How does anyone afford college?
400334
Private colleges with large endowments usually give substantial grants to excellent students with great financial need, AND to excellent students from middle-income families with sizable financial need (given the high tuition costs of these colleges).  Few students at private colleges get NO financial assistance.  Students who attend these colleges are also usually quite smart, and often attain scholarships from various other sources. \n\nIt sounds like you are a student "in the middle," with a very high parental income, and no academic scholarships.  Students like you do indeed usually go to state schools.  But don't despair.  There are some excellent state universities, eight of which have earned reputations as "public ivies." \n\nHere's a list of "Public Ivies."\n\nThe original eight, from Moll (1985):\nCollege of William and Mary \nMiami University (in Ohio)\nUniversity of California (the entire state system)\nUniversity of Michigan \nUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill \nUniversity of Texas at Austin \nUniversity of Vermont \nUniversity of Virginia \n\nFrom Greene's Guides (2001), additional potential "public ivy" schools:\n\nBinghamton University \nIndiana University Bloomington \nMichigan State University \nThe Ohio State University \nThe Pennsylvania State University \nRutgers University \nUniversity of Arizona \nUniversity of Colorado at Boulder \nUniversity of Connecticut \nUniversity of Delaware \nUniversity of Florida \nUniversity of Georgia \nUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign \nUniversity of Iowa \nUniversity of Maryland, College Park \nUniversity of Minnesota \nUniversity of Washington \nUniversity of Wisconsin
13712
You have several options to help pay college expenses.  Your first step should be to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid).  Depending on your financial need you might be eligable for a pell grant from the government to pay for your tuition and books.  Your second option is to apply for scholarships at the college you wish to attend.  Contact the financial aid office to see what is avaliable for the career that you are wanting to enter.  Another option is a work-study program where you work at the college and they give you money in return to pay towards your college education.  More information about work-study programs is avaliable from your local college financial aid office.  As a last resort you could get a student loan, but remember that you would be responsible for paying it back with interest.
866651
I get $150 a month to spend because that's how my scholarships pan out. My parents pay for my gas and school supplies/books, and I have  a meal plan.
859111
There are scholarships out there and many. Some are renewable and some are not. Colleges do offer merrit scholarships if you meet certain criteria and maintain it in areas such as grades. Most outside scholarships are judged by an interview or a written essay. Doing your homework about the organization really helps. I will provide sources for both application tips and locating scholarships. Each of these items do not cost a single penny.\n\nFirst, apply at FAFSA.ed.gov the fall semester before you start college. It will help you tap into need based financial aid from the federal government and the college itself.\n\nSecond, if you are a current high school student, check with your high school guidance office because they have a list of local scholarships and requires only an application to get consideration on receiving it.\n\nThird, 35 states have a websites where high school students can apply for college admission and for state college grants by searching Google.com and Yahoo.com for it. If your state is not one of these states, search your state government's website.\n\nFourth, the college's financial aid website lists private scholarships offered by companies and organizations.\n\nFifth, search Google.com and Yahoo.com for scholarships based on your ethnicity, college major, and religion. There are scholarships out there based on these items.\n\nFinally, join several free membership scholarship websites. Most are updated on a regular basis.\n\nIf a company is promising you guaranteed scholarships for a fee, do not do it. Much of the work can be done by yourself for free. Unless your time is very tight, do not use the service. However, the fee could be better spent.\n\nI did notice from one source I came across that a guaranteed scholarship came from colleges and universities. The student met certain criteria such as grades or being a member of the National Honor Society. There is a list at Guaranteed-scholarships.com. It is a small list of colleges, and the scholarships are listed by college and shows the amount.\n\nGood luck!
721382
There are some excellent resources out there for saving money on a budget. \n\nLucy Lazarony with Bankrate.com has some excellent advice tailored specifically for college students:\n\n1. Track it\nTrack your spending for two to four weeks to find out where your money is going. Are four trips to Starbucks a week really necessary?\n\n"They don't realize how much they spend on little things," says Vickie Hampton, a financial planner and an associate professor at Texas Tech University in Lubbuck, Texas. "That's the most common revelation."\n\nMark Oleson, director of a financial counseling clinic at Iowa State University, adds, "Usually, just by tracking expenses, you'll start to curb expenses." \n\n2. Get a plan\nThe best way to manage your money over the course of a semester is to sit down and map out a budget. List sources of income such as scholarships, loans, money from summer jobs and cash from your parents as well as expenses, such as tuition, books and groceries. \n\n3. Good time money\nIf you know you need to buy a new CD or go to concert or a party every week, make room for that in your budget. \n\n"You need some entertainment," Hampton says. "A student is going to get really burned out if you don't do anything fun."\n\n4. Pace yourself\nIf you spend, spend, spend at the beginning of the semester, you could be tapped out later. Give yourself a spending limit for each week. Stick to it and you won't have to eat macaroni-and-cheese every day in December.\n\n5. Go easy with the credit cards\n"One quick way to spend beyond your means is to charge it," says Mallary Tytel, president of Healthy Workplaces. \n\nUse credit cards sparingly. Once you get into the habit of reaching for a Visa, it can be hard to stop. \n\n"I saw a student pick up a bag of chips and charge it," Tytel says.\n\nWho wants to pay interest on a bag of Doritos?\n\n6. Set your own credit line\n"Just because you have a credit card with a $2,000 credit line doesn't mean you have to spend $2,000," DiSpirito says. "If you know you can only pay back $500, then just spend that."\n\nAfraid you'll spend as long as there's room on the card? Call your credit card company and request your credit limit be lowered. Keep at it. Card companies will try boost up your credit lines so you spend more. Tell them "no" each time they try. \n\n7. Get real\nYou can do what you want, but you can't do everything you want. You're going to have to make some choices. Whatever you choose is going to cost some money. Be realistic. \n\n"You need to understand you can't have everything and you have to understand there are consequences," Tytel says. "At some point there needs to be a reality check in terms of what things cost. Most kids have no idea."\n\n8. Stuff happens\nIf you bust your budget on something you really, really want to do this week, make up for it next week.\n\nIf you find that you must go out to dinner and a movie one week, spend the money; be satifisfied with the decision, and commit to staying home, eating at home and not making any other purchases the following week.\n\n9. Look ahead\nWhether it's a road trip with friends or an auto insurance bill, if you know a big expense is coming, start putting some money aside to pay for it.\n\n"It's a lot easier to set aside $50 every month than to come up with $300 when the bill is due," Oleson says. \n\n10. Get in touch with your roomie\nContact your roommate before the semester starts and divvy up expenses. Chat about who will bring a refrigerator and who will bring a microwave. \n\nThis way you avoid duplicating purchases and excess spending, but will still have all the conveniences to make college life easier.\n\n11. Spread it out\n"Most of the big expenses are at the beginning of the school year," Tytel says. "Buy books as you need t
948102
I know exactly how you feel! I am a college student in Connecticut, where the cost of living is very high. Although I didn't take out a loan (I work forty hours per week to pay my tuition and bills... ugh!) and I don't currently have any debt, it is pretty difficult to get by.\nMy advice is to just stay in school and successfully finish your degree, or else it will be a big waste of time for you to have gone through so much to accomplish so little! If you can find a job in your field after you graduate, it will be a lot easier to pay off your loan (depending on your major: example: medicine vs. journalism? Medicine definitely pays off!).\n You should pay attention to how you spend your money, however. Try to save as much as you can and even go as far as keeping a spending journal. Taking note of where every penny goes is a very reliable way of figuring out what you need and what you're wasting your money on. When you figure out how much money goes into 'splurging', you'll be surprised; put whatever extra money you have into a bank account or invest it into an IRA or something similar. Good luck! =)
84675
have them fill out the FAFSA form.  If they can't get loans for school, then you have too much money.  Get in contact with the college's financial aid office, and apply for scholarships and work-study programs.
369424
It depends on what you're majoring in.\n\nIf you can afford it you should go to a regular college.
27039
Well, saving money is definitely key, but don't acquire any big assets, seeing as they'll lower your financial aid potential. (Have grandparents or parents start savings for you, as long as it's not in your name.) I don't know what school you go to, so sorry if this sounds like something you've heard already.\n        Take a good course load (3 years sciences, 4 years math, 4 years social studies, 4 years English, 2 years at least foreign language)and try to take a few AP classes, at least. Artistic capabilities are taken into account, so if you have skills, apply them. \n        Be well-rounded, do sports for a few years, or be in plays, do community service, join clubs (starting clubs that succeed is even better!), get involved any way you can. Show leadership potential (student government, or founder/president of a club/committee or project). Get reasonable grades (you don't have to be a 4.0 to get into college, but don't slack off just because.) Get good SAT scores, or ACT scores. \n        It's not tough, just a little much to do all in one year...and make sure to have your applications checked by a teacher or parent, weird grammar mistakes can be prevented. If you need anything else, drop me a line. Good luck!
1179638
hmmm .... okay, so heres what you do ......\n\nyou keep with your job now, and you save it up as much as you can ...... i mean SAVE SAVE SAVE .... it doesnt matter if its in the bank, or in a sock at the bottom of your dresser drawer ..... dont spend it on stupid stuff like the movies, or a trip ...... use it for college stuff only ....... like food (microwavable, cold salad bowls, water, etc.), supplies ( if you have any, use stuff from last year) .... \n\nAll the saved money will add up, trust me ....... but they will still let you into college without all the money, that will just be a debt you will have for a few years .......\n\nget a job on campus or anywhere near your college .... again SAVE the money ...... and dont go partying all the time ....... thats how most college girls waist all their money .......\n\npay a little bit towards college each month, or every few months ..... you will probably be paying college off until your late twenties ...... but its okay, at least you get the education and  a good job out of it ........ good luck hon!!
438661
Education costs are definitely going up and the field of postsecondary education is expanding.  Right now there is a big demand for the services it provides but not a huge supply, therefore tuitions do seem to be getting a little higher.  I went to a public institution in NYC and even the tutition there took a hike, this may have been due to the finanical hit the city took with 9/11.  \n\nMy advice, do good in school and apply for scholarships.  As for books, heck I didn't even buy most of mine, just borrowed them from the library and kept renewing throughout the semester.  After all, I don't need those books once the semester is over.  \n\nAlso, definitely check ebay before buying books at a bookstore.  All through my five years of undergrad I just kept buying at the bookstore and then I was playing around ebay trying to sell them back, and saw that the prices are unbelievably cheap on ebay.\n\nAlso, try www.bookboom.com for books, not all schools are listed, but those that are have people selling the books who attend the school.  That way you can just meet up on the campus and do an exchange w/out worrying about shipping costs.
698819
Ask someone to help you!!! If you know someone who has the money, and you are close to them...then ask them.  And if you got accepted, then you are don't a dumb a** so apply for scholarships!  There are scholarships out there for people who fart too much!!! I'm serious, you can get scholarships for everything, not to mention there are grants, and loans.  \n\nDo some research!  And don't forget about rich aunts or grandparents...people don't mind helping you if they know it is for a GOOD CAUSE!
1063350
Your biggest stumbling block might be the assumption that scholarships would be your only financing option.  With that mindset, many people would *already* have found it impossible to afford college.  When college costs rise while Higher Ed funding declines, most people will need to make some compromises in order to finance their education.  This could mean delaying your enrollment, working a few more hours than planned, assuming some debt, or attending a lower-cost school.  The students who find college "impossible" to afford are usually the ones who refuse to make these sacrifices.  Over the years, I've worked with a lot of students and I've witnessed both sacrifice and hard-headedness -- invariably, the students who succeed most often are the ones who make the big sacrifices *now* so that they can live the good life later on.\n\nTo answer your question, though, there will probably always be private donors willing to support higher education.  While no legitmate scholarship is guaranteed, you can increased your odds by applying for as many as you can (more than you think you need) and excelling academically *and* outside of school. Make connections, perform community service, travel, join a club -- anything to set yourself apart from the other applicants.\n\nAs far as institutional scholarships (money offered by your school), academics are usually key. Here, too, is where you might need to make sacrifices.  In most cases, you can't expect to obtain a huge scholarship offer from your "reach" school.  Conversely, your "safety" school, which would probably love to have you, might offer you the moon.  If you turn your nose up at the safety, you might never know what it feels like to graduate debt-free... In this sense, your inability to afford college would be sort of self-inflicted...\n\nMilitary student aid (e.g. the GI Bill) continues to be an option for most Americans.  This lucrative funding, coupled with the fact that students on active military duty now automatically qualify as "independent" on the FAFSA (and therefure usually receive more Pell, SEO, and state funding) means that most military students easily attend college for free.  \n\nStudent loans aren't going anywhere -- they're always an option.  If, for some reason, government funding for high education was taken away, there would likely be greater competition among private loan lenders resulting in better approval rates, interest rates, and borrower benefits.
268052
There are a few good ways to do this. First is financial aid. Second, depending on what state you are in, there should be several local scholarship programs. There are also other scholarships out there, ask the college you intend to go to for information on them. Last, there is always a part time job. Many places will work with you on a schedule ,that fits around your class times, if you tell them you are attending college. Hope this helps you. :)
90613
You can do the follo\n1. Borrow money from parents or elders\n2. Approach financial institutes for special student loans and schemes\n3. Work temperory at call center or Mac Donalds\n4. Conduct private tutuion classes\n5. Win scholarships\n6. Save pocket money, dont be extrawagent, dont be fussy and choosy, concentrate on studies, avoid expensive things in college, avoid so called days, avoid spending money and time on gfrend/bfrend.\n\nGood luck.I believe that education is very expensive these days, esp engg. Even I am wanting to earn some money.\n\nAgain, Good luck.
721726
You either have to be super smart, or super rich.\n\nThat's the way it is everywhere.\n\nAre there scholarships? Perhaps a company sponsor? Something.
470898
OSU.. I was living in Nevada.. during this time College was aproching for my kids.  We lookied all over For the best Vetmed in the US.. we wrote everyone. Got lititure. Form all the colleges.. \nI sold my house packed the bags and Moved to Oklahoma Stillwater.. MY kids are in the 4th yrs. One dose Vet med the other one Phycoligy.. {MOM cant spell}  That is why kids go to college.. lol.. \nThe tution is only$7000. a year for instate.  That is why i moved her one year prior.. other wise it is like $15000. Out of country is $26000.  big diffrents.\n\nThe town is great. it is all college kids. tons and tons of childcare.. I opend a day care for if my kids fell in love and got married they would have kids.. well 4 yrs later.. I am taking care of my granddaughte..  \n\nDreams do come true you just have to make them happen.. As for being a mother i devoite my life to my kids they all live with me even being married and i am doing all i can to put them thru college..\n\nNO crime.. Lots of gyms, parks, and the huge OSU/ cowboys.  you will love it here.. it is relaxing.. Not a city life just a small country town full of college kids.\nas for work.. we have 3 factorys.. Walmart.. where all the college kids work.. Every damn Fast food "who cooks" not even me.. if it is not micorwaveabul or fast food.. we dont have time. lol  There are tons and tons of jobs at the college.. My kids work at the college.. my daughter husband at Walmart..  \n\nWages are $6.25 to $7.50 depending on job..just a avrage. the gas staytions are $9.50.. tons and tons of conveient stores..\n\nGreat grade schools..  Go check out OSU...