How to make paying for college less expensive
Although college is often considered a prerequisite for a high paying job, it is also an expensive way to get that job. Many people graduate college with thousands and thousands of dollars in debt, and have to work for several years before they are debt free, and are able to enjoy the higher income they make from that college degree. Instead of living under the bondage of student loan debt, let's look at a way to make paying for college less expensive:
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1. Tuition. Obviously the first expense that comes to most people's minds when they think of the cost of college is the tuition they pay to attend the school. Depending on where you attend, this can range significantly. Some ways to reduce the cost are to get as many credits done before you start paying tuition. You can do this by AP courses, community college (with cheaper tuition), etc. Another option is to ask the school for more financial aid. Often they will offer a certain package for aid, and if you appeal it, you might get more. Apply for student loans and grants. Look for work study programs that help offset the cost. Last, but not least, make sure you know what you want to do so that you do not pay for semesters you don't really need.
2. Books: The cost of books can be close to $1000 a year, that means $4000 or more for a degree just in books. Cut this down by using books from the library, buying used, using online resources such as eBay, Craigslist, and other online bookstore and book trading sites, to make your books cheaper. Buy early, sell early. Make sure a new edition is not coming out soon, otherwise you won't be able to sell your books. Look into options like e-books, international versions, or soft back instead of hard. All of these things can help you save money.
3. Housing. Cost of living is expensive, so look for a great place to share rent with friends, look for on campus packages that include food, utilities, etc. Look for ways to save by maybe having your parents buy a house near campus, and let your friends rent rooms to cover the mortgage. There are a lot of ways to save on housing, but the biggest one is to attend a college close to home so that you never have to move out.
4. Extras: Cars, computers, etc. all cost money, and for the poor college student, it might be money they don't have. Look for ways to cut the costs. For example, live closer to campus so you don't need your car and you won't have to pay for insurance, gas, etc. Buy a desktop instead of a laptop, there is less convenience, but more reliability and fewer repairs. Look for ways to cut down these costs as they can add up fast.
If you can do these things, you can pay for college without it being astronomically expensive.
