Sure, moving to a new city is scary, some would even say frightening, but after a few weeks of exposure to one of the world’s greatest and most historic cities, you’ll be proud to say that you live in DC.

Here are eight reasons why Washington DC is the place to be:

1. City of History

Historically, DC has it covered. In fact, the city is full of history. One could even argue that the average square mile of DC contains more history than many other cities combined. That might be hyperbole, but you get the point.

2. City of Sports

DC is a sports fan’s dream. From the Capitals to the Wizards to the Redskins to the Nationals, there is a professional sport being played in every season at most times of the day.

3. Best chili there is

You haven’t’ had chili until you eat at Ben’s Chili Bowl. A-list celebrities and politicians (including Mr. Obama) frequent Ben’s Chili Bowl regularly. One bowl and you’ll be hooked.

4. Place of charm

Charm abounds! Washington DC may appear as the political forefront in all national media, but that’s not the entire story. DC has many small, even quaint areas that are full of charm and whimsy.

5. DC Skyline

DC has a skyline that speaks volumes about its history. Though DC is one of the most well-known cities in the world, you won’t see a skyscraper anywhere. Because of a very old law, buildings are not to exceed 160 feet. Leaving the view breathtaking and rustic.

6. Public Transport

Take the metro to virtually anywhere, and remain safe and secure while doing so. Plus, if you aren’t too busy, ride the world’s longest continuous escalator in Wheaton at 230 feet long. You’ll never forget it.

7. Cycling-friendly City

DC is a biker’s paradise. No, not motorcycles. Bicycles! There are more than 60 miles of bicycle and pedestrian tracks available for the avid biker or hiker. Get your exercise while breathing in that clean Virginia air.

8. Healthy City

Washington DC was recently named by Forbes as the second healthiest city in the country. This bike-friendly, jogging friendly city has plenty of healthy food options and exercise options to keep you in shape.

There’s a lot of great reasons to call DC home, even if just temporarily. Maybe you should take a chance and join 600,000 others who do the same.

Networking

The networking portion of university student life is immense. As a student, you get to meet professors, recruiters and like-minded students that share common interests with you. Professors can help you get your first job after college or provide you with recommendations on career opportunities. Meeting recruiters at university sponsored events is an excellent way to develop contacts and land interviews with well-respected companies in the community. Your fellow classmates may also be able to help you get a job or give you tips on where to apply.

Life-long Friendships

Many students form life-long friendships with their fellow classmates, which helps them on a personal and professional level later in life. Study groups, clubs and intramural sports help students meet and form friendships in positive environment. There are also lots of social events that take place near campus, making it easy to mingle and meet new people. Developing interpersonal skills in college will help to propel you in your career.

Dating

Given all of the social events and interaction between students, it is common for couples to meet while attending college. This is one of the most fun and talked about parts of going to a university. Students find that they are surrounded by ambitious and promising individuals, which makes the dating scene fun and interesting. Going to a university is a serious endeavor, but there are valuable social aspects to attending classes too.

University student life is a major benefit to going to college and can have a profound impact on your personal and professional life.

Successful life coaches help clients achieve their professional goals and personal aspirations. But is a career as a life coach right for you?

Do you like to work with people?

At University of the Potomac, our will teach you how to work with individual clients to meet personal and professional goals. But a successful life coach needs to bring their own passion and love for people to the job. Do you enjoy working with people at all stages of life? Are you comfortable communicating with people of all backgrounds?

Do you like asking questions?

As a life coach, you’ll rely on questions to guide clients through a problem-solving framework. Using questions, you’ll help clients set an agenda, define a problem, create goal statements, explore and develop options, address obstacles and take action. Are you willing to ask questions to challenge clients to go deeper?

Are you a good listener?

Do you enjoy listening to others and hearing their stories? Listening skills are essential in life skills coaching. These form the foundation of the 12-month, self-paced program offered at University of the Potomac.

Do you believe in helping others?

Successful life coaches rely on a variety of strategies to help a client determine their life purpose. Are you passionate about pursuing dreams while also keeping an eye on realistic, attainable goals?

If you answered “yes,” contact a Training Assessment Manager at University of the ̽����ѡtoday.

Will you let us help you reach your goals?

Call email trainingadvisor@potomac.edu to learn more about starting a new career as a life coach. At University of the Potomac, we’re passionate about helping you reach your goals. A new series of career training programs through the ̽����ѡWorkforce Training & Development Center is designed to help the community, corporations, military and their families, veterans and the unemployed achieve success at every stage of life. Browse more , including event planning, career coaching, and hotel and restaurant management, at the ̽����ѡWorkforce Training & Development Center online (.

5 ways to save for a summer internship

1. Get a job off campus – On campus jobs often have limited hours. If your campus job does not pay you enough to save, get a part-time job off campus that pays better or delivers more hours.
2. Sell back old books – When the semester ends, sell old books back to the campus bookstore or to other students to earn a little extra cash.
3. Apply for scholarships and grants in your field – Depending on your major and your background, you might be able to find scholarships or grants for students in your area to pursue internships. This might be a great way to increase your savings, and it’s free to apply.
4. Tutor another student – If you possess skills in a certain subject area, try offering your tutoring or editing services for a small fee. If word gets around that you are good and affordable, you’ll soon have more clients than you can serve!
5. Cut back your spending – Along with finding new ways to make money, cutting back your spending will help you set aside money to fund your internship.

For more savings tips for college students, or to talk about anything else, please contact us.

Get Signed Up

Before you can even begin to look at the various mystery shopping assignments available within your area, you’ll need to get signed up with some mystery shopping companies. When signing up, you’ll need to provide a writing sample to show that you’re capable of writing about your shopping experiences in a way that’s easy for others to comprehend. The writing sample doesn’t need to be an original. So for convenience sake, save one writing sample to use for all of the companies you want to work with.

Do Your Research

If you’re not sure which mystery shopping companies to sign up with, check out the . The posters there regularly update about which companies are legitimate with their work offerings. As for learning more about going to college, be sure to contact us.

 is in McLean in Fairfax County and is where the ̽����ѡRiver falls over a series of steep rocks. The park also features hiking trails. According to , “Other outdoor activities include the river trail that follows the cliff tops, giving hikers beautiful views of the Potomac, and is considered the park’s most challenging trails.”

For those that have a love of airplanes, the is located is Chantilly and features exhibits that comprise general, military and commercial aviation.

 is the final resting place for many of our nation’s military and features the grave site of former president John F. Kennedy and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a tribute to the country’s missing service members. The cemetery is on the Metro’s blue line.

If you want to see wineries and can’t get to California, getting off the Beltway and traveling down Route 7 to Loudoun County is all it takes.

According to the , there are 40 wineries in the county that make their own wine in buildings ranging from renovated dairy barns to Mediterranean-style estates.

Also in Loudoun, the Town of Leesburg features a historical downtown area with shops and restaurants. Outside the downtown area, there is also an outlet store.

The Washington area features many trails and the can be accessed in Fairfax County and goes all the way to Purcellville, in western Loudoun.

For any more questions, feel free to contact us.

• Understanding the arguments against it

Before asking a parent or grandparent to co-sign a student loan, consider the warnings they hear about why financing education that way is a bad idea. According to an by the AARP, senior citizens are the fastest group of people who have college debt. Senior citizens in the U.S. hold $43 billion in student loan debt. Private as well as federal student loans aren’t discharged in bankruptcy. If you don’t pay your student loans, your parents or grandparents may have their Social Security docked. You shouldn’t ask a relative to co-sign a student loan unless you intend to pay the loan back yourself.

• Having a plan with numbers

According to an by International Student Loan, it’s good to have a plan before asking someone to co-sign a student loan. You should write down exactly how much money you need to borrow as well as your estimated monthly payments. In addition, have information prepared about the starting and median salary for people who complete degrees in your field of study. It also doesn’t hurt to have a backup plan that explains how you will pay your student loan debt if you can’t complete college for one reason or another.

• Meeting with a lender

If your parent, grandparent, sibling or significant intends to co-sign a loan, go together to talk to a lender. Bring with you information including social security numbers, birthdays, addresses, email addresses and any other information. You should print out an online application so you can read the fine print together. According to an by Bankrate.com, federal student loans allow a “death discharge,” which means no one will be responsible for the debt if you die. However, with a private student loan, the co-signer bears the responsibility. A life insurance policy, according to Bankrate.com, is your loved one’s protection.

If your loved one refuses to co-sign your student loan, don’t nag or persist. Instead, think of other ways they can help. Some parents or grandparents may tap Roth IRA accounts to help pay for college tuition. Your grandparents may agree to gift you money for college by taking it out of a future inheritance. Some people rather contribute financially with cash instead of serving as a co-signer. If someone asks you to co-sign a student loan, remember you need to protect your own interests as well.

For more information about how to get scholarships and other financing education tips, please contact us.

• Claiming the credit

You can claim the tax credit for the full four years of education required to receive a bachelor’s degree. The maximum amount a student can claim is $2,500. The government allows people to include the cost of tuition as well as required books and course materials.

• Receiving a greater benefit

A tax credit is typically more valuable than a tax deduction. A tax deduction reduces your taxable income. On the other hand, people subtract a tax credit from the actual tax liability or amount owed. If you don’t owe any money, you receive some of the tax credit as part of a refund. According to the IRS, if the amount of the tax credit is more than your tax liability, you receive up to the lesser of 40 percent of the credit or $1,000.

• Qualifying for the credit

As part of your education financing, a tax credit is very valuable if you are eligible. To be eligible, an individual would have a modified adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less.  Married people filing a joint return with a household modified adjusted gross income of $160,000 are eligible.

• Understanding what isn’t included

When it comes to claiming the full tax credit, it’s important to know what kind of expenses qualify as well as which ones don’t. Of course, your tax adviser can help you work out the specifics. According to the IRS, some of the expenses that do not qualify for the tax credit include transportation to college, room and board, medical expenses, insurance. Expenses paid with tax-free educational assistance and those used for any other tax deduction do not qualify to prevent “double dipping.”

Education financing includes scholarships, student loans and grants, but many middle-class families often miss out on the beneficial tax credits because they aren’t aware of them. Look for a Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement from the college you attend, and be sure to give it to your tax preparer.

For more information on financing education and the best career track for you, please contact us.

While there isn’t anything wrong with you returning to school, it’s not a decision to make without a lot of thought behind it. You might be wondering what you need to do your “homework” on. Well, the thing is the school is costly, and you need to know how you’re going to pay for it. If you’re having trouble finding the means to fund your education, here are seven smart steps you can take to make your educational journey as affordable as you can.

1. Pick a financially right school

For some unrelated reason, you have decided to go back to school full time or only take a few classes. Good for you! However, you should keep in mind that the kind of school you decide to go to will make a significant difference in the sum of money you’re going to pay to that institution.

There are private and public universities that cost a leg and an arm, but there are also universities for which you don’t have to be financially bankrupt to pay their fees. eighth on the list of the most affordable universities in the nation, the University of the Potomac falls in the latter category.  While you might have the belief that the cheaper the university, the lower the quality of the education they offer, this isn’t necessarily the case. In reality, UOTP provides high-quality education, professors that bring real-world experience to the classroom, and low teacher-student ratio, all at a modest rate.

2. Look Out for Free Online Options

In the exciting internet times that we’re living, there are countless ways to get educated on a field or multiple ones simultaneously. While many online universities offer distance education at a low cost, there are many free online classes available by dozens of nonprofit organizations. At the successful completion of the courses, you can get awarded an online certificate. However, you should bear in mind that despite the new things you might learn through these sites, they aren’t accredited universities, and you can’t earn an actual diploma or degree.

2.1. edX

is a nonprofit online learning provider created to deliver an education of the highest quality for learners around the world. You’ll have the chance to learn from some of the top professors and leading industry experts in different subjects. However, if you want to receive a verified certificate, you’ll need to verify your identity. Generally, edX classes are free, but if you want unlimited access and a certificate, you’ll have to pay a fee.

2.2. Coursera

is a global online learning platform that offers massive open online courses known as MOOC. Every class offered by Coursera is taught by world-class instructors of the best schools around the world. Courses are priced at $49, and a certificate is issued upon completion. However, you can still have access to the courses even if you don’t pay the required sum of money; you just won’t get a certificate.

2.3. Khan Academy

is a nonprofit educational organization created to empower students to study at their own pace outside of the classroom. Every course from the subject of math, history, science, economics, art, computing, and many more are entirely free. While you’ll certainly learn many things, Khan Academy isn’t an accredited school, and as such, the work done on the site doesn’t count towards a diploma or degree program.

2.4. Canvas Network

is a course management system developed and supported by Infrastructure. With the mission to break down barriers to learning, Canvas offers open online courses on innumerable subjects taught by countless educators of many institutions. While Canvas Network doesn’t issue certificates, individual instructors and supporting education institutions may offer certificates of completion. It’s their responsibility to issue the certificates.

3. Search for Grants

Depending on the career field you are interested in, several grants may be available for your continuing education courses. Many of these grants are available through the colleges and universities that offer these specific continuing education courses. You can also look for grants that are available from professional organizations that you may belong to as part of your career.

4. Get Federal Stafford Student Loans

Many continuing education courses can also qualify for financial aid. The type of financial assistance and the amount will depend on your family’s specific needs and whether you are eligible for it. Private loans can also be an option, but many of these loans have a higher interest rate and different payment terms than traditional financial aid loans from the government or educational institution.

That’s why if you intend to use student loans, you should choose . Also known as Direct loans are the loans designed by the government. When you take this loan, it means you’re borrowing directly from the U.S Department of Education. They offer fixed interest rates and flexible repayment options. This doesn’t mean that you can borrow irresponsibly. On the contrary, you should always keep yourself in check to make sure you can repay the loans once you finish school.

5. Ask Your Employer for Education Reimbursement

In case continuing education in your specific field isn’t required to maintain certification or to license but is required by your employer, you should ask for education reimbursement. More and more are offering some form of financial assistance for employees who want to continue education to increase their skill sets. You can take the courses that are necessary to maintain your current employment position without having to pay out of pocket for them. Employers may offer partial reimbursement, full reimbursement, or both depending on the needs of their employees.

6. Make Use of Lifetime Learning Credit

The can be useful in covering the expenses of tuition and related school expenses. The credit is per tax return, and its worth is up to $2,000/year. You can claim the credit anytime. There is no time-limit on the number of years you have the right to claim it.  However, you’ll have to fulfill some requirements to be eligible to claim LLC credit:

• Attend courses at an eligible educational institution
• Take courses to acquire or improve job skills
• Have an income below $65,000

7. Consider a 529 College Savings Plan

The 529 plan is a perfect financial solution for anyone who’s planning to go back to school at some point in their life. You can open a 529 savings account in your name and build up a fund that you can draw out later on tax-free. You can use the fund to pay qualified university expenses.

There might be concerns about the 529 plan affecting the college financial aid. While this might have some shade of the truth, the impact is limited and depends on the owner of the account. If the owner of the 529 plan is the student or their parent, then the chance for it to affect the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid is higher. But if the 529 plan is owned by the grandparents or other relatives, it won’t impact in any way the student’s FAFSA.

Financing continuing education can be pretty expensive for nontraditional students who have a family to look after and other financial obligations. But just like the saying goes when there’s a will, there’s a way. You can always find ways to reduce the costs of going back to school. By the “ways,” we mean taking advantage of many opportunities the federal government provides like student loans, LLC credit, and college savings plan. But also making use of many grants offered by many organizations and free online educational materials. These are just some of the means of funding your education. It’s up to you to choose the one that serves you best in this aspect.

Now that you know all about funding your education, don’t hesitate to contact our training managers. They’ll walk you through the whole process of going back to school.  Enjoy your college days as much as you can.

More on this topic: What to Know About Going Back to School After 25

The good news is that there are many scholarships out there, and not all committees look for the same thing. While some prioritize academic factors like GPA, others place more weight on extra-curricular activities.

According to a recent , there are many scholarships from organizations that go by unnoticed because students are too focused on receiving ones from colleges:

“Unfortunately, many students who are currently enrolled in college or are planning to attend soon are unaware of all of the scholarship and grant opportunities that exist across the board. While many scholarships require a solid grade-point average to qualify, and some grants are particular toward certain income amounts or club affiliations, there are quite a few others in existence with different requirements that practically go unnoticed.”

Here’s a few places you can look for scholarships:

Local organizations

Many local clubs and organization offer scholarships for motivated students. These are a great opportunity to reduce your total cost of college.

Scholarship websites

Sites like Fastweb.com make the college scholarship search easier. Most don’t require application fees, so apply to as many as you can. You can also narrow search results based on your academic record and future goals.

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There are many scholarships which can only be awarded to certain ethnic groups. Whether you’re Hispanic American, African American, Irish American, or Italian American, you should search for scholarships where the competitive field is limited.

One last piece of advice: don’t just apply for scholarships that will pay your entire undergraduate tuition. The smaller ones add up and can take years off your student loan payments.

If you’d like more information about college scholarships, contact us today. Thanks.