Student loans have become a significant financial burden on many people. Yes, they can help people finance their education, but they end up with large debt once they start working, and it takes them a lot of time to repay. 

One of the biggest reasons for this is that colleges have become extremely expensive. In other words, student loans are growing as well, while there’s no guarantee that new graduates will be able to get great jobs right away. 

That’s why people look for different ways to reduce their debt or pay it off. 

What is student loan forgiveness? 

That refers to the process of students getting parts of their loans forgiven. However, it’s important to understand that student forgiveness doesn’t work with private student loans. Simply put, a certain percent of the loan is forgiven. 

Only a small number of people can qualify as there are strict requirements. In most cases, student loan forgiveness is given to people who work in public service. Additionally, people can find repayment plans that can forgive parts of the loan. 

Discharging student loans 

Discharging student loans isn’t easy. The reasons for discharge are usually the ones students don’t have control of, but even then, the request for discharge is thoroughly evaluated. Here’s when you might get discharged: 

• If you’ve been permanently disabled; 
• Your school got closed;
• The loan documents were tampered with or falsified by the school;
• In case of identity theft; 
• In case you die; 
• When the school can’t refund the loan. 

How to qualify for student loan forgiveness 

The most common ways of qualifying for student loan forgiveness include: 

If you’re a law student 

Many law schools will discharge the loans of their students if they decide to work for public interest or non-profits after graduating. There are a lot of programs that lower interest, postpone payments, help with repayments, and sometimes even forgive parts of the loan. 

All of these programs have income limitations. At the same time, all these programs have different requirements from one college to another. 

By volunteering 

Volunteering at different organizations can help you get loan forgiveness. Some provide cash that graduates or students can use to make their loan payments. Some offer loan forgiveness, while others offer affordable loans for repayment. 

No matter the case, you will have to get enough hours or volunteer a year to become eligible for these packages. 

Finding a job as a teacher in low-income communities 

Graduates that start teaching in elementary or secondary schools in low-income districts can get portions of their loans removed. These programs can remove 30% of the 5th year loan, 30% of the first 2 years, and 30% of the second 2 years of loans. 

Finding a job in public service 

People working in the military had access to student loan forgiveness in the past. Today, if you’re working in public service, you can apply and get your loan forgiveness. However, if you’re working in the military, you might get better programs. 

Some of these positions include public health, public safety, law enforcement, military, government positions, etc. 

By applying for state student loan forgiveness programs 

In the US, a total of 46 states offer a variety of loan forgiveness programs. Most of them won’t clear the whole loan amount but help people pay the majority off more easily. To get into the program, applicants first need to be residents of the state they are applying in. 

Some loans require people to live in certain areas of the state. On top of that, these state programs also have different job requirements, and it’s essential to check the conditions with local authorities. 

Stories about student loan cancelation 

During the US 2020 presidential race, student loan forgiveness was a common topic. Donald Trump stated multiple times that he plans on canceling public loan forgiveness as a part of government budget cuts. However, since Joe Biden became president, these stories have gone away. 

In fact, Biden’s administration has stated multiple times that they plan on expanding the PSLF program. Over 30,000 people with student debt will get $2 billion of loan forgiveness with the new version of the program. 

Conclusion 

Student loan forgiveness is here to stay, and people who can look to take advantage of it. As far as its cancellation goes, it won’t happen in the near future, and even if it does, the people who have already enrolled are likely going to be allowed to use it to the end. 

Current computer science (CS) college majors can expect several key elements from the future of custom software development. Software engineering has changed a whole lot in recent years. Of course, it is expected to experience over ten-times the change in the next decade. As a computer science college student, you may be heavily invested in the future of custom software design, development, and distribution. This way, you can join the four million software engineers already working in the United States after graduation. Plus, you’ll be able to maximize your earning potential, unleash your creativity, and challenge yourself with a constant learning curve. To help you get started today, read on to learn what the future of software development looks like for CS majors. 

High Demand For Skilled Engineers

With more companies relying on computer-based software, applications, and programs, there will be an incredibly high demand for skilled developers in the future. Software engineers are absolutely vital to help organizations build digital systems, make routine updates, conduct ongoing maintenance, and facilitate source code adjustments. Since the nature of software development work is incredibly technical, dynamic, and complex, it is vital for agencies to recruit skilled programming professionals. That’s why many tech firms are increasingly turning to knowledgeable CS college graduates, just like yourself. That being said, the future of software development welcomes tech-savvy professionals who are determined, creative, and innovative enough to continue driving the future of this industry. Certainly, the future of software development holds a high demand for skilled engineers.

Bridging The Skill Gap

With more computer science students entering the job industry, the future of software development will heavily focus on bridging the skill gap. Constant skills refinement is essential for experienced software developers to work well alongside upcoming CS graduates, such as yourself. This involves mastering new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data engineering. Plus, they’ll also need to be well versed in cognitive computing, natural language processing, as well as data statistics. Indeed, the future of custom software development will heavily focus on bridging the skills gap. 

Advanced Development Tools & Resources 

In addition, the future of software engineering will offer innovative programming tools, development resources, and supporting technologies for CS college majors. Certainly, these powerful solutions will simplify the workload for new software developers, deployment experts, or quality assurance (QA) engineers. For example, many teams use advanced Docker registries to effectively manage development, conduct artifact flow control, and streamline distribution. Using an end-to-end Docker registry, you can additionally perform vulnerability analyses to detect security threats, facilitate incremental improvements, and prepare for future updates. Surely, the future of custom software engineering will likely involve innovative development tools, programming technologies, and supporting resources geared for CS majors. 

Persistent Growth Of Remote Work

After the events of the last year-and-a-half, it’s likely that remote work will continue to grow and thrive for custom software developers. Software development companies have fully embraced remote work, along with all of the benefits, drawbacks, and technical difficulties it entails. For CS graduates and potential software development job seekers, this will greatly improve career flexibility. Also, remote work involves a shorter commute, better work-life balance, and stronger privacy for software development employees as well. Absolutely, the future of software development will look like a lot of remote work and hybrid experiences for new CS college graduates. 

Ongoing Investments In Continuous Learning

In the new era of software development, you can likely expect to continue getting educated with professional learning opportunities. The best software developers are always eager to learn. After all, they are inherently creative, innovative, and problem-solving-focused individuals. To make the learning curve continuous, many tech agencies invest in ongoing professional development, training, and engagement seminars. These help developers become efficient, knowledgeable, and professional in the field. Definitely, the future of custom software development will hold many continuous investments in ongoing learning. 

CS majors can expect several things from the future of custom software design and development. First off, the future will hold a constant demand for knowledgeable, skilled software engineers. In addition, today’s development companies will focus on bridging the skills gap. Next, teams will continue to use advanced development tools, programming resources, and supporting solutions. Following the COVID-19 global pandemic, there will also be persistent growth in remote and hybrid work for software developers. Plus, many high-level companies will make ongoing investments in continuous learning opportunities. Follow the points highlighted above to learn what the future of software development looks like for CS majors. 

US States Regulation on Poker

If there is one card game that everybody loves right now, it is poker. This is a game that has taken off in recent years and in particular, the most popular variation is Texas Hold’em. In general, more people are choosing to gamble online than ever before. So, the natural progression is that people want to play poker from the comfort of their own homes.

But, we all know that the law can be complicated when it comes to casino games and gambling online. In particular, each state has their own rules and regulations and this applies for poker too. So, in some states, you are going to be able to play online poker freely whenever you want to. But, in some other states, it has been deemed illegal to play. Let’s take a look at a few states and what the law says about online poker.

[INSERT IMAGE: https://pixabay.com/photos/to-play-card-game-poker-poker-chips-593207/]

Oregon

There are some states that do not make it clear when it comes to online poker. Certainly, Oregon is one of them. For example, it is stated that it is illegal to operate an online poker room. But, the law is less clear when it comes to playing poker online. There are physical poker rooms you can visit. But, when it comes to online play, it is best to stay away from this. It appears that the state does not want people playing poker online. For a list of legal US online poker websites, click on the link.

Nevada

If there is one state that you probably expected online poker to be made legal, then it is Nevada. The home of Las Vegas means that the state is very flexible and free when it comes to online gambling. Indeed, players can enjoy online poker in Nevada and from the comfort of their own home. You just have to make sure that you are playing at a website that has been given a license by Nevada gaming regulators.

Illinois

Unfortunately, if you are someone that likes to play poker in Illinois, you are going to be disappointed. It is not legal to play poker online in the state if you are playing for real money. However, it appears that you can play social games and sweepstakes poker, as well as playing poker in-person. The legalization of poker has been discussed in Illinois. But, there are yet to be any changes made. For example, bills were passed a few years ago, but they did not get any further.

Connecticut

One of the newest states to offer online poker to its citizens is Connecticut. This activity was made legal in May 2021 after a law was signed by Governor Ned Lamont. This was an important law that meant that gamers could enjoy casino games, as well as poke, online whenever they wanted to. Indeed, this is going to make the state a lot of money and it will be a smart move for the future where people want to gamble from home.

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/zUf39GDNyzU

A good piece of writing is born out of a clear thought process. A process wherein information flows naturally toward a purpose.

The challenge we experience in writing is the result of our efforts in untangling obscurities in our minds. This holds true for all types of writings as we always have a reason (or more) for presenting information, even if we are oblivious to it.

Writing a dissertation, in essence, is formulating an argument. A cogent argument is a clear and well-structured set of statements that support a conclusion. Creating an outline for your dissertation or thesis helps you objectify your argument to assess its validity before investing any time in writing it. For an arduous academic project like this, it saves you a lot of time and effort over the course of months.

Dissertation Outline

A dissertation outline can be thought of as an intellectual scaffolding that supports the construction of your theoretical framework. It is a high-level structure that helps you visualize what you want to convey and keep track of your thoughts and progress.

Creating an outline is necessary because it helps you connect the information to form a coherent and logical statement. It’s a rough sketch that allows you to experiment with ideas before committing to anything and shows you where you need to go, which makes the process a much better experience. But before we delve deeper into how to create a good outline, let’s briefly overview the components that are included in a dissertation.

The Common Structure of a Dissertation

As with any other academic paper, the structure of a dissertation can vary depending on its type and nature. In addition, different universities might have slightly different approaches but the core elements usually remain the same. However, before finalizing your structure, we recommend that you check in with your institution to make sure you’ll follow their specific requirements.  

A typical dissertation is made up of 8 sections:

1. Front Matter – This section typically includes all the pages that come before the introduction. It contains the title page, acknowledgments, abstract, table of contents, list of tables and figures, list of abbreviations, and glossary;
2. Introduction – As the name suggests, the introductory section sets up the topic and justifies the purpose and relevance of the research. It provides a road map of what’s to be expected in the main body of the paper;
3. Literature Review – This section takes a look at the existing studies in the space of the dissertation’s subject. Here, the author reviews the existing sources and provides a theoretical background and critical assessment to form a clear basis for his or her research;
4. Methodology – This section lays out how the research has been designed and conducted. It includes the methods of data collection and analysis to answer the research questions.
5. Results – the results chapter is about presenting the raw findings. It does not include any interpretation of the findings or their analysis in relation to the research questions or the literature;
6. Discussion – This chapter is where the results are interpreted to infer meaningful findings. The author then compares and related the findings to the literature to show if they align or are at odds with each other and hypotheses are set forth to explain why that’s the case. 
7. Conclusion – The conclusion addresses the main research questions and binds together the paper’s various parts to present the reader with the author’s central argument and ultimate finding;
8. End Matter – This last section contains the reference list and appendices.

How to Create a Dissertation Outline

Choose a Topic and Form a Thesis

Before you start writing an outline, you should have a clear idea about the argument or thesis you want to present. If you haven’t already, you should do a fair amount of diligent research surrounding the topic to gather enough information to develop an angle or viewpoint. This process includes brainstorming ideas and evaluating them to form a statement that you are comfortable with. If you are struggling to come up with or choose between competing ideas, there are some thesis writing services that can help you.

Break Down Your Argument

After settling on your initial thesis and overall argument, you need to break it down into different components and organize them in a way that serves that argument. This is perhaps the most difficult part as there are lots of ways it can be done. First, try to identify different criteria for classifying your material. This helps you categorize the various ideas and sources in your mind into groups sharing similar features. By scribbling them down, you get a better idea of how you want to go about the main structure of the body of your dissertation.

Design Your Methodology

This is where you need to determine how you’re going to gather your data and information, how you are going to analyze that data, what tools or materials you’re going to use, and what your reasons are for choosing these methods. Try to provide enough detail that you paint a clear picture of how things need to proceed later on when you’re doing the actual research. Specify if your data should be quantitative or qualitative. Are you going to use secondary data or do you plan to collect the data yourself? Are you going to use surveys, interviews, or observation? Details like these give you clarity and a better understanding of whether or not you’ve made the right choices.  

Major Points for Each Component

The next step is to write the points you want to make for each of the components you determined earlier. While doing so, make sure that everything is coherent and closely related to your thesis. As the best essay writing service puts it, this step is not about listing the things we know about the topic, rather, it’s about connecting the dots to build an argument and assess and identify the potential defects and flaws.

Sometimes, we find that we need to rearrange the supporting points to improve the validity of the argument. Logically, some subjects may need to precede others to facilitate the flow of information. Sorting these levels of information can even help inform the thesis and lead to changes in the initial assumptions.

After arranging the points in a logical order, your dissertation outline is almost finished. You just need to review the points to see if there’s a need for more analysis and evidence. After that, you have everything you need to start writing. Keep in mind that the outline is not set in stone. It’s a guideline designed to give you direction and you can adjust or deviate from it as you move forward. It’s also recommended that you take note of each reference in your studies from day one as it can get complicated and cumbersome in later stages of your dissertation.

While working remotely has made it easier for students to get to class “on time,” as commuting has been removed, the classwork still has to be organized. That is why educators depend on management software to organize classes and make sure assignments are completed by the due date. This innovative technology makes teaching remotely easier and more convenient.

So, how can the software help you as a teacher?

To understand the benefits of using class management software, you have to define classroom organization in its basic and traditional form.

Defining Classroom Management as a Practice

Management in a classroom covers the skills and methods teachers use to keep students organized, focused, and orderly, thereby keeping them on task and educationally productive. By managing a traditional class effectively, a teacher can support better and improved learning. A less effective educator often has a disorderly class and has a difficult time fostering student interest, or giving a student the guidance needed to stay on track and progress academically.

Why Using a Software Application is Necessary

By using the right management software for remote instruction, a school can lessen problems with scheduling assignments or guiding students study-wise – issues that lead to higher drop-out rates and increased apathy.

Software that supports classroom learning and organization enhances virtual training for both teachers and students. Using the app can help you optimize interactive learning and increase student interest at the same time.

Indeed, eLearning makes education simpler. Therefore, software for managing a classroom supports this quest two-fold. Not only can educators use management software to help students learn, they can use the software to support themselves communicatively and organizationally. 

Increasing Student Retention Rates

Did you know that, by utilizing  eLearning programs, schools can increase rstudent retention rates from 25% to 60%? That finding was made by the Research Institute of America. Digital study material is also now used  primarily for homework purposes. About 80% of students surveyed believe that learning online has improved their overall grades and their speed to learn new things.

For example, according to one survey reported by the site, Campus Technology, University of Central Florida students who took from approximately 40% to 60% of courses online finished in 3.9 years compared to students who did not finish their courses digitally. The average time to graduate, when online resources were not used, was just over 4 years.

Why has there been this type of noted improvement?

Part of the results originate from the implementation of software programs that help educators manage student training for better scholastic outcomes. 

How a Classroom Management System Keeps Teachers and Students on Track

A classroom management system gives teachers the ability to do the following:

• Deliver useful resources for class study to students
• Use software to monitor a student’s progress in real time
• Increase student engagement by erasing a large number of distractions
• Answer a student’s questions online through messaging and chat
• Collaborate learning assignments
• Provide a safe and secure environment for giving exams and tests
• Prevent cheating – During test-taking specific content or platforms cannot be accessed

How Both Teachers and Students Win

The evolution of classrooms into remote settings has caused schools to seek software solutions for managing educational programs. Several benefits, in turn, have allowed teachers to reap rewards using management technology. These instructor-and-student-based advantages include:

• More focused learning by students
• Optimization of learning time
• Better tracking of a student’s progress 
• The ability to address online behavior in real time
• Enhanced communications
• A stronger personalized learning environment

Keeping Students and Teachers in the Loop

The great thing about using classroom management software is that it keeps the teacher and his students in the educational loop. No one feels left out or that they are being ignored. Everyone in class has access to email and chat and students have the ability to get their questions answered more easily.

If you are a teacher, you can easily check the attendance of your students, review lesson plans, and assess students digitally. 

If you are a student, you can access lesson outlines or download any required course materials while on the go. 

By using a quality software program, a teacher can learn what is going on with his or her students at any time. All he or she has to do is refer to lesson schedules, progress reports, or a student’s attendance history. By accessing this information, he or she can decide how to improve a program or help a student foster more of an interest in his or her coursework.

A Must-Have Tool and Resource

Software designed to manage classrooms is a must-have tool for schools and educators today. Not only does the product augment classroom management, it allows a teacher to focus more on teaching or helping a larger number of students.

Final Thoughts

If you are an educator or school that sees the value of remote learning, you can reduce some of the strains related to organizing a classroom by implementing management software. Doing so will help you realize larger gains both scholastically and financially.