Get A Private Student Loan
If you were not approved of federal financial aid or loans, youre left with the option of seeking help from a private lender. To get a private student loan, you need to have a good credit score and likely a co-signer. Having a co-signer is optional if you have a good credit history. As usual, youll be required to submit an application after consulting with a loan officer. The disbursement of the loan amount is often swift and smooth. Then youll enter into an agreement to repay back your loan.
But it is advised to proceed with caution with private loans and only take them as your last option. These loans often come with high rates and high penalty fees.
You Still Need A Budget To Be Successful
In order to afford a college degree using my community college method, you still need to budget your money. If you start with a community college, the average tuition is $3,347 a year. That comes out to $279 a month. About half the price of your average car payment!If you later attend a University for the average of $9,970 a year, that would be $831 a month. The $831 may be a little steep for you so lets break it down a little differently.
If the first two years is only $279 a month, try to save $500 a month. If you do this for 2 years, you would have saved $5,304 extra by the time you had to start paying for the university! There really is no way to rack up tons of student loan debt if you use my above methodology.
If youre looking to increase your monthly cash flow, it may be time to start a side hustle as described in my related article, 6 Reasons Why You Need A Side Hustle.
More importantly, paying for college with cash really is possible if you avoid the expensive university trap. If you need help creating and sticking to a budget, check out my article Its Time To Budget Like A Boss! In there you can pick up my free budget and for an extra money hack, sign up for my Free Money Finding Challenge!
You Could Lose Your Visa Status
Oftentimes, the visa status of international students is dependent on being currently enrolled in school. If you miss multiple due dates for your tuition payments while you have a hold on your account, your current courses will likely be canceled, and you wont be able to register for future classes. If you are not enrolled in school, and cannot be in the future, then you may lose your student visa status.
Also Check: College Softball Recruiting Tips
Buy Your Grandchild Us Savings Bonds
Pros:
- U.S. Savings Bonds are easy to purchase at your local bank or from Treasurydirect.gov.
- Savings bonds are a relatively safe investment that offer guaranteed interest if held to maturity.
- Series EE and I bonds purchased after 1989 by someone age 24 or older may be redeemed tax-free when the proceeds are used to pay for higher education expenses.
Cons:
- The tax exclusion on Series EE and I savings bonds doesnt apply unless the grandchild is your dependent that means youll have to pay income tax when the bonds are redeemed.
- Interest rates have been at historic lows and are not keeping up with tuition inflation.
- Individuals may only purchase $10,000 worth of each Series EE and Series I savings bonds per calendar year.
Find Emergency Student Loan Programs
Colleges in the U.S. are coming out with more and more financial programs to help students during a time of financial need. In some colleges, you can obtain help through grant dollars, and in other cases, you can get these funds in the form of student loans. As per the current estimates, three out of four public colleges have some type of emergency student loan program in place. The emergency program varies from college to college. Usually, theres a small processing fee involved.
Recommended Reading: Umaine Book Buyback
How Much Does College Cost
The cost of college depends largely on the school you choose to attend. According to College Board, the average tuition and fees in the 2021-22 school year amounted to $38,070 at private nonprofit four-year colleges, $10,740 at in-state public four-year colleges and $27,560 at out-of-state public four-year colleges. The average tuition and fees for a public two-year college, meanwhile, was $3,800.
There are several variables that impact what youll pay for college, including:
- Tuition and fees.
Working While In School
If your goal involves paying for college tuition without loans, work-study programs or freelancing during school could help cover the costs of college and likely should be a top option after exhausting scholarships, available savings and family contributions.
Federal work-study programs might be an option for undergraduate, graduate and professional students who are attending school full-time or part-time and who have financial needs. Jobs through federal work-study programs often involve doing work related to your studies or community service work, which makes these jobs a great way to earn money for tuition while also building your resume.
However, youll need to make sure your school participates in the federal work-study program by checking with the financial aid office, and youll need to both qualify for a work-study job and be able to find a job.
When your school provides information on your financial aid package, youll be offered a federal work-study award if you are eligible based on financial need. You can find out a lot more about federal work-study programs by reading our guide.
There are also a number of side hustles you could do while attending school, and with careful budgeting, working during school might make college affordable without loans especially if the school offers a flexible or monthly payment plan.
Read Also: Bachelor’s Degree In Mortuary Science
Ready To Start Your Journey
As tuition prices rise throughout the country, more and more students are taking out loans to pay for school. So many students are borrowing money that student loans are now the second largest source of consumer debt in the country. In 2015, almost 71% of bachelor’s degree recipients graduated with student loans, double the rate of graduates from 20 years ago. Over the past two decades, attendance and costs have skyrocketed, and federal aid hasn’t kept up. Consequently, more students than ever must take out college loans to finance their post-secondary education.
In 2015, almost 71% of bachelor’s degree recipients graduated with student loans, double the rate of graduates from 20 years ago
Recently, the student loan rate has crept even higher. According to a study conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the proportion of the U.S. population with student loans increased from about 7% in 2003 to 15% in 2012. Given that the average student leaves school owing over $28,000, graduating without debt may appear impossible. The 30% of students that do graduate without a loan demonstrate that it is possible to complete college debt free it just takes a lot of creative thinking and bit of extra work.
How To Pay For College: 6 Ways To Cover Your College Costs
Everyones financial situation is different. Attending college is a big financial decision for you and your family. Being accepted into your school of choice is cause for celebrationso dont let the price tag damper your excitement. When its time to start planning how to pay for college, there are many resources to help you find a financial plan that works for you and your family and help you pay for college.
Most students qualify for . Whether you come from a military family, have stellar grades, or demonstrate financial need, there are loans, grants, and scholarships that are designed to help you achieve your goals.
To get a better idea of your options, check out our list of six ways to pay for college:
Also Check: College Hill Seasons
Focus On Grants And Scholarships First
Grants differ from loans in that they do not have to be paid back. That’s why you’ll often hear them called “free money.” The federal government runs the Pell Grant program, which gives money to undergraduates from low-income families. The specific amount you’ll receive depends on your expected family contribution, your cost of attendance and your college plans. For the 2020-2021 year, the maximum is $6,345.
Check out state financial aid programs here. Florida, for example, has the Bright Futures Scholarship Program that awards as much as $211 per credit hour to eligible applicants. Washington has the Washington College Grant, which can cover full tuition costs at approved, in-state public institutions or put “a comparable amount toward tuition and other education-related costs at an approved private college or career training program.”
Schools also often offer what’s called merit aid to students with certain standardized test scores or other academic achievements. At private colleges especially, this is a significant form of financial aid, totaling billions of dollars a year.
Finally, you may want to take advantage of outside scholarships. Companies, nonprofits, foundations and other groups are constantly coming out with private scholarship opportunities that may offer free money with fewer strings attached than federal, state or institutional programs.
Apply For Rotc Scholarships
Are you planning to join a Reserve Officer Training Corps program while in college? The Army, Air Force, and Navy all have scholarship opportunities, but the process is very competitive. The Army ROTC is one of the countrys largest scholarship providers, so its a great opportunity if youre already considering a career in the military.
You should know in advance that ROTC scholarships are not guaranteed just for being part of the program. Students who complete ROTC programs are commissioned into their specific branch of service after graduation.
You May Like: Awmi Truth And Liberty
Attend A More Prestigious University
This seems counter-intuitive, but often the more prestigious colleges, while more expensive, have more funds available from wealthy donors. When I prepared to transfer to a four-year university from community college, I chose between a local division one university and a Big 10 university.
While I thought it would be more financially feasible to attend the division one university because it had a lower tuition rate, it turned out it would have actually been more expensive. Why? The Big 10 university had many donors with deeper pockets, and therefore could offer me more grants and other aid outside of student loans.
However, weigh the different options unique to your own situation. Local state universities offer reduced tuition rates to students who have established in-state residence, so they may be a better option for you financially.
Put Money Into A Custodial Account Under Ugma/utma For Your Grandchild
Pros:
- You can easily transfer cash, stocks and other types of property into this type of account.
- Your grandchilds first $1,050 of unearned income will be sheltered completely by the standard deduction, and the next $1,050 of unearned income will be taxed at their own tax bracket .
Cons:
- Your grandchild will assume all rights to the funds once he or she reaches legal age so theres no guarantee that the money will be spent on college.
- Any unearned income above $2,100 will trigger the Kiddie Tax and be taxed at the rates that apply to trusts and estates.
- The value of a custodial account will be counted as a student asset on the FAFSA, and will reduce financial aid eligibility by 20% of the account value.
- So if the UGMA/UTMA account is worth $10,000, your grandchilds aid eligibility will be reduced by $2,000.
Read Also: Sell Your School Books Online
You Can Hire A Financial Planner To Help Your Grandchild With Planning For College
Pros:
- You can rest easy knowing that your family is getting professional advice.
- In addition to helping find the right investment vehicle for your gift, a financial planner can also help with finding scholarships, school and major selection and how to maximize your grandchilds financial aid eligibility.
- The family will be able to align their college savings with their retirement and other household investments.
Cons:
- Some financial advisors can only offer investment products that are available through their broker-dealer firm.
- There will be higher fees and expenses associated with an advisor-sold 529 plan.
- You may not be involved in the decision-making process.
See also:
Take More Credits Per Term
If you are paying full-time tuition, most colleges do not differentiate between 12 credits and 21 credits. Check with the college of your choice to see if they charge a flat rate for full-time students.
If you want to reduce the expenses associated with your college degree, taking as many credits as possible is one of the best ways to graduate early without paying any extra money in tuition.
Read Also: 120 College Credits
Icipate In Clinical Studies
If you attend college near a facility which runs sleep and/or medical trials, consider signing up to participate in their studies. Trials can usually be found on places like Craigslist or ClinicalTrials.gov, and sometimes pay as much as $750 per session. If your college includes a medical school or psychology department, they may also have opportunities.
How Much Does Tuition Actually Cost
Lets look at the current average tuition rates of some local universities to see how much you can expect to pay for tuition and fees not including room and board:
- University of Southern California $56,225 per year
- University of Chicago $57,006 per year
- Harvard University $50,420 per year
- Stanford University $51,354 per year
- University of Notre Dame $55,553 per year
- Arizona State University $11,917 per year
- Ohio State University $10,726 per year
- Texas A& M University $10,862 per year
- Florida State University $7,516 per year
- Michigan State University $14,522 per year
- University Of California Los Angeles $13,225 per year
As you can see from the above list, you can expect to pay anywhere from $7,500 a year to $57,00 a year for a 4-year degree at a university. Keep in mind these are all in-state tuition rates. If you are attending from out of state, expect to pay about 3x these amounts. These rates also do not include room and board or meal plans. You can see how easy it is to owe $100,000 or more in student loans upon graduation.
If you average all of the United States university tuition rates, the average amount you will pay each year for a degree from a university is $9,970 a year.
You May Like: Buzzfeed College
What Does Past Due Mean
When you take out money from a financial institution as a loan or credit, youre expected to repay the borrowed amount by a certain date. When you miss your loan due date, you are now considered Past Due on the bill. This is irrespective of whether you were required to pay the lump sum in one go or in monthly installments. When you face a past due amount on your account, a fee might be levied as a penalty. Some providers will let you enter a grace period which can range from 10 to 30 days during which therell be no late fee involved. When theres a past due on your payment history for a sustained period of time, it may affect your credit score.
Compare Tuition Fees & Choose The Right College
There is a huge difference in tuition fees from one college to another. Do you really need to attend the most expensive school? Its a myth that colleges with lower tuition fees offer a lower quality of education. If you check any college rankings, you will see that cheaper colleges are right up there with their more expensive counterparts. There are several factors that go into determining how good a college is and fees are not one of them.
This is where College Raptor can be a massive help! With our free match tool, you can discover your personalized college cost estimates for nearly every four year college in America. You can compare your own net price estimates to various schools. You can even see information like your acceptance odds and overall fit.
A little known fact that is choosing certain area of study may qualify students for in-instate tuition at an out-of-state school. This is something worth looking into.
Recommended Reading: What Colleges Are Still Accepting Applications For Fall 2021
Roth Ira In The Grandchilds Name
Contributing to a Roth IRA that is owned by the grandchild is worth considering if the grandchild might not be going to college. It can give the grandchild a head start on saving for retirement. Annual contributions are limited to $6,000 in 2021, subject to income limits.
If the grandchild decides to go to college, the money in the Roth IRA will not be reported as an asset on the FAFSA. But distributions will count as income, including a tax-free return of contributions from the Roth IRA. It may be best to wait until after the grandchild graduates from college to use the money to pay down student loan debt.
Ask Friends Family And Even Strangers
For college students, money is always a helpful birthday, holiday, and graduation gift. But this year ask your friends and family to skip the birthday card and send you money via your profile on websites like Edulender or Sponsor My Degree. These crowd-funding sites allow students to collect money from family members, friends, and even strangers to put towards their tuition or student debt.
You May Like: Ashworth College Pharmacy Technician Reviews