I’m a real estate appraiser (considered self-employed) and I’m taking the GRE in February to try to get into a Master’s program so I can get a better job. When I file my quarterly estimated taxes for April, can I write off a GRE study guide book? Can I write off the 0 fee to take the GRE test, too?

I need as many write-offs as I can get since I’m shelling out most of the money I’ve made so far for LASIK surgery in March. I know I can write off 7.5% of the surgery, but the surgery is going to cost me just about everything I’ve made for the last three months, minus my regular expenses (gas, food, health insurance, car repairs, etc). Plus I have to take a few days off of work to heal before I can go out driving around again.
Well that’s great then! I thought I was going to have to eat most of the LASIK cost and still get taxed on the remainder. Didn’t seem fair to me, but neither do any taxes for that matter.
So I can write off all 00 for the entire surgery since it’s more than 7.5% of my gross pay? Gosh, then there won’t be anything left to tax me on Oh, if only I could do that every quarter…

I’m looking into taking a GRE prep course, but would like to hear from people. Good, bad? Kaplan, Princeton Review, other? Private tutoring, online tutoring, alternate methods?

Did you find their methods helpful? Bad? Did you get your money’s worth? Did you get the refund they promise if you don’t raise your scores?

I am looking EXPERIENCES about the prep courses. I know a lot of people just say study from the books, there are online things, etc. but I’m trying to gather as much information as possible.

I am preparing to apply for my Ph.D program and would like to start in fall ‘09. I have some time to prepare. My math skills are incredibly weak (meaning that basic algebra is still a foreign language), but I have strong verbal skills. Is the GRE prep (offered through a university) worth the money?

I’m going away for my sophmore year in college in the fall and I’m planning on buying a laptop.

Here’s what I want/need it for:

-HAS TO BE windows based
-writing papers and doing school work
-downloading and playing music
-possibly playing movies (not required)-
-surfing the internet
-using instant messaging services
-checking e-mail
-all the very basic computer use stuff.

I don’t have a whole lot of money to spend, I’m hoping nothing more than 0/0 at the VERY most. (hopefully under that much)

Any suggestions?

I am a college junior and I have never had the money to buy my own laptop for school. Finally, due to hard earned scholarships this semester I am receiving 00 in a refund check and I want (really need) to buy a laptop for the rest of undergrad and graduate school. I would like to know what is the best (most reliable, fast, less likely to crash, and will survive graduate school) laptop to buy

So here’s the thing:

I’m starting college in around 3 weeks. I applied for financial aid and received a Pell Grant for ,366/,365 for the fall/spring respectively, a Cal B Grant for 6/5, and a BOGW for 4/4.

I know that the BOGW is used for registration fees only, but what about the others? I have already paid for my classes and books and registration, and it ended up coming to around 0, which leaves almost or around ,500 left over. Would I be allowed to use this money to purchase a laptop for college or no?

I don’t want to spend the money on a 2008 GRE study guide. I can find a really cheap 2007 one. Do the tests change THAT much? I’m guessing that the main concepts of the test are the same….would I perhaps worsen my score by using the older version?? any advice on this? thanks!