Money, Money, Money

If you and your student are still trying to figure out how to make ends meet for school this year, here are a few ideas:

1) Financial Aid
It's not too late to apply for scholarships. One popular resource is Fast Web at http://www.fastweb.com/. Simply register and fill out a short questionnaire. Then FastWeb sends you personalized information about scholarships, internships, colleges, and more. And it's all free!
Webster University's Financial Aid Office also has some scholarship suggestions. Visit the following link for more information: http://admissions.webster.edu/admissions/finaid/scholarships_other.asp

2) On-Campus Jobs
Many campus departments employ student workers. An on-campus job makes it easy for a student to be more involved in campus life, not to mention helping him/her save money on gas! Check out the Career Services student employment website: http://www.webster.edu/careers/students/positions.shtml. Scroll down for Fall 2008 positions.

3) Coupons and Memberships
You're never too young to start clipping coupons! I've recently decided that I should never have to pay full price for anything. You can get coupons for restaurants, groceries, retail outlets, and more. You just have to know where to look! With so much pressure on budgets these days, encourage your son/daughter to save money where they can.

• Coupons for Groceries, Retail, Travel, and Restaurants: http://www.wow-coupons.com/index.php
• Sign up for the e-clubs at various restaurants and retailers. I started an email account that I use only for these memberships. You usually only get one email a week, and every now and again that email includes a money-saving coupons. For example, I'm in the e-club for the restaurant Sweet Tomatoes, and about once every couple of months, I get a coupon for a Buy One, Get One Free Buffet--that's $10 in savings.

4) Financial Planning
This can make all the difference. Encourage your student to prepare a budget in advance. Try this monthly budget calculator to start planning now. DePaul University also has an extensive Financial Fitness program on their website that can help college students manage their finances from freshman year to graduation and beyond.

5) Check out 118 Ways to Save Money in College for more useful tips.

Countdown to College

Room assignments were emailed to residents last week. If your son/daughter hasn't received their assignment, or if they have any questions about their assignment, have them contact the Office of Housing and Residential Life at 314-246-4663 or housing@webster.edu.

If you have any other questions/concerns about campus housing, you can always contact us at that number and email. Our office hours are Monday through Friday 8:30am-4:30pm.

As the school year approaches, your student may be getting antsy and excited for college to start. There are plenty of useful books to help him/her prepare, such as:
College Life 102: The No-Bull Guide to a Great Freshman Year by Andrew G Kadar
The Naked Roommate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College by Harlan Cohen
How to Ace Your Way Through College and Still Have a Life! by David Kennedy
Been There, Should've Done That: 995 Tips for Making the Most of College by Suzette Tyler
Or if he/she is just looking for a good book to read for the summer, check out the Top Ten Books to Read Before College.

There are also some great books for parents, especially if this is your first kid going off to college:
Letting Go: A Parents' Guide to Understanding the College Years by Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treeger
I'll Miss You Too: An Off-to-College Guide for Parents and Students by Margo E. Woodacre Bane Steffany Bane

As you start hitting the stores to buy supplies, make sure your son/daughter speaks to his/her roommate(s). Otherwise you could end up with 2 of everything. We have provided some basic What to Bring lists for the Residence Halls and Apartments here. For a more extensive list, check out the College Moving Guide from offtocollege.com at http://www.webreader.com/download/college-moving.pdf. While you're packing, if you're not sure about that halogen lamp (not allowed) or pet bird (not allowed), review our policies and procedures here.

Review the move-in guide for your student's building here. Orientation Leaders and other volunteers will be assisting with freshman move-in, so, if you're a freshman parent, make sure you label all your student's belongings and boxes with his/her name and room number.

Feel free to post comments or contact me directly (mccombka@webster.edu) if you have any questions or would like to see specific content on this blog!

Welcome!

Webster University's Office of Housing and Residential Life has started this blog to keep parents informed about the following topics:

• updates in campus housing at Webster University;
• helpful information about Webster University and Housing & Residential Life;
• discussions on the issues that your son/daughter may face while adjusting to college life;
• fun ideas for what to do while you're visiting your son/daughter at the home campus in Webster Groves, MO; and
• anything else that comes to mind!

We want you to feel connected to your student and your student's school. Our goal is to provide consistent and informative parent communication.

We welcome comments, questions, and suggestions on the blog itself, or you can always contact us at 314-246-HOME (4663) or housing@webster.edu. You can always visit our website for more information: www.webster.edu/housing.