How To Graduate From College Debt-Free
Going to college can enhance your resume by increasing your level of educational experience. The only downside to that extra education is the cost that comes with it. College tuition can easily cost you $10,000 or more a semester. How do you manage to graduate from college without taking on any debt at all?
Go To A Community College
Starting your education off at a community college will save you a ton of money. The quality of education you get from community colleges can often times be just as good as any other school. Going to a community college allows you to stay at home for the first two years of college. Not having to pay for room and board can save a college student several thousands of dollar. Tuition for a community college can be less than $3,000 a year.
Get Scholarships
Scholarships are free money that people will give you to attend college. Many scholarships are available based on different criteria. Athletes may get athletic scholarships to play a sport for that school. Students with high GPA’s could get a scholarship due to their academic success. Your employer may offer a scholarship simply for being an employee. Obtaining scholarships can dramatically reduce the cost of your college education.
Find A Job
Start paying for college as soon as possible. Paying back even a portion of your loans now will mean paying less upon graduation. It is very possible to find a job that will help you start to pay down your debt assuming you find an affordable school. Federal work-study grants will give you money to pay off your debt in exchange for working at the school. Consolidating your loans while you are in school will force you to start paying right away. It could be the motivation you need to graduate with a little less debt.
Avoid Paying Tuition With Credit Cards
Never finance your college education through the use of a credit card. Credit cards charge interest rates in excess of 10 percent for even the best of credit scores. College students will most likely be forced to pay double that for anything they charge while in school. Obtaining a federal student loan will cap the interest rate at around 4 percent. Consolidating your loans will also lock in your interest rate for the life of the loan. Dealing with credit card debt on top of student loan debt will make it hard to pay off your college loans by the time you graduate.
Ask Your Parents For Help
Your parents may have been saving money for your college education since you were young. This extra money can be a big help when attempting to graduate from college with as little debt as possible. Even a few thousand dollars as a contribution to your college education could pay off your tuition at a community college. Work with your parents as soon as possible to come up with any ways that they can help you pay for college. Easing your debt burden just a little bit can allow you to focus on things like growing your retirement account.
Graduating from college with a massive debt is by no means a requirement. Several tactics can be employed to lower your debt upon graduation. Scholarships, getting a job and picking an inexpensive school will help to chip away at your college loan debt. Avoiding credit cards will also help you focus on your student loans exclusively.
