Many will argue that without education, the world would still be in the dark ages. Education is generally seen as the catalyst for development in any society. This argument fails to realize that the individuals that have advanced the world were persons that refused to conform to educational dictates. These individuals thought outside the box of conformity as presented by formal education. Formal education removes or greatly reduces a person’s creative ability. It simply teaches you to believe and accept something as a fact except someone, who dares to think outside the box proves the fact otherwise. For anyone who wishes to excel in life, the one must put aside formal education and reach out into the deep reserve of creative ability on the inside.Through education, accumulated knowledge, skills or values are deliberately passed on to another individual. Education is a process that is designed to have a formative effect on individual from a tender age. A child is thought from a tender age some societal values that are preserved and passed from generation to generation. We are thought in schools, about the gravitational force and that the earth is spherical. Depending on a person’s choice of career, there are educational curriculums designed to impact knowledge towards achieving a career goal. A person is said to be formally educated after successfully completing the curriculum and passing the final examination.To be educated therefore is to show an understanding of the subject area as put together by the teacher. Sometimes, it is a matter of ‘junk-in’ and ‘junk-out’. Education tries to impact knowledge that is generally accepted to be true or has morale.Formal education constrains one to figure out what someone else has done on a particular subject. It gets one occupied trying to unravel equations or to simply memorize the equation. The focus is to pass the examination at the end of the course. It reduces an individual to a mere robot: performing a third party script. Formal education does not provide much of an opportunity to use one’s initiative. It destroys creativity and prevents one from utilizing this rich resource of the mind. It simply teaches to accept other persons’ view on a subject.The world is full of persons who are formally educated only to end up in some form of routine job. These are not the persons the world needs. The world needs those who have the courage to put aside formal education and to think outside the box. These are the dreamers and the inventors. To think outside the box is to tap from the potential that lies within the mind of every individual. It means being creative and original. The world does not celebrate those who are formally educated. It only celebrates those who dare to be different and think outside the box. If you wish to be celebrated, then you must put aside formal education and think outside the box.I have come to observe that some of the greatest men and women in the world were/are persons that put aside formal education. Most of them were not formally educated. These persons refused to conform but rather reached into the deep resource of their minds to produce creative ideas that are celebrated all over the world.The world cannot forget Thomas Edison in a hurry. He is one of the greatest inventors the world ever produced. One of his legacies is the incandescent light. Thomas suffered from partial deafness and lacked formal education. He believed that he had something to live for and reached into the deep resources of his mind by thinking outside the box.John D. Rockefeller is believed to be the richest man in history. He had hoped to go to college but had to drop out of high school in order to work and to support his family. By the age of twenty-five years, he already had a refinery. Without formal education, J D Rockefeller assessed the great wealth of his mind to establish his great empire and to employ the educated folks.The story of Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft Corporation is known to most people all over the world because of the revolution of the personal computer. Bill had special interest in programming and would like to try new things. Although he had admission in Harvard College, he had to drop out because of his attachment to programming machine. Today, Microsoft is a house-hold name because someone refused to conform.Similar story goes for Steve Jobs who was the co-founder of Apple Inc. After graduating from high school, Steve Jobs enrolled in Reed College, Portland, Oregon but had to drop out after just one semester. The success story of his inventions that include iPod, iPhone, iPad is the testimony of a man who dared to be different.I have just mentioned some of the world greatest inventors and businessmen. The list is unending. Most of these men and women did not have formal education. They escaped the mental captivity imposed through formal education. This enabled them to reach down into the deep resource of the mind. Exploring this resource positively transforms a person into a creator. Humans are by nature creative being but this ability is hindered by the formative effect of education. Education teaches conformity. Conformity with the world is never celebrated. The world only celebrates those who are different. If you really wish to excel in life, be prepared to put aside formal education.

Human desires are unlimited but the finance that one acquires always seems to be scarce. Thanks to the diversity of loans available in the UK finance market which helps in fulfilling the desires and dreams of millions of the UK residents.UK loan market at present is swamped with infinite number of loan options. Different loans have been designed keeping in mind the diverse needs and expectations of people in the UK. If you are an individual looking for a loan to buy a car, a personal loan can be a perfect option for you. Now, here also lenders can offer you the option to go for a secured or an unsecured loan. Does these words sound new to you? Let me explain it to you.A secured personal loan is a secured loan offered to meet personal needs of the UK residents. To avail this loan a borrower needs to put collateral against the loan. Your car, home or even a saving bank account can work as collateral. Secured loan helps borrowers in making the best use of the equity stored in his or her property that helps him in borrowing a larger amount of loan and that too for a longer loan term.Unsecured personal loan UK does not require a borrower to put any collateral against the loan. Tenants who do not own a home can enjoy the benefits of unsecured loans. Not only tenants, homeowners who do not want to keep their property at risk can also apply for an unsecured loan.Personal loans UK were introduced to serve personal purpose of the borrower. Personal loans are classified as secured and unsecured loan on the basis of security attached to the loan. They can also be classified on the basis of usage – Business loan, home improvement loan, debt consolidation loan, car loans, holiday loan, wedding loan and many more.Different personal loans serve different needs. A business loan can be the perfect solution for an entrepreneur who needs funds to expand his business. An individual who is caught in the midst of debt trap can take a debt consolidation loan, to reduce the debt burden and become debt free in the future by paying the existing debts. A debt consolidation loan can also be used to improve the credit score and enjoy the benefits of loans arranged at low APR in future.Other loans offered by the lenders in the UK are – Payday loans are available to provide instant cash to the borrowers until the next paycheque arrives. Bridging loans can be used to fill in the cash shortfall existing in a property transaction and many more. Each loan has different features; you can find the loan you are looking for from the vast number of loans offered by lenders.The loan service is not confined to a group of people. Lenders in the UK aim to cater to the needs of each and every individual. A good score will help you get a loan at better loan terms. Even if you have a bad credit score there is nothing to worry. There are lenders in the UK who can arrange loan for you and that too at a lower rate of interest.Only a few years’ back traditional lenders ruled the UK loan market. The loan process was lengthy and full of hassles. Borrowers had to wait for months to find whether they will be getting the loan or not. A borrower had to approach each lender personally and submit his or her loan application form.The entry of online lenders has revolutionized the whole loan market in the UK. Now, a borrower can access infinite number of lenders at one time without even moving from one place to another. What you need to have is a computer equipped with Internet, that’s it.Applying for loan online is easy, fast and convenient. The online phenomenon aims to save your precious time as well as invaluable money. You can browse through various lending websites and can apply for the loan by filling up the online loan application form that hardly takes 2 to 5 minutes. Most of the lenders provide you with the loan decision within 24 hours. You can also apply for a loan quote that are offered for free or for nominal fees by majority of the lenders. Gathering loan quotes from various lenders and comparing them will help you find the best loan option and lender.If you dare to dream, lenders in the UK can help you fulfill your dreams with the loans UK. Growing desires among the lenders in the UK has given rise to the increasing number of loan options in the UK. Whatever may be the need, just a little bit of research will help you get the loan of your choice.

It’s not an easy time to be graduating from college with student loans. With the unemployment rate soaring toward 10 percent and the average starting salary for college graduates down 2.2 percent this year, student loan borrowers – whose average debt from student loans tops $22,000 – are now having an even tougher time affording their student loan payments.The good news? Starting July 1, 2009, graduates with federal college loans may be able to qualify for a new government program that can reduce the monthly payments on their student loans based on their income.Income-Based Repayment for Federal Student LoansThe income-based repayment program, created by Congress in 2007 as part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, will cap a borrower’s monthly student loan payments at a percentage of her or his income, when the borrower’s income is at least 50 percent higher than the current federal poverty line for the borrower’s family size.These income-based student loan payments will be calculated as 15 percent of the amount by which a borrower’s adjusted gross income exceeds 150 percent of the poverty line.(For individuals, the 2009 poverty line is $10,830 in all states except Alaska and Hawaii. The complete federal poverty guidelines for 2009 are available on the website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.)For example: 150 percent of the current individual poverty line of $10,830 is $16,245. If a borrower’s annual adjusted gross income is $25,000, the monthly payments on her or his eligible student loans would be capped at $109.44 – 15 percent of the difference between $25,000 and $16,245, divided by 12 months. If a borrower’s annual adjusted gross income is $40,000, the monthly payments on any eligible student loans would be capped at $296.94 ($40,000 – $16,245, multiplied by 15 percent, divided by 12).Income-based monthly payments will be adjusted annually, based on a borrower’s federal tax return from the previous year. As a borrower’s income rises, the income-based repayment cap will also go up. If the income-based repayment cap reaches a level higher than what a borrower’s monthly payment would be under a standard 10-year student loan repayment plan, the borrower will no longer qualify for income-based repayment for her or his student loans.Borrowers whose adjusted gross income falls below 150 percent of the poverty threshold won’t be required to make any payments on those student loans that qualify for income-based repayment.Even if no payments are due, however, interest will continue to accrue on those college loans . Unpaid interest will also accrue if a borrower’s income-based monthly payments aren’t sufficient to cover the full monthly interest on the qualifying college loans. Any accrued unpaid interest will be added to the student loan principal and capitalized when the borrower no longer qualifies for income-based repayment.Subsidized Interest and Student Loan ForgivenessFor those borrowers who hold subsidized student loans or a federal consolidation loan that included subsidized Stafford loans or Perkins loans, the government will cover any unpaid interest on those subsidized loans (or on that portion of a student loan consolidation that’s comprised of subsidized loans) for the first three years that a borrower is in income-based repayment.The longest that a borrower can remain on the income-based repayment plan is 25 years. After 25 years of income-based payments, the government will forgive any remaining principal and unpaid interest – although borrowers should note that under current tax law, this forgiven student loan debt would be taxable.Borrowers who are employed full-time in qualifying jobs in the public service sector may have their remaining student loan debt forgiven after just 10 years in the income-based repayment program, and this forgiveness would be tax-free, thanks to a ruling from the U.S. Treasury last year.Qualifying for Income-Based RepaymentTo find out if you qualify for income-based repayment on your federal college loans, you’ll need to contact your lender and provide information about your financial situation – you’ll need to demonstrate “partial financial hardship,” as defined by federal regulations.Only federal Stafford and Grad PLUS student loans in good standing, along with consolidations of these college loans, are eligible for income-based repayment. Federal Perkins loans are eligible only if they’ve been included in a federal student loan consolidation. Other college loans are ineligible:Private student loans. The income-based repayment program applies only to federal student loans. If you’re having problems meeting the monthly payments on your private student loans , you should contact the lenders to see if they’re willing to work out more affordable repayment plans for you. Keep in mind, though, that private student loans typically have less flexible repayment options than federal student loans.Federal PLUS loans. If your parents took out PLUS parent loans to help you pay for college, they won’t be able to take advantage of income-based repayment on their PLUS loans. Consolidation loans that included PLUS parent loans are also excluded from income-based repayment. Any Grad PLUS loans you took out as a graduate student, however, as well as consolidations of Grad PLUS loans, are eligible.Defaulted student loans. Your student loans don’t have to be new to be eligible – even long-time graduates may be able to qualify for income-based repayment on college loans taken out years ago. But you can’t be in default on your loans. To qualify for an income-based repayment plan, any federal college loans you have in default will need to be rehabilitated first.