Feb 29
Mark SingleyScholarships and financial aid
I was homecoming queen, and had never thought that might get me anything but a ride on a float.
When the time came for me to finance college, we as a family were shocked. You hear about the cost, but you are never prepared for how much it truly turns out to be. We are in a small town, some of us don’t get out to college, but I had to, and it was what my parents wanted for me all along. We were going to make it happen.
The cost of attending college continues to rise year after year. After factoring in tuition, textbooks, housing, travel, and spending money, it could easily cost $20,000 per year (or more) to attend college. The high price tag associated with getting a post-secondary education presents a quandary for many would-be students. There’s no question that you need a degree to get ahead in today’s world, but who wants to go into debt to the tune of $80,000 in the process? I started digging on the web. And I could not believe what I found.
http://www.americashomecomingqueen.com/
I could get a scholarship for being homecoming queen!
American homecoming queen scholarships is just one of the staggering amount of American scholarships that are out there. These prizes are superior to loans because they never have to be paid back. And unlike grants, there are many American scholarships based on merit rather than need. This means that almost any student can apply for one of these prizes and have a chance to win money to help defray college costs.
American scholarships are available in a number of different categories. For example, students can win money based on their performance in athletics, academics, arts, or community service. In addition, there are American scholarships for students that want to pursue a particular field of study in college, such as engineering, mathematics, or education. Moreover, there are specialty categories such as Native American scholarships, African American scholarships, and so forth. These prizes may only be won by students of a particular ethnicity or heritage, and the awards are usually very prestigious and generous.
Because there are so many American scholarships available, it’s difficult for students to keep track of all the offerings on their own. Fortunately, the Internet is making that task much easier than it has been in the past. There are a lot of databases out there that provide comprehensive lists and descriptions of current American scholarships, as well as service companies that specialize in locating prizes that students are qualified to apply for based on the profile data supplied. Some of these databases and companies require paid memberships, but the fees are well worth it to students looking to apply for as many American scholarships as possible. These services save time, which means the students can focus on writing winning essays rather than on searching for a suitable scholarship.
Don’t let your dream of a college education get away from you because of a lack of money. There are literally millions of dollars up for grabs in American scholarships each and every year.Look at everything you did, assume their is a scholarship for it, and go find it.
Feb 28
Mark SingleyStudent Loans Q&A
Many kids going to college don’t even having a checking account, let alone a charge card. But you need to find out how to get private bad credit student loans with no credit check.
With the growing cost of a college education, sometimes federal financing is not enough to meet the expenses. Private education monies are available. Private lenders do not require that the student has credit, But they require that a parent cosign, and a parental credit check will be a part of the process.
Stafford financing can be the answer. Private lenders generally administer this, but the money is guaranteed against default by the federal government, so interest rates are low. So essentially the government is cosigning for you.
Some Stafford student loans with no credit, the government pays the interest while in school; others simply defer all interest, which you pay on graduation. The Stafford is available to everyone regardless of parental income or financial need, but you have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this student loan with no credit. That is the only glitch.
Perkins also works if you demonstrate significant financial need. The college acts as the bank, using a pool of money provided by the lender. The government, while in school, pays the interest on this student loan with no credit. The interest rate on Perkins loans with no credit is 5%, there is no origination fee, and there is a 10-year repayment period.
How to get private bad credit student loans with no credit check is a solvable problem. You just have to piece together the monies from various sources. But persevere. It is doable and possible.
Feb 27
Mark SingleyHealth and School
One of the best things about the Internet and about serious, scholarly, and devoted professional help sites is being able to find the accurate, timely, and truly informative articles related to your search. Adhd journal articles, articles written on adhd and websites make resources availabe for people like me, and it is truly a blessing.
While we can find astoundingly apt materials in the bookstore on ADHD (Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder), such as Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo’s lifesaving book, or those equally useful works by Thom Hartmann, Shari Holden, and others, the ADHD article is quicker, more easily accessible (online, I mean), and is just as valuable as written by an ADHD specialist, expert, and/or professional.
Adhd journal articles, articles written on adhd can be found starting with the following resources:
*BTE, borntoexplore.org, offers information and a number of helpful, informative ADHD articles for scholarship and personal use.
*ADDitude magazine is online and by subscription, and has so many practical and realistic ADHD articles for the professional, the student, the parent, and the adult that you will want your own scrip! I discovered the magazine through the college where I worked, and read every magazine issue cover to cover. I then had to subscribe, so I wouldn’t be tempted to keep the copies I borrowed.
You will also want to check out the ADHD article databases:
*The absolute premier site for ADHD articles is ADD Consults (addconsults.com). It will take you a minute to figure out the organizational system, but once you decide on a subject area, or sub-topic, you will get ADHD articles on everything from ADD strategies to co-morbidity information to ADHD articles about children and adults with ADD. The articles are upscale and professional, clinical, and/or personal, and are a must read! The site is engineered by Terry Matlin, MSW, ASCW, and features the astoundingly superbly brilliant support of ADHD article writers who are ADD specialists—Edward Hallowell, John J. Ratey, Sari Solden, Thom Hartmann, Michelle Novotny, and many others!
And once you find the primary source that is most user-friendly and most helpful to you, sign up for a free newsletter, one which offers an ADHD article or two every week or month (whenever the newsletter is delivered to your ebox):
*Terry Matlin, ACSW, also offers a newsletter which features an ADHD article, book reviews, and blurbs on many ADHD aids/products for the ADHDer, as I call her or him (as I call myself).
*Breath and Shadow, a monthly (or thereabouts) newsletter put out by ROSC as the Journal of Literature and Disability Culture, is for writers and artists with any or all disabilities, and issues a monthly newsletter with a predetermined theme, but occasionally you might get an ADHD article.
As you can see, you can find the most scholarly ADHD articles, or the most personal and still accurate and relevant ADHD article written by a non-credentialed individual who has or knows someone who has to put up with the frustrations and challenges and special and unique gifts of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a.k.a ADD.
Feb 26
Mark SingleyHealth and School
Any parent who has a child with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder knows that finding ADHD treatments is crucial to the child’s and the family’s well-being. There are a couple of approaches families choose to take to deal with the disorder.
We recently moved to Chicago. We suspect our child has something wrong with attention and need to locate places to get children tested for adhd in chicago, adhd in Chicago resources and support groups, and any other sources we can find in the metropolis.
One of the most helpful resources we found was >ADDresource.comADDresource.com which listed various agencies and resources.
We needed to find out just what was going on as Children with ADHD are often difficult to deal with because their behavior can be impulsive and aggressive. Without warning, children can suddenly engage in unexpected and extreme behaviors.
Many children with this disorder have great difficulty following social rules because they have difficulty understanding many social situations. We needed ADHD treatments that involve some sort of social interaction that requires the person with the disorder to learn the rules of social interaction. The problem lies in the child’s inability to focus long enough to acquire proper social skills.
Basic skills like eye contact and waiting for someone else to finish before speaking have to be deliberately taught to a child who has the disorder. It is also important to communicate that there are consequences for specific actions. If a child talks out of turn there should be consistent ramifications for the behavior. Otherwise, the interruptions will be repeated.
Many children who have ADHD are not fully capable of fully understanding the concept of past, present and future. These individuals tend to live in the here and now and they tend to quickly forget the past. They also do not think about the future. Since there is little regard for future events these children often act without thinking about the consequences of their behavior. Cause and effect have to be deliberately taught as well.
Behavior therapy has proved to be one of the most successful interventions that a family can use in collaboration with professionals. These ADHD treatments help the child develop a structure and routine. Behavior interventions also help the child develop social skills and learn cause and effect cycles of their actions.
It is also important to make some adjustments that will work with the child instead of against him. For example, I worked with a girl who had difficulty sitting still while completing assignments. Her ADHD treatments often revolved around getting her to sit still. However, we found that even though she sat without fidgeting, she was unable to concentrate. If she was allowed to move around she was able to complete assignments with relative ease.
Chicago is a great city, and we have located excellent adhd in Chicago resources and found the necessary places to get children tested for Adhd in chicago. It is a relief. And we hope if you have found this page you can share your discoveries in your city. You are not alone.
Feb 25
Mark SingleyStudent Loans Q&A
The majority of us these days consider the idea of an education after high school. We have to deal with the real world sooner or later, and it typically involves a good career. While college is often necessary for this leap into the workforce, it’s not always easy to handle those expenses from a four year University right after we graduate. This is why most of us look into student loan consolidation. If you resorted to student loans while achieving your degree, you probably had that hefty pay pack lingering over your head immediately after you graduated. They typically come after you for payback within six months.
When I was in high school I definitely planned on attending a decent University. All I’d ever heard from teachers and my parents was that I would need that BA or BS to get a good career. I actually never pondered the debt that goes along with it. Maybe I thought my parents had it covered or I would get grants galore. This is typical of many young sprouts heading toward their high school diploma, but nevertheless we have to deal with the bills at some point. As I progressed through my college career, I was always on the lookout for new grants. Although I knew I was accumulating some debt through my student loans, I wanted to keep it as low as possible. By the time I graduated I had nearly 18 grand to pay back. Well, that was no pretty sight, but I quickly looked into student loan consolidation. This way you are not stuck with monthly bills from a number of lenders. When you consolidate you simply respond to one low monthly payment, which is much less stressful in our bill ridden lives. Student loan consolidation is necessary for the majority of us new college graduates, because even if you’re immediately set up with a good job, it’s doubtful you’ve built any savings to clear those student loans yet.
While student loan consolidation is a great option after college, it’s always wise to watch your spending as a student. Don’t go overboard! You’ll regret it later. I knew a girl who had attended college in Canada, then transferred to my University in the U.S., but her credits did not transfer. This means she had to start from the beginning. The sad thing was that she had already added up her student loan payback for after college, and it came to a whopping 65 grand. This is discouraging when we think about it, but at least she has the option to do student loan consolidation. After consolidating, she will have a much smaller financial burden to grapple with.
Feb 24
Mark SingleyHealth and School
If you have a child who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD for short, there are another of options open for treatment. The most common ADHD treatments usually involve as their biggest part the use of drugs like Ritalin or Dexedrine. These drugs change the balance of receptors in the brain so that the child can concentrate more. And now we have Concerta which is a newer, long acting preparation of Methylphenidate – which is the medication name for Ritalin. It has been out for several years in the USA and Canada, and many other countries in the world.
In addition the ADHD treatments should involve the use of some counseling. I’m not talking about the type of counseling used for emotional disturbances, although this can be a help as well. I’m actually talking about teaching the kid some study skills and organizational skills.
It has been out for several years in the USA and Canada, and many other countries in the world.
Concerta is excellent, but has to be well managed, and since it is your child, you have to take extra care and listen, and “feel out” what is happening since they can’t always tell you.
For example, Concerta lasts for 12 hours, if you forget to give a dose in the morning, you might want to skip it for the day, since if you give it too late in the day, your child will likely have trouble getting to sleep that night And some parents don’t give their children Concerta on weekends or holidays, but, many experts recommend avoiding these types of drug holidays since it is better to follow the treatment plan.
A good reference is here, but always consult your doctor. The medication is potent. Concerta Patient Information Sheet – October 2004 Edition.
Remember, the problem is that many ADHD treatments address the physiological part of the condition and ignore every other part. This is a problem, because ADHD children have trouble forming strategies to organize their lives and so they need, in addition to the drugs, some coaching in study skills that other students may be able to learn on their own. It is not enough just to medicate as an ADHD treatment, because this only will solve half of the problem.
So many kids just get ADHD treatments by being dosed with medication that there has recently been a bit of a backlash. Many other kinds of ADHD treatments have come out recently and received support instead of the drugging. Some people believe that a well balanced diet itself can form one of the most effective ADHD treatments. According to them, eating the right foods and eliminating all junk food, sugar, and highly processed or caffeinated stuff can form the best of ADHD treatments, without the side effects of the drugs. Many ADD and ADHD kids hate the drugs that they are on, and complain that they make them feel like zombies. If drug free ADHD treatment works, why not switch?
Other people recommend meditation techniques as ADHD treatments. They say that the best way to treat ADHD is to take advantage of the mind’s natural flexibility and to rework the way it runs through self programming. Through daily meditation, focus, relaxation, and an end to the anxiety that plagues ADHD kids can be achieved, these experts claim. Although meditation may not be one of the most popular of ADHD treatments, it should be considered. Meditation is good for so many things – concentration, calm, an end to anxiety, that there is no reason to believe that it couldn’t help with ADHD treatments as well.
Feb 23
Mark SingleyHealth and School
Until I found the methods and medications that worked for me and me alone (which means I will not be dispensing any all-knowing advice, here), I researched, studied, and investigated the many ADHD treatment possibilities available to me in 2001. I had been the outcast, the freak, the truant, the pest, the unruly one, the class clown, and in general, the wild one of every classroom, social gathering, and family event and circumstance for forty years. (Yes, I was just as “bad” if not worse at forty….)
ADHD kids at school probably have it the hardest.I spent more time in the principal’s office in grade school than all the students in the school combined. Few teachers, especially those in more under privileged areas understand the behaviors of adhd kids in the classroom, ADHD kids at school or on the playground.I got tossed out of more classes in high school than my face had zits. I slept with [really] strange men I met while I was hitchhiking in blizzards from Plymouth State College in New Hampshire to Provincetown, Mass. I crashed cars (on purpose), I had cars towed for lack of appropriate paperwork, and had cars repossessed for lack of organized check- and other budgeting and accounting. I over-achieved in college and was under-estimated and over-admonished at jobs.
And the harrowing and horrific lists and symptoms go on and on. In fact, for the usual ADHD “victim” (though I now see us as blessed), approximately sixty-nine symptoms or maladies afflict us at any given time—at any minute, second, or millisecond we interrupt; we blurt; we intrude; we mis-read social cues; we are dis- (under-) or over-organized; we fight time and timing; we can’t wait, sit still for long, or rest and relax as “normal” people do; we are, as the blanket observations have it, irritable, impulsive, hyperactive, and defiant. We need (and often for many years go on needing) diagnosis and subsequent ADHD treatment to help us regulate or self-regulate.
Luckily for those of us who do [eventually] get diagnosed, there are attentive, conscientious, qualified, super-intelligent specialists in the field (and professionals in medicine in general) who have developed ADHD treatment methods, procedures, approaches, and medicines. Some of these are as follows:
Medication
Amphetamines: Ironically, when a person with ADHD is hyper and speedy in action and thought, giving him or her speed (amphetamines) as an ADHD treatment is a most common occurrence. Though they don’t know the exact way it works, the amphetamine prescription (federally regulated, as it is highly susceptible to abuse) helps focus, organization, attention span, and many other subtler or quirkier symptoms of ADHD.
Ritalin:
Ritalin is one of the grandparents, the elders, of ADHD treatment drugs, working again in ways the scientists cannot exactly pinpoint but in a very similar way to amphetamines. Ritalin is also still debated over constantly, especially with regards to children. (Do we dope every little imp that acts like a class clown or gets angry on the playground or performs on cue in front of the neighbors?) Ritalin is still mysterious as an agent for quelling ADHD symptoms, but many swear by it for or despite its minimal side effects (weight loss, mood swings, and others) compared to its positive effects, which lend themselves to clarity, stability, patience (physical and mental focus), and other nuances I cannot speak to here.
Other more commonly used medications:
Also in contention with the two most “popular” or most often used or most studied meds are the increasingly introduced Adderall; Cyclert; and some of the SSRIs and MAOs. As with all medications, with these and the ones I describes from a personal (and not professional) point of view, research thoroughly before asking a doctor about one in particular, before, that is, committing to one. Each works in mysterious ways, still, and each works differently for and on each individual.
Neurofeedback (a. k. a. Biofeedback):
Typically involuntary, certain impulses and electrical activity in the brain can be voluntarily modified. The ADDer, whose brain wave patterns are evidently different than non-ADDer brain wave patterns, is hooked up with electrodes (no pain). The ADDer sits facing a video screen/monitor, as the technician “amplifies brain activity.” The resulting patterns appear on the screen, whereby the ADDer manipulates controls electronically to manipulate and take control of the brain wave activity.
Behavior Modification/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:
You might already understand behavior modification as consisting of a system of punishments and rewards, each applied to reinforce positive behavior. For the ADDer, the disorder is as much about “unacceptable/inappropriate” behavior as it is about miserable feeling and unique thinking. There are approximately 69 symptoms of ADD, most of them behavior-based: perception of social cues is skewed; the ADDer interrupts/blurts; he/she has demanding difficulties with organization; he/she has trouble with time and timing; he/she is challenged by waiting; he/she cannot easily relax or enjoy leisurely activities…. With behavioral therapy, which targets one or a few of such challenges at a time, the ADDer learns to “self-regulate.”
Food Changes/Dietary Intervention
A close investigation of foods that are or contain allergens and irritants to the nervous system has revealed the possibility of ADDers being especially negatively impacted. ADD treatments in this area include eliminating or curbing intake of white flour, sugar, and/or additives/preservatives. But the controversy still roars on this one, and FDA and other regulatory bodies have not acknowledged the veracity of gross dietary changes…yet.
Psychotherapy
A schedule of sessions with a trained and qualified therapist enhances one’s understanding, gives one a reflecting surface (human), and provides one with the social tools of communication (the give and take), self-improvement, and social protocol. Therapy is often recommended in conjunction with medication or other treatments, as one method compliments the other and one method’s weaknesses are compensated for by the other…and vice versa.
Behaviors of adhd kids in the classroom are well understood by shrinks in patterns, so it is not in any way humbling or shameful to go to one if your child is displaying these patterns. In fact, it is essential that you seek help early.
I do drugs and see a shrink—both of which/whom I am beyond grateful for. May you find the ADHD treatment that works for you.
Feb 22
Mark SingleyOnline education
There is a lot of talk right now about the nursing shortage and the effect it is going to have on health care services in this country. A large group of nurses that are currently practicing will be retiring in the next decade, leaving a huge gap in the number of nurses available to fill open positions. Many colleges and universities are attempting to address this issue by offering accelerated bachelor master nursing program to students who want to pursue a career in nursing.
Eligible candidates must have a bachelor’s degree already in hand at the time of application, not related to nursing, and meet the minimum academic requirements for admission. Some accelerated nursing programs require students to complete a certain number of arts and sciences credits before they will be allowed to enter. Many programs are seeing a large number of students interested in the accelerated nursing programs so long waiting lists are not uncommon. This is why admission requirements are so stringent, to make sure that only the most qualified applicants are allowed into the program.
Most colleges and universities that offer accelerated nursing programs require that students be proficient, with a passing grade of C or a grade point average of no lower than 2.0, to graduate and apply for licensure. Accelerated nursing program curriculums provide the nursing student with the a solid foundation in general nursing subjects, like health assessment, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, biology, and caring for patients with various health issues in all age groups. Accelerated nursing programs also require students to complete a certain number of clinical hours in different health care settings, which complements classroom instruction and allows the nursing student to become comfortable and proficient in providing care to patients. Accelerated nursing programs differ from others because the students granted entrance to these programs have already completed a degree and they are familiar with academic processes. This is a great advantage, which is why accelerated nursing programs were created. These students know what is expected of them, they are usually older, and have great personal and professional experience as well. Academic institutions recognize this and develop their curriculum to attract these types of students.
Accelerated nursing programs are perfect for some one who is looking for a different career, and has always been interested in health care. After completion of the programs, graduate nurses are qualified to apply to sit for licensure in their state, and when they pass boards, they are granted a Registered Nurse (RN) license. Many credits will also transfer to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, for which there are also accelerated programs available for students who are working full-time and family obligations too. Just like anything else, not all accelerated nursing programs are created equal; some are better than others, and cost as well as curriculum varies. People interested in applying for an accelerated nursing program should research each one and make the best possible choice based on cost, length of curriculum, learning experiences offered, pass rate for licensure exams, accreditation, and overall reputation.
See the American Association of Colleges of Nursing for more useful information
Feb 21
Mark SingleyHealth and School
Any parent who has a child with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder knows that finding ADHD treatments is crucial to the child’s and the family’s well-being. There are a couple of approaches families choose to take to deal with the disorder.
We recently moved to Chicago. We suspect our child has something wrong with attention and need to locate places to get children tested for adhd in chicago, adhd in Chicago resources and support groups, and any other sources we can find in the metropolis.
One of the most helpful resources we found was >ADDresource.comADDresource.com which listed various agencies and resources.
We needed to find out just what was going on as Children with ADHD are often difficult to deal with because their behavior can be impulsive and aggressive. Without warning, children can suddenly engage in unexpected and extreme behaviors.
Many children with this disorder have great difficulty following social rules because they have difficulty understanding many social situations. We needed ADHD treatments that involve some sort of social interaction that requires the person with the disorder to learn the rules of social interaction. The problem lies in the child’s inability to focus long enough to acquire proper social skills.
Basic skills like eye contact and waiting for someone else to finish before speaking have to be deliberately taught to a child who has the disorder. It is also important to communicate that there are consequences for specific actions. If a child talks out of turn there should be consistent ramifications for the behavior. Otherwise, the interruptions will be repeated.
Many children who have ADHD are not fully capable of fully understanding the concept of past, present and future. These individuals tend to live in the here and now and they tend to quickly forget the past. They also do not think about the future. Since there is little regard for future events these children often act without thinking about the consequences of their behavior. Cause and effect have to be deliberately taught as well.
Behavior therapy has proved to be one of the most successful interventions that a family can use in collaboration with professionals. These ADHD treatments help the child develop a structure and routine. Behavior interventions also help the child develop social skills and learn cause and effect cycles of their actions.
It is also important to make some adjustments that will work with the child instead of against him. For example, I worked with a girl who had difficulty sitting still while completing assignments. Her ADHD treatments often revolved around getting her to sit still. However, we found that even though she sat without fidgeting, she was unable to concentrate. If she was allowed to move around she was able to complete assignments with relative ease.
Chicago is a great city, and we have located excellent adhd in Chicago resources and found the necessary places to get children tested for Adhd in chicago. It is a relief. And we hope if you have found this page you can share your discoveries in your city. You are not alone.
Feb 20
Mark SingleyStudent Loans Q&A
The majority of us these days consider the idea of an education after high school. We have to deal with the real world sooner or later, and it typically involves a good career. While college is often necessary for this leap into the workforce, it’s not always easy to handle those expenses from a four year University right after we graduate. And we leave with other non associated bills, and so we have to simplify.
This is why most of us look into student loan consolidation and bill consolidation. If you resorted to student loans while achieving your degree, you probably had that hefty pay pack lingering over your head immediately after you graduated. They typically come after you for payback within six months.
When I was in high school I definitely planned on attending a decent University. All I’d ever heard from teachers and my parents was that I would need that BA or BS to get a good career. I actually never pondered the debt that goes along with it. Maybe I thought my parents had it covered or I would get grants galore. This is typical of many young sprouts heading toward their high school diploma, but nevertheless we have to deal with the bills at some point. As I progressed through my college career, I was always on the lookout for new grants.
Although I knew I was accumulating some debt through my student loans, I wanted to keep it as low as possible. By the time I graduated I had nearly 18 grand to pay back.
You often have multiple loans, and so you can find Student loan consolidation and bill consolidation lenders who can streamline the payments and often save you some interest.
This way you are not stuck with monthly bills from a number of lenders. When you consolidate you simply respond to one low monthly payment, which is much less stressful in our bill ridden lives. Student loan consolidation is necessary for the majority of us new college graduates, because even if you’re immediately set up with a good job, it’s doubtful you’ve built any savings to clear those student loans yet.
While student loan consolidation is a great option after college, it’s always wise to watch your spending as a student. Don’t go overboard! You’ll regret it later. I knew a girl who had attended college in Canada, then transferred to my University in the U.S., but her credits did not transfer. This means she had to start from the beginning. The sad thing was that she had already added up her student loan payback for after college, and it came to a whopping 65 grand. This is discouraging when we think about it, but at least she has the option to do student loan consolidation. After her student loan consolidation and bill consolidation, she will have a much smaller financial burden to grapple with.
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