wedding reception hall. The focus on tree plantation, play parks and podium lawns remains, with a view of preserving the serene, healthy environment that this showcase location of the PCMC area is so famous for.

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The 4 Cornerstones of A Successful Home-Based Business

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The success of your home business is built on four important cornerstones,Skills – Mindset – Relationships – EnvironmentsAs you prepare for the journey ahead, set goals for yourself in each of these areas to ensure your business is built on a solid foundation and grows at an even keel.1. SkillsWhat skills do you need to develop? Do you need to learn about marketing, sales, copywriting, communicating, technology, networking, organizing, presenting, leading or prioritizing?Business leaders are master marketers and sales people. Regardless of your chosen field of endeavor, developing those two skills is absolutely critical to your success.Of course, they don’t complete the recipe. Identify other important skills you’ll need and create a plan to start acquiring them.2. MindsetWhat disempowering beliefs block you from taking action, making decisions, having confidence and giving everything you’ve got to create the success and happiness you deserve?You’re not alone if you’re fighting internal battles. Corporate executives, successful business owners and many professionals sabotage their potential to enjoy true happiness in all areas of life.These challenges affect virtually everyone regardless of gender, nationality, religion, family status, socio-economic background or financial status, and more often than not link back to experiences from our youth.How often have you sabotaged your efforts to grow beyond your wildest dreams or reach your higher vision for yourself?It could be traced back to a statement made by an authority figure or someone you loved and could have been taken out of context because of your youth, or it may have been malicious in intent, but never dealt with completely because you haven’t had the tools to do it.Mindset may be the biggest challenge to overcome, yet has the greatest impact on whether or not you achieve your goals and dreams.3. RelationshipsHow are your relationships with yourself, family, friends, co-workers, customers and others?Are you comfortable in intimate conversation or do you prefer groups? Do you have the confidence to approach a stranger and begin a conversation or do you try to become one with a nearby plant or wallpaper pattern hoping not to be noticed?Do people know they can count on you to keep your word, make appointments on time and complete tasks as promised or do you over commit and under deliver?Do people know they can trust you to keep conversations private and speak positively about them when they’re not present, or do you criticize others in conversation when they’re not there to defend themselves?Battles with a spouse, siblings, parents, kids and friends can eat up mental ram and take your focus away from business. Sometimes these battles are with someone who has passed on, yet you keep the battle raging in your mind.Positive relationships support you. Negative relationships, real or imagined create harm.4. EnvironmentsHow are your environments supporting you?Is your physical environment clear of clutter? This includes your home, office and vehicles. Are you surrounded by unhealthy foods or toxic substances? Do you have toxic people in your life who drain your energy?What about your financial environment?Can you accurately state how much cash flow you have, how much you bring in each month and how much is spent each month and on what?Can you forecast upcoming expenditures and do you have a plan to meet them?Do you know how to correctly interpret an income statement or balance sheet?You may choose to have someone take care of your bookkeeping and accounting, but as a responsible business owner, it is imperative you understand what’s going on.Your body is also an environment.Does it receive adequate fuel (sleep and healthy food) and exercise? This environment provides energy, clear thinking, stamina, and mobility. Without this vehicle, you would not have a business … or life. Do you treat it with the respect and appreciation it deserves?Do you need to learn about healthy eating, yoga, meditation, strength or stamina building exercises? Do you withhold visiting a doctor even though you’re experiencing discomfort or obvious symptoms of a health issue?Without your body, the game is over.The degree of your business (and life) success directly relates to the degree you invest in all four cornerstones.Choosing to focus only on one, two or three leads to a lop-sided result — much like a four-legged chair with a missing leg. It can’t stand on its own.In order to address these four cornerstones, you may have to read books, take courses or programs, join organizations, seek out mentors or coaches, find mastermind partners, and surround yourself with people who can provide you with what you need.If cost is an issue, start with your local library and Internet searches. You’ll find plenty of helpful resources at zero cost. Tap into the minds of brilliant entrepreneurs and industry leaders. Learn about their challenges and follow their journey to success.Contact a local business person you respect and ask if you can interview him. Most people say yes to this request because people generally like to help others.You don’t have to try to eat the whole elephant in one bite. Start simple by selecting one or two areas to focus your attention on and create an action plan that allows you to spread your efforts evenly across the four cornerstones.For example, you can start cleaning up your physical environment while checking a book out from the library on the subject of sales, marketing or improving personal relationships.Or, you can enroll in a night course at your community college on the subject of financial intelligence and volunteer for a local organization once or twice a month to start building new relationships.Your possibilities are limited only by your imagination and if you need help with that, find others to assist. Brainstorming is a powerful exercise.Focus on these four cornerstones, commit to giving necessary attention and energy to each and your business will be built on a solid foundation and capable of exponential growth.2007 © Laurie Hayes – The HBB Source

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