Globe Student Discount

Should You Buy or Rent College Textbooks?

2010-06-29T18:32:22Z

Buying college textbooks, whether new or used, is not cheap. The average student, even the one who is able to sell back the majority of his or her purchased books, would probably save lots of money if he or she were to rent textbooks instead.

Some of the advantages for renting textbooks include:

Potential to save a lot of money
Ease and convenience
No need to try to sell books back after using them

Buying college textbooks has its advantages. If you buy your textbooks, you can make notes in the page margins to help you remember important concepts, for instance. And if you want to keep the textbook after the class is finished, you can. This is especially beneficial if the textbook material has to do directly with your major and you want to refer to it for later classes or even later on in your professional life. If you find the textbook’s subject matter covered personally interesting, even if it’s not directly to your major, then you can keep it and pursue that subject at your leisure as well.

However, it can be hard to find cheap textbooks, even when the student turns to buying online. Depending on how many classes a student has and how many books are needed for each class, it is quite possible to pay hundreds of dollars for textbooks, sometimes even close to a thousand dollars for a full year’s worth. And though many students shop at used bookstores and sell their books at the end of the semester, sometimes departments change the books they will be using each year, requiring entering students to buy brand new college textbooks and causing the bookstores to decline to buy the old ones back from the students who are departing.

Renting college textbooks has its advantages as well, mostly in the financial arena. Many college students scrape by and have a difficult time paying for their textbooks. Textbook rentals allow for students to have the books they need for class but at a much lower cost than they would have to incur if they bought them.

Given the difficult economic climate, it is becoming more and more popular on college campuses to rent, rather than buy, textbooks. Textbook rental services, often run on independent websites, offer both new and gently used textbooks for rent, at cheap prices compared to traditional bookstores. Some estimate that students are saving up to 40% overall on their total college textbook costs because of the option to rent their books. And there’s no need to go through the hassle of trying to sell the books back at the close of the semester.

Overall, it can be estimated that students would most likely rather rent than buy their books.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

Should You Buy or Rent College Textbooks?

The Best Computer for College Students?

2010-05-02T20:38:38Z

Getting ready for your first year of college and you have a million things on your plate. You need start packing all your goods, go shopping for your dorm room necessities, register for all your classes; how are you suppose to find the time to research and pick out the most important item on your school supply list - your computer? And where will you find the best student deals?

We’ve gone through and broke down all the key specs and pinpointed the best computer for students depending on what you decide to pursue your degree in.

1.) Computers for Art and Graphic Design Students

As you probably know, most students majoring in Art or Graphic Design tend to choose a student Mac. Here’s why. Apple has a better handling on graphics with better color rendering and font capabilities than a PC. Additionally, Mac’s editing applications all have easy to use user interfaces from iPhoto and iMovie to their professional tools. Because there is really no difference in the software that is available for graphic design (Student Discount Adobe) between a Mac and PC, Mac’s edge on color calibration, font management, ease of use, and not to mention a large, beautiful screen to develop your projects on, makes it a perfect computer for art and computer graphic students. Also, many design firms and art departments use Apple computers so recruiters will be seeking students that have familiarity with Mac’s OS.

Students looking for a portable Mac that will run quickly and smoothly while working on large projects should consider the MacBook Pro. It's got plenty of ram, and double the amount of graphics memory as a Macbook. For a student discount laptop, try the Apple Store or MacMall.

2.) Computers for Engineering and Computer Science Students

Lets say instead you decided to go towards a more technical degree such as Engineering, Computer Science, or Math, you will want to look for a high-powered Windows machine. For Engineering students, your laptops will need to be able to run demanding applications, the standard ones being AutoCAD and MATLAB. Think of the type of software you will run and pick a laptop with enough power to run such applications. Look for something with at least 3 gigs of RAM and dual-core CPU. A great choice would be the Lenovo ThinkPad T400. This model packs a powerful 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 3GB of ram and has often been recommended by professional engineers.

3.) Computers for Business and Liberal Art students

If you are going to school for any sort of business or liberal arts degree, you probably won’t need to be studying the tech specs of the laptops at the electronic stores too hard. What you need is an affordable laptop that will last you the next four years and can be easily carried around campus. Though nowadays you can get many laptops with small price tags, many of these are designed to last only one or two years before needing replacement. You don’t want to be stuck in a situation where you lose your final term paper cause your computer decides to break. The Sony VAIO is one of the most recommended laptops for students by colleges. Additionally, Sony often has large discounts for students when buying time comes around.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

The Best Computer for College Students?

Review: ISE Card - International Student Exchange Card

2010-01-26T22:10:58Z

The ISE Card, or International Student Exchange Card, is the gold standard for student travelers.

Here in the United States, the ISE doesn’t have the visibility of the Student Advantage Card, or the reach of the ISIC card. Make no mistake, the ISE is recognized worldwide for good reason. For young travelers, the ISE card offers so much more than your average student discount program.

The Nitti Gritty Fine Print

The ISE cost $25 dollars and lasts for one year. To qualify, you must be a student (no age restriction) or a non-student between the ages of 12 and 26 years old. All teachers and faculty members also qualify. The cost and eligibility requirements are consistent with other student cards.

The Discounts

The ISE card discounts are all about travel. Sure, they offer a few shopping discounts, but these play second fiddle to flights, hotels and attractions. If you plan on traveling anywhere, including within the United States, you’ll want to grab one of these cards even before you make your first reservation.

The top discounts include...

Special pricing on student flights to and from almost any country in the world. ISE has teamed up with several travel agencies that specialize in student tickets. Book a ticket through StudentUniverse and receive an extra $5 dollars off domestic tickets and $10 off international.
Free HostelRes Card (normally $18) with any Eurorail pass purchase. This offers a complete package for those backpacking through Europe that need transportation and a place to sleep.
Save 10-20% on car rentals from companies like Avis, National and Alamo.
Get a 10% discount on rooms from Super 8, Days Inn, Wyndham Resorts and Knights Inn.
ISE holders receive special rates on train and bus tickets from Greyline, Eurostar and National Express. National Express is one of my favorites. I saw most of England riding aound on their buses. I can vouch that it was a great time.

Benefits

The ISE is so much more than a discount card. It’s more like a full-featured travel card offering more benefits than AAA, and for a lot less money.

ISE card holders are covered to up to $2000 in medical benefits and up to $5000 in evacuation costs, if your medical emergency merits getting you out of whatever country you're in. This alone should set parents’ minds at ease.

Other benefits include worldwide assistance for help with lost passports, legal issues, and arranging travel documents. Travelers can call a toll free number from anywhere in the world for help with these problems.

ISE will cover your medical deductible under certain circumstances. In North America they even provide a roadside assistance program. The list goes on and on.

Is it the Card For You?

If you plan on traveling, I recommend the ISE card. Not only will the discounts save you money, but the peace of mind and assistance offered should smooth out any bumps you encounter along your journey. If you like staying closer to home and consider yourself more of a shopper, I might recommend one of the other student discount cards, like Student Advantage or ISIC.

Either way, the ISE card reminds us what student life is all about – traveling and having fun.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

Review: ISE Card - International Student Exchange Card

Which Student Discount Card is Best?

2010-01-05T01:46:05Z

Here at the Globe, I often tout the many benefits of obtaining a student discount card. Student cards such as Student Advantage or ISIC are cheap – costing between twenty and thirty dollars a year. They pay for themselves the first couple of times you use them. And they provide the easiest access to literally hundreds of student discounts around the world.

For college students, they make great gifts. For anyone under the age of 26 who travels or shops a lot, they are essential.

But what card is the best? Since each card offers different college student discounts, a better question would be “What student discount card is right for me?” Are you the type of person who likes to eat out? Do you shop for clothes at stores like Target and Macy’s? Or are you a recent graduate spending the summer hitchhiking across Europe?

How you shop and spend your money will determine which student discount card best fits your lifestyle.

In the United States, three companies - STA, Student Advantage, and ISE - all offer discount programs to students. Although each company is a top-notch professional organization, each program provides different discount options. Knowing the difference could save you a lot of money in the end.

The popular Student Advantage Card sells for $20 online. With it, students and parents can save up to 10-50% at stores like AT&T, Urban Outfitters, Greyhound, Toshiba, AMC Theaters, Foot Locker and more. It’s a good card for those who like to shop.
STA sells the ISIC card for $22. Non-students between under the age of 26 can purchase a similar IYTC (International Youth Travel Card) for the same amount. The ISIC card boasts discounts at 24 Hour Fitness, Virgin Megastores, Amtrak, the Apple Store, Target.com, Motel 6 and more.
The ISE Card, or International Student Exchange Card, offers great travel benefits with worldwide discounts on airline flights, hotels and car rentals. ISE also provides peace of mind with student travel insurance, medical benefits and roadside assistance. All for only $25 online.

As cheap as these cards are you could buy two just to cover your bases. However, if you are just buying one, you will want to do your research.

In the next three posts I’ll review each of these cards separately, weighing each for pros and cons. And I promise to reveal which one is my favorite.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

Which Student Discount Card is Best?

Homeschool Computer Discounts - Three Options

2009-11-22T00:31:22Z

Homeschooling can be the greatest experience in the world, especially if you like your teacher and get along with your classmates.

If you don’t like your teacher and you hate your classmates, well… it’s going to be a long semester.

For those of us not involved in homeschooling, it is easy to overlook the extra expenses of teaching your children without government support. It can really throw a wrench into your retirement plans. No one provides your child with a desk, textbooks, gym equipment or a school lunch (this last one may be a good thing.)

One thing’s for sure – it’s hard to teach at home without a good student computer. While larger school systems can purchase huge volumes of computer systems for pennies on the dollar, homeschoolers must purchase at prices closer to retail, all while staying within the family budget.

Computer manufactures have been slow in recognizing the vast homeschool market, but a few are starting to come around.

Three Retailers for Computer Discounts

Three of the best options for parents to find homeschool computer discounts are Apple, Dell, and Lenovo.

Apple - The Apple Store for Education offers probably the best and easiest to access discounts for homeschoolers. Apple offer discount prices on popular iMacs and student Macbooks at about the same level as their regular education pricing, which is to say from 5-10%. Verification is a snap and the store is easy to navigate. (After clicking the link, scroll to the bottom of the page for the Homeschool Store.)

Dell – Thank the good people at the Homeschool Buyer’s Co-op for setting up an easy, self-service buying program for Dell Computers. They offer a link through which homeschoolers can receive savings of 2%-12% on Dell Dimension desktops and Inspiron student notebooks.

Lenovo - A computer manufacturer most people don’t think about, Lenovo offers solutions for families with children in grades K-12. Again, homeschoolers easily qualify for the discount computer pricing. Lenovo limits purchases to five computers per household.

Remember, It’s usually not a good idea to purchase the least expensive computer system, as it will probably be slow and out of date within a year or two. Buying a more powerful computer system means it will probably last longer.

Now enjoy your new computer.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

Homeschool Computer Discounts - Three Options

Still Time to Qualify for Windows 7 Student Discount

2009-10-26T19:01:14Z

Microsoft has finally got on the bandwagon and is offering a great deal with its Windows 7 student discount. College students can save nearly a hundred dollars on this new operating system. Although students and regular folk alike have been rushing to download a copy before the promotion ends, there is every indication Microsoft will leave the Windows 7 student discount in place permanently.

If you are like me, you generally upgrade your operating system only by default when you buy a new computer or need a new copy of Microsoft Word. Even then, you don’t think about it much. But this year has been marked by two exciting operating system releases. The first came when Apple announced it would sell its highly praised Mac OS X Snow Leopard for only $29.00. Most insiders speculate this is why Microsoft responded by dropping the price of Windows 7 to $29.99. (Leave it to Microsoft to squeeze out the extra 99 cents.) Two great operating systems, both available for the price of a couple of movie tickets and popcorn.

Microsoft has set up a couple of web pages to help students and families purchase Windows 7 and other deeply discounted Microsoft products. Microsoft calls it the Ultimate Steal, and for good reason. In addition to offering Windows 7 for $30, qualified students can walk away with a copy of Office Ultimate 2007 for only $59.95. That’s a 90% student discount. It’s also a better deal than what’s offered at authorized Microsoft resellers like Academic Superstore or Journey Ed.

Another site called DigitalRiver offers the same downloadable version of Windows 7 for the same price. I’ve heard some reports of difficulty in upgrading Windows 7 from a downloadable copy. So unless you really know what you’re doing, consider buying direct from Microsoft and paying the extra $14 for hard DVD copies of the software.

Microsoft verifies all purchases by checking for a valid edu email address. They say only college students qualify for the Windows 7 discount, so I’m not sure if they disqualify professors or other educators with valid email accounts. If you’re a teacher, it’s worth a shot to try.

So if you need a tricked-out operating system with faster, head over to Microsoft and pick up a copy of Windows 7. But if you’re like me, you might just use this as an excuse to buy a new computer.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

Still Time to Qualify for Windows 7 Student Discount

J. Crew and Macy’s Student Discounts

2009-10-14T17:40:42Z

A recent television interview featured me talking about all the great deals at GlobeStudentDiscount. Amy Buckman at 6abc in Philadelphia put together a fantastic piece about us. The story flooded our website with traffic.

In addition to highlighting our sections on college travel discounts and student discount cards, the story mentions savings at J. Crew and Macy’s. The only problem is, it’s not clear on our website where to find these savings.

Macy’s offers an 11% student discount for youth who hold either a Student Advantage card or an ISIC card. Both cards carry a ton of other discounts for merchants like Target, Amtrak, eBags, Toshiba and the Apple Store. Along with the ISE card, they usually pay for themselves the first time you use it.

If your college-aged student likes to travel or shop, consider helping them learn how to save by purchasing one of these cards. The student discount cards make great gifts.

The J. Crew discount is easy and best explained here. Students receive a 15% discount on any full-priced J. Crew merchandise purchased in-store, online, or over the phone.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

J. Crew and Macy’s Student Discounts

How to Save on Family Computer Software

2009-10-09T23:18:42Z

I love those Microsoft commercials, the ones with the little girl who likes to play home alone computer genius. At age four, she sends emails, edits movies, Twitters and schedules a NASA launch all from her Microsoft-powered laptop. I think the point of the commercial is to make me feel stupid for not being able to do half these things.

In your case, I hope you already have a kindergartner lying around your house somewhere. If you do, you can get all that software up to 50% off.

How the Discount Works

Parents qualify for software discounts when they have any child enrolled in school. That means you can buy Microsoft Office at 30-50% off retail, even if you have a first grader. Install it on your home computer. Put it on the kids’ laptop. Your ninth grader can use it for homework and your 11th grader can post YouTube videos.

Beyond Microsoft, parents can use student discounts to buy a whole range of software, including…

Adobe, including Photoshop, CS4 and Acrobat
Corel
Music & Creativity Software
Early Learning and Educational Software

Two of the biggest discount retailers are Academic Superstore and JourneyEd. They both specialize in working with parents.

How to Qualify

In order to get the discount, you just have to prove your child is a student. For K-12 students you need to send, email or fax a copy of ONE of the following –

Report Card
School ID
Registration Receipt
Letter of Enrollment on school letterhead

If your child attends college, you can also checkout using the student’s college-issued email address (ending in .edu). You will have to get help from your child for this, but they should be grateful you are buying software for their future.

Both Academic Superstore and JourneyEd are eager to help parents qualify. The software is legal and licensed, and continues to work even after your child graduates.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

How to Save on Family Computer Software

Apple Mac Computer Buying Guide

2009-10-05T22:19:38Z

My very first Apple computer was love at first site. With the laser printer we added the system cost me and my parents two thousand dollars.

Today you can purchase a powerful iMac or Macbook Air much cheaper, probably for a lot less money than you realize. A few simple shopping techniques will yield much lower prices than what you will find on the Apple website. So before you buy anything from the geniuses at the Apple store, consider a few other ways to get the best price on your new Mac.

The Simple Way - Student and Teacher Discounts Save 5-10%

It seems obvious, but it amazes me how many parents overlook computer student discounts when their child first goes to college. Apple offers student discounts ranging from 5 to 10% on most of its computers. Any college student qualifies, as well as professors and teachers of any grade level (K-12).

You can get the Apple discount in one of three ways.

At any Apple retail store
Online at the Apple Store for Education
At school if they have an Apple Authorized Campus Store

A Smarter Way – Apple Resellers Save 10-20%

The most expensive way to buy a Mac computer is direct from Apple. But authorized Apple resellers like MacMall sell the exact same computers at significantly reduced prices, up to 10-20% lower.

MacMall also throws in a bunch of free extras.

Free software
Free printers
Bonuses for college students, like iPods and cameras.

Your order is fulfilled direct from the Apple factories. All Mac computers sold by authorized re-sellers include the same full manufacturer guarantees.

A Better Way – Buy Refurbished. Save 5-23%

Refurbished Mac computers cost less than student discount prices. For example, the student discount on a new 20” iMac save you only about $50, or less than 5 percent. The exact same iMac refurbished saves $200, or around 15%. I've seen savings up to 23% off. No student discount price can ever beat that.

Some people think of refurbished as meaning a computer that was dropped from a second story window and repackaged as “gently used.” In reality, most refurbished computers never leave the factory floor. They may have a minor scuff or a faulty circuit. They give the computers brand new parts and test them again. Because of the extra testing, some people think refurbished computers may be more reliable.

I own a refurbished iMac. I bought it even though I could have received a student discount. The computer arrived brand new, with a warrantee, and it still works great.

It doesn’t really matter how you buy your new Mac. Never pay full price, and remember to love it.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

Apple Mac Computer Buying Guide

Discount Student Airfare Basics

2009-09-29T07:07:21Z

With all the options involved, purchasing student discount airfare can be overwhelming. However, buying student flights today is just as easy as purchasing regular airfare. You follow the same basic steps. The only difference is student airfare can save you a lot of money. To avoid any lack of confidence, here are four simple discount airfare basics to help you find the cheapest student tickets.

Rule #1 – Shop Around

It seems obvious, but sometimes people buy tickets after looking at only one website. We find a website we like and we stick with it. However, no company sells the cheapest tickets every time. Looking around can make the difference of over a hundred dollars.

The two main companies that offer student discount airline tickets are STA and StudentUniverse. Both have special agreements with the major airlines to offer reduced student prices.

The main difference between these sites is how they verify who qualifies. STA sells mainly to travelers under the age of 26. Student aged between 26 and 34 (and teachers too) must purchase an ISIC (International Student Identity Card) to qualify for special fares. The card cost $22 and comes loaded with extra discounts to make the card a good deal no matter how old the student is.

On the other hand, Student Universe has no age restrictions. Here, students and faculty must verify with a school-issued email address ending in edu. For students without a school issued email address, StudentUniverse provides alternate methods of verification.

Start with these two sites and save anywhere between $10 and $130.

Rule #2 – The Student Discount Price isn’t Always the Cheapest

Shocking, but true. StudentUniverse and STA can only offer student pricing on some, but not all, flights. To know if you’re getting the best value, you must also look at one of the other travel sites like Orbitz, which doesn’t charge any booking fees.

Remember rule number one. Anytime you buy an airline ticket, search a minimum of three websites for fares.

Rule #3 – Use Student Discount Cards for Bigger Savings

The smartest investment any student or parent can make is buying a student discount card. For less than $30, programs such as Student Advantage, ISIC and ISE provide savings that more than pay for the cost of the cards. These discount programs are great for getting extra deals on shopping, entertainment and yes, airline tickets.

JetBlue offers a whopping 11% discount for all students who carry a ISIC card. Not to be outdone, the ISE card saves $5 off any domestic airline ticket purchased from StudentUniverse. The discount jumps to $10 for international fares. If you combine this with the regular discount from StudentUniverse, the savings add up.

Rule #4 – Book Your Flight Yesterday

Student airline seats, the kinds offered by STA and Student Universe, disappear faster than other kinds of tickets. If you can, buy your tickets months ahead. If you know you’re flying home in December, book your ticket in August.

Summary

Check prices at a minimum of three different travel websites before buying a ticket. Start at STA or Student Universe, then look at one of the mainstream travel sites like Orbitz. Consider a low-cost student discount card like the ISE card for even bigger discounts. Shop early and use your savings to buy your parents a nice gift.

Enjoy your success. After this, you may want to stay a student forever.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

Discount Student Airfare Basics

iHerb Coupon – $5 off Vitamins

2009-09-25T02:54:36Z

Have you ever bought vitamins or supplements online? IHerb has announced a special discount promotion that might interest you. First time customers can receive $5 off any product from their website by using a special vitamin coupon.

At first, you might think students don’t purchase many vitamins or supplements. However, iHerb’s catalog runs over 10,000 items deep and includes everything from protein powder to beauty products. You can also find more traditional supplements like fish oil and vitamin C. They even sell toothpaste and my one-time favorite food, Cliff Bars.

If you haven’t heard of them before, iHerb is generally considered the number one online supplement retailer, based on customer satisfaction. I’ve been using them for years. I like iHerb because they are cheap, easy to use and their packages arrive fast by first class mail.

The great benefit about this $5 promotion is that you can use it on anything, no matter what the item costs to start with. For example, if you apply to coupon to a $5 bottle of vitamins, the product is free. You only have to pay a buck or two for shipping. Also, iHerb doesn’t pad its shipping costs like some other companies. In fact, any order over $40 ships free. There’s also an extra 5% discount for any order over $60.

To use the instant coupon, go to iHerb. After you place something into your shopping cart, enter code RUS173 in the coupon box. Only first time customers can use the discount code and only once per household. Feel free to share the code with friends, family and co-workers.

As an added bonus, I've put together a vitamin coupon video, plus some hints on how get even bigger discounts. Enjoy.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

iHerb Coupon – $5 off Vitamins

The Big Deal about eTextbooks

2009-09-24T01:01:41Z

Are you on board with the online textbook wave of the future? Right now, etextbooks have generated the same kind of enthusiasm as the Amazon Kindle – it sounds cool, but some people aren’t so sure about going paperless just yet. So we took a look at the etextbooks available online. What we found were some major advantages over traditional books.

Buying textbooks each semester is a hallowed college tradition, but not a fun one. In the old days, you scoured the campus bookstore for titles, found half of them sold out or unavailable, then waited an hour in line waiting to check out. Today the process runs smoother with the availability of textbooks online. Both Chegg and eCampus sell new and used discounted books through their websites.

A company called CourseSmart simplifies textbook buying one step further. Instead of waiting 3-5 days for your book to arrive in the mail, you simply download the text onto your computer, instantly. CourseSmart only charges about 50% of the normal price of a textbook, and a license allows you to view the book for a certain amount of months.

At first, we were a little put off by the idea of a wireless textbook. Isn’t it weird to read a book online? Then we realized we do most of our daily reading online anyway. In addition, nobody really reads a textbook the same way you read a regular book. With a textbook, you skim and highlight for important information. You jump around a lot and use just the pages you need. Thought of this way, we started to see the true power of etextbooks.

Online textbooks give you the ability to search, highlight and take notes. Need the formula for Planck's constant? Just type it in to find it in seconds. This is a huge advantage over traditional textbooks. In this way, etextbooks behave more like the way we really use information today. We search, share and file. Etextbooks help us do that more efficiently.

There are other advantages too. Ever wish you had your textbook with you at the airport? But who wants to lug thirty pounds of dead weight around over Christmas break? With online textbooks, you can carry every book you need on your laptop everywhere you go. How about taking notes in class? Now you can take notes on your laptop and place them directly into the relevant section of your book. After that you can print it all off to share with your study group.

CourseSmart also emphasizes that etextbooks help the environment. Online books save trees and cut down on CO2 emissions by reducing transportation and production costs.

The truth is that someday paperless books will be the rule, rather than the exception. Right now, the new technology feels a little weird, but in time, the textbook manufactures should make the process smoother. Our hope is that online books will also drive down prices, the same way iTunes helped lower the price of music.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

The Big Deal about eTextbooks

Affordable Student Health Insurance

2009-09-20T21:41:12Z

You're in school and you have no health insurance. You’re also in good company. About.com reports that 18-24 year-olds represent the largest growing population of uninsured individuals. Where can they find affordable health insurance for students? Is it even possible?

The question strikes close to home. I spent my entire nine years of college uninsured. I never got really sick, but I gambled with my health. Sometimes I didn’t go the doctor as much as I should have. In the back of my mind I worried about getting a fatal disease like cancer. I imagined dying in bed, apologizing to my mother for being too poor to buy health insurance.

Most 'experts' recommend students stay on their parents’ policy. It’s great advice when it works. My guess is you’ve already tried this option. Or you’re eligibility has expired, or a million other reasons why your parents’ policy doesn’t work for you. At some point we all reach the same place.

Here’s my list of recommendation for finding best student health insurance.

THE COLLEGE HEALTH PLAN

Bigger schools are great when they have a student health center. The school guarantees access by a mandatory health fee tacked on to your bill each semester. At the University of Southern California, this was the best money I ever spent. I made appointments anytime I wanted, however silly my health concern. I once complained to the doctor that my throat hurt every day, always after eating tobacco sauce. He suggested I stop eating hot sauce every day. Modern medicine awes me.

Student health plans are great for common office visits, but they don't substitute for comprehensive policies and they usually don't cover dental. If you need any surgery or a hospital stay, good luck paying for it. The good news is many schools offer extended insurance coverage. A growing trend finds some schools even requiring all students obtain supplemental coverage. Check with your school for details. Some offer great, affordable plans. Others don’t measure up. Often it’s cheaper and more flexible to find your own private insurance.

THE INDIVIDUAL PLAN

Buying insurance on the open market seems a little scary, but it’s often the easiest and cheapest option for student health coverage. Private companies like eHealthInsurance have gotten good at connecting people with affordable student health policies.

Catastrophic insurance is always the least expensive option. The question is – how much risk are you willing to take? The deduction for catastrophic plans usually starts around $2500 and range upwards to around $20,000. I punched some numbers into an online calculator and found policies as low as $37 a month, up to three million dollars in coverage. Granted, the deductible was $5000 a year and office visits weren’t covered, but for $37 you know I you're going to get treated if anything happens.

Generally, the less your deductible the more you will pay each month. A ten thousand dollar deductible could put a college student in debt for years. But by paying more each month, say $100, you can get close to decent coverage that allows you to see a doctor when you need to. It’s terrible to not go snowboarding because you’re scared of breaking your leg.

OTHER ALTERNATIVES

These other alternatives to cheap health insurance may work for some people, but not everybody, in finding coverage.

A. Get a job. But if you had a great job with benefits you wouldn’t be here.

B. State and Federal programs. If you’re poor – really poor – and not claimed as a dependant on anyone’s taxes, you may qualify for government programs. While unemployed in Los Angeles, I qualified for free medical care near Beverly Hills. They treated me great and I never saw a bill. Government programs set strict guidelines. Check with your local social services office.

C. Stay on your parents’ coverage. I already mentioned this, but any states have laws extending how long a student can stay on a parent’s plan. Worth checking out.

D. Cobra. This government program helps people who’ve lost their insurance, including students who’ve lost their coverage from their parents. Cobra can be expensive, and is meant only a temporary measure.

E. Become a Canadian citizen. Yes, it works. But you actually have to move to Canada. Warning: they don’t accept just anyone.

Photo Credits by edwardfilms & momboleum

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

Affordable Student Health Insurance

My $100,000 Student Film

2009-08-28T04:04:21Z

How did I end up with a career on the internet? The answer is I went to film school, spent $100,000 and made a student film.

I attended the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. It's the same school that George Lucas attended along with Ron Howard and just about every other famous person in Hollywood. It's also the school that rejected Steven Spielberg. (He still gives the school money though.)

So we were all pretty proud of ourselves in my graduating class. USC is a hard film school to get into. Harder, statistically, than getting accepted into Harvard. The halls of the Lucas building are covered with movie posters signed by famous alumni. We all believed in our hearts that someday our own signed posters would drape from the same concrete walls.

And we had fun. We made movies, right? We watched movies, shot movies, edited movies, made sound for movies and talked about movies all the time. And we did it without the abstract theory you might find at some Midwestern liberal arts college. Stuff like "the role of suppressed feminism in post-war 1950's Polish cinema." No way. This was Hollywood baby! USC was about doing, not talking. We liked action and special effects. We got to cast real Hollywood actors for our student films. (Not always the best actors, mind you, but real actors.)

Then I graduated.

Instead of becoming famous, I quickly became un-famous. I became as un-famous as an un-famous person could be. I got my first Hollywood job working for a producer named Steve Tisch. My job was to drive scripts around town. If the script was really bad, I got to read it and write up a report. And yes, I made coffee every morning.

After reading enough scripts, I left my job to pursue screenwriting. The problem was I couldn't write. That didn't stop me from trying. I put everything I had into writing screenplays. It took me a year to write an entire script. After about eight screenplays I started to do well in some big Hollywood contests, but I was burnt out.

Did anyone in my class succeed? Most didn't. My friend Erik Aadahl works as a sound editor for big films such as Monsters vs. Aliens and Transformers. He should win an Oscar someday. (He also acted in my film.)

Film school was fun, and only cost me a cool $100,000. I don't have much to show for it, except for this short film made my junior year. Was it worth $100,000?

A five minute movie at $100,000 works out to about $20,000 per minute. If my

student film ran a feature-length two hours, it would cost only 2.4 million dollars, a bargain by Hollywood standards! Looks like I did learn something at USC. Spielberg, if you're reading this, I'm still available.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

My $100,000 Student Film

Welcome to the Globe

2009-07-25T23:01:57Z

College was great for me. I like it so much I spent nine years there.

I did almost everything a student could do. I made life-long friends, explored new ideas, took more road trips than I could count and, of course, occasionally I studied. By the time I graduated I was a little older than most of the other students, and maybe a little wiser. Nevertheless, through all my classwork from Shakespeare to physics, the one lesson I learned better than any other was “How do I pay for all this?”

The Globe - Vincent Aarts, William Fales, Cyrus Shepard & Matthew Hamilton

I maxed out my financial aid, took out a heap of loans, worked part-time and often full-time, and learned the limits of credit cards. No doubt about it, I was the poorest person I knew. But I never let this stop me from enjoying myself. The truth is, students need a lot of things. They need computers and productivity tools, essentials like clothes and food, and they need to have fun during the best years of their lives.

The trick is getting all these things without spending a lot of money. Early on, I learned to leverage the power of the student discount. Whether buying my first Apple computer, or going on an adventure to Europe, I discovered many ways to take advantage of my situation. When student discounts weren’t available, I learned other ways to get the best stuff for cheap. I might have been poor, but I used the tools available to me in order to live great.

I have carried these lessons with me through life. I never believe in paying ‘full price.’ There is always a bargain, always a cheaper way. Seize the discount!

I started Globe Student Discount to help people like the student I used to be. So enjoy yourself. Buy yourself that cool new laptop. Or take an awesome vacation. And do it without spending as much as you thought.

Welcome to Globe Student Discount. Let us know how we can help.

This post came from Cyrus Shepard who writes about student discounts and student travel deals.

Welcome to the Globe