How to Start Your Writing Career At College

Sometimes it pays to get a head start in life. The years of college can go pass in a blur and while you are getting a degree, other people are getting ahead in their careers. College is stressful and piling on any more work can cause burn out, so here is a few ways to get your foot in the door of a writing career. So when you leave college, you have that all important head start.

1. First, go to one of the best journalism schools you can and write for the student paper, if there isn't a student paper, make one. Lots of people, including Richard Branson, got their start from doing a student paper. You will learn all the basics of journalism and will make invaluable contacts. You will also have a market for your publication: you're fellow student.
2. Start a Blog: Starting a blog had made many people rich and famous. Think Belle Du Jour. You will also get into the habit of writing regularly, learn what people are reading most and gain invaluable skills.
3. Write as much as possible: You probably won't get paid at first but you will find your voice as a writer and also learn the discipline of writing. Many people give up because of the sight of a blank screen.
4. Ask for feedback: Ask your most trusted friends and family for feedback on your writing. It's the only way you will get better. You will probably have some bad writing habits or overuse certain words. Only ask people who's opinion you trust. Don't take the feedback negatively, but as an opportunity to learn.
5. Write an e-book: There a number of e-readers out there. Amazon's Kindle has made it very easy for anyone to write a book and sell it on Amazon. Write fiction or take something you know and sell your wisdom to someone else. If you write 500 words a day, it will take you 160 days to get to 80,000 words. It is completely manageable to do that in a year.

Different Ways to Earn Your College Degree

Right after high school you will be spending the next few years of your life in college. But, not all students are fortunate enough to continue their studies until college without anything to worry about, especially with regards to their finances. These lucky students have their parents to support them all the way. Others do not have any choice but to find means for them to work their way through. 

Here are different Ways to Make Your Dream College Diploma a Reality:

SCHOLARSHIPS and GRANTS

 

Most colleges and universities award scholarships to students who want to pursue their college education. There are different types of scholarships and grants being offered by various universities:

1.  Academic scholarship – Qualified students are usually those who belong to the honor class of the batch and must maintain an average grade.

2. Athletic scholarship – These are given to students who excel in various sports activities. They are the ones who compete and represent the school in various sport events. They are also required to maintain an average grade to keep their scholarship grant.

3. Working scholarship - Work scholarships are given to students who does not qualify for the first two scholarship grants but equally deserving as well. They are required to work on a part time basis in the different departments inside the university as clerical staff and their salaries will be used to pay for their tuition and other miscellaneous expenses.

Scholarships are given or awarded to the most deserving students and most of the time students are required to apply and will have to go to a selection process.

PART TIME JOBS

Another good opportunity that you can take advantage if you really want to go to college is to work outside school, also on a part time basis so that you can still have time to attend classes and fulfill other responsibilities related to school.

Here are some of the most common part time jobs that you may find interesting and somehow suits your capabilities.

·         Office Staff

·         Fast Food Crew

·         Promotional Assistant

·         Pre-school Teacher / Tutor

·         Online Jobs

Just think of the many benefits these programs can give you. For scholarship grants, you will learn to value the importance of education. You have to study hard to maintain a good grade or else you might lose your scholarship and won’t be able to continue your studies anymore. For part-time jobs, you’ll get to prepare yourself with the ins and outs of having a career. Aside from that you’ll get to meet a lot of people, from your co worker to your customer/client. You should bear in mind that these people can be your potential contacts when you enter the real world after college.

Working your way through college by means of a scholarship or a part time job is not easy. It is quite stressful and gives a lot of pressure actually. By now, you probably have already realized what your priorities are. And to achieve these, dedication, a positive outlook in lifeand proper time management is the key to succeed. 


by: Irene Nepomuceno

Earning Your Masters Degree While Working

Immediately after I finished my bachelor's degree, I got hired in a telecommunications company in another city. I was so excited, for that was my first formal job. After several months of working, I realized that I could still do some more. I should not be contented for what I already have when I can still further my career by ‘running’ the corporate ladder rather than taking many years in ‘climbing’ it. Instead of working from one company to another, I contemplated that a master’s degree will lead me to a better position within the company I was working for. And so, I enrolled to a 2-year post graduate study. Since I work from Monday to Friday, I chose the Saturday classes. Many people are going back to school these days. These people have common objectives in their minds. First, they wanted to re-tool their skills. And another thing is, they wanted to upgrade their academic credentials in order to better compete in the job market.
As a professional, a master’s degree is an important addition to your resume. Many schools have developed their graduate level programs catered for working professionals who either are working full time or have family obligations. Here are some suggestions on how you will obtain your master’s degree while you are working.
1.  Check for your online options. With the changing patterns in higher education, more and more traditional universities are getting into online education. But in case you are a classroom person, you have many options there too. 2.  For a full time student, a master’s degree could be completed in two years time. In your case as a part time student, you will be able to complete it in three years. You can choose your program by attending your classes in the evening, weekend or through online.
		3. Nowadays, most career degree programs have their new class scheduling standards. Classes are in 8-week modules for many online programs and professional part time master’s degree programs.
4.    You can enroll at six different times within a year in an online program with  8-week courses. You don’t have to wait for a fall semester to roll around. This format is very effective because a class work is an all year round activity, which means you can finish six classes in a year time, taken on part time basis. You will be able to finish twelve to fifteen class programs in 2 to 2 ½ years. Makes sense? Well, yes! 5.   One advantage for an online program is that you can watch a lecture or a class presentation anytime and anywhere as long as you have the internet access. Also, you can communicate with your instructors and your classmates.
A good quality of master’s degree under reputable online programs can make a graduate level education an addition to your life without you having to sacrifice family time and work obligations.

Prepared by: Liezel Magno Castro