Open Letter To the Four Year Private College Students who owe more than $40,000 in loans

Even with financial aid and scholarships, the average debt associated with a four-year private school education comes in at around $40,000. My calculations are based on my own two years at The College of Saint Rose; I have borrowed $24,000 to date.

During my first few years of college at SCCC, I didn't owe a cent. Actually, I got paid to go to school. Now, not everyone had the same experience as I did; I was eligible for all the State and Federal aid available. Getting my A.S. at SCCC was the best decision for my wallet.

Yeah, I know what you're probably thinking... You don't get the same 'experiences' that we Private School Students get from living on Campus.

Well, we're working on that here at SCCC. This is what our future dorms will look like.

Don't worry four year private school students, all you'll have to do is...

- pay $300 a month and have it paid off in 134 months, or just over 11 years.
or
-pay around $500 a month and pay off the loan in 80 months, or about 6 1/2 years.

Whatever your budget, you should be able to pay off your loans by the time your ready to retire.

What can be done with 40K

49k could purchase about 45 new computers for a school

You could sponser 110 children for an entire year at Feed the Children






Or you could act like the rich and famous and buy a Tiffany & Co Platinum 27.08ct Diamond Sapphire Bracelet

Top 5 ways to get noticed and succeed at SCCC

1. Join a campus club/organization

My personal favorites:

- SGA: members are offered many opportunities to network throughout the College and the community, especially those who hold an office position.

-Spanish Club: members are very active and plan fantastic presentations and events including trips to NYC & Boston.

-Student Volunteer Organizations: I have never participated in this kind of club, but their work illuminates throughout the College and the community. They always look like they are having fun while they help others.

2. Become a Tutor/Tutee:

If you excel in a certain subject area, apply for at tutoring position; not only do you get paid, but you become fluent in your subject area from explaining what you know to others.

If you are struggling in a subject, get a tutor. Teachers admire your effort to learn and do well in their class. Students are eligible for 1 hour a week of tutoring for free! You might learn a concept from your tutor that you couldn't understand in class.

3. Go to an Open Forum with the President of the College:

I recently attended an open forum with President Bullock and I witnessed his dedication to students' needs. As an employee, I can guarantee you that the student's who voiced their needs and concerns at this event were heard and staff are now busy working on your requests.

4. Visit your Teachers:

Teachers recognize students who put forth effort. Making the time to sit down with your teachers and discuss your work shows your commitment to education and can increase your classroom performance. These student-teacher relationships are also helpful when you're in need of a letter of recommendation.

5. Get a Work Study:

The College has jobs for students all over the campus. These jobs get you behind the scenes working with college staff and can often provide you with experience in your field. The hours are flexible and you can work in between classes (check with Financial Aid to find out if you are eligible).

If you don't get a work study try the Career Center in Elston 223. They may be able to help you find a job locally.

For more information...

As a employee of Schenectady County Community College's Student Activities and an alumni of the College, and current student at The College of Saint Rose, I am designing a blog that incorporates these three different yet, overlapping perspectives to provide information about Schenectady County Community College events, special features, and student life.

Who?
Anyone can do it...

-Want to see what other colleges and college students are blogging about check out, the students of Cornell University, MCC, & Hesston College.

-Clubs can blog too! At Wake Tech each club has its own blog.

-Confessions of a Community College Dean, not ours, but even college administrators like to blog.

-Are you an English teacher? Are you taking an English class? Community College English is an insightful blog written by English teachers and has links to other English enthusiasts.

-Culinary Arts students-- check out your instructor's blog Gastronomical Inspirations.

Why?
Just one of the many reasons to blog...

-Want to find out what events are happening at other colleges you can check out the president of Campus Activities at Adrian College, or read the student activities blog by the Student Activities Coordinator at West Virginia Northern Community College. These, and other blogs, are great places to get ideas for our own campus events.

What?
You can learn a lot from a blog...

-The Study Break: The world in B-flat blog is maintained by a public media specialist it explores 21st century literacies. This blog is helpful to both teachers and students because it incorporates strong educational strategies along with special programming that can be used for educational student activities.

You can report your campaign..

-Students at NYU blog about their campaign to Take Back NYU. There is power in blogging for college students.

Where?
Check out these web sites for more local information...

-Schenectady is full of history. There are blogs about historical events in and around the Capital Region. (eg. the Stockade Walkabout).

-Local newspapers report all over the area and are active bloggers.The Daily Gazette's blogs about high school sports among other things and so does the Times Union which has a blog specifically for Schenectady. This information allows students and faculty to consider larger community perspectives and may be useful resources for student prospects.

- Say Schenectady is a website that has a calendar of events in the area and links to other local sites.

-The Official Home of Schenectady County, provides more than news; it has resources to area networks. SGA and Criminal Justice majors should check out this site.