FAP598: Loans on postcards, darknets, inflation, nursing scholarships, Catie McKinney

FAP598: Loans on postcards, darknets, inflation, nursing scholarships, Catie McKinney

Student Financial Aid News
+ Expert interview with Dr. Kristan Venegas will be published separately due to length - 57 minutes
+ iLife 08! iWork 08! Upgrades to the Financial Aid Podcast coming SOON
+ Chronicle: The inflation index that many colleges use to predict their costs increased by 3.4 percent in the 2007 fiscal year, less than last year’s rise of 5 percent.
+ The Higher Education Price Index is a gauge of inflation that measures the change in costs in an average fixed basket of goods and services purchased by higher-education institutions each fiscal year, ending June 30. The index, known as HEPI, helps colleges to project future budget increases and maintain purchasing power and investments. HEPI is calculated by the Commonfund Institute, the research arm of the Commonfund, which helps colleges and universities manage their endowments.
+ The HEPI exceeded the Consumer Price Index of 2.6 percent for the same period. Commonfund Institute officials said the HEPI is a better measure of inflation for colleges than the Consumer Price Index is because it includes costs associated with salaries, benefits, services, supplies, materials, and utilities rather than the goods and services people buy for day-to-day living.
+ Chronicle: The U.S. Department of Education proposed changes to two grant programs for students on Tuesday, in an effort to clear up questions about eligibility for the assistance. But the department proposal keeps two provisions that were criticized earlier this year by members of a panel created to recommend changes to the programs. One defines an “academic year” in a way that creates administrative headaches for colleges. The other makes students in certificate programs ineligible for the grants.
+ Chronicle: Just in time for back-to-school season, Wired has written a guide to file sharing for students excited by the prospect of high-speed networking. The article isn’t revelatory, but it’s surprisingly frank about the factors students may consider when deciding how to swap songs and movies without getting into legal trouble.
+ One-click hosting sites, like RapidShare and SendSpace, let users upload files to others with “maximum privacy,” Wired notes, but “it’s often faster to carry a flash drive to your on-campus friends.” College officials may wish the magazine issued a sterner warning about the illegality of piracy, but they might want to give the guide a look: It does offer insight into why many students now try darknets and hosting sites in lieu of more traditional peer-to-peer services.

Scholarship Update
+ Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association, Inc.
+ Deadline January 11, 2008
+ Current enrollment and matriculation in a state-approved nursing program leading to an
associate degree, baccalaureate, diploma, generic doctorate or generic master’s degree; or enrolled in an RN to BSN completion, RN to MSN completion, or LPN/LVN to RN program;
Matriculation means the student has applied to a state approved nursing school and has
been admitted into the nursing program.
+ Pre-nursing students taking courses to prepare for matriculation into a nursing program;
+ Attending classes and taking no less than six (6) credits per semester.
+ Involvement in student nursing organizations and community health activities;
+ Document academic achievement;
+ Establish financial need;
+ High school students are not eligible to apply;
+ U.S. Citizen or Alien with U.S. Permanent Resident Status/Alien Registration Number;
+ Students graduating prior to December 2008 are ineligible to apply.
+ The Foundation awards scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 annually. Scholarships may be applied toward tuition, books, and academic fees only. The scholarship may not be used to pay any other expenses that the student incurs.
+ Details at our free college scholarship search site

Mail Bag
+ Lisa writes in: I have been listening to your podcast lately as I work in my office and appreciate this information service very much, thank you! I had one question, I got a direct mail post card from Chase Bank advertising a $40,000 loan for school. I was thinking about responding to it, is this one of those “private student loans” that you were talking about? Is it that the interest rate will not be the best choice among the other choices of financial aid for school? I only take one class per semester and I get assistance from family just to pay that. Any advice? I work 40 hours, but if there was a loan to cover my current expenses and would also pay for full time or even part time school that would be PERFECT!! IS there such a thing? Thanks
+ Scholarships and grants first
+ Federal student loans next
+ Then private student loans
+ Jon-Michael writes in: I would like to know how I can get qualified for Federal Pell Grants. I am registered at Brevard Community College in Melbourne Florida. I also make very little money. I would like to see how much I can qualify for.
+ Controlled entirely by the FAFSA

Podsafe Music
+ Catie McKinney, Angel

Reminders
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+ Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com
+ Student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
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+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

Source : http://bostonnow.com/community/blogs/financialaidpodcast/2007/08/08/fap598-loans-on-postcards-darknets-inflation-nursing-scholarships-catie-mckinney/