Tag Archives: Graduate

12 Questions To Help Get Started With Personal Statement Writing

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12 Questions To Help Get Started With Personal Statement Writing

How to Get Started Writing the Graduate Personal Statement

The personal statement will most likely be the most important piece you will write for your graduate degree application. Personal statement essays aid the admission committee in assessing an applicant’s eligibility to graduate school. On your part, the essay gives you the chance to tell something about yourself and your distinct qualities. Thus, your essay should be well-written and substantial enough to impress the readers. If you have no theme yet for your essay, here are some of the questions to ask before writing a personal statement:

1. Who am I? What are my skills and abilities?
2. What sets me apart from other applicants?
3. What are the difficulties that I had overcome in the past? How did I deal with them?
4. How have my experiences changed my life?
5. Who are my influences and how have they shaped me?
6. What are my goals for my career?
7. What jobs or internships have I had? What have I learned from them? How are they related to my subject of interest?
8. Have I been involved in volunteer work? How has it developed my skills and helped me to achieve my goals?
9. What are the extracurricular activities that I participate in? How have they helped me to meet my career goals?
10. Why do I want to go to grad school? Why have I chosen this school?
11. What can I offer to the program I am applying for?
12. How will graduate education help in my personal and career growth?

You must consider these questions so that you can write an essay that will get the thumbs up from the admission committee. The very first rule of how to get into graduate school is to write an excellent personal statement.

Government Funded Student Loans For Nursing School

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Federal student loans for nursing school are money borrowed directly from the US government or the US Department of Education. You can obtain this type of funding to finance your nursing education through your state college or university and any nursing school that participates in the Federal Direct Loan Program.

Federal student loans for nursing school can be either subsidized or unsubsidized. The difference between the two is that the former is based on the student’s financial need and interest charges are deferred while the student is still in school whether in full or half time enrollment. On the other hand, the interest on unsubsidized ones accumulates from disbursement of loan until full payment.

Parents with dependent children who are taking undergraduate nursing studies can obtain student loans for nursing school such as the Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students or PLUS. Eligibility for this depends on the parent’s credit history and not on financial need. Students must first apply for a Federal Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized alternatives before they can apply for a Federal Direct PLUS Loan. The parent can borrow money only up to the cost of attendance. Federal Direct PLUS have an interest rate fixed at 7.9%. The first repayment is due 60 days after disbursement of the full amount. The fund first goes to pay for tuition and other university fees and then the parent receives the remaining amount if any.

Another valuable option to get student loans for nursing school is the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan or GPLUS loan, which are government-funded loans for graduates and professionals. Good credit standing is required to be eligible for this loan. However, you may still apply for a GPLUS loan in spite of adverse credit if you have an endorser who has good credit and will be willing to pay the loan should you fail to do so. GPLUS loans have a fixed interest rate of 7.9%. Loan repayment starts 60 days after full disbursement of the loan amount. The option to defer payments on this type of loan is available. You must also first receive a Federal Direct Loan offer before you apply for a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan.

There are also student loans for nursing school designed specifically for nursing students such as the federally funded Nursing Student Loans or NSL. This loan is available students who are citizens, nationals and permanent residents of the United States who demonstrate a financial need. Undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in a nursing degree program at least half-time may apply for Nursing Student Loans. These loans offer low interest rates and long repayment terms. You can apply for a Nursing Student Loan at your school’s financial aid office. It is up to your school to determine if you qualify for a loan and the amount of the loan you may borrow.

Graduate Student Loans – What Are Your Options?

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You may realize that your education does not have to stop at a bachelor’s degree. A master’s or doctorate degree can provide more career opportunities. Unfortunately, it will also entail additional educational costs. On average, graduate course work will cost from $27,000 to $114,000. The good news is you may be able to qualify for financial aid such as scholarships, grants, work study programs, fellowships and graduate student loans.

A graduate degree requires a big investment, but you can also count on bigger returns. If you have exhausted all forms of scholarships and grants, you may have to turn to graduate loans to cover all or part of your school expenses. Some student loans available to undergraduates can be tapped into by graduate students. However, there are loans geared towards those who are working on their master’s degree. Loans for graduates are being offered with different terms and rates.

Federal Loan Options

A number of options are available for graduate students seeking a federal loan. You should first seek to qualify for the federal Stafford loans and Perkins loans, as these provide the lowest interest rates with the possibility of getting a subsidized loan. After looking into these options, you can also consider Grad PLUS Loans, with a slightly higher interest rate.

Grad PLUS loans are unsubsidized federal graduate student loans that must be repaid with interest. To apply for this loan, you must fill out the FAFSA. In the past, you could apply to lenders such as banks and credit unions that belonged to the FFEL program for FFEL Plus Loans. These days, your loan application must be made directly to the federal government.

Your school will verify your maximum loan eligibility for the year before you apply for a Grad PLUS loan. The maximum amount that you can borrow is equal to the cost of attending graduate school minus any financial aid that you have. Funds go directly to the school for tuition and other fees. If any funds remain, the school will disburse it to you.

To qualify for a Grad PLUS loan, you must be enrolled at least half time as a graduate student. You must also be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident in the U.S., or an eligible non-resident. A clean credit history is also required otherwise you will need a cosigner with good credit for your graduate student loan.

Private Lenders

A private student loan is an option that you can get if you do not apply for a federal loan. There are many private lenders with excellent programs for graduate loans. Look for loans with low fees and interest rates. Keep in mind that loan rates for private loans are often higher than for federal loans. You should also look into the repayment plans and make sure the terms are affordable.

Repaying a loan for graduate students can be expensive but the education you get will make it all worthwhile.