Yes, I’m an idiot. I wrote the XML feed locally and neglected to post it. DOH!

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Show Notes, May 31, 2006

5/31: New student loan rates, PLUS difference, art museums, MSW scholarship, contest winners, Kelly Mueller, #266

Student Financial Aid News
+ Rate set yesterday for variable rate student loans
+ 4.843% is the rate
+ Stafford Loans for students in school: 6.543%, up from 4.70%
+ Stafford Loans for graduates in repayment: 7.143%, up from 5.30%
+ Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS): 7.943%, up from 6.10%
+ Graduate with $30,000 in federal student loans who consolidates before the deadline, will save more than $6,300 in unnecessary interest
+ Consolidate your federal student loans right now - StudentLoanConsolidator.com or 877-328-1565
+ PLUS loans may have differing rates this year! Direct Loan schools may be lower than FFELP schools, owing to a clerical mistake in Congress
+ How to get in? Go to art museums

Scholarship Update
+ Hannah Abernathy from Greenwood, SC ponders MSW scholarships for graduate students
+ Michael Daniel Smith And Alexander Tyler Smith Scholarship
+ $3,000 award for undergrad or grad student focused on helping children and families
+ Deadline July 15, 2006
+ Social work project included
+ Detailed page at Student Scholarship Search web site

Contest Drawing!
+ Five winners of their choice of iTunes or gas cards for responding to our survey
+ Survey results in the June newsletter, arriving in a mailbox near you shortly
+ You must claim your prizes by June 9, 2006 - after that I keep them :)

Podsafe Music
+ Kelly Mueller, Always Be Your Butterfly
+ Music via the Podsafe Music Network
+ Stop by our MySpace page!

Reminders
+ Consolidate your student loans at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ Student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ Need financial aid help? Call us at 877-328-1565!
+ Toll-free comment line! 877-328-1565 extension 529!
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com.
+ Subscribe now at www.FinancialAidPodcast.com/subscribe
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at financialaidpodcast {at} gmail {dot} com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 877-328-1565 x529.

Direct file download: MP3 file

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Financial Aid Podcast Special Announcement: New Student Loan Rates Set

With the final auction of the 91-day Treasury Bill on May 30, 2006, federal student loan rates have been set for the new academic year beginning July 1, 2006. The new rates for federal student loans are:

Stafford Loans for students in school: 6.543%, up from 4.70%
Stafford Loans for graduates in repayment: 7.143%, up from 5.30%
Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS): 7.943%, up from 6.10%

The savings borrowers can expect by consolidating are significant. The average college graduate with $30,000 in federal student loans who consolidates before the deadline, will save more than $6,300 in unnecessary interest - savings that will only occur if borrowers consolidate before June 30.

Students wishing to file a consolidation application should do so at http://www.StudentLoanConsolidator.com immediately or call (877) 328-1565.

Reminders
+ Consolidate your student loans at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ Student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ Need financial aid help? Call us at 877-328-1565!
+ Toll-free comment line! 877-328-1565 extension 529!
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com.
+ Subscribe now at www.FinancialAidPodcast.com/subscribe
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at financialaidpodcast {at} gmail {dot} com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 877-328-1565 x529.

Direct file download: MP3 file

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5/30: Donate for earthquake relief, rate change today, mail bag, independent student financial aid, disaster preparation, Geoff Smith, #265

Student Financial Aid News
+ Donate to earthquake relief in Indonesia
+ International Red Cross and Red Crescent, 5,100 killed
+ Strong reminder to US citizens for due diligence with disaster preparation
+ Interest rate changes today!
+ Consolidate your federal student loans right now - time is almost up!
+ StudentLoanConsolidator.com or 877-328-1565
+ In lighter news, be aware when you rent cars - the athletic director of Eastern KY University found a 2 foot ball python in his rental car

Mail Bag
+ Email from Jordan Stearns about 9/11 conspiracy theories
+ Quick answer: follow the money. Who benefits? Whenever you see anything in the news that makes you really wonder, follow the money.
+ I might try to tackle that in a tinfoil hat episode of SLR
+ Email via MySpace - how do I afford college without the support of my parents?
+ Scholarships and grants are the first place to go
+ File your FAFSA
+ Talk with your school’s financial aid officer about a professional judgement
+ Apply for a Stafford Loan
+ Apply for an alternative student loan with a non-parent cosigner

Scholarship Update
+ Washington State Governor’s Scholarship for Foster Youth
+ 20 - 30 awards
+ $1000 - $5000 each
+ Available this December
+ 2.0 GPA or higher
+ Must enroll in a Washington State university
+ Must be a resident of Washington State
+ Detailed information at Student Scholarship Search web site

News You Can Use
+ Hurricane season begins on Thursday
+ Disaster preparation
+ Disaster mitigation
+ Memorize as much as you can
+ Create digital copies of important documents archived at multiple locations
+ Have a go-bag handy at work, school, and home
+ Contents of go-bag should be able to sustain you for 24 hours
+ High energy bars, water, flashlight, knife, matches or lighter, rope, possibly a firearm
+ Are you financially in good shape or good enough shape?
+ Make sure you have access to a short term line of credit like a credit card
+ Have some cash handy too
+ Have a comprehensive, up to date picture of your finances - the one page budget
+ Consider the Katrina 72 hour scenario - are you ready?
+ EFFAK from Homeland Security

Podsafe Music
+ Geoff Smith, No More Summertime Blues
+ Music via the Podsafe Music Network
+ Stop by our MySpace page!

Reminders
+ Consolidate your student loans at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ Student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ Need financial aid help? Call us at 877-328-1565!
+ Toll-free comment line! 877-328-1565 extension 529!
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com.
+ Subscribe now at www.FinancialAidPodcast.com/subscribe
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at financialaidpodcast {at} gmail {dot} com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 877-328-1565 x529.

Direct file download: MP3 file

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This podcast is intended to be burned to a CD and played at your Memorial Day barbecue or wherever fine podcasts are played to celebrate the coming of summer.

+ Summertime, Brother Love
+ Waking up the Neighborhood, Planet of Women
+ On a Podcast, Cruisebox

+ Act Education Loans

+ Not on the radio, Geoff Smith
+ Drive Away, Matthew Ebel
+ Shine, Kevin Reeves

+ Graduate student loans

+ See the Sun, Black Lab
+ Without You, Black Lab
+ I Feel Fantastic, Jonathan Coulton

+ Student Loan Consolidation

+ Good Day, Natives of the New Dawn
+ Put a Little Love, Beatrice Ericsson
+ Plaid pants, Audiopharm

+ Latte Days and Porter Nights, Matthew Ebel

+ Most music via the Podsafe Music Network
+ Stop by our MySpace page!

Reminders
+ Consolidate your student loans at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ Student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ Need financial aid help? Call us at 877-328-1565!
+ Toll-free comment line! 877-328-1565 extension 529!
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com.
+ Subscribe now at www.FinancialAidPodcast.com/subscribe
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at financialaidpodcast {at} gmail {dot} com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 877-328-1565 x529.

Direct file download: MP3 file

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Technorati Tags: admissions, blog, college, commentary, consolidation, credit, education, energy, equity, fafsa, federal student loan, federal+student+loan, finance, financial aid, financial+aid, financialaid, frivolity, Google, humor, jobcast, loan, loan consolidation, loan+consolidation, loans, mailbag, money, mp3, music, news, news you can use, news+you+can+use, opinion, personal finance, personal+finance, podcast, podcaster, podcasting, podcasts, podsafe, podsafe music, podsafe+music, politics, private student loan, private+student+loan, props, radio, scholarship, scholarships, student loan, student loan consolidation, student+loan, student+loan+consolidation

5/27: Student Loan Radio #7: promo block, PCH, John Taylor Gatto, Cruisebox. EXPLICIT! #263

Fair warning: not only do we use a clip from Pacific Coast Hellway, we also play the original Cruisebox On A Podcast. F-bombs everywhere. Rated R.

+ Giant promo block
+ Pacific Coast Hellway education segment
+ Discussion of John Taylor Gatto’s Underground History of American Education
+ The Well Trained Mind and trivium curriculum
+ Cruisebox, On a Podcast (Explicit)
+ Music via the Podsafe Music Network
+ Stop by our MySpace page!

Reminders
+ Consolidate your student loans at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ Student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ Need financial aid help? Call us at 877-328-1565!
+ Toll-free comment line! 877-328-1565 extension 529!
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com.
+ Subscribe now at www.FinancialAidPodcast.com/subscribe
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at financialaidpodcast {at} gmail {dot} com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 877-328-1565 x529.

Direct file download: MP3 file

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Technorati Tags: admissions, blog, college, commentary, consolidation, credit, education, energy, equity, fafsa, federal student loan, finance, financial aid, financialaid, frivolity, Google, humor, jobcast, loan, loan consolidation, loans, mailbag, money, mp3, music, news, news you can use, opinion, personal finance, podcast, podcaster, podcasting, podcasts, podsafe, podsafe music, politics, private student loan, props, radio, scholarship, scholarships, student loan, student loan consolidation

5/26: OPM SLRP, Scams, 2 Shows in 1 Day, comparison shopping, Caitlyn Smith, #262

Student Financial Aid News
+ Releasing Monday’s show today so you can download and burn to a CD
+ Two shows in one day!
+ New OPM data on the SLRP
+ KUTV story on a company called College Funding Center
+ Charged $1,100 for the FAFSA and some scholarship forms?
+ Student Loan Network resources for scholarships and aid:
+ FAFSA form at FAFSAonline.com
+ StudentScholarshipSearch.com free scholarship web site
+ Free eBook, Scholarship Searching Secrets when you subscribe to the podcast
+ Still more loan consolidation stories
+ Consolidate today at StudentLoanConsolidator.com or 877-328-1565

Scholarship Update
+ The Office of Personnel Management Student Loan Repayment Program
+ 3 year service commitment with a federal agency
+ Up to $10,000 in loans repaid per year with a total of $60,000 repaid
+ There is an IRS tax penalty!
+ Used as a recruitment or retention bonus for qualified employees
+ How to get it? Work for a federal agency
+ Detailed information at our free scholarship web site

News You Can Use
+ Got an iPod or cell phone that syncs with your computer? Make use of it for comparison shopping
+ Guerrilla shopping
+ It can be very easy to do better
+ Accounting for shipping
+ Before you drive, you can call
+ Useful for big ticket items
+ Commodities can fluctuate in cost fairly rapidly
+ Froogle comparison shopping is a good place to start
+ So is by item model number or serial number
+ Amazon for reviews
+ Know your level of expertise

Promo
+ Teaching for the Future podcast

Podsafe Music
+ Caitlyn Smith, Silence
+ Music via the Podsafe Music Network
+ Stop by our MySpace page!

Reminders
+ Consolidate your student loans at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ Student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ Need financial aid help? Call us at 877-328-1565!
+ Toll-free comment line! 877-328-1565 extension 529!
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com.
+ Subscribe now at www.FinancialAidPodcast.com/subscribe
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at financialaidpodcast {at} gmail {dot} com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 877-328-1565 x529.

Direct file download: MP3 file

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5/25: Legalize pot?, lottery for education, alumni scholarships, jobcast on benefits, 8 full tuition scholarships, Stacie Rose, #261

Student Financial Aid News
+ Off the Samson and the Rockstar, on the Microtrack and coffee, brought to you in Mono!
+ Illinois governor looking to lease state lottery to raise $10B for education
+ Very innovative strategy - tax more vices!
+ Here’s a highly controversial one: legalize and tax marijuana
+ Market price is approximately $10/gram, or roughly $5 per joint
+ A report by a series of economists notes that legalizing marijuana would save $7.7 billion per year in government expenditure on enforcement of prohibition. $5.3 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, while $2.4 billion would accrue to the federal government.
+ The report also estimates that marijuana legalization would yield tax revenue of $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like all other goods and $6.2 billion annually if marijuana were taxed at rates comparable to those on alcohol and tobacco.
+ Seems a little low… if you have 10 million users consuming approximately 1/2 gram a day on average, and your production cost is $1.70/gram, if you enact a tax to maintain the current street price but funnel revenue to the government… $83M/day. That’s closer to $30.3B in revenues
+ That alone could wipe out all of the recent education tax cuts and then some
+ University of Arizona is now doing financial aid live chat! Terrific use of technology
+ Thousands of students in Indiana are finding their state grants for the next academic year significantly smaller than they expected, The Indianapolis Star reported. Officials blamed a number of factors, including a larger-than-expected applicant pool and a tight state budget.
+ Juniata College switched over its alumni fund to a scholarship fund
+ College officials said that more alumni seem to be donating, and that some people who were perennial $50 givers have suddenly become $500 givers.

Scholarship Update
+ 8 free ride scholarships at Juniata College
+ Valued at $35,220 each
+ Juniata College Arts Scholarships
+ Juniata College Environmental Responsibility Scholarships
+ Juniata College Leadership Scholarships
+ Juniata College Service and Peace Making Scholarships
+ 1 full tuition, plus 1 tuition, room, and board each
+ Students must secure a nomination from their guidance counselor, teacher, community leader, Juniata alumnus, or someone familiar with the student’s involvement in school or community activities to be considered for these most prestigious awards.
+ Deadline is January 1 of each year
+ Detailed information at our free scholarship web site

Jobcast
+ Which benefits are the most important?
+ When to ask - AFTER you get the offer!
+ Benefits weighed against the job - is it a job and a company you’ll love
+ If you’re job hunting for benefits, you’re hunting for the wrong reasons
+ Find the job you love first, THEN work to get the benefits
+ Health insurance - and how much coverage
+ Splits and premiums, deductibles
+ Vacation time, etc.
+ Pension, retirement, and savings
+ Education and training
+ What’s most important?
+ Health care coverage
+ Retirement plans can vary wildly - look for plans which offer the most matching contributions or actual pensions

Podsafe Music
+ Stacie Rose, Consider Me
+ Music via the Podsafe Music Network
+ Stop by our MySpace page!

Reminders
+ Consolidate your student loans at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ Student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ Need financial aid help? Call us at 877-328-1565!
+ Toll-free comment line! 877-328-1565 extension 529!
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com.
+ Subscribe now at www.FinancialAidPodcast.com/subscribe
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at financialaidpodcast {at} gmail {dot} com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 877-328-1565 x529.

Direct file download: MP3 file

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Technorati Tags: blog, college, commentary, consolidation, credit, education, federal student loan, finance, financial aid, financialaid, loan, loan consolidation, loans, money, mp3, music, news, opinion, personal finance, podcast, podcaster, podcasting, podcasts, podsafe, podsafe music, private student loan, radio, scholarship, scholarships, student loan, student loan consolidation

5/24: PLUS loan consolidation, personal finance, FAFSA feedback, borrower benefits, loan forgiveness, Stacie Rose, #260

Student Financial Aid News
+ Back on the Samson today because I feel like it
+ First Marblehead - one of our partners - will securitize $673M in loans
+ Getting ready for a busy summer season
+ Get a head start with StaffordLoan.com, ParentPLUSLoan.com, AlternativeStudentLoan.com, and GradLoans.com
+ New York state approves tougher rules on for-profit colleges
+ John Snow and Ben Bernanke emphasize financial education
+ “People are better able to improve their own economic situations if they understand the basics of personal finance”
+ Margaret Spellings asks for specific suggestions for need-based aid
+ USA Today reminds parents that PLUS loan consolidation is also available
+ PLUSLoanConsolidator.com or 877-328-1565
+ Jim McLeish reports back on FAFSA simplification idea
+ In lighter news, the first prototype for the $100 laptop has been published - and it looks like a large cheese sandwich. I’m not kidding.

Scholarship Update
+ University of Chicago Hormel Public Interest Program Loan Forgiveness Program
+ For graduates of the law school working in public sector
+ Maximum salary of $50K
+ $25,000 over 5 years to repay loans
+ Detailed information at Student Scholarship Search Web Site

Focus on Financial Aid
+ Cosigner release after 48 months
+ 0.25% ACH
+ 0.25%/36
+ How much will that save you? It’s highly variable because the loans have variable interest rates based on the LIBOR index.
+ How do you estimate? Let’s take the 15 year average - 4.5%
+ Add on a margin - 4.65% for best credit
+ Total interest rate 15 year average: 9.15%
+ $272/month for 240 months
+ Total interest paid: $35,476
+ Knock off 0.25% - you get 8.9%
+ $268/month for 240 months
+ Total interest paid: $34,318
+ After 36 months - 8.65%
+ $263/month for 204 months
+ Total interest paid: $33,440
+ You save about $2,000 more on interest paid
+ Available from ActEducationLoans.com and AlternativeStudentLoan.com

Podsafe Music
+ Olivia Greer in Boston Thursday
+ Stacie Rose, High as the Moon
+ Music via the Podsafe Music Network
+ Stop by our MySpace page!

Reminders
+ Consolidate your student loans at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ Student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ Need financial aid help? Call us at 877-328-1565!
+ Toll-free comment line! 877-328-1565 extension 529!
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com.
+ Subscribe now at www.FinancialAidPodcast.com/subscribe
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at financialaidpodcast {at} gmail {dot} com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 877-328-1565 x529.

Direct file download: MP3 file

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Technorati Tags: blog, college, consolidation, credit, education, fafsa, federal student loan, finance, financial aid, financialaid, loan, loan consolidation, loans, money, mp3, music, news, opinion, personal finance, podcast, podcaster, podcasting, podcasts, podsafe, podsafe music, politics, private student loan, radio, scholarship, scholarships, student loan, student loan consolidation