Here's a great tip I got from an investment banker once:
If you're a student, take out as much of a student loan as possible. Leverage yourself to the hilt!
Reminder, this is not a bank loan or a mortgage loan or some kind of equity loan or secured loan!!! This is a student loan. From the Government of Canada (I'm sure the US has their student loan system too). Why the loan, you ask? Well two reasons.
1) Student loans have ZERO INTEREST until you graduate. And even then you get very very low interest rates. What you can do is pull out the loan, stick it in a 4 year GIC with high interest rates. By the time you pay back the 50 grand or so you own, you'll be several thousand richer... no joke!
2) College loan consolidation. Let me say it again, college loan consolidation. It might also take on the name of "student debt consolidation" or "educational loan consolidation" or "personal student loan consolidation". You guys get the picture. Basically, college loan consolidation allows you to combine your student loans into one master loan, which significantly reduces the monthly payments you have to make. In some instances, by over 50%! If you want the mechanics, you'll have to look online. But paying a fraction of a percentage point for my loan is a pretty sweet deal.
Just one caveat, be careful about how you spend it! I would advocate sticking it in a GIC. It's safe, you get high returns, etc etc. Do NOT go on a flippin spending spree because that is not free money. Seriously. You need to pay it back eventually.
Students, check it out for yourself. Might as well exploit the government funding because sooner or later you'll be paying it back in taxes!
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Update on Culinary Schools
Just thought I'd update everyone on my situation right now with switching schools (possibly)...
I looked up some more culinary schools so I had more choices. Even though I said I wanted to go to a culinary school in california, I thought I'd check out some other ones just to keep my options open (and, of course, discover the world... who doesn't like that???)
1) Culinary Schools in Chicago
There's le cordon bleu college of culinary arts in Chicago... Looks pretty neat, I like what they're doing but they're just a college?? I'm worried that have a big effect when employers see my degree...
2) Culinary Schools in Texas
Here there's a few, but notable ones are Texas culinary academy and the art institute of Dallas. Both I think are reputable schools. But I don't know if I really want to go to Texas... No offense to my Texan readers! It's just not really on my radar haha.
3) Culinary Schools in Virginia
The culinary institute of virginia! One of my top choices right now. Great program here, so I've heard. And I've always wanted to live on the East coast!
4) Culinary Schools in Florida
Ah, beautiful Florida. I would love to live here, let alone attend culinary school in Florida. The international art institute and le cordon bleu both have a campus here.
5) Culinary Schools in Pennsylvania
A quick search for trade schools in PA will pull up the International Culinary school. I think I just like PA because of its proximity to DC and NY. Can go there for weekend roadtrip lol =).
And the search continues!
I looked up some more culinary schools so I had more choices. Even though I said I wanted to go to a culinary school in california, I thought I'd check out some other ones just to keep my options open (and, of course, discover the world... who doesn't like that???)
1) Culinary Schools in Chicago
There's le cordon bleu college of culinary arts in Chicago... Looks pretty neat, I like what they're doing but they're just a college?? I'm worried that have a big effect when employers see my degree...
2) Culinary Schools in Texas
Here there's a few, but notable ones are Texas culinary academy and the art institute of Dallas. Both I think are reputable schools. But I don't know if I really want to go to Texas... No offense to my Texan readers! It's just not really on my radar haha.
3) Culinary Schools in Virginia
The culinary institute of virginia! One of my top choices right now. Great program here, so I've heard. And I've always wanted to live on the East coast!
4) Culinary Schools in Florida
Ah, beautiful Florida. I would love to live here, let alone attend culinary school in Florida. The international art institute and le cordon bleu both have a campus here.
5) Culinary Schools in Pennsylvania
A quick search for trade schools in PA will pull up the International Culinary school. I think I just like PA because of its proximity to DC and NY. Can go there for weekend roadtrip lol =).
And the search continues!
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Laptop Rentals
Recently I've been looking into laptop rentals for the many presentations that I do (I don't actually have one of my own). A quick Google search revealed several places that I could rent a laptop around the Vancouver area... My needs aren't very sophisticated, just need a small laptop printer (no need for portable printers or gaming laptops or tablet laptops or none of that) with minimal software requirements.
It's too bad that there are no good student discounts on laptops, or notebook computers for sale, or I would totally just buy one for myself. I know the bookstore at UBC has a discount for Macs, but I'm not in the market for a Mac. So I think my best solution right now is to rent a notebook and just use it for the short period of time I need for the presentations. I requested some quick quotes from the rental companies so I'm waiting on them to get back to me.
Browsing around, there's tons of other useful stuff I can rent too, like LCD projector rentals, presentation equipment, projector and projection screens, LCD monitors, plasma televisions, desktop computers, and even photocopiers (lol!). I can think of like 30 different occasions when I wished I owned a photocopier.
In fact, a photocopier is probably one of the very first things I'll buy for my home when I settle in my career and earn a steady income salary. I guess that makes me a nerd huh?
It's too bad that there are no good student discounts on laptops, or notebook computers for sale, or I would totally just buy one for myself. I know the bookstore at UBC has a discount for Macs, but I'm not in the market for a Mac. So I think my best solution right now is to rent a notebook and just use it for the short period of time I need for the presentations. I requested some quick quotes from the rental companies so I'm waiting on them to get back to me.
Browsing around, there's tons of other useful stuff I can rent too, like LCD projector rentals, presentation equipment, projector and projection screens, LCD monitors, plasma televisions, desktop computers, and even photocopiers (lol!). I can think of like 30 different occasions when I wished I owned a photocopier.
In fact, a photocopier is probably one of the very first things I'll buy for my home when I settle in my career and earn a steady income salary. I guess that makes me a nerd huh?
Monday, 28 March 2011
Project Management Programs
Thanks for all the input guys! Didn't know so many of you were so knowledgeable in Law School stuff and Culinary Arts Schools. Anyway, 2nd year Accounting students have several big project presentations coming up within the next few days (why am I blogging and not working on it? ah!) and I thought I'd take a moment to tell you guys about project management programs because I think all university students could use project management training.
Project management programs teach you the art of managing several projects at the same time. What is project management? Well Wiki defines it as:
"Program management or programme management is the process of managing several related projects, often with the intention of improving an organization's performance. In practice and in its aims it is often closely related to systems engineering and industrial engineering."
So project management is usually applied in an organizational work setting, and involves learning about how to do multiple projects at once effectievly and efficiently. I took a project management program offered by the VSB in seminar format, but there are course formats or stuff like that too, whichever appeals to you.
Many organizations encourage their employees to take it because they know the benefits of this skill. In fact, your workplace might even be willing to subsidize it too -- check it out!
Anyway, my point is that project management is far more applicable to students than it is to working adults. If you think about it, students use it all the bloody time! I've had several times where I was loaded with 4 or even 5 projects due within the week.
During my project management program, I learnt how to organize my schedule, time management, and most importantly how to structure my projects so that they are applicable to each other and somehow correlated so that you can "double dip" that work. By that I mean using the work or ideas in both projects and in essence killing two birds with one stone.
Give it a shot, let me know what you think of project management programs. I've had great experience in these programs and just wanted to share this handy university tip with all of you so you can excel in your academics. Good luck!
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Project Management Programs
Thanks for all the input guys! Didn't know so many of you were so knowledgeable in Law School stuff and Culinary Arts Schools. Anyway, 2nd year Accounting students have several big project presentations coming up within the next few days (why am I blogging and not working on it? ah!) and I thought I'd take a moment to tell you guys about project management programs because I think all university students could use project management training.
Project management programs teach you the art of managing several projects at the same time. What is project management? Well Wiki defines it as:
"Program management or programme management is the process of managing several related projects, often with the intention of improving an organization's performance. In practice and in its aims it is often closely related to systems engineering and industrial engineering."
So project management is usually applied in an organizational work setting, and involves learning about how to do multiple projects at once effectievly and efficiently. I took a project management program offered by the VSB in seminar format, but there are course formats or stuff like that too, whichever appeals to you.
Many organizations encourage their employees to take it because they know the benefits of this skill. In fact, your workplace might even be willing to subsidize it too -- check it out!
Anyway, my point is that project management is far more applicable to students than it is to working adults. If you think about it, students use it all the bloody time! I've had several times where I was loaded with 4 or even 5 projects due within the week.
During my project management program, I learnt how to organize my schedule, time management, and most importantly how to structure my projects so that they are applicable to each other and somehow correlated so that you can "double dip" that work. By that I mean using the work or ideas in both projects and in essence killing two birds with one stone.
Give it a shot, let me know what you think of project management programs. I've had great experience in these programs and just wanted to share this handy university tip with all of you so you can excel in your academics. Good luck!
Project management programs teach you the art of managing several projects at the same time. What is project management? Well Wiki defines it as:
"Program management or programme management is the process of managing several related projects, often with the intention of improving an organization's performance. In practice and in its aims it is often closely related to systems engineering and industrial engineering."
So project management is usually applied in an organizational work setting, and involves learning about how to do multiple projects at once effectievly and efficiently. I took a project management program offered by the VSB in seminar format, but there are course formats or stuff like that too, whichever appeals to you.
Many organizations encourage their employees to take it because they know the benefits of this skill. In fact, your workplace might even be willing to subsidize it too -- check it out!
Anyway, my point is that project management is far more applicable to students than it is to working adults. If you think about it, students use it all the bloody time! I've had several times where I was loaded with 4 or even 5 projects due within the week.
During my project management program, I learnt how to organize my schedule, time management, and most importantly how to structure my projects so that they are applicable to each other and somehow correlated so that you can "double dip" that work. By that I mean using the work or ideas in both projects and in essence killing two birds with one stone.
Give it a shot, let me know what you think of project management programs. I've had great experience in these programs and just wanted to share this handy university tip with all of you so you can excel in your academics. Good luck!
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