I suppose it's time to enter the 21st century - finally. First it was creating a webpage for my wedding (how late 1990s). Then, it was venturing into the world of MySpace (scarry) and more recently Facebook (addicting). Now, the time has come to blog. But, the trouble is - what to put into the first post? 
Maybe it's just me, but I often find modern online communication forms baffling. Why do I need to read what other people think in the Your Opinion area after an online news article? Who actually takes the time to reply to a news article in today's fast-paced world? (Obviously a lot of people) Why do I find myself instant messaging with people who are sitting in the other room when I could just go make a visit? Am I the only one who gets annoyed at "I got your email" emails? ... but I digress. The topic was what to put into the first post - so why not dive right in...
Student Loan Crisis - Regent Impact
If you've been following the news at all this summer, no doubt you've heard or read an article about the "crisis in student lending". Indeed, there are some serious concerns about the availability of student loans for the upcoming year. However, it is important to note that the only ripple the vast majority of Regent students will feel as they return to school this fall will be a small increase in the upfront fee that banks were perviously paying on behalf of the student and reduction in repayment benefits on new loans. Only a very small portion of Regent students were borrowing through lenders no longer involved in the program - and these students have been able to find a new lender.
July 31st - TAG Deadline
August 15th - Federal Aid Begins to Disburse (loans/grants - if all requirements are met)
August 22nd - Account Refunds begin being mailed (if financial aid has paid to account in excess of bill)
August 25th - First Day of Classes for Fall 2008!
...and with that, the first post on my blog is finished.
Please check back each week as my goal is to post as topics peak my interest. I hope you find the postings informative, with a slight bit of humor and a personal touch thrown in for good measure.
Keep your eyes open for updates through Central Financial Aid's monthly newsletter.
Have a great fall term! (It's hard to believe we're a month away from the start of classes!)
View from my office window during thunderstorm.