FAP488: What is your superhero power, DST and gas prices, inducements, working women scholarship, Origen

Student Financial Aid News
+ Unintended consequence of DST: higher gas prices due to more driving
+ Despite the growth of “blended” education — in which instructors mix in-person and online experiences for students — online education appears to be outpacing it in some ways, according to a new study by Eduventures, the Sloan Consortium and Babson College. The report found a faster rate of growth in the percentage of classes offered online than for blended courses. The report found that while 55 percent of colleges offer at least one blended course, 64 percent offer at least one online course.
+ Greenville online talks about sparseness of scholarship dollars for adult students
+ Increased debate from the Department of Education about inducements
+ To add additional disincentives for inducements, why not just publish the cases as found?

Scholarship Update
+ Interesting tidbit – find enough scholarships, and you can join the speaker circuit
+ Found one scholarship today but it had a $20 fee
+ BPW Foundation Career Advancement Scholarship
+ Be a female
+ Be at least 25 years of age by May 2, 2007
+ Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national
+ Demonstrate critical financial need
+ Have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $2500 or less
+ Be officially accepted into an accredited degree or certificate program at an accredited U.S. college or university, including those in American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
+ Plan to graduate or receive certification between December 1, 2007, and August 31, 2009
+ Demonstrate clear career plans
+ Not be earning a doctoral-level or terminal degree, such as a PhD, MD, DDS, DVM, JD, etc.
+ Details at our free college scholarship search site

News You Can Use
+ Focusing on your career plans
+ A simple question from Chris Brogan: what is your superhero power?
+ Justin Kownacki, for example, says I can monetize any model, even your bathroom, with just a paperclip
+ This is a relevant question for both scholarships and job applications
+ You cannot see yourself clearly
+ Ask around – use your social network, whatever it may be
+ Once you have an idea of your superhero power, take it to the next level by focusing on it and learning how others who have the same power have refined it
+ A lesson from martial arts – experience and study can turn a raw power into a fine instrument- and unlike strength, speed, or looks, your power can get better with age and time
+ If you’re still in school, or graduating soon, figure this out quickly
+ Develop a brand around your superhero power, because no one has exactly yours
+ The idea of a superhero power transcends job titles and descriptions – it becomes a module you can plug into nearly any business model

Beta Test
+ Check out FANS, the Financial Aid News Social site

Podsafe Music
+ Origen, Piola
+ Music via the Podsafe Music Network

Reminders

+ Private student loans
+ Stafford loans | Other federal student loans
+ Student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ FAFSA tutorials and free help
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidNews.com.
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

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