Walter Okpala: How to obtain college degree without debt 4

Walter Okpala: How to obtain college degree without debt 4: In my former posts, I have given some tips on how to get college degree without debt. The two earlier tips were reducing college costs thro...

How to obtain college degree without debt 4

In my former posts, I have given some tips on how to get college degree without debt. The two earlier tips were reducing college costs through AP and CLEP examinations, and by attending community colleges. In this post, we are going to look at the online courses. Getting a college degree or part of via online is also an excellent way of reducing cost of college education. Many higher institutions offer online courses as a part of their curricula while others offer a full degree program. It is understandable that in some courses such as medicine, dentistry, law, and engineering, it is impossible to obtain an accredited college degree through online courses. However, the general basic courses can be met. In this form, the overall cost of obtaining professional degrees can be achieved. The best way to go for online courses is to first check the website of the college you want to attend and verify the online courses they accept as transfer to complete the degree requirement.

     Many highly rated universities offer online courses through consortia called opeculture, openlearning, courseware, among others. Examples of universities involved are MIT, Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford, UC Berkeley, etc. The most interesting thing is that these courses are free and they offer certificates upon completion of each discipline. You can also consult the following sites to help you identify the courses available and costs. These are:   

http://www.onlinecolleges.net/   

http://www.onlineu.org/most-affordable-colleges

http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses

http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm#

http://www.phoenix.edu/


I understand that education should be a way to go up the social ladder and cannot be turned into a way of slavery and bondage through student debt. In the world of today, there are many opportunities that can make it possible for you to get your degree without debt. The only thing it requires is to go for information. Think about this!

Walter Okpala: How to obtain college degree without debt 3

Walter Okpala: How to obtain college degree without debt 3: In my last post, I mentioned one of the ways one can get a college degree without debt. In that post, I explained the importance of communi...

How to obtain college degree without debt 3

In my last post, I mentioned one of the ways one can get a college degree without debt. In that post, I explained the importance of community colleges. In this post, I am going to give another example of preventing debt while geting a college degree. The present method requires more discipline than the first one. The method I am refering to here is getting college credit by taking college equivalent courses examinations called the Advaced Placement examination (AP) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP). These two exams are organized by the College Board and accepted in many institutions of higher learning worldwide. Interested candidates can go to the website of the College Board at https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/home?navid=gh-aps and https://clep.collegeboard.org/ respectively.

     Students who take the exams and pass can obtain up to 2 years equivalent of a four-year college degree. However, each college or university has a limit on the courses and number of credit it can accept. So, you should ask the institution of your choice about the courses and the credit limit they accept for these exams. The good thing about these exams is that you can study at your own pace and take the exams when you want to. This means you can be working and be taking the courses one by one. The money you saved while working can be used to pay in-state tuition for the last 2 years of college. In this way, you can never be involved in student debt. Even in courses like medicine and law, the amount of student loan a student can take to complete the course will be significantly reduced. However, you should be highly disciplined since nobody is controlling your time. The second thing about the exams is that you can take them in many parts of the world and they are not expensive. Visit the website of the College Board and get all the necessary information to help you.

Think about this!        

Walter Okpala: College degree without debt 2

Walter Okpala: College degree without debt 2: In my last post, I promised that I will write about various ways people can obtain college degree without incuring debt. The first of these...

College degree without debt 2

In my last post, I promised that I will write about various ways people can obtain college degree without incuring debt. The first of these means is obtaining college degree by first going to a community college. Community college is a two-year college where students can get equivalent of two years of a four-year college. It is called community colleges in the USA, but other countries have equivalent institution. This is a very cheap way of obtaining a college degree. In the USA, majority of the community colleges belong to the state governments. In this way, they are subsidized by the government and students can also attend them from home. There are more than 2,000 community colleges distributed in every state and locality in the USA. Although not all community college credits are transferable to four year colleges, interested students should verify this option before enrolling.

     The main advantage of the community college is the cost which, in some cases, represent about 30% of the cost of a four-year state college. In order to prevent students and their parents from getting into debt, I wrote a book listing the 50 cheapest American Colleges and Universities. The book is written in both English and in Portuguese languages. The books are available from:         

(1)  http://www.livrariacultura.com.br/r/search/track? url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.livrariacultura.com.br%2Fp%2Fthe-50-cheapest-american-colleges-and-13157932&query=walter%20okpala&ref=13157932&_=0.04348868224769831 

(2) https://store.kobobooks.com/pt-BR/ebook/the-50-cheapest-american-colleges-and-universities-for-foreign-students  

(3) https://store.kobobooks.com/pt-BR/ebook/conheca-50-faculdades-americanas-mais-baratas-para-alunos-estrangeiros

   

The book provides the cost of each college and university, the courses available, contact address, etc. 

     By going to the community college, a student will save enough money to pay higher tuition even when he transfers to a four-year college. The other option can be to work after graduation from community college, save some money before going back to complete the four-year course. Using this method, one may spend more than 4 years, but will definitely not have the student debt which is a nightmare for many people. Consider this!          

Walter Okpala: How to obtain college degree without debt

Walter Okpala: How to obtain college degree without debt: The problem of student debt is becoming widespread one. Many people go to college to get degree, but after graduation, they find themselves ...

How to obtain college degree without debt

The problem of student debt is becoming widespread one. Many people go to college to get degree, but after graduation, they find themselves in a big trap on how to find job and at the same time, worried about the incured student debt. The question some parents are asking is whether there are other ways to go to college without student loan. The answer is yes, although these other means require more sacrifice. In the following series of posts, I will show various ways of getting college degree without being in debt. Watch out for the posts!
          

Walter Okpala: Parents sustaining their adult children

Walter Okpala: Parents sustaining their adult children: One of the barriers to financial planning is parents over-sustaining their adult children. There is a trend worldwide, on the average, that...

Parents sustaining their adult children

One of the barriers to financial planning is parents over-sustaining their adult children. There is a trend worldwide, on the average, that the older generations are have better economic conditions than the younger ones. As a matter of fact, this trend does not mean that older generations were wealthier than the younger generation. Although there are more job opportunities today, only the highly qualified candidates can secure them. While the older generations were able to get job with only high school diploma, getting a weel-paying job today requires college degree in some specific disciplines. That means that not all college degrees can assure you job and descent income to sustain yourself. What this trends also means is that those without college degree or with low-paying college course do not make enough for their living. As a result of this problem, many adult children live with their parents, even if they may have a higher level of education than their parents. 

     Parents should give support to their children when needed. However, over-sustaining your adult children without limit is a bad decision. This is because the adult children enter into comfort zone and do not struggle anymore. In many cases as witnessed in developing countries, adult children get married and start having children under this condition. What was to be a temporary help becomes a right. Many parents struggle with this, but do not know what to do because of the emotion involved. They generally say: "how can I send my children and grandchildren to sleep on the street"? 

     This over-dependence poses financial burden on the parents. Most of them are retired, but cannot enjoy any minute of their lives anymore. I know many retirees who spend their pension on medicines for themselves and the rest on sustaining their children and grandchildren. Their pension finish 2 days after receiving them. In some cases, the parents go back to work in order to help while their adult children cannot get regular jobs. 

     It is important for parents to understand the financial implications of over-sustaining their adult children. Although help should be given, there has to be a time limit attached to it. On the contrary, you cannot live your life. The irony is these younger ones cannot make the same sacrifice their parents are making. Look at the cars they ride, the smart phones they use, and video games they play to understand their behavior. 

     So, live your life. Do not live your life for others!