Reddit mentions of Getting Financial Aid 2015: All-New Ninth Edition (College Board Guide to Getting Financial Aid)

I bought this book on a whim at my local Barnes & Noble

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Financial-College-Board-Guide/dp/1457303183/

The first third of it has very good information on the Financial Aid process.

I'd wager heavily that the same info is available on a few free websites, and I'd bet the book is available in school and/or public libraries.


I can't help you choose a career path. Your parents are pushing you towards careers where you are handsomely rewarded for the knowledge of the mind more than the strength of your back. Can't blame them for wanting their kid to live a better life. You'll no doubt want your kids to do the same.


Here are two thought-provoking websites:


http://www.payscale.com/college-roi/full-list/by-type/public-in-state/financial-aid/yes/by-major/Business


http://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/home.htm

Nothing wrong with a Business degree.



Now, how to make the most of the college experience?

• Go to class - every class - every day. Even if you think you can ace the test, you are paying for it so soak it all in.
  
• Go to office hours and interact with your professors. The professor can help you better understand the material.
  
• Find your school's career center and talk to the people that work there. They have the inside scoop on local job fairs and internship opportunities. You should be actively searching for a summer internship every single summer. Spring break is for fun. Summer break is for work.
  
• Take advantage of free opportunities provided by the school. Take swimming lessons.
  
• Find the campus tutor/academic support center and learn what they can do for you BEFORE you realize you are flunking Physics. You are borrowing money to give to the school to help pay people to help you with your homework. Don't be the sucker that never made use of that free service and instead sat in their dorm sweating bullets over what the report card might say.
  
• Find the campus computer support center BEFORE your laptop dies and you have a paper due in two days. Learn what they can and cannot fix for you. Learn where the best school-provided computers are as an emergency backup.
  
• Ask the computer support guys (or gals!) if the University gives away old equipment. Once you work with two or more monitors on your PC its hard to use just the laptop display. A three-year old 20" monitor with a scratch & dent for free isn't so bad.
  
• If you don't know what one of the following is, make friends with a CompSci student and have them explain one of them to you AND USE IT: Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive / OneDrive, DropBox, Box.net. Your term papers should not exist only on your laptop - they should be backed up to one of those services all the time.
  
• Spend two or more nights (evenings) per week OUT of the dorm room. Get out there and experience stuff.
  
• Every school has a stupid tradition. Streak something, Facepaint school colors and sing a song - whatever. DO IT. Thats how great stories are made.
  
• Pay attention to campus news & events. If a guest speaker is coming to deliver a speech about how awesome his company is, because the college told him how to do it, go and listen. It won't be as much fun as hitting the local bar/club, but its better than playing video games. Who knows, maybe the story will provide inspiration.