Did you know that a person with a college degree can make up to a million dollars in their lifetime? That’s a lot more than an individual with only a high school diploma will earn. Having a college degree can open up a lot of doors for you. But even though attending college comes with a lot of benefits, many students are worried about how they are going to pay for their tuition, textbooks and other expenses. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways that you can save money on college.
The first thing that you need to do is to see if you qualify for financial aid. This is as simple as filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You will then receive an email with a list of grants and scholarships that you may be eligible for. Grants and scholarships are great because it is essentially free money. It isn’t like student loans, where you have to eventually pay them back. Try figuring out how many you are qualified for and apply to them all.
When filling out a scholarship, be sure to take your time with it and make sure it is complete. Most scholarship applications will also ask you to submit an essay and personal financial information.
You should also contact the financial aid office of the school you will be attending. Their job is to help you figure out how to pay for college and they will have a list of loans, grants and scholarships on hand that they can send to you.
If you want to spend time working and saving up for college, a great way to do this is to take your undergraduate prerequisite classes at a local community college. Community colleges are much more affordable than state universities or private colleges. Online colleges are also extremely cost efficient and allows you to work at your own pace and attend classes on your own schedule.
Some businesses offer educational funding for their workers, so be sure to talk to your employer about possible financial opportunities.
When you file your taxes, try using Lifetime Learning Center or Hope Tax Credit.
It is possible to afford college and increase the quality of your life and your future.