The Truth about 529 College Savings Plans

On January 08, 2020
In College Planning, Financing College

There is a great flaw in the college financing system that people seem unwilling to mention. Maybe it’s not politically correct to discuss, maybe that’s the problem; this nation has stopped discussing. Maybe we’ve become a nation that is so concerned with looking like we are doing the right thing that we are selling ourselves short. A prime example of this is the college financing system and thus college savings plans.

Improving your Credit Score to Better your College Financial Aid Options

Of the three main types of student loan options: Stafford, Parent PLUS, and Private Education Loan, parents’ credit scores play a large part in all but Stafford. Lending institutions have become more stringent on their lending practices for student financial aid. Like everything else in the loan industry, lenders are taking a hard look at applicants’ credit scores in order to rate the safety of the loan. The better the credit score, the better the loan rate, and the better the chances of getting that loan you need. But what makes up the credit score? And how can you improve your score?

SAT or ACT? That is the Question…

It’s no secret that the SAT and/or the ACT are important. However, most people don’t understand why it is so important to focus on these tests. Your SAT/ACT score is the only thing that is still completely in your control. By the time you are a junior in high school, significantly raising your GPA is mathematically impossible, and improving class ranking has you relying on other people’s failures. With the right amount of studying, you can see a tangible increase in your SAT/ACT test score. Improving your test score can generate thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars in college savings.

Architecture at Woodbury University

The Professor is starry-eyed in Los Angeles, and it’s not just because of the Hollywood glamor. This pulsing conglomerate of dozens of cities and suburbs is characterized by every style of food, fashion, art, and music The Professor can imagine. And the region is a veritable 35,000-square-mile museum of architectural styles.

Music Therapy at Wartburg College

Love music? Love helping people? Did you know that with a career in music therapy you can combine those interests?

Music therapists work with people who have physical, mental, or developmental disabilities. They use music — including singing, playing instruments, composing, or listening — in therapy and rehabilitation. For example, listening to music can encourage a child with autism to make eye contact; singing along with an old song can help Alzheimer’s patients trigger memories from the past; and composing can aid chemical dependency patients in their recoveries.

The Music Department at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, offers a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy. The degree requires classes in music (including instruments, voice, conducting, and theory) and psychology. Students also gain experience working with therapy clients in two 30-hour practicums.