Mammoth AwardsTips To Keep Your School Costs Low
Yes, advanced education can be costly nowadays, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to make it more affordable.
For starters, you can choose to attend community college over a four-year university. While you may not get the whole “college experience” that comes with being on a big campus, a local community college can significantly cut tuition costs. Get your standard classes and credits out of the way while you save some cash and maybe work a job on the side, and you can transfer to a more prominent college or university later on.
Speaking of jobs, if you’re currently working, ask your employer about tuition assistance. Some have such programs that can chip in and help reduce some of your college expenses. And since you pay taxes on income from that job, read the Tax Benefits for Education PDF from the IRS. It explains the variety of tax credits available for students.
If you’re working full time and are very busy as it is, you may want to consider being a part-time student. Taking fewer credits will obviously lower your tuition costs, and that can take a load off as you get acclimated to going back to school. Before you make the move to become a part-time student, however, keep in mind that it could negatively impact your federal student aid eligibility.
Not only is choosing your status as a full or part-time student important, so are the classes you’ll take. If money is tight, you don’t want to take courses that don’t count towards your certificate or degree. Be extra careful when picking your semester schedule, so every class and every dollar spent counts.
What’s one of the most obvious ways to keep school costs low? Apply for scholarships. If you already have a school picked out, contact the financial aid office and ask what scholarships are available. You’ll also find tons of scholarships here at the Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop website.
Other Tips for Adult Students
Here are some other things to keep in mind if you’re going back to school on a budget:
1. Transfer your old credits.
You may have attended classes several years (or even decades) ago. Don’t let those credits go to waste without first contacting your prospective school’s registrar’s office. Ask if the credits are transferable, so you don’t have to take and pay for such classes all over again.
2. Make sure the school accepts your student aid.
If you qualify for federal student aid, you want to pick a school that participates in the program. If not, that money will go to waste. You can find this out by contacting the school’s financial aid office.
3. Convert experience into credits.
So you haven’t stepped foot on campus in years. So what?
Some schools offer credits for work or life experience that can give you a nice head-start with your restart.
4. Make the most out of military experience.
Many adult students go back to school with military experience under their belts. Military personnel have scholarships and loan repayment assistance at their disposal, which you can find by going here. Even if you never served, you may be eligible for financial aid if a family member did.
