6 Tips on Not Going Broke In College
Paying for college tuition is hard enough for a family or individual to pay. Most students take out loans and apply for scholarships as much as they can to help make the load a little easier to handle. But what about paying for things when you’re actually in college?
Staying frugal through getting your degree can be easy or hard to do, depending on how well you are at curbing your wants and paying attention in school. No matter who you are and who is paying for your college education, everyone has the same problems- not going broke during college is hard to do.
Here are seven tips on minimizing the costs of college and getting your bachelor’s degree with the only debt being those from your loans, and not from your credit cards and living costs.
Get in and get out
The average cost of a public university is a little over $7,000 a year. The annual cost for a private university is a whopping $26,000. All that covers is the cost of your classes. What about everything else? That’s on you! The more time you spend paying for classes, the less you money you will have in your pocket and the more your student loans will grow. Get in and get out- don’t dawdle and screw around. Have fun, make friends, have a good time, but always make sure it doesn’t interfere with graduating in four years.
Make your advisor your best friend
College is composed of a basic mathematical formula. Coursework=classes=credits=degree. Your college advisor helps you stay on this path and get through everything you need in the right order, at the right time, and to graduate in four years. Keep in mind that your advisor is only one person, so making sure you follow-up and give them the information they need will ensure the best possible outcome.
Don’t change majors
We’re not telling you to stick with something you hate just to save money. We are, however, saying use your freshman and beginning of your sophomore year to explore different fields of study that interest you to find one that matches you the best. This will save time later on, because changing majors means more classes, wasted classes, and more time and money.
Be a four-season learner
Taking a class or two during the summer is not as terrible as it sounds. Most universities have an active social scene even in the summer months. Staying around your school during summer also keeps you focused and disallows the temptations of life to derail your college plans.
Don’t discount community colleges
If tuition costs are a major concern, community colleges are the perfect place to start your collegiate career. Explore your options and see how well your community college transfer program is, and make sure your credits can transfer out to bigger schools.
Avoid the bookstore blues
With all the options available to students, you should never ever pay full price for a text book. Buying them from the campus bookstore might be the most convenient option, but you will pay for that convenience. Websites like Amazon.com, Ebay.com and Half.com have textbooks for more than half off many campus bookstores.
