Four ways to help lower your education costs
COURIER LIFE, J M BR B G UNE 28–JULY 4, 2019 45
EDUCATION
Total student loan debt has surpassed
$1.5 trillion, with four in
10 students carrying over $30,000
in outstanding student loans. Getting
accepted into college or graduate
school is an exciting time for students
and parents. As college continues to
get more expensive, determining how
you’ll fund your education is a big decision.
Review these tips to help keep
costs down as you navigate this exciting
I work in higher education
because I am committed
to transforming the
lives of others, but I never
thought I would literally
save a life. I was enjoying
a moment of solitude on a
lunch break in my office,
when unbeknownst to me,
Kathleen, who works in
my office, had the unfortunate
experience of choking
on food, just a few feet
away in the outer office.
Kathleen was chatting,
took a bite of food, and accidentally
swallowed without
chewing. She went into
the kitchen to try to spit
the food out of her mouth
but she couldn’t catch her
breath. Her coworkers
ran into the kitchen asking
Kathleen if she needed
help, and all she could do
was shake her head ‘yes’ in
agreement. Unfortunately,
no one could perform the
Heimlich. Someone called
Public Security and another
member of my team,
Karen, ran into my office
and alerted me that Kathleen
was choking,
My instincts and previous
training immediately
kicked in when I saw her
choking. I stood behind
Kathleen, gave her a couple
of abdominal thrusts, and
the food dislodged from her
throat.
“It probably all happened
in a few seconds but
it seemed like a longtime,”
says Kathleen.
I’m happy to say that
Kathleen is fine but it was
a terrifying moment that
could have turned into a
tragedy. When a person is
choking, time is of the essence
to assist. Abdominal
thrusts, formerly known
as the Heimlich maneuver,
is a technique that relies
on having a reserve of air
in the lungs; the air must
be pushed out by a quick
upward thrust on the diaphragm
with enough force
to expel the obstructing object.
It’s a simple technique
that most people can easily
learn and is offered at
Kingsborough Community
College. In this class, students
receive knowledge
and basic skills necessary
to meet respiratory and cardiac
emergencies in adults,
children and infants. Upon
successful completion of
this course, students receive
the American Red
Cross Certificate for Community
CPR.
Everyone in my office
will soon receive our Community
CPR training. It’s a
small investment of time, to
save a life, like Kathleen’s.
Dr. Claudia V. Schrader
is president of Kingsborough
Community College
(KCC) located in beautiful
Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn.
Kingsborough Community
College is committed
to enhancing learning opportunities
for the Brooklyn
community. Visit www.kbcc.
cuny.edu to learn about the
classes, certifications and
degree programs offered at
KCC.
EDUCAT I O N PROFI LE
Transforming Lives and Saving Lives
time in a student’s life.
Stay in state
Consider attending school near
home. In-state tuition is much less expensive
than attending school out of
state. Plus, you’ll save on transportation
- and even room and board if you
live at home. Public universities are
also generally more affordable than
private universities.
Additionally, you might be able to
save on tuition and related costs by taking
classes at a local community college
before school begins or during summer
breaks. Be sure to confi rm that the
credits will transfer to the college or
university of your choice prior to enrolling
in these community classes.
Take advantage of
fi nancial aid
Some students and parents are able
to fi nance college or graduate school
with their savings, while others may
qualify for federal student loans,
grants, scholarships and work-study
programs.
“A student loan is often the fi rst
loan product for a young borrower,”
said Carrie Foran Sepulveda, manager
of education lending at Navy Federal
Credit Union. “It can have a signifi
cant impact on their post-school
fi nancial life, so it’s important to do
your due diligence and explore all of
your fi nancial aid options.”
If your student aid award or the
federal student loan amount granted
to you doesn’t cover all your college
expenses, private student loans can
help fi ll the gap. For example, at Navy
Federal Credit Union, members can
apply for student loans with variable
rates as low as 5.32% APR or fi xed
rates as low as 5.99% APR with automatic
payments - both for 10-year
terms, up to the school-certifi ed cost
of attendance.
“We give a 0.25% interest rate reduction
by signing up for automatic
payments,” added Foran Sepulveda.
“This is a great way to establish good
fi nancial habits that will help you
build your credit history while you’re
in school.”
Whether you choose federal or private
student loans, make sure you fully
grasp the loan’s terms, conditions, and
repayment requirements.
Gain college credits in
high school
If your high school offers Advanced
Placement (AP) programs, you may
be able to receive college credits at no
cost or test out of some requirements
- saving money that would have been
spent taking the class during college.
Check with the school for their rules
on granting AP credits.
Earn money while in
school
Apply for on-campus jobs if you
have work study granted to you by the
school, or look for part-time jobs offcampus
to earn extra cash. During
school breaks, consider fi nding a job
with full-time hours, but on a shortterm
basis, to make the most of your
time off.
Whether you’re a student or a parent,
paying for your education can be
doable with these tips in mind.
/www.kbcc
/www.kbcc
/cuny.edu