Your job sucks. You’re not making much money at all. You’re tired of your dead end job. You need to pay off your student loans and make real money. You want to switch things up. You want more out of life.

You want to reinvent yourself by going back to school and earning your graduate degree. You know the benefits of graduate school and you want to experience them because you’re tired of your current situation.

We looked at the top law schools in the country last month. I received a common question about this post. How do you actually afford graduate school? I wanted to answer this question after asking around and getting in touch with friends that have gone to graduate school.

Are you supposed to get into further student loan debt just to go back to school? What do you if you want to increase your qualifications without increasing your debt? Is there financial aid for graduate school?

How do people actually afford graduate school? How can you pay for more education without being in debt for the rest of your life?

Funding from your school.

One of the setbacks of graduate school is the expensive price of tuition as all students can attest to this. The good news is that some programs and schools have funding for graduate programs. Financial aid for graduate school is actually pretty common at most colleges. You just need to find out what your options are and go after them. The financial aid for graduate school also depends on your program. Some programs will require you to do tons of research that’s valuable to the school and thus the school will be more accommodating in terms of funding.

All I know is that you need to look into the tuition funding options available at various schools before you even apply to graduate school.

Your employer pays for it.

Many companies see their employees as their most valuable assets. This is why it’s common to find financial aid for graduate school at your own place of work. One of my friends told me that his firm paid for him to earn his MBA. There’s just one issue with this. When someone invests so much money into you, they obviously expect something in return. You usually have to sign a contract that stipulates that you have to work for the firm for a specific amount of time once you earn your credentials. If you hate your place of work, you might not want to be stuck there because you took their money.

You study part-time.

If there’s no financial aid for graduate school in your field or you want to do it on your own, you can study part-time while you continue to work in your field. This option isn’t easy, but many others have done this already so it’s definitely not impossible. It’s also going to take a bit longer. However, this is the ideal option if you want to study at your own pace, still work in the field, and not get killed with student loans.

You save up for a few years if there’s no financial aid for graduate school.

The final option is that you save up for a few years. You take some time to gain experience, pay down your student loan debt, and save up for the future. This way you can attend graduate school without requiring the further assistance of student loans. This route might take a bit longer, but it’s going to be worth it in the long run if you follow through with it.

Those are the main ways that you can afford a graduate school degree without going into further student debt. How do you plan on paying for graduate school?

The other day I shared the benefits of applying to graduate school. After the post went live I got a few texts and emails on the subject. As you can imagine, not all of my friends were hot on the idea of going for more schooling. Graduate school isn’t the best idea for everyone. After four years of undergraduate, most people just want to work and make some money, or simply get out of school.

Let’s look at when applying to graduate school isn’t the greatest idea.

When’s applying to graduate school not such a hot idea? How can you go wrong with more education?

Using grad school as life avoidance.

If you don’t want to start working just yet, you shouldn’t just stick around in school. There are other options for what to do after college. You don’t have to be in school to not be working. I’ve seen many friends stay in school just because they didn’t want to start working in the real world yet. I just feel that there are better ways to avoid life. You don’t need to be paying for school.

Which leads into my next point…

When you have tons of student loan debt.

Your student debt can hold you back for a long time. If your finishing your undergraduate with over 20 grand in debt, do you really need to pick up more debt? Do you want to be adding to student loans?

All of this debt can hold you back when you want to buy a home or move on with your life as you go through your 20s. Your student loans can force you to work a job that you don’t like and they’ll definitely delay you from making big purchases.

While you can argue that this money is an investment, you seriously need to consider other options for paying for your graduate school, such as:

• Finding an employer to pay for your courses.
• Taking courses in the evening.
• Saving up before you go to school.

There’s no need to rush things and be stuck with thousands of dollars of student debt in your mid-20s.

If you didn’t have much interest in your undergraduate studies.

The main purpose of graduate school is to continue on with your research. If you didn’t enjoy your studies during your four years of undergrad, what makes you think that you’re going to become suddenly more interested? More education might just lead to more stress for you.

If you have a job offer.

If you’re being offered a job right out of school, it usually makes sense to give it a shot. You can gain some experience in the field, build connections, and make money. You also increase your odds of finding an employer that’s willing to invest in you and possibly send you for your graduate degree in the future.

Graduate school can help take you to the next level. It can also hold you back if you’re not prepared and you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. This is why it pays to do a little research ahead of time to see if more education is right for you.

“The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn.” — David Russell

Have you been considering the idea of graduate school?

For the past six months or so, I’ve been discussing the idea of graduate school with my cousin Damian. He wasn’t sure of what to do at first. As time went on, he got more interested in graduate school. He eventually ended up applying for graduate school and getting accepted.

I’ve covered the idea of what to do after college extensively on here. There are many choices that you have to make when you get out of college. You have to decide what you plan on doing for work. You have to decide where you plan on living. You also have to decide if you’re going to go for more education.

Today I’m going to present you with the argument for attending graduate school that I picked up from Damian.

What are the main benefits of attending graduate school? Is it worth applying to graduate school?

A requirement in your field.

In some fields you need to pursue further education just to get your foot in the door. This is common in the Accounting field and many other areas. If your field of study requires education post-undergraduate and you want to work in the field, then you really need to get yourself into gear. You also already know that graduate school is needed, so I don’t need to stress the benefits to you.

Move up the ranks in your company.

In some companies you simply need to increase the credentials on your resume to move up the ranks. I was chatting with a buddy who told me that for him to move into management, he needs to go back to school for his MBA. You won’t need more education in every company, but in most places of employment you can really benefit from acquiring more education.

This ties into the next point…

Increase your income.

Would you want to increase your income by thousands of dollars per year? Would you be willing to study more to do this? When you move up the ranks in your company, your income is going to move up with you. Do you want to be at the same level forever? I doubt it. You more than likely want to move up, increase your income, and increase your worth to the company.

I could present you with stats and charts, but the truth is that graduate school won’t always increase your income. The good news is that you’ll know if graduate school is worth it in your company or in another firm, based on looking at the requirements for that more lucrative position that you want to hold in a few years.

“I looked for jobs a few weeks ago just for fun and I almost cried,” Damian told me about the current job market for those with an undergraduate degree in his field. If you want to make more money in your field, you might have to go back to school.

Expand your knowledge.

Graduate school is great for research opportunities. You’ll do an insane amount of research and learn more information. You’ll expand your knowledge and be more educated on your topic of choice. This will also look good on your resume in the future.

Take time to figure out what’s next.

According to an interesting article I read on education over at the NY Times Blog, I learned that many young people chose to stay in school to wait out the storm that came with the economic crash in late-2008. Graduate school was an opportunity for them to stay in school while they figured out what was going to happen next.

If your college offers graduate school at a decent cost or if it’s free (technically) then you can take this time to figure out what you want to do next. My cousin Matt is currently doing this. He’s working towards his graduate degree in Engineering. It’s also not costing him a penny because he’s getting paid to do research. He’s using the time to decide what he wants to do next and to work on other projects that he’s interested in.

If you don’t want to stress about finding work after college in a slow economy, you could choose to travel the world, try to start your own business, or stay in school for a bit longer.

Those are the main reasons behind applying to graduate school. What you decide is ultimately up to you and what you want to get out of life. Graduate school isn’t for everyone. If you decide to pursue a higher education then I wan to wish you all the best!

There’s plenty of students who go into college thinking they know what they want to major in and as they go through college, their mind changes. Maybe you thought you wanted to be a reporter, so you went in as a journalism major. When you took that general education course in anthropology, your wheels started turning and you decided your life wouldn’t be complete without going to other cultures and becoming an anthropologist instead of writing about it. It happens to more students than you think, and it’s not too difficult to change your plans midway through your previous ones.

If you do want to change your major while you’re in school, here’s what you should do and consider:

1. How far have you gone in your current major? If you’re in the first two years of your education and you really just completed your general education courses, then changing your major shouldn’t be too difficult. However, if you’re one semester away from graduation, and you’ve gone through the upper division classes of your current major, it may not be a good idea to change your major unless you don’t mind staying in school a for a few more semesters.
2. Would a minor suffice? If staying in school too much longer is going to be an issue, maybe you should consider minoring in the subject that has peaked your interest instead of changing up your major. You will still take the core classes in that subject when you minor, but you won’t have to take so many classes, postponing your anticipated graduation date.
3. Have you talked to your counselor or academic advisor? Discussing your change in plans would be best talked about with your counselor. They are not new to this situation and could best guide you in your changes. They can help you draft a plan where you know what classes you need, when they’re offered, and how it will affect your schedule from then on out.
4. Have you talked to your parents? There are so many students who go with a major that their parents wanted them to pursue. If you’ve found a passion for a subject that you just can’t ignore, discuss this with your parents. You have to be happy with your degree since you’ll be the one working with it. Get their input and let them know how you feel.
5. Have you explored career options? One of the best ways you can see if this is the right major for you is to explore your career options. Talk to people who work in the field, and see if that’s a job that you would enjoy having. Find an internship for the semester and see if you could stomach the field. Some people intern in a field and realize they would hate to work in it. It’s always good to find out as early as possible.

Your major is exactly that: your major. You have to think if you’re going to be happy with your degree when you graduate. Think about it before you make the decision, and find support if you’re going for it.

It’s almost back to school time. Are you ready? Are you enjoying all of the commercials about the great “back-to-college-savings” or what? More importantly, are you going to be working this semester?

A reader comment actually inspired me to write about the idea of working while in college. My experience with working in college is that I tried to work full-time every term that I was in school. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to graduate debt free and go away every year for Spring Break.

Nate wrote in a comment about working in college on a previous post:

I could work 40 hours a week (and occasionally do), and still finish my honors thesis a semester early. School is not hard! I can’t stand it when advisors advise you not to work more than 20 hours a week. If a person is incapable of handling their undergraduate studies and a job simultaneously, they should reconsider higher education altogether!

How can you work while in college? It’s actually really easy. I’ve written about this topic tirelessly around here. I included some of my best work on the subject at the bottom of the article.

The beauty about working in college is that you don’t have to hold down a gig that you hate and will hurt your grades. You can use college as an opportunity to start working on your own business/side projects.

If you think that I’m full of it, check out what Seth Godin wrote in Linchpin:

The only way to prove (as opposed to assert) that you are an indespensable linchpin– someone worth recruiting, moving to the top of the pile, and hiring– is to show, not tell. Projects are the new resumes.

[Check out: Why College Is The Best Time To Start A Business.]

Now I want to end this article by asking you again: are you going to be working this semester?

Check out some excellent posts on this topic:

Productivity Issues Facing College Students.
Time Management Tips To Help You Kick Butt.
A Quick & Effective Tip For Reaching Goals.

Only the affluent and otherwise financially endowed can afford to get through college without taking on a part-time job. Typically, it’s just because students need disposable income, and with tuition skyrocketing parents are dishing out less and less money to their kids in college that can be spent on anything other than necessities. Thus, countless college kids get themselves some sort of gig when going to school. Here are five reasons why that job can and always should be food delivery:

#1 You Can Do it ANYWHERE.

Everywhere with a human population has at least one enterprise, if not several, that cater to those who want food driven to them. Picture yourself becoming a University of Phoenix student because you want an online education living in Arkansas where you have a steady job. Next semester, you find out the dream major they offer can only be attained if you go attend the University of Phoenix in San Diego. There’s certainly going to be at least ONE delivery driver job waiting for you when you get there.

#2 Smartphones Take Away the Hard Part.

Delivery driving is easy money. The catch has always been that you have to be good with directions and navigating on-the-go. That’s eliminated a huge number of people. But these days, virtually everyone has GPS on their phone. You can just punch-in an address and be told how to get there. What was once an easy job has become too easy.

#3 Your Car Probably Sucks Anyway.

Delivery driving puts some serious wear and tear on your ride. That discourages a high number of people from applying. But if you’re in college, in need of work, and own a car, chances are that car is used and a borderline bucket of bolts. Putting it to use won’t take away any of its value while putting money in your pocket. Just remember to change the oil frequently.

#4 Staggered Source of Income is Ideal for College.

The paycheck twice a month is difficult to breakdown into a daily budget. It shouldn’t be, but for college kids that’s just the way it is. Instead, you should look for a job where you make cash right then and there. That way you’re never strapped for it.

#5 Unlike Serving…

The quick cash that comes with delivery driving is comparable to the money that’s possible in restaurant service. But the difference is that when delivering pizza, you have more time available to do school work. You have to count on a slow night to get caught up with homework when serving, which means no money. When it comes to delivering pizza, however, every red light is an opportunity to read a paragraph or two. Lulls mean you can go to your car and work on a research paper based off the books in your backseat.

Delivery driving lets you pretty much do what you want when you want for way more money than you deserve. For college kids who need to work for a living could there be a better fitting occupation?

Are you stressing about what to bring to college with you this fall? Are you worried that you’ll leave something behind and your life will be over as you go back to school? You don’t need to worry any longer! You’ll find all of the help you need here when it comes to deciding what to bring to college.

Two years ago I put together a piece on college dorm room essentials. This post ended up being much more popular than I expected it to be. Let’s go over the college dorm room essentials that I included the first time around:

• Coffee maker.
• Hangers.
• Can opener.
• Mini fridge.
• Microwave.
• Laptop.
• Desk lamp.
• TV w/ dvd player.
• USB stick.
• Sandals.

While my list was pretty extensive at the time, I missed a few key items. What did the readers add to this list?

Una wrote in:

My dorm had a common room with a TV, DVD-player and kitchen (including microwave, kettle and fridge). I used the common room TV or my laptop form all my TV/movie needs (besides, TVs are time drains). We were also not allowed to bring microwaves, hotplate or anything of the sort, and I never needed it because there were some in the common area that I could use. I did get a mini fridge though, as food in the common room fridge would consequently be eaten by drunken floormates. I also never needed quarters for laundry, as we had a pre-paid card system.

Stuff I really appreciated having:

- Two sets of sheets
- Mini-fridge
- Printer (I don’t think I would have saved anything by printing at the library – plus I could print and run, instead of lining up for a computer to print from)
- Comfy chair/bean bag chair/futon – if you want to hang out in your room too – also great for doing your first read-throughs)
- Posters, pictures and keepsakes.

Stephanie added:

Always check to see what’s allowed in your dorm! My dorm disallowed microwaves, hot plates, or any other heating appliance without an automatic shutoff. (They provided at least one microwave for community use on each floor.) I definitely second the can opener, though – I was the only freshman on my floor to bring one, so people were constantly borrowing mine! And bring really cheap flip-flops for the shower – my siblings bought me a pair, but didn’t realize they were actually cool light-up ones that weren’t waterproof, so I had to buy another pair. (I miss those light-up sandals, they were awesome!)

Then a year later I wrote another post based on reader feedback and the crazy amount of emails that I received on the topic. This time the post was about even more college dorm room essentials that you need. On this list I included:

• Leave your closet behind.
• Vacuum cleaner.
• Cleaning supplies.
• Stack of movies.
• Earphones.
• Earplugs.

This post once again received some great reader feedback.

MFO wrote in:

I just want to re-emphasize the earplugs. Those can be a SERIOUS grade saver! Not in that hearing you roomates will keep you awake while you try to sleep (though that DOES happen), but also so that when you hear your roomates having fun, you don’t get up and join them.

I’d also add an eyecover thing (not sure what it’s called). The little pieces of fabric that you strap over your eyes to block out light, they hand them out on airplanes, but they work wonders if you have roomates studying in the same room!

Finally I would say bring your entire wardrobe… Or least the underwear and socks portion of it. I actually stocked up on those two things when I went to college, I knew I was not about to do a lot of laundry.

Zfarls chimed in with:

Ahh, bring as many clothes as possible so you have to do laundry as little as possible. Also don’t bring a vacuum, make friends with the girls across the hall and borrow theirs. Bring plenty of trash bags, also popcorn smells good to most people and makes them stop in.

Now what’s left to bring to college with you? Your financial tools.

A student credit card.

If you don’t feel that you’re ready to handle a credit card then you better NOT GET ONE! I don’t want to hear from anyone complaining about me promoting credit cards. I just want you guys to know that if you do plan on getting a credit card in college that you find one of the best credit cards, instead of those that they give away with a free hot dog on campus.

Your no-fee checking account.

I don’t want to see any new college students getting nickel-and-dimed from some bank that’s charging them$15 a month for “maintenance” or some other excuse.

You need to sign up for a free checking account. There’s plenty of options for college students.

Now I challenge you to find something that I missed off this list. What else can you bring with you to college?

There are many college students that read Studenomics. I don’t want to forget about you guys. There will be some college talk as unfortunately the summer is coming to an end.

As you prepare your list of college dorm room essentials, I’m sure some of you are still looking for a place to live in. I must admit that I lived at home during college and commuted about an hour each way every single day. I was able to save a LOAD OF CASH. I’m talking way more money than I could have ever saved by living on campus or moving away.

As happy I am with my savings, I sometimes regret not moving away. I did my best to not miss a party or stay in on a weekend. The reality is that living at home just can’t compare to having your freedom.

A friend of mine always lived right beside campus in the heart of the city. The rent was much more expensive than it would be outside of town or if they had lived at home. However, I’m a huge supporter of paying for value. There’s lots of value in living close to your college campus.

What are the benefits of living in a central area near campus?

Always close to campus.

My problem was that I was so far away from campus. I couldn’t just pop in to visit a professor or to show up to random study sessions. I needed to plan my appearances at school based on my class and work schedule. Being close to campus means that you can take off to the library when your friends are making too much noise or go home for lunch during a spare.

You can attend events on campus.

There’s so much going around campus that it’s crazy. There’s always something to do. Every single day there’s something going on around campus that you can attend. When you live far away, you really don’t feel like spending two hours commuting in total just to pop in for a small event.

You spend less money on transportation.

Transportation can be a wallet killer. Between taking cabs and the high cost of driving, you can easily lose a pretty penny just on getting around. By living close by campus you can walk everywhere. You might even lose a pound or two during your long sprints when you’re trying to make it to your finals on times.

The social life.

College is really all about getting out there and having some fun. You need to get your grades high and save some money, but you can definitely balance this with a social life. I often visit friends that have gone away for school on the weekends and the social life is amazing when you live with your friends close to campus. Once again if you can’t balance studies and a social life it’s not worth it. If you can hit that perfect balance, you’ll have the time of your life by living close to school.

There are plenty of companies that specialize in city-based apartments close to major universities, such as the city centre flats in Leeds from Morgans City Living. If you haven’t started looking for a place yet, I suggest that you close this window and begin your hunt right now!

I’m just curious: did you live close to your college campus? Are you planning on live close to school?

This guest post was written by Brendan Baker, Social Media Director at Student of Fortune, the online tutoring site that connects struggling students with talented tutors.

With an ailing economy and the cost of education on the rise, more students are taking on side jobs in order to help support themselves financially. While there’s nothing wrong with an ambitious work ethic, many students are now working over 20 hours a week on top of their normal school schedule, and studies are indicating this could impact their schoolwork negatively.

After analyzing student schedules for the past 20 years, US researchers have determined the affect of such a heavy workload on a student’s academic and behavioral well-being. It’s not surprising that students who work over 20 hours a week suffer in both categories, but specifically, the overworked students experienced a general lack of academic engagement, a loss of interest in continuing their schooling, and even a greater likelihood of criminal involvement such as drug use.

Not as obvious was the fact that the study revealed that even after these busy students cut down on their hours, once the negative patterns began to emerge, it was difficult to recover from them.

What Do We Do?

From one perspective, the number of hours a student works should be closely monitored by parents and educators. But since we can’t always count on that extra support, we have to take matters into our own hands. So here are some things you can do if you’re feeling overworked:

Talk to your teacher.

It can’t hurt. Be honest and let them know about your situation and hopefully they will cut you a little slack. If you tell them about your late hours then maybe they can help you out, either by providing additional homework help or by offering extended deadlines on assignments. After all, it’s possible they went through the same thing themselves.

Talk to your boss.

You may be desperate for the hours, but consider the benefits of catching up on some much needed sleep by requesting to get out a little earlier. If you’re still finding yourself strapped for cash, perhaps working more on the weekends would ameliorate things. Depending on your job this might be easier said than done, but just know that in most cases employers rather not have you overworked.

Remember, working more than 20 hours a week on top of school doesn’t mean you’ll turn into a criminal. The takeaway should be that the more you pack your schedule, the greater the chances are that it will affect your education negatively.

So just ask yourself: are the few extra bucks you’ll make this week worth it in the long run? Judging by the possible consequences…probably not.

(photo credit: think public)

This is a guest post from Jeff at The Wall Street Chalkboard.

[MD's note: I wish I studied abroad to be honest. I'm always thrilled to post any article that discusses working or traveling abroad.]

Studying abroad is an opportunity for almost every college student these days. With plenty of financial aid available for most study abroad programs, and programs for every semester including the summer, no student should attend college without studying abroad. Next fall semester, I will be studying abroad and from researching study abroad programs, I have come up with a list of tips for you. It is very important to research and look into your study abroad options. Factors such as the host nation, housing, and your field of study all weigh very heavily in deciding which program to choose when studying abroad.

Where to Study Abroad?

Where you choose to study abroad depends on your personal preferences. Do you want to study abroad in a hot location, where you can sit on the beach every day? If the answer is yes, go to Australia or a country in South America. However, if you want to be able to travel to a handful of countries when studying abroad, maybe you should choose to live in Europe. In Europe, whether you choose to live in Italy or England, flights are very cheap and traveling is a highlight to the program. However, if you choose to study abroad in Australia or another island, traveling is difficult. Flights will be much longer and much more expensive.
In addition, another factor to take in mind when deciding where to study is the language of the nation. One reason I chose to study abroad in London is because I will be able to speak the same language as the citizens there. If you choose to study abroad in Italy, you better know how to speak Italian pretty well or else you will only really interact with your American peers studying in Italy. With this in mind, if you feel confident that you can speak the foreign language, then study in a country with people that speak your secondary language. However, if you are not confident, then choose a nation which suits your primary language.

Dealing With Housing.

The housing offered through your study abroad program can make or break your experience abroad. One housing option which I would stay away from is living with a host family. Living with a host family takes away your independence and forces you to live with a family that you may not even like. You become part of the family, eating meals with them and listening to their problems. Some may enjoy this because you are around the culture 24/7, but I would not recommend it.

The next most common housing option is living in apartments with other American students at the program. This is an ideal situation because you will live with peers in a similar situation as yours. You keep your independence by cooking your own meals, and setting your own curfews. Some may not like this option because students can distance themselves from the host country and live within a bubble. This is a possible negative factor of this housing option, however it’s up to the student to make the most of their time in the country.

What About Field of Study?

What you choose to major in may be the biggest factor in deciding where to study abroad. Being a finance major, I chose to study in London because it is the finance capital of Europe. Those who major in art may want to study somewhere in Europe, where you are constantly surrounded by famous art. While those who major in medicine may want to study abroad in Africa, where one can gain hands on experience with eradicating life threatening diseases.

In addition, a program may allow you to get an internship in the host country. I would highly recommend a program that offers this because it allows students to show future employees that they did something other than party and travel while studying abroad.

With all this in my mind, I recommend you to start researching your study abroad options. There are many more options to take account of when choosing your study abroad programs. Look into what the program offers and make a wise decision based on your preferences.

Do you know anyone that has studied abroad? Did you leave home to study? Do you wish you did?