When choosing a college, the potential student has many factors to consider. Such as what degrees are offered, how long the program for each degree will last, and will the student want to live on or off campus? Some colleges do not offer the same programs and certain degree programs may require less time to finish. Location is important when considering a college or university. Some students prefer to stay close to their home, while others enjoy the freedom of living several states away. Community colleges are also a valid option for those who are interested in earning a degree. Part time classes can allow easier access to higher learning. Some colleges are available over the internet, giving even the busiest person a way to earn a degree.
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Popular search engine Google has had its share of headline moments recently. First with a successful IPO, and now with the announcement that it is taking the libraries of Harvard, Stanford, the University of Michigan, the University of Oxford and the New York Public Library on a ride through virtual reality.

“Even before we started Google, we dreamed of making the incredible breadth of information that librarians so lovingly organize searchable online,” said Larry Page, Google co-founder and president of products.

Google made the announcement late last year that it was working with these prestigious libraries to digitally scan books from their collections so users worldwide can search them in Google. Copyrighted material will have only an excerpt online, while all others will be on the Web cover to cover. Although the project has a long journey before it is complete (one USA Today article projected a five- to ten-year time frame), the announcement alone has raised questions about the future role of libraries.

“The idea that the world’s knowledge, as held through books and libraries, is opening up to all via a Web browser cannot be understated,” said John Battelle, professor at the University of California - Berkeley.

Google’s virtual library does more than make millions of books available online. It introduces Web users to millions of books they didn’t know existed, especially books that are no longer in print. But because of the copyright laws, users will still have to visit libraries to actually read any books they find.

According to Rob Enderle, an independent analyst with The Enderle Group, “search engines will be where more readers will find out about books, instead of at the bookstore.” Others see the Google library as a way to rejuvenate traditional library use.

Dean of Libraries at the University of Kentucky, Carol Pitts Diedrichs, hopes that Google’s new program to put thousands of texts online will drive readers back to where they once started: the library. “People don’t sit at a computer and read a book much,” Diedrichs said. “What we hope it [Google library] will do is drive users to us to use our collections.”

Not everyone sees an online library as a boost for traditional library use. For those who rely on time in the library, such as students, the prospect of a virtual library means greater ease with studying and accessing needed materials.

“If it was possible to access things online without leaving my room, that would be a huge help,” said senior Stanford student, Will Oremus. “For research papers, there are lots of books you can only get at the library. It would be really cool to get them on your computer.” Making it to the library has proven difficult for him, as he is usually not free to hit the library until well after it closes.

The $150 million project will change the face of information on the Internet no matter what role it plays in the future of promoting libraries or making them obsolete. An online library brings credibility to the massive amounts of information found on the Internet. Not many can successfully argue against more reliable search results.

Susan Wojcicki, Google’s director of product management, believes indexing library books is a plus for everyone, and an advantage for Google. “If we offer a better search engine, that will lead to more users,” Wojcicki said.

That is exactly what Google hopes will happen as it forges ahead in the quest to digitize the most popular and the most obscure books for the world to share.

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The Planning Stage

Most families pay for college using a combination of savings, current earnings and financial aid. How do you reduce financial worries and save money?
Start saving early!

? Saving early and regularly gives compound interest time to accumulate to your benefit.
? By starting early, you can save smaller amounts over a longer period of time.
? Early planning allows you to save for both education and retirement.
? Early investing helps students complete college with less debt.
? Having a larger college fund gives students a broader range of college choices.

When searching for scholarships, contact:
? Clubs
? Businesses
? Churches
? Social organizations

Usually, the above types of scholarships are not widely publicized. This means they have fewer applicants, which equals higher odds of winning for you! Don?t forget to ask your local high school counselor, librarian and college financial aid office for direction. Remember ? helping students locate financial aid is part of their job, and they help people like you every day. They can be your best source of help!

Related Quick Facts

? Sixty-three percent of all undergraduates enrolled in 2003?04 received some type of financial aid.
? Undergraduates were more likely to receive grants than student loans in 2003?04, but the average grant amount was less than the average student loan amount.
? About one-half (51 percent) of undergraduates received grants and about one-third (35 percent) took out student loans.
? The average amount of grants received was $4,000, and the average amount borrowed by undergraduates in 2003?04 was $5,800.
? Undergraduates enrolled in 2003?04 were more likely to receive federal grants than grants from any other source.
? An alternative source for grants can come from employers, parents? employers or private foundations.

Finding Scholarships and Grants

? Your prospective school may award scholarships based on academic performance, but this doesn?t have to be the only measurement of worth.
? Ethnic heritage organizations often provide scholarships to exceptional students sharing their ethnic or cultural backgrounds.
? Employers will many times offer scholarships to their employees or to children or spouses of employees.
? Churches, synagogues, temples and religious denominations offer scholarships for students who are a part of their congregations or are planning a career in the clergy.
? Trade and research organizations sponsor scholarships to attract students to a field of study facing a worker shortage or to encourage returning, international or minority students to work toward a specific degree.

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In their quest for higher education and training, students sometimes encounter ?diploma mills??dubious providers of educational offerings or operations that offer certificates and degrees that are considered bogus.

Diploma mills mislead students into thinking they?re gaining a valuable education. In the U.S., degrees and certificates from diploma mills may not be acknowledged by other institutions when students seek to transfer or go to graduate school.

There is no single definition of diploma mills in higher education. While a few states have laws or regulations regarding these operations, most do not. Many diploma mills would not pass a review of an accrediting organization.

Identifying diploma mills is not easy. A number of the features of diploma mills are similar to familiar higher education institutions. However, prospective students can look for several indicators that suggest an operation may be a diploma mill.

Here are a series of questions you can ask to determine whether a school you?re considering is a diploma mill. If the answer to a majority of the questions below is yes, you should take this as highly suggestive that you may be dealing with a diploma mill:

• Can degrees be purchased?
• Is there a claim of accreditation when there is no evidence of this status?
• Does the operation lack a state or federal license to operate?
• Is little, if any, attendance and are few assignments required of students?
• Is a very short period of time required to earn a degree?
• Are degrees available based solely on experience or resumé review?
• Does the operation charge very high fees as compared to average fees charged by higher education institutions?
• On the other hand, is the fee so low that it does not appear to be related to a legitimate education?
• Does the operation avoid providing any information about a campus or business location?
• Does the operation avoid providing a list of its faculty members and their qualifications?

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When deciding what school to attend, it?s a great idea to visit the campus in person! A campus visit allows you to meet some of the instructors and current students and get to know the lay of the land. Whether you?re planning on attending somewhere close to home or across the country, this can be a great way of helping you decide where you?ll fit in.

Remember, before visiting the school, it?s a good idea to call ahead and talk with someone in admissions about setting up a tour or appointment. Some schools have periodic open houses or organized tours that you can attend. Others can set up appointments to meet with faculty or current students in the program you?re thinking of applying to. By taking the time to coordinate something in advance, you can make sure that there?s someone there to talk to ? and to help show you around what very well could be your future home away from home!

The school you choose to attend might very well be one of the most important decisions you make in your life ? so make sure you?re informed! Visit the campus, meet the staff, and make the choice that?s right for you.

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How you can turn free time into an education grant worth thousands of dollars

Financial aid can sometimes be a tricky thing. There?s a lot of financial aid available out there, but you have to qualify for it through a few approval processes. Unfortunately, many people who are seeking a better education and a better life don?t always qualify for this aid. But do you just have to sit there and take ?no? for an answer?

Answer: No.

There?s another way you can get a great head start on money for your education, no matter who you are, where you live or what kind of credit you have. It?s called AmeriCorps!

AmeriCorps is a government institution that organizes citizens age 17 or older into action groups that sign up for periods of service in one of five training locations around the country. As you work for AmeriCorps, you earn hours that go toward an education grant. Yes, that?s right ? a grant, not a loan that will need to be paid back. You pay for the grant up front with your work hours, not later with money and interest.

The Term of Service
Since this is a civil service organization, time must be set aside for the training camp. AmeriCorps camps are not like military boot camps (although you do wear a uniform). AmeriCorps is real-life education and work experience wrapped into one. As a member, you will learn teamwork, leadership, responsibility and other essential skills that will help you for the rest of your life. You will gain the personal satisfaction of taking on challenges and seeing results.

You can work hard with your body or your mind. You get to choose your area of training. For instance, you can earn your tuition money by:
? tutoring and mentoring youth
? assisting crime victims
? building homes
? restoring parks
? helping a faith-based charity
? providing first aid and support for disaster relief

The Application
If you have decided that AmeriCorps is the best way for you to earn education money, it?s now time to pick your program of interest. Programs can be chosen from current issues the communities are experiencing or from a broader range of skills and abilities, like construction, electronics, leadership and many more.

Once you have found the appropriate program, you need to pick your area of service and the training camp you will attend.

After you confirm all of your eligibility requirements and your age, you are then ready to prepare for service in a rare type of adventure that few experience.

The Award
After successfully completing a term of service, AmeriCorps members who are enrolled in the National Service Trust are eligible to receive a $4,725 AmeriCorps Education Award. You can use your AmeriCorps Education Award to pay education costs at qualified institutions of higher education, for educational training or to repay qualified student loans. This $4,725 is for a year of full-time service and is prorated for part-time service. You can access the award in full or part and can take up to seven years after your term of service has ended to claim the award.

What can you use it for? You can use your education award in the following ways or a combination of them:

? to repay qualified existing or future student loans
? to pay all or part of the current education expenses to attend a qualified institution of higher education (including certain vocational programs)
? to pay expenses while participating in an approved school-to-work program

And here?s one more big reason to look into AmeriCorps and their generous awards: You can get more than one. That?s right ? if you have the time, you can serve your community for up to two years, reap double the benefits, and receive two awards, both worth $4,725 for a year of service. That?s $9,450 to put toward education to help you build your future!

Why They Do It
Aside from the obvious benefits of getting people involved in bettering their communities, AmeriCorps is also a way for the government to curtail costs of natural disasters, urban decay and other expensive projects that can?t be completely covered by the private sector. It?s a win-win situation for everyone.

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