FAFSA student loans are a very painful way to finance your college education.

There are Stafford loans, Perkins loans, and PLUS loans which have interest rates ranging from 5% to 8%.

Including tuition, room and board, books, and transportation expenses for 4 long years at a public university, your loan needs will be around $70,000.

Add that cute interest rate to the principal amount, and you are paying a total of approximately $90,000 over the next 10 years.

Does that get you excited? Here is something to really get excited about.

I found a way that is available to any prospective college student to avoid the FAFSA student loans and the interest and the FAFSA application.

The best part is that you can slash the cost of your undergraduate education BY MORE THAN 50 percent.

Does this sound too good to be true?

My son has 87 college credits towards his bachelor’s in business. He is on track to complete his business degree from a regionally accredited university, and the cost will be less than half that $90,000 price tag.

All this is possible without filling out a FAFSA financial aid form or applying for any type of student loans.

How is this possible?

The simple answer is two words: CLEP and DANTES.

They are two nationally approved and recommended college testing services. Through using these testing services you can obtain enough credits for your first three years of college.

After that, you can transfer those credits to finish off your senior year with a bachelor’s degree.

I call this plan the college revolution.

So before you turn to FAFSA to finance your college education, think twice and hard.

By: Michael Ecuyer

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Do you have a passion for animals? Do you have an ambition to be a veterinarian? You can be an animal lover but to be a licensed veterinarian may be a hard task for you as it requires a lot of hard effort in your studies. You can still contribute your effort in promoting animals’ health by becoming a veterinary technician (vet tech) as the entry level for this particular training is relatively low compared with a veterinarian.

A vet tech is a professional support staff that is specially trained to provide assistance to the licensed veterinarians, biomedical researchers or scientists. In order to be a qualified vet tech, he or she must fulfill the following requirements:

(i) Obtaining an academic qualification from any of the veterinary school which is accredited by American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB)

To obtain the academic qualification, one has to pursue a 2-year associate degree program. The degree program covers a wide range of topics related to animal health and welfare, veterinary technology and facility management. Throughout the program, the students are equipped with all the necessary clinical skills. Besides the 2-year associate degree program, there is another alternative where the students can choose, which is a 4-year degree program to be a veterinary technologist.

(ii) Passing a credentialing exam which is called National Veterinary Technician Examination (NVTE)

After graduating from the veterinary school, the students are required to sit for the examination regulated by the State Board of Veterinary Examiners. This specific exam is used as an important tool to evaluate the competency level of the candidates to perform necessary veterinary clinical task. In order to sit for the exam, the candidates must provide the proofs of their graduation.

It is compulsory for the students to pass the exam in order to obtain the license. They will then be able to start their employment as vet techs in any organization in veterinary service industry. To be a vet tech, it is not difficult, you may obtain all the information related to studies as well as the clear career path from any of the veterinary school.

By: Jeslyn Jessy

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If you’re worried about cardiovascular symptoms and what you should do if you think you have them, then look no further. In this article I have some useful cardiovascular information that might ease your mind.

Heart disease used to be the biggest killer in the world but it has been recently overtaken by cancer. However, that doesn’t mean you should doubt its potency.

That means it is still incredibly important that you can recognise the symptoms of cardiovascular issues and know what to do if you spot them.

Cardiovascular information — symptoms

There are a wide-range of symptoms you can notice. However, the problem is that these symptoms are usually only noticeable in the advanced stages of the conditions.

Therefore, if you notice any of these, you should get it checked right away:

- Nausea.
- Tiredness.
- Fatigue.
- Weakness.
- Sore breasts (women only.)
- Swollen ankles (due to fluid accumulation.)
- Chest pains.
- Pain radiating from your left shoulder down your arm.

Many of these symptoms would seem harmless on their own, but if you are experiencing groups of them you should go see your doctor straight away. However, there are also some steps you can take to help yourself.

Taking action

The only real way that you can battle against cardiovascular issues when spotted is to change your lifestyle. This can be done in a number of ways:

- Stop smoking or hanging around those who do. Smoking can dramatically increase your risks of developing cardiovascular disease.
- Exercising regularly can improve your blood flow and strengthen your heart.
- Cut the junk food as they simply provide your body with unneeded cholesterol and fat which build up as “plaque” in your arteries.
- Use a supplement. The American Heart Association recommends an omega 3 fish oil as they enhance the health of your heart in a number of ways.

So there you have it, a plethora of cardiovascular information. Your next step? If you recognise these symptoms go and see your doctor.

Also, consider taking action in the ways I mentioned above.

By: Scott D Oakley

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Physicians have to be able to examine a patient’s heart prior to any invasive procedure or further medical testing. Echocardiography technology allows technicians to create images of a patient’s heart. The proper knowledge to work with patients in this way can be gained inside a vocational college.

Technicians take electrocardiograms to monitor the electrical impulses of a patient’s heart. This is commonly referred to as ECG’s or EKG’s. Professionals perform various tests on patients and give the results to their physicians. Education covers three main test areas along with the needed medical knowledge to help students prepare for their future career. Upon completion of a program students are able to perform EKG’s, Holter monitor tests, and stress tests. Three main paths are taken to become an EKG technician. These options include:

On-the-job Training Certificate Program Associate’s Degree Program

The most common educational path to become a technician is on-the-job training. This stems from the practice of training already working medical professionals to take on the responsibilities of the job. For example, nursing aides are often trained through the typical four to six weeks program. Certificate programs are also reserved for students that have some job experience or former educational training. Certificate programs last a year and bypass basic medical knowledge and specifically teach students about the field of echocardiography. Completing an associate’s degree is the best option for students that are new to the field. The first year of a regular two-year program covers core educational courses and the second year is dedicated to the field. Students learn to operate the industry’s technology and perform the routine tests. Main information is covered through subjects that include:

Cardiovascular Anatomy Echocardiography for children and adults Medical Imaging

Education focuses on each non-invasive test by teaching students the specific protocol followed inside a professional environment. Courses familiarize students with the different anomalies that affect the heart. This helps them flag any tests that need to be looked at by the doctor for further testing. Trained individuals have many career opportunities available to them.

Once completed with the necessary education to enter the field students can become technicians in a variety of settings. The main career setting is in a hospital working with a physician on patient care. Other possible options include rehabilitation clinics for cardiac patients and medical offices. Experienced technicians can work in emergency situations by monitoring the hearts of incoming patients. The field is expected to grow more than twenty percent over the next eight years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the aging population and the ability to use echocardiography on young people to detect heart problems earlier on in life is the reason for the growth.

Students have the ability to choose an accredited program and enter a career in echocardiography ready to help doctors treat heart patients. Full accreditation is provided to quality schools and colleges by agencies like the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (http://www.jrcert.org/). Researching the program that fits experience and education level will help students choose the right training option.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERIC OUTLINE and may or may not depict precise methods, courses and/or focuses related to ANY ONE specific school(s) that may or may not be advertised at PETAP.org.

Copyright 2010 – All rights reserved by PETAP.org.

By: Renata McGee

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