Ways to Avoid Hefty College Loans

Going to college means to get into the process of acquiring the knowledge of developing the powers of reasoning and judgment and preparing for a mature life.

Literacy is considered supreme ‘cause it enlightens the mind and prepares for a brighter tomorrow.

Many noted leaders have quoted Education to be a fruitful experience.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

― Nelson Mandela

“When you know better you do better.”

― Maya Angelou

“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”

― Malcolm X

Since, nothing comes for Free; going to college also requires money in fact, lots of money. However, when an individual is determined to educate himself; there are ways to avoid hefty college loans.

Some of the tricks are below:

• Get some cash flow by getting a job where the income is sufficient to pay the ongoing bills. Cash is king and an individual got to keep a detailed cash flow projection before taking a loan on his/her education.
• Research student loans and find how much federal aid you are eligible for. Go to FAFSA and get to know what your worth.

• Once you know your worth. Choose a couple of colleges that fit your budget. It’s never advisable to take a big leap on your financial loans. Always be within your budget; since that will help you pay back the loan once you are a graduate. Public or state universities can be overwhelming ‘cause of the size but large schools offer more scholarships, internships and more resources like tuition installment plans that can make going to college affordable.
• Also look into universities that offer tuition compact program where the tuition cost would not rise until the student graduates. That is another good way to save on costs.
• Apply for as many Scholarships you can qualify for. There is a chance that you will get only 1 or 2.
• Purchase your textbooks before the semester starts and try to get it from sites that guarantee cheaper rates and give you good bargains.

Some of the sites are:

Some other options to save on money is:

• Get on-campus jobs ‘cause that does not need you to travel far and your employer would be understanding of your class schedules and project obligations. However, on-campus jobs are for the school year only. If the individual plans to continue their job all year, he/she should inquire about summer employment.
• Experience counts. Any kind of college job will go on the student’s resume and be regarded as work experience.

• It is never too late to look for new scholarship applications. Any break can be a good time to explore new scholarship options. Apply for as many external scholarships you qualify for, since not all offer the same choices. Below is the list of some external sources, which hand out money to students under different criteria’s.

Below is a list of sites that have proved useful to many for getting scholarships.

Some other options also include:

• Community Colleges are also a good and cheap source to finish your pre-requisites prior to enrolling in a semester in college. Once the pre-requisites are done, make sure they are transferred to the college of your choice.
• When it gets overwhelming there is no harm in taking a break from your academics and getting a full time job to stock up on your cash flow.

Going to college gives a person confidence to deal with the day-to-day challenges. I am sure; we will have a brighter and confident future generation to take on the reins of our country and help make wise decisions to keep this planet a safe and serene place for all living beings.