StudentZona - Caring For A Better Student Life And Learning

Chances are that if you are in college, you will have to take out loans at some point. While there are many financial opportunities available to assist you with your tuition, the most common form of financial aid in the United States is Stafford Loans. These loans are awarded based on your completion of the FAFSA and can be subsidized or unsubsidized. What is the difference between the two? Here, we will look at unsubsidized Stafford loans.

An unsubsidized Stafford loan is a loan that is awarded based on your responses to the FAFSA. These loans are not based on financial need and because of this, you are charged interest from the time these loans are taken. This interest is added to the overall amount you borrow and is capitalized quarterly.
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The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, more commonly referred to as the FAFSA, is the application all college and university students in the United States must fill out for help with college expenses. This application is lengthy and can be confusing for first-time applicants. The following will address some frequently asked questions about the FAFSA in an attempt to make the completion of it easier.

Question: Do I have to fill out the FAFSA even if I’m only interested in grants and don’t want loans?
Answer: Absolutely. The government uses the same application to award grants as it does to award loans. Also, most universities will not consider you for many scholarships unless you have already filled out a FAFSA.
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Although some are lucky enough to have their education paid for by their parents or relatives, in today’s world it is likely that if you are going to a college or university you will need some financial assistance. There are many ways to go about finding assistance, but many students get overwhelmed when looking at the variety of options that are available to them. The next few posts will look at the intricacies of the different types of aid, but for now, we will give you a brief definition and overview of each type.
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Yesterday, we looked at began looking at student organizations. Today, in part one of our two-part series on nationally recognized student organizations, we will spend some time looking at the benefits of belonging to one or more national student organizations whose basis for admittance is grade point average, also known as GPA.

There are many of these organizations out there, and most seek out students in their early years of college for membership. For most, your cumulative GPA has to be above a 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. Really, this isn’t that hard to attain, and should you be contacted it is beneficial for you to join. Why? Because membership in academic-based nationally recognized student organizations has many advantaged both while your in college and beyond. (more…)

Not every student is luck enough to have their college and living expenses paid for. Loans can help out some, but more likely than not, if you are a student, you are going to have to work a part-time job at some point in your college career. Before you commence with the groaning, realize that working a job while in school is not a wholly negative thing. A part-time job can not only help out with your day-to-day expenses, it can also be wildly beneficial to your time management skills. “What?!?” you say. It’s true, though. Numerous studies have been done that show that students who work while in college tend to have higher GPAs and are better suited to the work force upon graduation. But, what kind of job can you possibly fit into your already crammed school schedule? Let’s look at the most popular options and the benefits of each.
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