I decided to publish this post after most readers said yes after asking them if I should still write about saving money in college. I published this post first because you can still save money using some of these tips. How
1. Choose an inexpensive college
What I mean is you don’t need to get your degree from an expensive college just because everyone else is or you feel like you need to. You can save lots of money by choosing a instate public university. However, sometimes it is cheaper to go out of state or go to a private college depending on financial aid and scholarships. I saved my financial aid estimates from the colleges that I got accepted into and compared them once I had them all. This was a factor in deciding which school I should attend.
2. Fill out the FAFSA
Even if you don’t think that you will qualify for any financial aid you should still fill it out. Since most schools still require you to fill out a FA
3. Apply for scholarships
This is something that I encourage everyone to do because there are so many scholarships out there. If you don’t try and apply for scholarships then you never know and it can be frustrating sometimes but it can pay off. I have included a few places to look for scholarships but I encourage you to use your judgment and do your research on scholarships to make sure that they are legit and not a scam. Studentaid.gov has great advice on how to find and apply for scholarships. I am not going to go more in-
4. Graduate in 4
Graduating on time can save a lot of money instead of having to retake classes. So as several wise people have once said: “go to class”.
5. Work
Right now many people may not be able to work due to recent events. So this advice is for when it is safe to work again. I encourage people to work during high school and college in order to save money. You can also get work experience, meet new people, and develop or strengthen your time management skills. I have worked through high school and now college (but shifted to work at home right now). This has allowed me to make connections with my coworkers and save most of it to put towards college. Howev
6. Dual enrollment or AP classes
I never took dual enrollment or AP classes in high school. But I have friends that have and have been able to save some money. Dual enrollment classes can count for both high school and college credit while some colleges accept ap classes as a credit if you have a certain score depending on their policy.
7. Consider commuting
I considered commuting to a nearby college because my mom said that I was welcome to use the second car that I and my sister share live in my room. But when I crunched the numbers I realized that it would not be saving me a lot of money. Also, you have to consider if you want to commute every single day or be able to live on campus. It’s a personal choice and if you choose to commute it is still possible to connect with people on campus. I would also talk to your family so you are all on board about expectations such as expenses and boundaries.
8. Community College than transfer
Going to community college first then transferring can also save you a lot of money. Community colleges offer lower tuition and fee rates. Furthermore, you can save money on room and board. However, you should discuss the living arrangements with your family and talk about expenses first so you are all on board.
9. Use your meal plan
If you have a meal plan then use it unless you don’t have one or commute. Most colleges require you to have some type of meal plan so you should use it instead of eating out. However if you have dietary restrictions I encourage you to talk to your school about getting your meal plan waived or helping you find safe food for you to eat.
10. Budget your money
Set a budget for yourself regarding how much money you are spending each month and where it is going. First, look at your monthly fixed expenses every month such as car insurance or your phone bill then
