12 Ways To Make College More Affordable
12 Ways To Make College More
Affordable
1. Start out at community collage• Community college
costs an average of $2,713 per year, more than 80% less than public 4-year schools
• By doing your first two years at a community college, you could save more than $25,000
2. Summer classes close to home• If you go to a 4-year
college, consider taking summer classes at your local community college
• Most “core” classes will transfer, and this could save you thousands in the long run
3. Stay close to home• The average
public university in the United States costs 133% more for out-of-state students, according to U.S. News data
Flickr/ 401(k) 2012
4. Check for local scholarships• Scholarships
offered by businesses and individuals on a local basis are often much less competitive than state or national awards
Free cooper union
5. Take a full class load• Many schools charge a
flat rate per semester for a “full-time” course load
• The limits vary by school, but you could take up to 18 credits per term in many cases
• This helps ensure you graduate on time, as only about one-third of college students finish in four years Public domain
6. Rent textbooks• Renting textbooks can
save you hundreds of dollars each semester
• For example, one widely-used Biology text costs $188.49 new, $175.21 used, or as low as $49.99 to rent, according to Amazon.com Flickr/ Patrick
7. Use your entire meal plan• If your meal plan covers a
certain amount of meals, say 10 per week or 150 per semester, make sure you use them all
• Not using meals you paid for is wasting your money
• And, if you don’t use all of your meals, maybe you should drop the plan Flickr/ Kevin Jarrett
8. Investigate living options• In some college towns,
renting an apartment is actually cheaper than living on campus
• For instance, finding three roommates to share a four-bedroom house could save some money
• Make sure you shop around before deciding to stay in the dorms
wikipedia/ Raul654
9. Work as a resident advisor (RA)• Most schools offer
free or discounted housing to upperclassmen who choose to work as RAs
• Also known as a resident assistant www.austincollege.edu
10. Take advantage of campus freebies
• According to The College Board, the average student spends nearly $2,000 per year on personal expenses, like entertainment
• Many colleges have a variety of entertainment options (like movies) free of charge for students Wikipedia/ hashi photo
11. Don’t carry credit card balances• Running up large
credit card bills can make your college experience much more expensive
• The interest on a $5,000 credit card debt can cost $1,500 per year!
12. Only buy what you need• Wait until your classes
start before you buy your supplies
• Don’t buy five notebooks when a single large one will do
• Do you really need a 10-pack of highlighters?
flickr/ Jimmie
The best way to put the money you save to work