Some of the benefits of Consolidating Student Loans include:

• One Loan, One Monthly Payment


• Secure a lower and fixed interest rate


• Save money on interest


• Lower monthly payments allow you to be more flexible with your finances


• Resets the time frame on deferments and forbearances because it is a new loan


• May help improve your credit score since there are fewer creditors on the credit history


• The borrower has Flexible Repayment Options

Some of the Advice he offers includes:

• Ask yourself, “Why am I going to college?”


• Take at least one extra class each semester.


• Set clear goals for each class.


• Get an early start to each day.


• Reclaim wasted time during your classes by doing homework during those long lectures.


• Learn material the very first time it’s presented rather than having to cram every time there is a test.


• Have some serious fun! Challenge yourself academically, but give yourself plenty of time for fun as well.

Best Pranks and Skits

1. Super Mario

   A skit based on Super Mario Bros. Hilarious!
   
   
   
   

2. Library Parachuters

   Two Guys Jump out of the Window on the 21st floor of a Library with Parachutes.
   
   
   
   

3. Gonzaga Love

   A remake of the rap hit "California Love" Gonzaga University style. A video by Barats and Bereta who recently got signed for an NBC pilot.
   
   
   
   

4. Superman

   Student secretly dressed as Superman gets a call for help during class.
   
   
   
   

5. Watergun Revenge

   A group of Princeton Students dressed as Agents totally soak a Student while in Class.
   
   
   

6. Ghostbusters

   Four Students wearing Ghostbusters Costumes chase a ghost through College Classes at Indiana University.
   
   
   
   

7. PC Fratboys

   Another Classic by the Barats and Bereta Duo. A pair of Politically Correct Frat Boys at a Catholic College.
   
   
   
   

8. Amazing Beer Pong Shots

   Beer Pong is one of the most Popular Drinking Games in College. This Video shows some crazy amazing shots.
   
   
   
   

9. Mission Cups

   Roomates Fill an Entire Dorm Room floor full of Cups of Water while roomate is asleep.
   
   
   
   

10. Balloon Prank

    Guy totally flips out when he finds his room full of Balloons. Complains the air used was a big waste of the Student Activity Fee.
    
    
    
    

- A book that you will not use again after the end of the quarter.

- A book that you can sell back to the bookstore for $20, if you are lucky enough that a new edition isn’t released.

Sure its one of the worst things about college, which is why some students will go through desperate measures to combat the outrageous costs of these textbooks.

Some of the cheaper, but not always legal tactics students have used include:

• Checking an older version of the textbook out in the school library.

  This method is very possible. Older versions are nearly the same as their newer counterparts, with maybe the difference of different page numbers, but in some cases the new edition is the same word for word.



• Scanning the textbooks contents, and then returning the book.

  Some students have used computer scanners or have taken pictures with a digital camera of the textbook’s content and then merely returned the book for full refund. Now while this is a lengthy process, it gives the student a free digital form of the book, which they can easily sell to fellow classmates if they so desire.



• Sharing books with classmates

  This is a common practice where two or more individuals buy a textbook together and then have study sessions together.

Here the bookstore will buy back your used textbook, usually for about 10-25% of the original price, and sell it to another student for nearly the full price.

Certain online services are trying to combat this textbook monopoly.

Textbook exchange sites and other cheaper online alternatives like Amazon.com or Half.com offer a place to buy textbooks for a cheaper price.

Other methods to try and reduce the costs of textbooks include litigation. Two students in Florida are in the process of suing a collegiate bookstore chain and their school over the prices of used books.

The rising costs of tuition can be quite a burden, especially for lower income individuals.

However, both University of Washington and Washington State University have created a program that allows students from lower income families to attend college...tuition free!

It was the University of Washington that first announced the free tuition program in September of 2006, and WSU has just recently followed suit.

The Universities will cover tuition and fees for students who are state residents and who qualify for Federal Pell or State Need Grants. Eligible students would be those whose family incomes are less than 65% of the Washington's median income (about $46,500) for a family of four.

The program begins autumn quarter 2007 and will cover any future tuition increases.

The program hopes to assist these lower income students, as they are usually the first in their family to attend college. As University of Washington President Mark Emmert stated: "We believe the inability to pay should not prevent any Washington student who academically belongs here from earning a degree."

Not a bad deal considering the University of Washington is one of the best colleges in the nation.

To Qualify for Free Tuition a student must:

• Be a Washington State resident
• Be eligible for the Pell Grant or State Need Grant Programs. (Currently, the State Need Grant program funds students with family incomes at or below 65% of the state median family income.)
• Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• Enroll full-time
• Be pursuing a first bachelor's degree
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress

• Your school's Ombudsman Office
  The ombudsman office handles university complaints by students, staff, and faculty. The office often serves as a liaison between the two conflicting parties and tries to resolve any conflict through mediation.


• Your school's Law Library
  Universities have some of the largest collection of books and resources available. Law libraries have huge amounts of legal resources. The trick is to know what you're looking for. Usually a librarian can assist you in finding any information you need.


• Library of Congress
  The law library of congress website contains huge amounts of information as well as links to related sites.


• Law clubs
  Usually your school's law club can provide some basic legal assistance to fellow students


• Google Answers
  Although it may cost you money, Google provides a question and answers service that is maintained by qualified researchers.
  edit: Google Answers is no longer available


• New York Public Library
  Although New York Public Library researchers can not necessarily provide legal advice, they provide a good reference. Every day, except Sundays and holidays, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST, anyone, of any age, from anywhere can telephone (212) 340-0849 and ask almost any question. Great if you are on the run or just need some general questions answered.


• Online Legal Glossary - A useful online legal glossary provided by the state of New York


• Use free legal resources to find the info you need for free. Something that is a Godsend for the typical broke College student.