How to Pay for College Without Getting Buried in Student Loans

There’s no getting around it for most of us.

College is expensive!

And while there may be talk about forgiving student loans by the current administration in the White House, don’t count on it. Nothing in life is free. 

Rather than trying to depend on the kindness of strangers to help you afford college, there are ways to approach paying for higher education so you won’t be in serious debt by the time you earn your degree.

Attend Junior College
Four years at a university could cost you more than $100,000 when all is said and done. However, a year at a junior college is expected to cost you close to $5,000, including books. With a part-time job, most students can pay off this debt as they attend classes simultaneously. Two years at a junior college and then two following years at a college or university won’t break the bank in the long run. 

Apply for Every Grant and Scholarship You Can
It has never been easier to find and apply for scholarships than it is right now. Several apps make applying as simple as possible. Fill in your information, sit back, and let the app do the work.

Apps such as Scholly and Scholarship Advisor will quickly determine which scholarships are suitable for you. Plus, these apps will detail what exact scholarships are offered at your college of choice. This would be money that you never have to pay back, so applying for scholarships should be high on your list. Just make sure you apply early. It is usually first-come, first-serve. 

Working with the professional tutors at iAchieve will help as well. Not only can we assist you in earning the best grades possible in your high school classes, furthering your chances of landing scholarships, but we can tutor you for the ACT and SAT exams, too. One high score on either of these exams will open up the possibility of several scholarships for you. 

Compare Costs
While your dream school may be something you have been fantasizing about for years, it could come with a high price tag. And is it really worth being in debt well into your thirties so you can say you attended a specific college?

Shop around and determine the actual cost of all the colleges in your region. Leave out schools that are out of state since there usually is a tuition fee that will hike up the prices. You may just find out your third or fourth choice for a college could cost less than half of what your first choice would have been. Reducing your future debt should be critical as you truly learn the value of a dollar. 

Trade Schools Are Just as Valuable
There is absolutely nothing wrong with learning a trade such as construction, plumbing, or welding. Workers in these fields earn a good living and get paid a relatively high wage. Plus, many of these trade schools can be completed in a year or two. Furthermore, as you become an apprentice in the process, you usually receive a fair hourly wage. Get paid while you learn? Do the research and find out if it is right for you. 

Have a Wealthy Relative?
Rather than sign up for high-interest student loans that will have you paying more in interest than principal when it is all said and done, perhaps there is a family member that can help you out? Of course, if they are loaning you thousands of dollars, approach them with a detailed plan for a payment schedule and include some extra money for them as well. Don’t expect to borrow money without offering them a reason to loan you the funds. 

Keep Everything in Perspective
If you are getting excited about attending college shortly, you may just overlook all the debt you will be in after graduating with your degree. You may mistakenly believe it is all part of the “going to college” process. 

But contemplate your options before you choose your school. If your college debt is high, you may as well forget about purchasing a house anytime soon. And while starting a family may not rank high at the moment for you, there is an excellent chance it will sometime soon. Expensive college loans will put your life on hold. 

Ask adults in your life for their guidance. You probably have a mentor or two whose advice you value. There is nothing like gaining wisdom from your elders when it comes to these situations. 

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