Squirt of Information

You’ve seen this sequence in movies, TV or just about any other form of visual entertainment out there. One crisply suited exec is trying to recruit another to the former’s firm. As they walk down the hallowed halls of this institute of industry, they pass by a luxurious restroom, a sauna or spa, a jet ready to go, something absurdly expensive. These are then described as some of the perks of working at said company, the stuff that may not be in the contract, but available.
 
Yet there are some perks many never consider about an online education. They may sound silly until you sit down and actually experience them. They are sometime subtle things, sometimes bona fide exciting. Here are five of these perks that just might make you want to plug in and learn something that will have life long benefits.
 
You can wear anything while taking your courses. It doesn’t matter if you’re in your birthday suit, wearing pink furry slippers and a tattered bathrobe or dressed for a late night out (or just coming back from one), no one knows what you look like on the other side of the screen. Whatever you’re comfortable in is what’s the most important. The only time this point doesn’t apply is with video conferencing, but them’s the breaks.
 
You can also be anywhere, as long as you can get online. The introduction of WiFi has made going online possible, and not just from a McDonalds or Starbucks. You can be sitting by a swimming pool, on a tour of Paris or even just at the Laundromat…just don’t do something extreme like stunt parachuting or any other form of X-sport.
 
You can take the course at any time. Whether it’s just home from work, first thing in the morning, after watching Jay Leno (whatever time he’s on). As long as you keep up with the syllabus, you can take your course at any given time of the day (or night).
 
You can seriously cut commuting time and cost. Going to a campus to continue one’s education has costs some don’t think about…until the next traffic jam. A student has to be in a classroom away from their homes to graduate. That doesn’t factor in the time to get from work or home to the class, or the cost in gas or bus fare that ensues. This way one has time to have a decent meal, tuck the kids in, relax a bit–and save a few bucks—before turning the desk/laptop on.
 
Age doesn’t matter. These days education has become an ongoing affair. It could be someone in their late teens trying to finish up their high school diploma, a middle aged, midlevel executive out to improve his/her station in life, or a retiree just pursuing a personal field of interest. Age is not an issue when it comes to advancing one’s education.
 
So, in other words, you can be anywhere, wear anything, with anyone of any age or position in life. That’s some of the perks of going online for one’s bachelors degree. You can even apply for grants for online college to do it. Small wonder financial aid is rapidly growing for students.

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It’s long been known that the world is coping with a severe shortage of nurses. The situation become so dire that the health industry itself is doing all it can to fill the rapidly growing gap. This includes not only the public but the private sector. There are virtually millions of dollars available for training and getting qualified students to school. When compared to many other occupations, one could say it goes way beyond the norm.
 
These programs can be anything from getting kids into basic Associates and Bachelors programs to providing work-study programs with online colleges for professionals to advance into a number of specialties, ranging from something as specialized as nephrology to doctorates.
 
A good place to start finding out about these programs is a site. Their Financial Aid and Scholarship page lists over 30 different organizations right on its front page. From there, a potential student or parent can click on the list; fill out the forms, and very likely pay for the bulk of an online degree. The list is also pretty impressive, among them being:
 
Government – Most students won’t think twice about going to the Dept. of Education for a Pell Grant. What they often forget is their local state probably has its own grants ready to be tapped. Another good place to consider is Sallie Mae, which not only provides grants, but low-interest loans and financial advice for prospective nurses.
 
Professional organizations –  The American Nursing Association, one of the largest professional organizations, gives out nearly $2 million in grants and scholarships every year. The Florence Nightingale Foundation is specifically set up to provide grants for more nurses. If anyone has self-interest in seeing more nurses in the work force, it’s the professional organizations. Their assistance can go from a basic baccalaureate to advanced and specialized degrees.
 
Private Corporations – Another organization with a heavy stake in medical professionals are corporate health/ medical corporations. Major pharmaceuticals such as Johnson & Johnson provide annual grants. The makers of Tylenol had out ten scholarships of $10,000 each and an additional 150 grants of $1,000 each. It’s in a student’s best interest to make a list of major health corporations and find out what they have.
 
Minority Organizations – Among these august organizations are the United Negro College Fund as well as organizations for any sort of American from Aleuts to Polynesians, Latinos to single mothers. A good way to start sourcing this money out is to approach local clubs and see what they have, either in information or in out-and-out money. One would be surprised what they have.
 
The important point is to get on a site like Medi-Smart and get to work immediately on your grant for online school. The site actually advises students to start the college loans applications at the same time as applying to the school itself. There is help available for your online college grants.

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