Planning for Study Abroad: How to finance your semester BEFORE you get there
By Mimi Wright
If there is one piece of advice that I would give to any college student, it would be this: study abroad. The experiences, connections and sights you see are priceless. But unfortunately, the trip is not. Studying abroad is a hefty financial undertaking. It can be extremely overwhelming when you are faced with the program fee, because I know I was. A helpful tip: PLAN AHEAD. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: How to travel cheaply while studying abroad
By Chloe Thornberry
Arriving in the country that’s you’ve chosen to do your study abroad is a thrill. But it’s just the start – now that you’ve taken this big leap, you might as well see as much of the world as possible. If there are alarms going off in your head telling you that sounds off-the-wall expensive, take a breath. There are ways to travel abroad without breaking the bank. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Learning about financial aid, right from the source!
By Sydney Calhoun
Who would have thought that a journalism major would be working in a university financial aid office, but I’m glad I do! In today’s world of student loans and repayment plans, life can get the best of your wallet. After all, two-thirds of students at public universities like mine have student loans. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: What to do when your campus job is a brain drain
By Payton Cousins
What do you do when your job is intellectually and mentally exhausting? What do you do when you need more hours to make more money, but you don’t have the brain power to keep working? This is a problem that I experience all the time. I currently work as a writing tutor at the University of Missouri, which means that my job is basically helping students at any stage in the writing process. It can be in any topic, from Engineering, English, Political Science… I have even edited creative writing pieces for Literature and Film Writing classes. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Saving Up to Giddy Up
By Paulina Crum
First – you have to know that I’m from Montana. I have been riding horses since I was six, and have desperately wanted a horse of my own, but I have never been able to afford to buy one. Now, it seems like there may be a way to finally purchase the horse I have always wanted. I have been hired for two good paying jobs this summer at a public relations firm and as a receptionist at an equine vet clinic. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: All Work, No Play: Why Everyone Needs to Find A Balance
By Paola Rodriguez
All work, no play makes Jack a dull boy. As much as this may seem to be true, working is quite important at the end of the day. It is a means to receiving income in order to live even if it creates a struggle to keep a balance of a social life, good grades, internships and living as comfortably as possible. For many students across the country, this is a reality. Devon Bennett, a junior at the University of Missouri- Columbia, admitted his own struggles as a working student. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: How to Afford a Trip to the Movies
By Abby Monteil
College is often characterized as a place to gain exposure to new experiences and culture, as well as to meet new people. One reputable way to do this is to catch a new movie with friends. However, a trip to the theater is getting increasingly difficult to afford for college students who are dealing with the costs of attending school. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Money Saving Tips for Your Time Abroad
By Eli Lederman
So you’re studying abroad? Awesome. You’ve been accepted into your program. You’ve completed all the painstaking paperwork and endured the process of getting a visa or any other documentation process. You even performed all the financial gymnastics necessary and now, finally, you’ve arrived in Europe or South America or another far away land you’ve chosen to expand your horizons and experience the world. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Earning and Saving Money with Out Leaving Your Dorm Room
By Meredith Westrich
Juggling a job while being a full-time student can extremely stressful—there seems to never be enough time or money. One solution is to make money on your own time schedule, without even ever having to leave your room. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Working full-time and being a student full-time is a challenge
By Andrea Jennemann
When the end of my first year of college ended, and everyone was moving out of the dorms and beginning to sign leases for apartments, my father told me I would be solely responsible for my living costs from that point on. Because of a change in roommates, I was late in signing my lease. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Hard financial choices lead to grit and determination in college
By Crystal Cox
In my first two years at college, I’ve had to make a decision that my high school self could not have imagined: go to class or be able to afford to eat. This is the reality that I, and many students who come from low-income families, face. Having to work 40 hours a week at an entry-level service job is difficult, but having to do so while being a full-time college student is beyond exhausting. Since being introduced to the economic concept of opportunity cost, I’ve thought a lot about how school and work are opposing variables in my life. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Finding a student job with medical limitations
By Joseph Bartholomew
Going into college, I had never had a job. In high school, during the summer going into my sophomore year, I was diagnosed with cancer, at the age of 15. This prevented me from living the normal life of a high schooler as I was pulled from my classes and began treatment. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Are Credit Cards Necessary for Students?
By Tyler Head
Will that be cash or credit? These days this question almost seems redundant. Our society is continuously advancing its technology and the thought of paying for things with physical dollar bills feels slightly antiquated to many students. According to a 2016 study done by Sallie Mae, a federally-back lending institution, 56 percent of college students have credit cards. However, the responsibility that comes with having credit cards isn’t for everyone and managing that responsibility raises the question among some of whether they should have credit cards or not. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: What You Should Know Before Signing a Rental Lease
By Caroline Friedman
A recent ranking conducted by the financial technology company SmartAsset found that seven of the top ten most transient cities in the country are college towns. In a city like Athens, Georgia, home to the University of Georgia and a transitory student population of nearly 38,000, the options for rental housing are seemingly endless. Although the search process is a relatively easy one for students here, it’s what follows that causes much consternation and difficulty. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Student Saves Money by Renting Textbooks
By Lauren Diaz
As a finance student at the University of Georgia, Nathan Moon is required to purchase textbooks that retail upwards of $120. Rather than purchasing them, however, Moon rents them through rental sites that help students save as much as 90 percent of the publisher’s price. “If I were to buy all of my books every semester, it would be close to $500,” Moon said. “If I rent them, I can stay within my budget and don’t have to spend a large portion of my money.” Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Overcoming Unexpected Medical Expenses
By Mauli Desai
A visit to the doctor’s office is often met with the question: “On a scale of one to 10 rate your pain.” Rajan Bedi’s response of nine out of 10 on the pain scale was the beginning of a yearlong ordeal. In 2018, while on his way to The Reserve apartment complex to watch the Philadelphia Eagles play the New England Patriots in The Super Bowl, Bedi, was hit on the driver side by a speeder who blew past a yield sign at an intersection on the east side of Athens, Georgia. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: What to Expect Financially When Studying Abroad
By Steve Conyers
Studying abroad offers a unique experience to students who gain new perspectives by visiting other countries. Broadening one’s world view through hands-on teaching in an unfamiliar culture, gaining valuable networking connections and increasing communication skills in an increasingly demanding global job market are just a few of the advantages students obtain when they study abroad. However, only 10 percent of undergraduate students in the U.S. will study abroad before they graduate, according to the Institute of International Education. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: The Scholarship Strain
By Eleanor Cash
With the end of spring semester approaching, college seniors across the country are looking forward to wearing their caps and gowns and receiving their diplomas. Soon after flipping their tassels, however, many of these new graduates will be forced to confront a growing national problem: repaying their student loan debt. Student loans place only second to mortgage debt in the consumer debt category. In 2018, 69 percent of students took out loans, and graduated with an average debt of $29,800. To paint a broader picture, Americans owe over $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: College Budgeting: Taking it One Step at a Time
By Ellie Bramel
Kelsey Snelgrove was in the sixth grade when the Great Recession happened. The crash hit close to home, and she watched her parents lose the business they had worked to build. “My dad literally came to me one day and was like, okay, so we have a bag of money. It says for groceries. That’s it. We have no other money,” Snelgrove recalled. She said the experience gave her a deeper understanding of money as she learned how to stretch her family’s dollar. Now a junior at the University of Georgia, she uses that understanding to budget her paychecks, account for weekly expenses and adopt long-term savings goals. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Students Turn to Mobile Apps for Financial Tools
By Jessica Wurst
Mobile finance applications can offer a simple way for students to track personal finances, but they also can make it too easy to put money into the stock market without proper knowledge. App such as Mint and Acorns aid students with financial management by tracking spending and account balances. Similar apps providedby banks such as SunTrust and Wells Fargo are also attractive to students due to their simplicity and brand recognition. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Is the Master’s Degree the New Bachelor’s?
By Rebecca Wright
A bachelor’s degree may soon not be enough to win in a competitive job market. With increasing access to college education, students in the United States are looking for ways to differentiate themselves. Some choose to pursue multiple internships or dual majors, but more often students now are taking the GRE exam with hopes of qualifying for graduate school. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: College Students and Health Insurance
By Jennifer Williams
As college students graduate and enter the job market, they face a critical question: How will they pay for health insurance? The Affordable Care Act (ACA) plays a significant role in young adults’ coverage decisions, as it allows them to remain on their parents’ insurance until age 26. This is an advantage for many students who are worried about affording health care on their own as they start their careers and begin paying off student loans. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: The Worth of an Unpaid Internship
By Sidhartha Wakade
Employers today expect job-seekers — including soon-to-be or recent college graduates — to have some level of practical experience in their chosen fields. For many college students, this experience comes from part-time jobs, internships or work-study programs. Not all of these options provide pay, however. For Sarah Lanier, a 20-year-old junior public relations major at the University of Georgia, an unpaid internship has been part of her course of study. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Students and Their Loans
By Jenny Vo
When Russell Cochran left Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, he also left behind a football scholarship worth about $22,000 a year. Cochran said he no longer wanted to play football and transferred to the University of Georgia to pursue a degree in Housing Management and Policy. “I was a sports management major there and I decided I wanted to do real estate and they didn’t have it, so I transferred,” he said, noting that it costs more to go to UGA. “But I believe it’s worth it.” Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: A Student’s Guide to Financial Understanding
By Ashley Scott
When Luke Morgan came to The University of Georgia to start his freshman year of college, he understood only as much about personal finance as he needed to get by. “It either comes from being raised in a family that teaches you, or doing it and learning, and the latter is probably the more effective way of doing anything,” he said. By learning as he went along, Morgan acquired the skills he needed to be near self-sufficient by his graduation in December 2018. He began with help from his parents, but gradually transitioned into paying for his expenses on his own. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Why Students Should Practice Budgeting While in College
By Charlotte Norsworthy
Before Alexis Manson decides to buy a concert ticket or go out to dinner with a friend, she pulls out her laptop to check her digital budget. “It’s like a game, she said. “It’s honestly kind of fun.” Manson is a junior international affairs major at the University of Georgia from Smithfield, Virginia, and while she doesn’t need to be financially independent from her parents, she likes to practice ways to curtail wasteful spending. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Students and Credit Scores
By Spencer McGuire
Are credit scores important to college students? Short answer: yes. But that’s not the whole story. Behind every credit score is a more detailed set of three credit reports, according to The University of Georgia’s Mary Carlson, a professor in the Financial Planning Master’s program. TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian are the three companies that pull a person’s financial history, and from that information, create a report about what kind of spender a person is along with a repayment history. If someone pays off the credit card debt consistently, or has a lot of unpaid debt, these companies will know about it. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Federal Work-Study Offers Flexible Job Opportunities for Students
By Kelly Mayes
Having a part-time job in college can be a balancing act for many students, but some may find the flexibility they need if they qualify for the Federal Work-Study Program. This program, offered by about 3,400 colleges in the U.S., awards grants for undergraduate and graduate students who qualify to gain valuable work experience pertaining to their career. Peyton Etheridge, a first-year intended public relations student at the University of Georgia, has worked in the front office of the Odum School of Ecology this year. The Federal Work-Study program has been a good option for her. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Car Repair Research Can Help Students Avoid Being Overcharged
By Savannah Martin
College is the time when many young adults find themselves facing huge financial responsibilities for the first time. But, sometimes it can be routine things such as car repair that cause the most concern. Emilie Gille, a senior at the University of Georgia, said she has been warned about general sexism toward women when it comes to car repairs and she is concerned about being ripped off. “I’m always very wary,” said Gille. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: How Students Can Overcome the Intimidation of Tax Filing
By Grace Langella
Taxes can be intimidating, especially for students. Nique Roth, a University of Georgia marketing major, said taxes make her nervous because she knows so little. “If there was an outlet to learn about them, I wouldn’t be scared,” said Roth, “but because it’s kind of a free for all, I’m definitely intimidated by the idea of filing them myself.” According to Lance Palmer, a professor of Family Planning and Consumer Economics, many students have a skewed view of taxes because of the media. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Understanding Student Loan Repayment Options
By Zach Jones
Student debt in the United States has reached a staggering $1.5 trillion, but many students know very little about their own loans and how they factor into that giant number. When college students defer to their parents on loan decisions, they typically rely on their parents to do the research and pick the type of loan. This decision will ultimately affect the types of repayment options available once the students graduate. “I was kept in the dark really. My parents took care of picking what type of loan I got, and I was never aware that the type of loan could affect my repayment options,” said Michael Ackerman, a student at The University of North Georgia. Read more…
By Collin Huguley
College students living away from home for the first time often feel the need for more education on how to protect their living spaces and belongings from potential disaster. For these students, renters insurance is a new concept. “At this point in our lives, we haven’t really experienced much in the realm of home owning,” said 22-year-old University of Georgia student Amanda Gruner. “It’s not like a staple that we’re told about; that we need renters insurance. We’re taught that we need bedding, but not that we need insurance.” Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Navigating Life as a Student Entrepreneur
By Michael Hebert
Senior marketing major Kaitlin Lutz always wanted to be an entrepreneur. She started a dog walking business when she was younger, making flyers with her face, a picture of a dog and a little dog bone to promote her service around the neighborhood.“I’ve always had some sort of itch for entrepreneurship as long as I can remember,” Lutz said. As a student at the University of Georgia, Lutz sought out the training offered through the UGA Idea Accelerator, an eight-week program where students are trained in how to develop a business. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Lessons Learned About Life, Finances and Family
By Noelle Schon
When it comes to my personal experience with money, I am very lucky to have had parents who opened a college fund for me early on. My parents are both in the business and finance field. My mother was a regional vice president for Bank of America before taking time off to raise me and my siblings. She is very helpful when it comes to explaining the financial world to me, which really piqued my interest in the field as I grew up. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: The Unexpected Costs of International Travel
By Nicole Hernandez
Peru was the trip of a lifetime. One week, five planes, two trains, six boats, two ATVs, and four zip lines all came together to create one amazing experience. Taking off from LAX in May of 2017 was one of the most exciting days of my life, and landing in Cusco at five in the morning the next day was even better. But getting to the point of stepping into a foreign country for the first time was a long, arduous process that revolved around – you guessed it – finances. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: Lessons From My Parents: Spending with a Purpose
By Andres Guerra Luz
As my family and I packed up the last of the belongings from my childhood home, a flurry of different feelings rushed over me. For as long as I could remember, home was an old-timey, multi-story building in an idyllic neighborhood in Chicago. But as my family adapted to some bigchanges, the house was becoming too large an expense. A part of me felt sad to leave the house behind, another part of me felt relieved that we were down-sizing to a more affordable place and yet another part of me was excited to live somewhere new. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: The Blue and Red Fibers of Financial Happiness and Despair
By Mara Friedman
Money is a funny thing. It is the only thing (other than your parents) that can be your best friend or a great nightmare. The blue and red fibers woven between its cotton may hold both happiness and despair. My life has been that blue fiber. I have been tangled up inside due to the money-making process. My life made a complete 360-degree turn in my teenage years when I found out that my immediate family was rich. It didn’t turn around the way you may think it would have, however. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: The Knowledge We Needed
By Taylor Freds
When I moved to Arizona for college, I quickly realized that high school had left me completely unprepared for the real world. The school’s need to be the best at standardized tests has left students without the actual knowledge they need when they walk out the door. Taxes, financial aid, savings, budgeting, debt (etc.) are all words that I knew the meaning of but had no real grasp on. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: When It Comes to Finances, Listen to Your Mother
By Emily M. Dean
I thought I knew everything when I was 19. That’s cliche, but it’s also true. I remember calling my mom with the master plan for my life. I was to move to Ithaca, New York, and take a job teaching dance. At this point in time my mother’s advice sounded a lot like an outdated and broken record to me. I remember telling her that the apartment I’d found would be $700 a month plus utilities. I remember her asking me if it was a nice apartment. I remember saying yes to spite her. Read more…
College Connect Spring 2019: How I Used Airbnb to Continue My Education
By Madeline Ackley
In 2017, I found myself in a precarious financial situation, like so many 20-something college students do. I had left home and was living with two roommates in an apartment in downtown Phoenix so I could be close to campus. One consequence of living in a college town, however, is that things are more expensive. A lot more expensive in some cases. Each month the expenses piled higher and higher and I was barely squeezing by with my minuscule paycheck working part time as a doggy daycare attendant. So, I did what any cash-strapped millennial in 2017 would do: I illegally sublet my room to strangers on Airbnb. Read more…
