Get help, advice and information on all your Finance issues. http://advice-and.info/Finance/students.htm Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:35:57 GMT en These days, it is easier for college students to purchase their own car. Most lenders, and even car manufacturers, now specialize in tailor made car loans for college students. For a college student, especially one who has not yet established a credit record, it is certainly very simple to obtain a car loan if you have a co-signer. By asking a parent or guardian to cosign the loan, you are able to receive the funding much quicker and possibly lower your interest rate, assuming the co-signer has a good credit rating. This is an excellent way to assist your college age child and still give the student the responsibility of making the monthly payment. When your loan is co-signed it means that if you fail to make the payments on time, your co-signer will be held responsible and the lender will ask that person to pay. If you are a college student with debt and little credit, it will be difficult, but not impossible, to obtain a loan without some type of guarantor or collateral. There are many financial co mpanies with websites that do offer bad credit college student loans, but you will pay a much higher interest rate. However, no matter what your credit might be, if you make your payments in full and on time, in about a year you can apply for car loan refinancing and receive a lower interest rate for your auto loan. Also, try making as much of a down payment as you can afford, at least 20 of the purchase price. Not only will this lessen your monthly payments, but it will show the banker that you are serious about this purchase as you have some of your own money tied up. You may also be able to find some dealers or manufacturers who are offering rebates for students. At the very least you can ask for this and may get some type of discount. Finally, consider the type of car you are purchasing. I know a sports car is every college students dream, but you have to consider the additional costs involved, over and above the actual purchase price. Insurance is extremely expensive for a brand new hot sports c http://advice-and.info/Finance/91684_Car__Loans_For_College_Students.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:37:23 GMT At the age of 18, I was ready to establish a credit history. While living in my college dorm, I received all manner of credit card applications in my student mailbox. College students are bombarded with tons of credit card offers, many of which are misleading and can get you into trouble. Credit card companies show up at campus events, offering free t-shirts in exchange for completed credit card applications. I actually knew one kid who had seven t-shirts that were freebies for signing up for credit cards! How scary... Having been forced to take a personal finance class for my major, I was learning a lot about credit cards--interest rate fluctuations, fees, penalties, etc. I felt like I was pretty well equipped to apply for my first credit card, so that's just what I did. I began my quest for credit by rummaging through all the credit card offers I had accumulated over the semester. Then I sat down for a couple hours of exhilarating reading--the terms and conditions of various student-targeted c redit cards. All of the offers, for the most part, had a zero interest introductory period of six months, following by a regular rate of around 10.99 to 14.99. I obviously chose a card with the lowest regular APR that I could find, even though the plan was to have the balance paid off by the end of the introductory period. Just in case that wasn't possible, I didn't want to get killed with interest. Credit cards for college students have some pretty nifty rewards, I must say. One card I found gave a 3 rebate on purchases at grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations. Another one even offered VIP passes to MTV spring break! I knew I didn't want to be caught dead drinking margaritas and shakin' my tail-feathers on national television, so I opted for the one that offered rebates and discounts instead. Once I found the card I was looking for, I filled out the application, then prepared myself to wait several weeks before getting my new card. I wasn't too concerned that I wouldn't get approv http://advice-and.info/Finance/89774_Credit_Card_Offers_For_College_Students.html Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:15:11 GMT Student Credit Cards-To start up, student credit cards ordinarily are encouraged and accepted on account of the fact that they have the benefit of assisting students grasp and even practice the way of spending with wisdom early on in their lives. A good Credit card rate is a indispensable factor to take into consideration necessarywhen hunting for an excellent credit card firm as it ordinarily determines your knack to timely pay your bills. Credit card debt can certainly be akin to a vise round your neck and is a general experience amongst lots of folks that have credit cards. The key to having a really excellent credit rating history is discerning what credit cards are, what they are used for, how they are profitablyused and what you gain from them. Thanks to the Internet and the proliferation of Internet business together with your credit card; it�s possible to now have whatever you want brought to you in to the serenity cool your home when you use your credit card to order on the Internet. http://advice-and.info/Finance/85679_Best_Credit_Cards_For_Students.html Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:32:30 GMT As if being the parent of a hormonal walking ball of energy is not enough excitement, half way through your child's junior year of high school in Connecticut you realize that you will be the one filling out the college admission forms, financial aid forms and paying for the application fees. This means that you will most likely be the one stressing out about deadlines, scrambling for your financial records and being tempted to apply to a couple of Connecticut Colleges because each one charges a "small" fee to apply.<br><br> If you have all of a sudden found yourself in this situation then here are some life and hair saving tips:<br><br> <li>Apply to at least 6-8 colleges. Make an appointment with a Connecticut college consultants because this will give you some financial aid options. <li>Apply to some colleges where you know you will get a good award. > <li>Request a refund of room deposits and admission fees from the college by May 1. <li>Some colleges will waive the admission fee if requested to do so, especially in the case where the fee is a hardship. <li>Some colleges waive the admission fee if the admission application is filed over the internet. <li>Attend any Connecticut college admission counseling and help or speak with a Connecticut college admissions consultant <li>Apply early to attract Connecticut college scholarships which are awarded not on the financial need of the student but on the colleges desire to meet their enrollment quota at an early date. Dont apply early decision unless the student is on the borderline of being admitted and the desire to be admitted is greater than the need for financial aid. Early Decision often leads to poor offers of financial aid. Some colleges state that early decision w http://advice-and.info/Finance/80534_Connecticut_Parents_Of_College_Bound_Students_Connecticut_College_Admission__Financial_Aid_Tips.html Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:58:15 GMT One of the hidden gems in the Connecticut college financial aid process is the ability to appeal an awards letter if you don't agree with the amount of financial aid that a school has awarded your child. Most Connecticut parents reluctantly agree to the initial amount that the Connecticut colleges award, never taking the time to wonder if there is more than meets the eye. <br><br>However, in my experience the best way to get the best financial aid package from a college in Connecticut starts months before you ever receive a financial aid package. For example make the student as attractive as possible to the college by raising SAT and ACT scores and creating competition for the student by selecting 6-8 Connecticut colleges comprised of a low-cost in-state public college, college in the same athletic conference, similar college in a different region of the country (cultural diversity), similar college that is known to give good awards, similar college where the studen t will be in the top 25 of the incoming freshman class and most importantly a Connecticut college that has empty seats to fill.<br><br> If a student receives a good award offer from a competing Connecticut college, the student should ask his college of choice to match the other colleges award offer. However, never use the word match in the correspondence or conversation with the FAO. The word match offends some FAOs. It's important to remember that colleges with declining enrollments may be more willing to negotiate with a student because of their desire to fill empty seats. <br><br>Colleges in Connecticut may also have scholarships for upper-middle class and wealthy families to attract good students and future benefactors. Special scholarships for minority students are also a good idea. A student should inquire at the college for these scholarships. Some Connecticut colleges may even have special scholarships for http://advice-and.info/Finance/80528_Connecticut_Parents_Of_College_Bound_Students_Get_More_Free_Money_From_Connecticut_Colleges.html Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:02:52 GMT Are you a high school student who is looking forward to college? Or, are you an adult who is interested in returning to college to receive a formal degree? If you are, there is a good chance that you will need to obtain financing. Unfortunately, the rising cost of receiving a college education can be difficult for many to afford. The good news, however, is that it is relatively easy for most hopeful students to obtain financing through student loans. As previously stated, most hopeful students are able to secure the financing needed to attend college through the use of student loans. Although many will find it relatively easy to acquire a student loan or even multiple loans, there are a number of important factors that need to be taken into consideration. Student loans, as with all other loans, such as home improvement loans and auto loans, have the ability to become financial death traps. That is why caution is advised. http://advice-and.info/Finance/79984_Student_Loans_Helpful_Tips_For_Students.html Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:38:40 GMT