Tuition Tales - UPromise Scholarship Opportunity - EXPIRED

• Win $10,000 for College, $250 Gift Card to Bed, Bath, & Beyond, or a $250 Bank of America Visa Gift Card.   There will be three $10,000 winners.

• What do you have to do?  Create a 30 second video on why you or someone you know deserves to win $10,000 for College.  There are 3 categories: Saving for College, In College Now, and Paying it Back.

• Head over to UPromise to upload your video.  Do not wait too long; the deadline to enter is May 3, 2009, 12:00 p.m. EST.
  

Have not heard about UPromise? Check out my posts here and here to find out why I love this college saving program.  Not a member?  Ready to join?  Click on the link below.  This is a great time to join.  Why?  Get $32 in your account in a few easy steps (thanks to Choyster Cash).

• Step 1: Click here to sign up.

• Step 2: Get a quick and painless insurance quote from Liberty Mutual and earn $5.

• Step 3: Get an insurance quote from Insurance.com and earn $2.

• Step 4: Apply for the UPromise credit card.  This is wonderful.  I have had mine for over a year now and earned $300 last year just for making purchases as usual.  Earn 1% for all purchases, 10% for qualified gas and grocery purchases.  Best of all get a $25 bonus after you make your first purchase.  

Want more?  Whenever you shop through UPromise online you earn a percentage of your purchase to be added to your UPromise account.  I never shop anywhere online (or off) without first checking to see if there is a cash back opportunity available.  

Still want more?  Register your grocery and/or drugstore shopper card and save on certain items (see list here).  Even better, get e-coupons loaded directly to your shopper card.  Make a qualified purchase and instead of getting the discount on your purchase you will receive that amount in your UPromise account.  Find out more here.

So, what are you waiting for?  Create a 30 second video and upload before 12:00 p.m. EST on May 3 for a chance to win one of three $10,000 scholarships or a $250 gift card.  Then head on over to UPromise and start saving even more for college today.

FastWeb Scholarship Opportunites

• Are you active in community service? Answer 3 essay questions in 100 words or less, get 1 recommendation from a non-family member, and head on over to apply for the Ruth Stanton Community Grant and you could win $500 towards your education.  Deadline: November 1, 2009

• Is you GPA not all it could be? Are you a high school student, GED recipient, or current college student? Show a strong record of leadership, extracurricular, and/or volunteer activities and you could get $1,000 for school with the A GPA Isn't Everything Scholarship. Deadline: July 31, 2009

• Are you female and at least 30 years of age? The Women On Par Scholarship may be just for you. U.S. and Canadian residents only. First time or returning [to complete a degree] students pursuing a technical or vocational degree, associates or bachelor's. Make sure you can show a financial need and this award could be yours. The amount varies. Deadline: April 30, 2009
  

For more great scholarship opportunities check out FastWeb.  FastWeb is more than a scholarship site.  Find jobs, internships, loan information, access valuable resources, colleges, and much, much more.  

APA Formatting - The Title Page

Plagiarism is preventable.  Proper citation on a paper can mean the difference between a well-researched and well-written paper and a plagiarized paper.  Many colleges have plagiarism detection software used to scan student papers for proper formatting and credit.  It is okay to borrow words ONLY IF you give proper credit to the original source of those words.  

Additionally, no more than 20% of your paper should be cited words or reference of other's work.  This means you need to give your opinion based on the facts you uncovered and convey this in your own words.  

Did you know turning in the same paper for two different classes without permission of the instructor also is considered plagiarism?  That is right, you can plagiarize yourself and that is also a no-no.  My school gives an "F" on the paper for the first offense, and "F" in the course for the second, and you are expelled for the third.  

Imagine all the money you have tied up into your education.  Now imagine having to pay for an education you could not complete because you failed to give proper credit in your research paper.  This is absolutely preventable.

I am going to share a recent paper of mine with you.  I did receive a 99% on this paper.  My only correction is paragraph 3 on page 4.  It originally read "I mentioned".  This is another no-no.  Research papers are not to be written in the first person.  I guess I got a little carried away after writing so many blog posts!

In the interest of space, I will break this post up into three parts: the title page, the body, and the reference page.  Here is an example of a properly APA formatted title page:

This is the easiest part of the entire paper.  It is simple to format.  Set the alignment of the page (not just the lines) to center and your word processing program should automatically set your information to the center of your title page.  The easiest way to do this in MS Word is to go to print preview and select page setup.  Then look for the image of the entire page.  This defaults to top alignment.  Just change this to center and click okay.

Be sure to add a header with page numbers.  The header is a snippet of your paper's title.  Then add the full title of your paper.  I separated my title into several lines for aesthetic reasons.  Next comes your name, your class, your instructor, and the date.  That is it!  

Tomorrow I will go over the body of your paper.  This will include proper formatting and in-text citations.

For more information on APA formatting check out the OWL at Purdue.  (OWL stands for Online Writing Lab.)  This is one of the very best resources on the internet.

CPA Requirements in Virginia

If you have been following this blog, then you know I am pursuing my B.A. in Accounting.  My tentative graduation date is January 2010.  This means I am in my last stretch of classes and must start deciding what I will do with my degree upon graduation.  In a discussion with my professor last week I was informed of some changes in the requirements for CPA certification (in the state of Florida where my school is located).  I live in Virginia, though.  So I did some research, which consequently was a discussion question this week in my new class, Auditing.  

Let me back track just a moment.  My college is a little different in that instead of taking multiple classes over the course of several months they hold one class each month for a total of 12 classes per year.  This is extremely helpful when you have a full time life outside of school.  So, when one class ends, the next typically starts (the exception is spring, summer, and winter break).  

Now, I am unsure of the field of accounting I want to pursue and would really love to go back for my MBA.  The MBA would take another 14 months.  Or 18 months if I opt for two different MBA designations; I cannot decide between marketing and international business.  This leads me to the field of accounting which most interests me.  I am considering the CPA designation due to its recognition.  Personally, I would love to practice cost accounting taking me towards the CMA (Certified Managerial Accountant) certification.  Then there is the CIA designation (Certified Internal Auditor).  Oh, and then there is Forensic Accounting.  This would be a CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner).  Now that sounds interesting.  I am seriously considering Forensic Accounting.

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Today I am going to share the requirements for becoming a CPA in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  

To sit for the exam (http://www.beckercpa.com/virginia/index.cfm#p1) -
Education requirements:

• 150 semester hours required
  
• minimum degree - Baccalaureate (conferred by an accredited college or university)
  
• at least 30 semester hours of accounting (to include financial accounting, auditing, taxation, & management accounting)
  
• at least 24 semester hours in business courses (other than those required under accounting semester hours)
  
• US Citizenship is not required
  
• Do not have to be a resident, employee, or have office in the sate
  
• No minimum age
  

________________________________________
Experience requirements (http://www.vscpa.org/2004WS/Students/CPAreqs.htm):

• at least one year of acceptable experience in accounting or related field (full- or part-time employment that extends over a period of no less than a year and no more than three years and includes no fewer than 2,000 hours of performance of services described) - may include providing any type of service or advice involving the use of accounting, management, financial, tax or consulting advisory skills or services. Acceptable experience shall include employment in government, industry, academia or public accounting or related services. This may be performed under a non-CPA, but must be verified by a CPA prior to sitting for the exam.
  

Exam (http://www.vscpa.org/2004WS/Students/CPAreqs.htm):

• must pass the exam according to the minimum grade established by the board in all sections of the exam
  

There are four sections of the exam and candidates must pass each section in any order within a “rolling” 18-month period beginning on the date of the first section(s) passed is taken (www.boa.state.va.us/BRegs.pdf).

To practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia an individual must hold a valid CPA certificate or meet the substantial equivalency requirements (holds license in another state).

Original CPA certificate:

• must submit an application on a form provided by the board documenting the requirements of 18 VAC 5-21-30 have been met. 
• must agree to comply with statutes and regulations of any state in which he/she is authorized to practice
  
  

If application is received three or more years after successful completion of the CPA exam, additional evidence of having met the CPE requirements and completion of the most recent Ethics CPE course must be submitted as well.

44 Top Online Colleges

Ever wonder how the different online colleges stack up?  Ever wonder how many choices there are?  Online Education Database has listed and ranked them for you.  Check it out, my school is number 11!  To me they are number 1, but hey, to each their own.  

The top 10 schools, and where they are located, according to the OEDb 2009 rankings are:

1. NOVA Southeastern University - Florida
2. Regent University - Virginia
3. Champlain College - Vermont
4. Upper Iowa University - Iowa
5. LeTourneau University - Texas
6. Liberty University - Virginia
7. Grand Canyon University - Arizona
8. Dickinson State University - North Dakota
9. Western Governor's University - Utah
10. Salem International University - West Virginia

For more information and to see the rest of the list check out OEDb.org.

$2,000 Jeannette Rankin Foundation Scholarship - EXPIRED

Are you a woman, age 35 or older? Are you currently in school or planning to return? Are you looking for assistance with tuition, books, or other expenses? The Jeannette Rankin Foundation offers $2,000 scholarships for women who meet their guidelines and complete the application process by the deadline. In 2008, JRF gave away scholarships to 86 deserving women.

In 1916 Jeannette Rankin was the first woman to be elected to the United States Congress. She was an advocate for women's rights and upon her death left a portion of her Georgia estate to assist mature, unemployed women. The foundation was charter in 1976 and awarded its first scholarship in the amount of $500 in 1978. Since then the Jeannette Rankin Foundation has grown. In 2008 86 scholarships were awarded in the amount of $2,000 each.

How to apply:

1. Go to www.rankinfoundation.com
   
2. Download the application here: http://www.rankinfoundation.org/apply/2009-JRF_Application.pdf
   
3. Note the deadline has been extended to March 2, 2009. This means your application must be postmarked no later than March 2, 2009.
   
4. You will need two written recommendations. 
   

Qualifications (as taken from the JRF website):

1. A woman, age 35 or older.
   
2. A U.S. citizen.
   
3. Enrolled in, or accepted to, an accredited school.
   
4. Pursuing a technical or vocational education, an associate's degree, or a first bachelor's degree.
   
5. Low-income according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Lower Living Standard (visit www.rankinfoundation.org/apply/default.php to see if you qualify).
   

Image courtesy of Jeannette Rankin Foundation.

Upcoming Deadlines and Informational Resources

Federal Student Financial Aid Deadlines

The 2008-2009 School Year (July 1st, 2008 - June 30th, 2009):

• FAFSA on the Web applications must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight time, June 30, 2009.
• Corrections on the Web forms must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight Time, September 15, 2009.
• Note: Your school must have your complete and correct information by your last day of enrollment in the 2008-2009 school year.

The 2009-2010 School Year (July 1st, 2009 - June 30th, 2010):

• FAFSA on the Web applications must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight time, June 30, 2010.
• Corrections on the Web forms must be submitted by midnight Central Daylight time, September 15, 2010.
• Note: Your school must have your complete and correct information by your last day of enrollment in the 2009-2010 school year.

Information courtesy of FastWeb! FastWeb offers one of the most comprehensive lists of scholarships and internships available of the web.

Do not forget to check with your financial aid advisor on state deadlines.  


Education Xpo

• Date: February 26, 2009
• Time: 10 am EST - 10pm EST
• 100% Free to attend, requires an internet connection
• College planning for parents and students
• Bringing together students, parents, and educators
• Explore all aspects of the college experience

Another great reason to attend: SCHOLARSHIPS!  That is right.  Education Xpo will be giving away two $500 scholarships.  But, you must attend this virtual event and complete a series of required activities within Education Xpo.

Education Xpo information courtesy of FastWeb!

Education Xpo image courtesy of Education Xpo.

Nielsen Homescan - Huh?

A few weeks ago I received a call to become a Nielsen family.  No, not for television, for shopping.  I signed up to be placed on a waiting list in the event an opening became available.  Today I received my package and did my first scan.  

This program seems simple enough. First, you charge your scanner.  The instructions say to charge one hour prior to using.  When the scanner is not in use it is to remain on the charger.  Once char

ged and a shopping trip has taken place I am to take the scanner and follow the instructions for entering my purchases.  The scanner itself is medium-size handheld device.  This makes it easy to carry to your purchases.  

Today I went to CVS to pick of some soda on sale and Valentine candy for my children.  Following the instructions on the scanner's screen I scroll to CVS and press enter.  Then it asks if I used a frequent shopper card.  Yes.  Then it asks me to scan my first item.  I press the scan button and run the laser over the barcode on my item.  Did I use double/triple coupons?  No.  Did I use coupons/store discounts?  Yes.  I enter the amount of the coupon and indicate whether this was coupled with a store discount.  I press exit when finished and answer yes when asked if I am done.  Then I enter the total paid.  Next I need to place the scanner back in the charger and transmit the information.  This means the charger needs to be close to a phone line and an electrical outlet.  I am to do this at least once a week.

You may be asking why?  Do I get paid for this?  This sounds like a lot of work.  Well, first, no I do not get "paid" as far as money being exchanged for my time.  But I do earn points to be used towards pretty decent items.  And I would agree, this sounds like quite a bit of work for the rewards.  But, once I get the hang of it I should be able to scan and put my purchases away in little time.  This has the added benefit of keeping me organized.  I need to keep track of coupons used, how much for which item.  Since I am working on better organizing this aspect of my life this should only place emphasis on the need to keep this in order.

I will post an update on this program once I get a better feel for how it works and if it is really worth the effort.  If you would like to learn more about how to become part of the Nielsen Homescan program you can get more information at Homescan.  

Nielsen logo used courtesy of Nielsen Homescan.

Reflections and Contemplations

Today I reflected on my return to college.  Actually, I do this a lot lately given my non-job status and accumulation of student loans.  I am thankful I do not have to pay the majority of these back until after I graduate.  Small consolation given my oldest will be graduating high school this year and starting her college career in the Fall.  Sigh.  

So, in my reflections and contemplations I think about how my future degree will impact my future career, truly.  Or maybe it is the contemplation of the existence of any future career.  There are more and more layoffs each day.  People are starting to dumb down their qualifications just to avoid being passed over for a position they are more than qualified to perform.  This is something I recently decided to do.  Sad thing is, I do not have that high of qualifications.  I have tons of experience.  I am capable of doing so much.  I cannot find a job.  

I by no means regret the decision to return for my degree or feel education is unnecessary.  Quite the opposite, really.  I love learning.  I want to learn so many things.  I want to finish my Bachelors and get my Masters.  If I am still unemployed my Masters will have to wait, but it will be something I do pursue.  I want to get my Bachelors in something completely different than finance or accounting or even business.  I want to return and possibly study computer technology.  I am good with problem solving.  I like taking apart computers, laptops, you name it.  I have looked into the courses needed.  Some day.

As I contemplate my future prospects and opportunities I also try to find what it is I want to do for the rest of my life.  Is it accounting?  Is it computers?  Is there something else?  Am I missing something?  Do I even know what I want to be when I grow up?  So many questions needing answers.  And regardless of this I am optimistic.  There is doom and gloom on the news every day.  My husband was recently laid off.  Neither of us is working and I am optimistic.  Something good is on the horizon.  This education thing will pay off.  Maybe not in the way I first intended, but it will pay off. 

So, if you are contemplating your education, think about what is it you want.  What do you want to gain from this pursuit?  Will it improve your career, life, outlook?  Or is this something you want to do for you?  And, if money is a problem check out some of my earlier posts on where you can learn something new at no cost.  What I have determined is the economy will rise and fall and I will have little control over that.  But  I have full control over my personal betterment.  Now I need to study for my final in project management.  Then it is on to managerial/cost accounting.  Only one more year.

Win $1,000 from Fastweb in Honor of Inauguration Day - EXPIRED

In honor of inauguration day and the changing of the guard, Fastweb wants to give one lucky subscriber the opportunity to win $1,000.  Just log in on January 20th and you are automatically entered for a chance to win.   So, do not delay.  Head over to Fastweb and get your entry.  And I hope you were able to watch the swearing in ceremony to mark this important day in our country's history.  But if you were not so fortunate take heart, I am embedding it at the end of this post thanks to TPM TV and YouTube. 

And while you are there check out more great scholarship offers such as:

• Brickfish "Favorite Toy" Promotion - 7 awards ranging from $100 - $1,000
• Sodexo STOP Hunger Scholarship - various awards up to $5,000
• Cutting-Edge Careers Scholarship - 1 award of $1,000

For more information on the above scholarships and many more head on over to Fastweb.  Make sure you take some time to check out the other great resources and college information while you are there.  Good luck!