Pros and Cons of School Uniforms

We have worked with schools across the United States, and believe us, you are not the only person asking this question! The answers that we have heard from our customers are as varied as our customers are. The debate over school uniforms is complicated, so we’ve included highlights from both sides for you to consider:
Professional:
Some say that a child in a school uniform is more likely to take school seriously. Putting on the school uniform signals he or she is going to school just like dad dresses up to go to work. Schools report that when students dress in “work clothes” rather than “play clothes” they take a more serious approach to their studies.
Promotes Good Discipline:
Many think that school uniforms help maintain school discipline, decreasing the amount of discipline problems. The argument is that children today are lacking in self-discipline because parents refuse to discipline them. This makes it more difficult on the teacher who has to deal with classes of 25-30 students at a time.
Reduces Fighting and Violence:
Schools report that school uniforms decrease fighting and violence that arrise out of arguments over fashionable clothes. Children invariably tease those who do not have trendy clothes. Those who can’t afford name brand clothes are often sensitive about their clothing. Schools struggling with gang problems report that school uniforms help ease tensions.
Distractions:
Many parents believe that students wearing school uniforms look nicer and that a school uniform policy ensures that children will come to school in appropriate clothing, avoiding distractions such as fads considered to be outlandish or overly revealing. Some students have turned school into an unending fashion show. This disctracts from learning, as some kids spend more time focused on thier clothes than on homework.
Values:
School uniforms stress that individuality and self-expression are not determined by designer clothing or the latest fashion fad.
Low Cost:
School uniforms are a bargain. They are becoming far less expensive than many other clothes. Schools argue that school uniforms are economical, especially compared to designer clothing, and parents agree given school uniform durability. They say school uniforms last longer because they are made for repeated wash and wear. Many schools capitalize on this by starting used school uniform stores or swap meets. Parents can get used school uniforms at discount prices, or just use them as hand-me-downs between siblings.
School Spirit:
Some feel wearing a school uniform helps build school spirit. It instills a feeling of belonging. As the Beach Boys said, “Be true to your school.” Schools report an increase in school pride.
Individuality:
Supressing individuality is the most commonly cited objection to school uniforms. Educators argue that an academic program encouraging students to pursue individual thought is much more important than what they wear. They inhibit creativity and self-expression, forcing students to conform.
Causes Discipline Problems:
Some students reject any rules. Forcing them to wear school uniforms only aggravates their rebelious spirit. They alter their school uniform by tightening, widening, shortening, or lengthening them, and teachers are given the impossible task of policing the students on a daily basis.
Little or No Relationship to Academics:
Opponents insist that their is no credible evidence that school uniforms improve school discipline or promote higher academic acheivement. The principal argument is that some great students are terrible dressers. Dress does not necessarily improve learning.

About the author: Isaac Grauke is manager of sales and marketing at Hall Closet Uniforms and Apparel, http://www.hallclosetuniforms.com
Author: Isaac Grauke

FREE Classifieds-Advertising Your Online Work From Home Business

If you are on a shoestring budget and need to find cheap advertising on the internet there is nothing cheaper than FREE classifieds and they are literally everywhere you look.
The trick to FREE classified advertising is quantity and testing. Test every ad that you run. And you are going to have to submit hundreds of ads every week. Once you have found a dozen or so classified sites that are working for you, you can concentrate less on posting ads and more on finding new sites that work. Stop using all the classified sites that do not produce results.
Finding good classified sites to advertise on is relatively simple. Just do a search on your favorite search engine for keywords such as free work from home classifieds and you will find lots of FREE classified sites to advertise to. You want sites that are listed on the major search engines like Google and Yahoo. These sites are already getting good targeted traffic that you need. And if they are listed by Google and Yahoo there is a good chance that your link will get picked up the next time thy crawl the classified site which should help boost your link popularity.
Before posting free ads I STRONGLY recommend that you set up an extra business e-mail address. Free classifieds are free for a reason: When you post ads you will receive “confirmation e-mails” that your ad was posted. If you post to classified networks you can receive hundreds of confirmation e-mails per day. You can set up a free Hotmail or Yahoo account. Once a week I recommend that you clean up your e-mail account by deleting all e-mails so the inbox doesn’t get full.
Try to stay focused when you post ads. It’s easy to get attracted by some advertising that says: “post 2000 ads here” or “this submit software post to 500.000 sites with a click of a button” or something similar. You will find a lot of attractive offers on those sites because they know that you are a targeted customer! One good rule is: You will never find anyone advertising effective advertising. Logic: If the advertising is effective it will be used by the owner itself. Submission software’s are useless; because they post to sites no real humans visit. All good classified ad sites have protection against these software’s. Posting manually or with the help of a typing program like AdWizard are the best methods (the only methods). But if you want to try a free service that post to over three million sites go here: http://www.worldsubmitter.com And PLEASE follow my advice and use your business e-mail address this time.
Do not spam FREE classified sites. Most have guidelines on how often you can post. Follow these guidelines precisely or risk being banned from placing more classified ads. I once found a really good business opportunity classified site that was converting great so I decided to post more and more ads. The FREE classified site owner recognized this and banned me for not following the rules. Do not fall into this trap.
There is one tool that is essential to posting free classified ads and it’s called AdWizard. You can download a copy for free at the following web page. http://www.wavget.com/adwizard.html
About the author: Tom Worsley is a successful work from home Internet marketer and independent representative for Strong Future International (SFI), Owner and Webmaster for http://kawarthapublishing.com.
Author: Tom Worsley

Scam And Scheme Free Advertising For Your Business Web Site

Since I own my own business web site and have looked for many ways to advertise cheap and for free, I have noticed how many sites there are out there that will try to get you to either join or buy advertising in one form or another. There are sites out there that will promise you the moon if you either join their ‘viral marketing’ scheme or site that will cause your email box to become inundated with email ads from others who have fell for this.
But there are plenty of offline and online ways to get free or cheap advertising without joining these things and risking a backed up inbox or having your email address splattered all over the net for any desperate advertiser to get hold of. And here are a few.
Magnetic signs. How many times have you seen a car that obviously belongs to a real estate agent or a plumber with his or her ad on the side of it? This is a good and inexpensive way to be a rolling billboard for your own web business, wherever you go.
Flyers How many times have you visited a shopping center or mall and came out to your car to find something on the windshield? This is a good idea, but in some cities and parking lots it may be illegal to do this, so check it out with the business and you local city office first.
Free enterprise Many convenient stores, drug stores and grocery stores, etc. have bulletin boards you can place flyers on. And if not, some may even let you place a flyer ad in their window. Just be sure and ask first.
Free online classifieds There are lots of free classified ad sites on the web, some you have to sign up for, others you don’t. Just write your ad and keep it on your computer then simply join, copy and paste your ad every where you can find a free classified site on the web.
Link exchanges I know many people already know about this, but some newbies to the internet actually don’t, and I have visited lots of new sites who aren’t doing this yet. So if you’re new to the web and have a site, join a link exchange site and open a links page and go to town trading links with other business web sites! (This is also good for the search engines for link popularity)
Business cards I know most already do this, but sometimes it slips our minds to hand a card to the convenient store clerk or the person behind the counter at the dry cleaners. Also put them on the bulletin board in the break rooms of manufacturing companies. You can also place them on counters (after asking) in stores or businesses that may be pertinent to your business (for example if you sell home decor or furniture, place them on the counter of an insurance company or a real estate agency). But don’t expect a clothing store to put them on their counter if you sell jeans and shirts, that would be like asking the Coca Cola company to put a Pepsi machine in their foyer (sacrilege!).
T-shirts Have a t-shirt printed up that has a small ad and web address for your business on the back of it, because it will be seen better than on the front. People are always looking at others as they walk away or if they’re standing in line behind you at a checkout counter or at the bank. You could even have some printed up for friends and family. But make it a cool color that will go with a good pair of jeans or shorts so people won’t hate to put it on.
Pens I have heard (and seen) that lots of businesses have their name printed on pens. Personally, I’m not real crazy about this, because I myself hardly ever actually read the pen I’m writing with. But that doesn’t mean nobody does. So I leave this one up to you.
Bumper stickers Have a bumper sticker with a smart quip or saying printed up and pass them around to your friends. The car behind you or them at the stoplight will no doubt read it. (Examples: STOP HONKING AND START SHOPPING AT http://www.yoursite.com – or – IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE WAY I DRIVE, THEN STAY AT HOME & SHOP! http://www.yoursite.com)
If you think about it long enough, you can come up with all sorts of other ideas like this. Just make sure that if it involves other businesses or their property, always ask! Because the last thing you want is to be professionally embarrassed or humiliated! Good luck!
About the author: R.L. Young is the owner of National Wholesalers, a wholesale website to businesses and the public and to help those who would like to have their own home business. Mr. Young began web marketing in the fall of 2002 with many experimentations and much research in web marketing, advertising and sales; including studies with affiliate web sites, and always learning more Visit his site at http://www.natlwholesalers.com
Author: Rick. Young

Internet Business – How to Make Real Money

We all are in search of the silver bullet that will put our business on autopilot and the only thing we have to do is to cash the checks. Aren’t you looking for this as well? Isn’t this the reason why you’re actually reading all these articles, including this one? You’re hoping to find the one tool, the surefire method, the hidden trick or the magic system that will make your dreams come true.
Once again I have to disappoint you. There is no such thing as a silver bullet that will magically run your business while you sit back and relax. If there would be one, why is everybody trying to sell you the next big thing or the breakthrough that will make you rich and you won’t need to chase the magic system anymore?
Are you as confused as I am? You bet. Without clear definition of exactly what you are trying to do, there will be no answers. What does rich mean to you? What exactly will the next big thing solve for you? It sure means something different to you than it does to me. The only thing we all have in common is that we all strive to achieve our personal financial freedom.
Sorry for getting off topic here. You still want to know how to make real money with an Internet business, don’t you? Instead of repeating marketing material over and over again I will tell you how I make real money with my Internet business.
First, you need a product and a website to sell your product. I’m a member of several clubs that offer new tools and books with master resale rights every month. This means that I can sell these products and keep 100% of the profit. I also have full control over the sales letter. This is very important. You set the price and you can add any bonus material you want to. You also need somebody to process the credit card payments. My choices are PayPal and 2Checkout.
Ok, now you have a killer sales web site and you’re ready for business. Unfortunately nobody knows that you’re open for business and the spider nets are starting to grow on your front door. What you need is traffic. Lot’s of it. After experimenting with all kind of traffic exchange programs I can honestly say, they don’t work. You need something more powerful.
This is exactly what I do every time I create a new web site for e new product I’m promoting. I put an ad on the major pay-per-click engines like Google, Oveture, 7search and FindWhat. This gives my business a jump start.
Next I create doorway pages for the new web site and promote them to the search engines through a blog. Search engines will index your pages much faster when you have a link to them from a blog. Never submit your sales web site directly to any search engines. You will get much higher rankings if they find you.
I also make sure that I place an unblockable popup window on every doorway page to sign up for my newsletter. This way I capture at least the email addresses of my visitors. Also several Google AdSense windows will give me a little kick back.
To make it even more profitable, on the thank you page for the newsletter subscription I give away free stuff with lots of references to other web sites of mine and I make the subscriber aware that the real good stuff to download is hidden in an email. If they gave me a fake email just to download the free software it won’t work. But at least they download the free promo material. My stats showing me that this is working. I always make sure that the free stuff I’m giving away has viral marketing built in. It needs to reproduce itself without any intervention from my part.
This doesn’t look like a lot, but after setting up over 10 sales web sites the system is gaining momentum. After a while I will drop the pay-per-click advertising and the system supports itself with enough visitors to make a profit.
Ok, you’re absolutely right. This is a lot of work. However, do the math. Let’s say you create a new sales web site every month. After 6 months you break even with the initial setup cost and the startup pay-per-click costs. After that you’re making net profits. Let’s also say you’re making $200 a month in profits. Not much, but realistic. After just one year you have 12 sales web sites up and running and they produce $2400 a month in profits. Would you walk away from a business like this? Hell no.
Bottom line if you want to get rich quick you need to go to Vegas. If you want to start a serious Internet business you might want to follow my strategy. This works for me, chances are that it will work for you too. If you really want to push this system to the limits simply create an affiliate program on top of it and your profits will go through the roof.
Sincerely,
Peter Dobler
© 2005
About the author: Peter Dobler is an active real estate investor and a successful internet entrepreneur. See viral marketing in action athttp://www.peterdobler.com
Author: Peter Dobler

Home-Study Driver Education or Classroom Course?

Can we consider the home-study driver education a replacer for the traditional 30-hours classroom course?
With a view to obtain a proper result to this issue some specialists made a comparison between performance and background knowledge levels of some students, picked up randomly to accomplish three different driver ducation courses and another randomly chosen students to complete the other traditional course. We should add that the home study driver education courses which were to be tested comprised of two courses designed by Sky’s The Limit Interactive under the contract of DMV: the interactive CD ROM course and a paper book for practice, both of them warring the license of Private Educational Network’s(PEN) courses on the Internet and workbooks.
Moreover, the participants chosen randomly from California by means of voluntary application forms for participating in the study were assigned with both standard driver education and the some of three home-study courses. What should be also said is the fact that almost all the driver education schools participating in the research made an offer of highly reduced costs for students applying for the study, so as to enable teenagers by the permission of their parents to enroll in this research. At the end of the courses, DMV made a comparison between the results and performances of the students on both sides of the four courses, by means of an exam given at the end of the course, the DMV writing skills test and the DMV ‘behind the wheel’ drive test so as to remark if there were different levels of knowledge and performances given by the usage of the two different courses.
At the end of the test the balance seemed to be in favor of the home-study driver education, this way the primary question being answered. Researchers claim it is somewhat linked to the degree of focusing, interest and result, as a cause effect relation for the ones who have taken the home-study driver education which is bound to be the best alternative for the standard 30-hours classroom course.
About the author: California’s Online Driver Education Class. Driver Education Course Accepted by the California DMV Drivers Education
Author: Ispas Marin

How To Make Changes In Your Healthcare Organization

For many of us change is a difficult process. In organizations like healthcare it seems to advance at a snail’s pace sometimes. There is a need for change in healthcare, most agree, though we would be hard pressed to agree upon the changes needed. One incentive for change is pay-for-performance programs now beginning in several areas. I would like to describe a couple that affect primary care physicians and then give a few suggestions as to how to adopt changes to take advantage of these programs. Even if you are not in a primary care physician program, the methods suggested for change will be helpful, I believe.
In 2006 Medicare plans to institute a pay-for-performance program at the primary care physician level. Right now a model is being tested and seems to be doing quite well. In several states Blue Cross Blue Shield organizations are testing pay-for- performance programs. Here in West Michigan, Priority Health, a healthcare insurer, has promoted such a program for over five years. How does this work, you may ask? Priority Health, for example, funds the program for each of its patients a set amount. Doctors who meet a requirement of the program for a patient are rewarded with extra money for that patient. Hence, with many patients the income for the practice can be boosted considerably. The fact is that many are not rising to the opportunity. With planned cuts in Medicare reimbursements over the next few years, this source of income cannot be ignored! Healthcare programs need to change, no matter how difficult.
The impetus for change should rest with the leadership of an organization, although the change should not be the sole responsibility of the leaders. Representatives from all parts of the organization should be involved. Once the need for change in a process is agreed upon, either because of extra revenue from pay-for-performance programs or other agents or data that positively affect the bottom line, leaders should convene a task force to plan the change. With input from all, leaders should map the process as it currently exits and then should make a new map of how they would like it to be to incorporate the positive changes. The new procedure should be standardized for all to adopt.
How do you go about adopting these changes on a daily basis? This is probably the hardest part. Because humans learn in a variety of ways, it will take a variety of ways to implement the changes. The implementation of the changes should be based upon the learning styles of the individuals involved. Let me provide an example using the Medicare program. A patient who enters the Medicare program is entitled to a paid initial physical. A primary care physician should take advantage of this. Many don’t. If I were the manager of such an office, I would remind my staff who set up appointments to be aware of this fact. I would remind them at regular staff meetings. I would post visible reminders in the office. I might even have a message flashed on the computer screen once in a while. Then I would review the appointments of patients who have become Medicare qualified and see how many had their initial physical or were booked for it. I would adjust my methods to remind staff of the need for such examinations and continue to improve on this until the office achieves 100% compliance with the goal.
Booking the exam is not the only needed change. Doctors who perform the physical must accomplish examination details and actions laid out by Medicare. Hence, to be paid for the exam, each doctor must adhere to the exam details. I would help the doctors accomplish this in a variety of ways, depending on the doctor’s learning style. For example, a checklist of the exam details might be included in the patient history folder when the exam is performed. That way the doctor will not miss any steps. As the leader of the change, I would check with billing to see that all the steps were performed and adapt new approaches or reinforce existing ones to see that the changes are accomplished 100% of the time.
Changes such as these should be a part of a continuous quality improvement program at every healthcare provider organization. Let me quickly review the most important steps. First leaders should identify the changes needed. Then, the leaders should convene a committee of all affected staff to develop how to accomplish the change. Once the staff agrees upon the approach, the leaders should develop ways to implement the change on a daily basis adopting methods that incorporate learning styles of affected individuals. Then, they should continually analyze the progress of the changes and make necessary adjustments until the goals are accomplished. They should then audit the changes occasionally to be sure that the organization doesn’t fall back into old habits.
I believe that adopting such a change process will dramatically help at your site. You will see savings in time, increased patient or client health and satisfaction, as well as an improved bottom line!
About the author: Donald Bryant helps healthcare providers meet their challenges. If you liked this article and want more free tips, visit http://www.bryantsstatisticalconsulting.com for a free article to help you start making improvements at your site immediately.
Author: Donald Bryant

Use Tax Credits To Help Finance Your College Education

Students are always on the lookout for ways to help pay or offset the cost of their tuition. There are various government grants and scholarships available to you if you qualify. But what if you don’t qualify for these government programs? Don’t loose hope there are still options available to you that can help offset those tuition bills.
Did you know that tax credits are another way that Uncle Sam can help you finance your college education? Well it’s true and it has come to my attention that there are many students, old and new alike, who are not taking advantage of these educational tax credits that they are entitled to. Specifically the tax credits are the Hope Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. These two tax credits will reduce the amount of Federal Income Tax that you would pay dollar for dollar, unlike tax deductions that are used to lower your taxable income. It’s like someone saying to you “if you spend your money on college, I’ll give it back to you.” The tax credits are based on the amount of qualified educational expenses that students pay.
What are these qualified expenses? Qualified expenses are tuition and fees that are required to pay to an accredited college, university, or vocational school as a requirement for attendance. Fees that are not included are room & board, personal living and family expenses. Other expenses that may also qualify are expenses for books, supplies, student activity fees, and equipment if they are required to be paid to the school as a condition for enrollment.
Who is eligible for these tax credits? Anyone can claim these tax credits; you can claim these credits for yourself, your spouse and anyone you can legally claim as a dependant on your tax return.
The Hope Tax Credit is worth up to a maximum of $1,500, depending on how much the qualified educational expenses are, 100% of the first $1000 and 50% of the next $1000. To be eligible for The Hope Tax Credit the student need to be enrolled at least half time (6 credits) in at least one semester and meet certain income requirements. The Hope Tax Credit is available for each and every student, on the same tax return enrolled in a qualifying college program. This credit can be taken for the first two years of post secondary education (undergraduate degree or vocational school) for each student. A family with three students with qualified expenses of $2,000 each on the same return equals a $4,500 reduction in the taxes you owe.
The Lifetime Learning Tax Credit works a little bit differently, the credit is based on 20% of the of the first $10,000 of educational expense up to a maximum credit is $2,000 per return not per student. This credit can be taken for any and all years that a studennt takes even just one class that will improve or aquire job skills (undergraduate, graduate and professional degree courses included). If you have qualified expenses of $2,000 then you get a tax credit of $400 (.20 X $2,000).
Consider this, these tax credits can bring down the tax that you owe on April 15th, and money that you don’t have to pay in tax can be used to pay for the education you want and deserve. Other limitations are that both of these tax credits may not be used for the same student in the same year. Students that have been comvicted of a felony drug offense can not claim the Hope Tax Credit, but they can still take advantage of the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit.
This is just a breif overview of these tax credits that all students should know about and tahe advantage of. I reecomend that you do refer to IRS Publication 970 and I RS: Topics for Students for further information or discuss these tax credits with your Tax Professional.
About the author: P Nash is currently a student in his final year in a Business Administration program. He blogs on different topics related to higher education. Visit his blog College Matters for more higher education information.
Copyright 2005 P. Nash

Become a Certified Success in the World of Business and Finance

There’s no denying that today’s business and finance sectors have become more competitive than ever. It has become critical for professionals to not only have the necessary skills to succeed, but the certification employers are looking for.
This challenging environment has always posed a potential problem for the busy professional trying to take a step up in the business world, or transition into another career in the sector. A full-time return to school to enhance their knowledge and credentials means leaving their current position behind — and investing substantial time and money pursuing an additional degree.
For these individuals, Kaplan University’s online Business and Finance Sector programs may be the ultimate solution to reaching their goals. With deep roots in higher education that date back to 1937, and a flexible schedule that lets you study anytime, anyplace, Kaplan University’s certificates in Financial Planning, Risk Management, Project Management and Executive Coaching can be completed in as little as 12 months ‘ without interfering with your job or disrupting your life.
‘The fields of financial planning, project management, risk management, and executive coaching are experiencing exponential growth, providing a wealth of opportunities in the evolving business world,’ said Kristina Belanger, Dean, Kaplan University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. ‘These rewarding occupations are leading choices for individuals seeking professional growth and diversity, and Kaplan University’s online, self-paced programs provide busy professionals with a flexible learning environment to gain competitive skills for more rapid career advancement.’
Financial planning, for starters, has been repeatedly described as among the most prestigious of modern professions ‘ supported by statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor forecasting job increases of more than 34 percent by 2012. The same reliable source states an average annual salary of $79,990 for personal financial advisors in 2003. Not only that, but proven expertise in the field can allow you the option of either working for yourself or a world of high-end firms throughout the country.
To win the trust of potential employers or prospective clients in the business world, however, you’ll need applicable skills and proper certification. That’s where Kaplan University’s Certificate in Financial Planning comes in. The course teaches you all you need to know about analyzing a client’s financial situation ‘ strengths, weaknesses, and how to best achieve their financial goals. From savvy tax management to smart investing to retirement planning, you’ll be steeped in all the crucial information necessary to be a certified financial planner.
Project management is another area where Kaplan University can help open doors to a variety of new career opportunities. Learning how to increase a company’s chances for maximum profits by optimizing time, money, and personnel, is a skill respected by organizations everywhere. From business to information technology to real estate and more, project managers may earn from $60,000 to $100,000 annually on average, with senior project managers holding yearly salaries ranging from $70,000 to $150,000.
As a Project Manager you’ll be respected in your industry as someone capable of leading important initiatives as you advance your career. You’ll be the one CEOs and company presidents turn to as a leader for their organization’s most critical undertakings. Perhaps best of all is the universal applicability of the knowledge and skills that Kaplan University can provide with this program ‘ which can be put to use for the rest of your working life, regardless of the direction your career may take.
If you hold at least an associate’s degree, and have an interest or background in such fields as business, human resources, accounting or finance, Kaplan University’s Certificate in Risk Management can help you earn from $66,000 to $110,000 annually. Risk control, loss prevention, and adhering to today’s stricter compliancy laws have made risk management an essential aspect of doing business in today’s corporate world. A Certificate in Risk Management from Kaplan University will give employers the confidence that you know your stuff inside and out.
Risk managers recognize and review an organization’s loss exposures including property, liability, personnel, and net income in order to promote growth through profit, continuous operation, and stable earnings. Kaplan University will teach you all this, plus other critical skills such as enterprise risk management (ERM) and creating risk management programs. You can then apply your knowledge and skills toward pursuing a top position with a number of companies, or entering the field as an independent consultant. Like Kaplan University’s other certificates, this program can be completed in as little as 12 months, learning at your own convenience.
Executive coaching is now a major growth industry. More and more businesses are employing executive coaches to instill leadership development among managers and executives to bolster an environment of ongoing organizational change. Executive coaches thoughtfully listen — and ask the right questions — to assess an individual’s attributes, needs, and coachability. Kaplan University’s Executive Coaching Certificate offers the necessary skills for observing, recognizing, and intervening for full business effectiveness. It can teach you to teach leaders to better comprehend organizational dynamics and to climb up the corporate ladder.
In a recent summary poll of executive coaches, 65 percent of respondents reported yearly compensation of $85,000 or more. Opportunities exist in a number of business environments, including corporations, non-profits, government offices, and independent consulting.
Whether you study financial planning, project management, risk management, or executive coaching, you’ll have the chance to expand your employment and career opportunities. Through developing your professional acumen and abilities you will be able to explore new job prospects with virtually any professional industry where business skills are valued. Should you choose to go into the market on your own, you’ll hold the certification and skills needed to win over prospective clients.
Perhaps best of all, Kaplan University online programs allow you the flexibility and convenience to quickly improve your skills and resume without compromising your current daily life. For the working professional striving to reach their career goals, this might be an ideal option.

About the author: For more information about Kaplan University, visithttp://kaplan.searchfor classes.com or http://www.searchforclass es.com/To read more articles and to learn more about online education visithttp://www.sea rchforclasses.com/newsletter/ or
Author: Zach Chouteau

SAFELY FINANCE YOUR CHILD’S UNIVERSITY STUDIES USING AN

This investment retirement account (IRA) is useful to you as an investor to understand because it may be a good way for you to save for your kid’s education AND save on taxes. These plans are now called Coverdell Education Savings Accounts in honor of the late U.S. Sen. Paul Coverdell. Individuals can make annual contributions of up to $2,000 per child into an account that’s exclusively for helping to pay higher education costs. The money contributed to a Coverdell account doesn’t count against the $3,000 ($3,500 if 50 and older) annual total individuals may contribute to their combined personal individual IRAs. The earnings and withdrawals from a Coverdell account are tax-free, but you can’t deduct the contributions from your income tax because the account is for the benefit of the child, not the contributor. This is great for parents who are good savers and investors who want to make an annual tax-saving contribution that they can invest in the stock market toward the education of a studious and responsible child. In addition, if your child received a Coverdell ESA distribution, you now can also claim Hope Scholarship or Lifetime Learning credits. Just make sure you don’t use Coverdell money to pay for the same expenses you use to claim an education credit. The beneficiary (your child) of the education IRA must withdraw the funds by age 30 if they don’t go to college and pay taxes and penalties on it. However, the account can be transferred to a sibling or the beneficiary’s child if they don’t pursue a higher academic degree or use it all. Once you have the account open you can use the stock market to help finance your child’s education selling the stock at a high price after you have bought it at a low price using techniques such as I teach.
About the author: ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Scott Brown, Ph.D., the Wallet Doctor, is a successful investor. Dr. Brown holds a Ph.D. in finance. The Wallet Doctor is sought after for investment advice and coaching. For more information visit Dr. Brown’s site at www.BonanzaBase.com or sign up for his investment tips at www.WalletDoctor.com
Author: Dr. Scott Brown, Ph.D.

Finance Jobs – Finance Career

Many people are drawn to money. Not just to have more of it (who doesn’t?), but to actually participate in the finance industry and make a career out of it.
Did you know that some of the most successful people in finance and investments never pursued finance in college? Did you know many never even went to college? There are people who have built successful careers in investments or the financial industry grew and learned on the job.
Like I said, there are many branches to this tree. Accountants, CPA’s, and analysts must go through significant educational requirements before finding finance jobs. While these careers are built on heavy education and commitment, there are other areas of finance that do not require stringent or specialized education before entering the job market.
Stockbroker and Financial Advisor jobs
Stockbrokers, Registered Representatives and financial advisors are basically salesmen in the finance industry. That is not to demean what they do, it’s actually true. Once you are a licensed stockbroker and working for a firm, you are a phone broker. Many of the top firms will require 2 or 4 year degrees before hiring you for a job, but a finance or investment related degree is usually not required. Many smaller firms do not require college at all. They are looking for brokers with talent, drive and the ability to communicate and persuade. If you can convince the firm that you can earn money, you can get in. There are successful stockbrokers and advisors who make $200,000 or more and many of them were car salesmen, insurance agents, collections salesmen, real estate agents etc. Training is ongoing and most should decide after 6 months or one year whether this is the finance career or job they want.
The downside to this career, is the compensation you earn. It is largely, if not exclusively – commission or fee based. It’s a sink or swim finance career. It is not for everyone, but the requirements are easier, so if you are good at it – you’re all set!
Mortgage Broker Career
When Wall Street began losing jobs in late 2000 and for several years after, many brokers and advisors began careers as mortgage processors or mortgage brokers. The mortgage finance industry was booming. With interest rates low and the economy slower, homeowners were looking to take advantage of the equity in their homes or looking to refinance. People who were in these jobs at mortgage companies made a lot of money. People had needs and the environment was ripe for big business.
The problem with mortgage finance jobs is that it is a very cyclical business and it relies on constant new business and referrals for the brokers to earn money. If I had my choice overall, getting a job in the mortgage broker business would be one of my last choices. Good times are real good. Bad times are real bad.
Insurance Jobs and Retirement Finance Careers
With the population of the country living longer and the trend of big companies providing attractive retirement plans on the decline, insurance agents, retirement and estate planners are doing well. Building a finance career and getting jobs in these areas can be very rewarding and the trends are on your side.
There are many areas of finance and investments. You may end up being a bond broker, a trader, a mutual fund broker or something else. The quickest way into a good investment or finance job or career is to get a job as a financial advisor or broker. You have to put in the time and effort, but the openings are there and the experience you gain working with client investments will serve you very well going forward. Either you make a great career doing just that, or you platform that job into another area that better suits you.
The finance industry can be tough, it is competitive and you must stand out, but it’s better than digging ditches – usually!
Good Luck!

About the author: Nick Hunter is the President of American Investment Training (AIT) http://www.aitraining.com and the owner ofhttp://www.brokerjobs.com - a finance career information site with job links and educational resources.
Author: Nick Hunter