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4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 44,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 10 Film Festivals

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AFTER A BRIEF HIATUS, I am coming back to the podcast and blog with a new perspective on my birthday. Today I am 36 years old, and my life has changed a great deal in ways I would have never expected. For the past year, I have written articles on scholarships and financial aid with the notion that others would read it and learn, and that it may somehow help my son 12 years in the future. However my purpose has come with an added urgency.

My girlfriend has brought into my life SIX, yes, SIX children, all of whom are a blessing and a joy. At ages 18,15,13,12,7 and 5, all have unique financial aid issues and financial concerns that need to be addressed. To help accomplish that, I will use the blog and my podcast to help them, and hopefully help others through the lessons I learn along the way. Wish me luck, and keep your comments coming. More to follow about the family!

Always,

Jr

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Download The Episode: Ep18 October 15, 2012

Listen to the episode:

In this episode we talk to Dr Keith Boeckelman at Western Illinois University (Twitter @WIU_UR) about this election cycle and the difference between the candidates on the issued of student loans and how it could affect your student loan rates, as well our weekly Scholarshippoints.com Question and Answer Segment with Kristen Ferguson.

Feel free to check it out here and subscribe on iTunes at the College Money Man Blog!

Be sure to Like, Subscribe, and Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, or Skype me at CollegeMoneyMan and leave a message if I am not online already and I’ll get back to you quickly. Also, ask questions on any site and I’ll answer them as soon as I can, usually within 24-48 hours. Be detailed in your questions so I can give a good response to your issue

Episode 46

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Be sure to Like, Subscribe, and Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Ask questions on any site and I’ll answer them ASAP!

Partial Transcript more after the jump…

Its time for another Daily Scholarship and Financial Aid Tip in about two minutes, by JR The College Money Man

This is episode 46 and today we are talking about How To Keep College Costs Super Low;

In our prior episode, we talked about saving money while in college by taking classes while in high school. However, one of the largest expenses in college is the cost of living. For those at a state university, living expenses can often exceed the cost of tuition and fees.

While it may seem to outsiders that living in a dorm or residence hall is a part of the college experience, I can tell you personally that its something most can do without. When living on campus, you are bound by the costs and rules set by the university. In addition, most universities mandate a meal plan purchase, even if you have no plan to eat on campus. This is often because the operation of residence halls in conjunction with food facilities are being farmed out to private companies. So saving small amounts by changing habits such as shutting off lights, or buying cheaper meals, is less of an option while living on campus. However, by finding a living space off campus with roommates, students can often save thousands per year by cooking their own food, shutting off lights and conserving energy, and minimizing other household expenses. While the costs of living off campus will vary from school to school, most will find of campus housing to be an economical choice if chosen well.

Look, most college students are adults and they don’t want nose RA’s snooping into their lives, or the hassle of eating only when the dining hall is open, all while paying in some cases exorbitant fees. So take the time to search locally and do the math and see if living off campus will help you or your college age student. it may pay off in the long run through lowered student debt, and less financial headache overall.

Have a problem with financial aid or scholarships? go ahead and send JR a tweet @ CollegeCashMan or call him at 831-275-0182. Thanks for listening to JR’s Two Minute Financial Aid Tips at http://www.collegemoneyman.com

The College Money Man Podcast, and JR’s Two Minute Tips are available for subscription for FREE via iTunes. New episodes of 2-Minute Tips are released everyday Monday thru Friday, and our weekly broadcast is released each Wednesday. Subscribe, like, and comment! Download and get your dose of financial aid help on the go.

Episode 45

Download Here

Be sure to Like, Subscribe, and Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Ask questions on any site and I’ll answer them ASAP!

Partial Transcript more after the jump…

Its time for another Daily Scholarship and Financial Aid Tip in about two minutes, by JR The College Money Man

This is episode 44 and today we are talking about How To Keep College Costs Super Low;

In our prior episode, we talked about saving money while in college by testing out of certain classes. But for the classes you have to take but cant stand, what should parents do to save on those? So for todays tip, I suggest using community colleges while in high school to effectively to lower your costs.

Lets be honest and say an English 101 class at a community college has very little difference from its university counter part. In addition, the cost of the class at a local community college is far cheaper than the university will be. Most community colleges will enroll a high school student in limited classes provided they are not seeking financial aid. While in high school, a student with enough perseverance can complete a semesters worth of credits over 2-3 years one class at a time. By cutting those basic classes out of university cost, you can get accustomed to college work at a fraction of the price.

SO take the time to consider whether you or your child has what it takes to start college a bit early locally. It may be one of the best ways to save thousands tuition.

Saving money in school requires an effort. But it pays off in the long run through lowered student debt, and less financial headache overall.

Have a problem with financial aid or scholarships? go ahead and send JR a tweet @ CollegeCashMan or call him at 831-275-0182. Thanks for listening to JR’s Two Minute Financial Aid Tips at http://www.collegemoneyman.com

The College Money Man Podcast, and JR’s Two Minute Tips are available for subscription for FREE via iTunes. New episodes of 2-Minute Tips are released everyday Monday thru Friday, and our weekly broadcast is released each Wednesday. Subscribe, like, and comment! Download and get your dose of financial aid help on the go.

Episode 44

Download Here

Be sure to Like, Subscribe, and Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Ask questions on any site and I’ll answer them ASAP!

Partial Transcript more after the jump…

Its time for another Daily Scholarship and Financial Aid Tip in about two minutes, by JR The College Money Man

This is episode 44 and today we are talking about How To Keep College Costs Super Low;

Lets be honest, not everyone is going to Harvard, or any place like it. For most of us, we  just want to get through college alive and get a decent job on the other end. It’s important to remember that parents and students can cut the cost of college in small ways. Combined, these small saving strategies can eventually cut the cost of some students tuition in half. So the next several episodes of this podcast are dedicated to just saving money while in school. 

For my first tip, I always tell parents and students to test-out of every class you can get credit for. Now hear me out on this.  There are literally thousands of courses at any one particular school. We all have talents and areas of interest we have excelled at. If your goal is to complete a degree in law enforcement, and you have no plans on for further study, it’s always a good idea to cut the cost of tuition wherever you can. So if you have taken a class in basic accounting while in high school, talk to the department that the subject is in about testing out of the class for credit. If you can pass the test, you could save yourself several thousand in tuition and fees, as well as get one course closer to graduation. 

Saving money in school requires an effort. But it pays off in the long run through lowered student debt, and less financial headache overall. 

Have a problem with financial aid or scholarships? go ahead and send JR a tweet @ CollegeCashMan or call him at 831-275-0182. Thanks for listening to JR’s Two Minute Financial Aid Tips at http://www.collegemoneyman.com

The College Money Man Podcast, and JR’s Two Minute Tips are available for subscription for FREE via iTunes. New episodes of 2-Minute Tips are released everyday Monday thru Friday, and our weekly broadcast is released each Wednesday. Subscribe, like, and comment! Download and get your dose of financial aid help on the go.

Episode 43

Download Here

Be sure to Like, Subscribe, and Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Ask questions on any site and I’ll answer them ASAP!

Partial Transcript more after the jump…

Its time for another Daily Scholarship and Financial Aid Tip in about two minutes, by JR The College Money Man

This is episode 43 and today we are talking about How to Ask For A Letter of Recommendation For Your Scholarship Application;

Most schools and scholarships require that applicants submit one, if not two or more recommendations as part of the application process. This allows judges and admissions officers to gain an outside view of the applicant to understand their strengths and weaknesses. However, many students and parents don’t know how to go about asking for one. 

As I often tell student’s and parents, who recommends you is important what is said. however, often the beast people to ask for as letter of recommendation are often busy people with full lives. So it is important to be as brief and professional as possible when asking.

Before you for your letter, be sure this person has as very positive view of you and your work. Also, have as tailored resume or list of accomplishments ready, as well as a sheet of paper with the information of the scholarships for them to review. Once all of this is assembled, politely ask your professor or other recommenders during regular business hours if they can assist you by providing the letter on your behalf. Let them know what the scholarship if for, and what it would mean to win. If the recommender is busy ast the time of your request, make an appointment for later, ast least one half hour, so you can discuss it with them.

applications can be cumbersome and paperwork intensive. But if done right, a strong letter of recommendation will make all the difference to the judges.

Have a problem with financial aid or scholarships? go ahead and send JR a tweet @ CollegeCashMan or call him at 831-275-0182. Thanks for listening to JR’s Two Minute Financial Aid Tips at http://www.collegemoneyman.com

The College Money Man Podcast, and JR’s Two Minute Tips are available for subscription for FREE via iTunes. New episodes of 2-Minute Tips are released everyday Monday thru Friday, and our weekly broadcast is released each Wednesday. Subscribe, like, and comment! Download and get your dose of financial aid help on the go.

Episode 42

Download Here

Be sure to Like, Subscribe, and Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Ask questions on any site and I’ll answer them ASAP!

Partial Transcript more after the jump…

Its time for another Daily Scholarship and Financial Aid Tip in about two minutes, by JR The College Money Man

This is episode 42 and today we are talking about How to Choose The Right Recommender For Your Scholarship Application;

Most schools and scholarships require that applicants submit one, if not two or more recommendations as part of the application process. This allows judges and admissions officers to gain an outside view of the applicant to understand their strengths and weeknesses. However, many dont know that the person who offers the recommendation is as important as what is said about the applicant.

For example, take two equal candidates that are competing for a scholarship targeted at engineers. Both have the same GPA, major, and career intent. However, one has a letter of recommendation from his priest, and one has a letter of recommendation from the owner of an engineering firm. A judge looking at both of these candidates would likely defer to the engineer given his relevance to that specific scholarships.

So with that fact in mind, heres a quick tip: always target and tailor your letters of recommendation and the recommender to the audience. When you have little time to connect with judges, a recommender with something in common with the judge may make the difference between financing your education, and a rejection letter.

Have a problem with financial aid or scholarships? go ahead and send JR a tweet @ CollegeCashMan or call him at 831-275-0182. Thanks for listening to JR’s Two Minute Financial Aid Tips at http://www.collegemoneyman.com

The College Money Man Podcast, and JR’s Two Minute Tips are available for subscription for FREE via iTunes. New episodes of 2-Minute Tips are released everyday Monday thru Friday, and our weekly broadcast is released each Wednesday. Subscribe, like, and comment! Download and get your dose of financial aid help on the go.

Episode 41

Download Here

Be sure to Like, Subscribe, and Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Ask questions on any site and I’ll answer them ASAP!

Partial Transcript more after the jump…

Its time for another Daily Scholarship and Financial Aid Tip in about two minutes, by JR The College Money Man

This is episode 41 and today we are talking about How to Find Scholarships for the Children of Farmers ;

Ask anyone who has grown up in a farming family and they will tell you with pride how hard the work can be managing a farm or dairy. The hours are long, work physical, and rewards shift with the seasons. But after living in Illinois for the past 14 years, I can honestly say many would tell you they wouldn’t have it any other way. 

But when it comes to sending kids who grew up on the farm to school, many families often don’t know where to begin looking for scholarships locally. However, the children of farmers often have great resources right down the road for scholarship aid. Many don’t know it, but local and regional farm bureaus and co-ops often offer scholarships the children of members. In addition, local Farmers-Credit organizations offer regional and national scholarships as well for both AG and Non-Agriculture majors. And of course there is the local, state, regional, and national FFA, formally known as the Future Farmers of America. The FFA offers scholarships every year to members at multiple levels.

So if you come from a farming family, contact local co-op’s, farm bureaus, and the FFA for scholarship opportunities. They may just offer the aid your child needs to finish their degree debt free.

Have a problem with financial aid or scholarships? go ahead and send JR a tweet @ CollegeCashMan or call him at 831-275-0182. Thanks for listening to JR’s Two Minute Financial Aid Tips at http://www.collegemoneyman.com

The College Money Man Podcast, and JR’s Two Minute Tips are available for subscription for FREE via iTunes. New episodes of 2-Minute Tips are released everyday Monday thru Friday, and our weekly broadcast is released each Wednesday. Subscribe, like, and comment! Download and get your dose of financial aid help on the go.

Episode 40

Download Here

Be sure to Like, Subscribe, and Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Ask questions on any site and I’ll answer them ASAP!

Partial Transcript more after the jump…

Its time for another Daily Scholarship and Financial Aid Tip in about two minutes, by JR The College Money Man

This is episode 40 and today we are talking about How to Maximize Your EFC Through Tax Deductions;

The Expected Family Contribution, or EFC is a number parents and students need to be as low as possible. And the key to getting that number down begins with the yearly tax return. The number used primarily by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid  is parents and students Adjusted Gross Income or AGI. This is the number every tax payer calculates after subtracting all legal deductions from gross income. So to get AGI down, parents and students need to get their deductions up! 

So here’s a quick tip: Never take the straight line deduction unless you have to! Do the math and be absolutely sure you calculate every deduction your legally permitted before choosing a standard deduction. Most tax prep programs like TaxCut by H&R Block and others like it will figure this out for you and offer guidance on the largest deductions. SO before you file your taxes, make sure you take every deduction you can, to ensure you or your student can get the most financial aid possible. 

Have a problem with financial aid or scholarships? go ahead and send JR a tweet @ CollegeCashMan or call him at 831-275-0182. Thanks for listening to JR’s Two Minute Financial Aid Tips at http://www.collegemoneyman.com

The College Money Man Podcast, and JR’s Two Minute Tips are available for subscription for FREE via iTunes. New episodes of 2-Minute Tips are released everyday Monday thru Friday, and our weekly broadcast is released each Wednesday. Subscribe, like, and comment! Download and get your dose of financial aid help on the go.