So you've applied to college, been accepted, and gotten a look at your financial aid package. You do the math and realize you are short of paying for everything. What are you going to do?
Well, you can ask the financial aid office for another look, maybe a better offer. Click here for tips on getting more financial aid.
After that, there are a few things the college student can do to make the bottom line look better.
First thing is to be first in line. Apply early. Colleges have a more limited supply of funds to give out and may run out if you delay.
Think about changing schools, if it's not too late. Many colleges are offering out of state students money as an incentive to come to their college. Some large private colleges actually have more money to give out. So even though the cost is higher, it will be cheaper for you in the long run.
Don't overlook the scholarship search. It may take some of your time, but working on finding scholarships in this economy is worth it. And there are many scholarships that go overlooked. You can do a free college scholarship search here, or learn ways of finding scholarships here.
Colleges have what they call merit scholarships to current students who have high GPAs. So, pump up your studying and get good grades.
And the easiest way to make up a shortage of college money. Spend less. This means everything from transportation, to books, and dorms to food. Read 30 ways to cut college costs.
The bottom line, is that your bottom line may look deep, but with a little extra work, you can make up for a college cash crunch.
Showing posts with label college expenses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college expenses. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Sunday, August 21, 2011
College students can save money by not buying these things
Let's face it. College is expensive. Most college students squeak by on a meager budget. One thing they realize is that tuition is not the only cost. Other things can add up. Many students don't even realize how expensive other things can be. So here are a few items that college students should try and not buy. Every penny saved is a penny back in your pocket.
Leave the car at home. Better yet. Sell it and pocket the cash. The college fees for parking are probably going to cost $50 a month. Or more. And your car will mostly sit. You still have to pay insurance, and car insurance for college students is not cheap. You will be tempted to take trips on the weekend, further costing you money. No doubt a car will end up costing most college students a couple of hundred dollars a month. If you insist on driving in college, here are some lower car insurance tips.
College students do not need the latest fashions. You're going to spend the majority of your time on campus. Buy some used clothes and forget the name brands. Nobody in college will notice anyway. Every student will have unique way of dressing. If you buy new, buy from the cheaper store and skip the brand names.
Textbooks are a huge expense. So, how about trying NOT to buy them. You can rent them from various places now. Many e-readers have textbook versions for a fraction of the cost. But, the best way is to avoid buying them at all. How? Well, show up to class before you buy books. See if the ones on the list are really necessary. If not, and you can still pass the class, don't buy them. Your college library will have copies of all needed books. Most of these cannot be checked out, so copies remain in the library. Get to the library during off hours, and chances are nobody will be using them. You can also check out used book stores to see if an older version works just as well. These would be very cheap. Meet people in the class who have a textbook, and study with them. Here are more tips on saving on textbooks.
College students do not need a lot of notebooks and paper anymore. Most things that used to be passed out, like a syllabus, are now online. You might even do homework online. Maybe you can take notes with your computer. Wait until the first few classes to start and find out exactly how much paper and notebooks you need. Don't wast money on school supplies.
>>Tips for more financial aid.
Leave the car at home. Better yet. Sell it and pocket the cash. The college fees for parking are probably going to cost $50 a month. Or more. And your car will mostly sit. You still have to pay insurance, and car insurance for college students is not cheap. You will be tempted to take trips on the weekend, further costing you money. No doubt a car will end up costing most college students a couple of hundred dollars a month. If you insist on driving in college, here are some lower car insurance tips.
College students do not need the latest fashions. You're going to spend the majority of your time on campus. Buy some used clothes and forget the name brands. Nobody in college will notice anyway. Every student will have unique way of dressing. If you buy new, buy from the cheaper store and skip the brand names.
Textbooks are a huge expense. So, how about trying NOT to buy them. You can rent them from various places now. Many e-readers have textbook versions for a fraction of the cost. But, the best way is to avoid buying them at all. How? Well, show up to class before you buy books. See if the ones on the list are really necessary. If not, and you can still pass the class, don't buy them. Your college library will have copies of all needed books. Most of these cannot be checked out, so copies remain in the library. Get to the library during off hours, and chances are nobody will be using them. You can also check out used book stores to see if an older version works just as well. These would be very cheap. Meet people in the class who have a textbook, and study with them. Here are more tips on saving on textbooks.
College students do not need a lot of notebooks and paper anymore. Most things that used to be passed out, like a syllabus, are now online. You might even do homework online. Maybe you can take notes with your computer. Wait until the first few classes to start and find out exactly how much paper and notebooks you need. Don't wast money on school supplies.
>>Tips for more financial aid.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
College Student Loans - Don't go for broke!
Federal Student Loans are available to anybody that goes to college and fills out a FAFSA.
But college students need to be aware of the debt level they have when they graduate. It can be a huge load on your finances. Students don't normally think about this. They just like the money in the bank.
Don't make mistakes when it comes to student loans.
Borrow ONLY the amount of money you need to pay for college. This may be substantially less than what is offered. It may seem great to have more money, but college students have a tendency to go through it quick if it's there. You will one day need to pay it back. If you get more money than you need, and you have fun like movies, music, even Spring Break, you will be paying this off for years. You are delaying when you will be on a strong financial footing by getting into unneeded debt.
Watch your major. Will you get a great paying job right out of college and be able to make student loan payments with ease? Or do you know you will get a lower salary before working your way up? Will you always have a lower salary? These questions need to be answered before taking out any loans. It may not be worth it to pay such a large sum of money with a loan for a low paying job.
Don't think student loans first. There are many options of free money for college you need to exhaust before taking out a big loan. There are scholarships and grants like Federal Pell Grants.
Research the repayment terms. All direct student loans are done by the federal government now and there are various good repayment plans. But private student loans are another matter. These will be based on your credit and they are more stringent as far as repaying them. If you can't make the payments, it will effect your credit score.
You should plan on cutting your expense to make college cheaper. You don't have to live like you have a never ending supply of money. You need to live like a broke college student. Watch how you spend your money. Visit our Ways of Saving Money in College page. You don't want to be making payments for years on past trips to the movies!
>> 5 jobs college students can get now.
>> College students and credit cards.
>> Repaying Student loans.
But college students need to be aware of the debt level they have when they graduate. It can be a huge load on your finances. Students don't normally think about this. They just like the money in the bank.
Don't make mistakes when it comes to student loans.
Borrow ONLY the amount of money you need to pay for college. This may be substantially less than what is offered. It may seem great to have more money, but college students have a tendency to go through it quick if it's there. You will one day need to pay it back. If you get more money than you need, and you have fun like movies, music, even Spring Break, you will be paying this off for years. You are delaying when you will be on a strong financial footing by getting into unneeded debt.
Watch your major. Will you get a great paying job right out of college and be able to make student loan payments with ease? Or do you know you will get a lower salary before working your way up? Will you always have a lower salary? These questions need to be answered before taking out any loans. It may not be worth it to pay such a large sum of money with a loan for a low paying job.
Don't think student loans first. There are many options of free money for college you need to exhaust before taking out a big loan. There are scholarships and grants like Federal Pell Grants.
Research the repayment terms. All direct student loans are done by the federal government now and there are various good repayment plans. But private student loans are another matter. These will be based on your credit and they are more stringent as far as repaying them. If you can't make the payments, it will effect your credit score.
You should plan on cutting your expense to make college cheaper. You don't have to live like you have a never ending supply of money. You need to live like a broke college student. Watch how you spend your money. Visit our Ways of Saving Money in College page. You don't want to be making payments for years on past trips to the movies!
>> 5 jobs college students can get now.
>> College students and credit cards.
>> Repaying Student loans.
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