College education has never been cheap. On the contrary, it seems to be getting more and more expensive every year, making more young people opt for loans. Not being able to pay for their tuition and other expenses, a big share of modern students graduate with hefty debts and don’t know how to manage them post-school.
Needless to say, completing your degree with a five-digit (or even more) debt on your shoulders can be very stressful. The good news is that there are ways to avoid this. Read on, and we will tell you about some of the most effective strategies for completing your studies debt-free!
Work Through College
The first idea everyone gets when thinking about the ways to finish their education debt-free is to get a job. Of course, studying is going to take up nearly 100% of your time and energy. However, there are ways to combine studying with working. For example, trusted academic helpers like WritePaper.com can help you balance things out. On this site, students can hire professional writers who can take care of their schoolwork while they are busy at work.
A full-time or even a part-time job can help you a lot in college. Not only will it let you pay tuition, but it will also let you live a fuller and more comfortable life. So this strategy really works.
Start a Business
There are many reasons to engage in business while being a student. First of all, running your own time business gives you real-world education and experience that will definitely come in handy in the future. And secondly, if you have a good business idea and the resourcefulness to bring it to life, you have a chance to start making money out of your venture.
Successful student entrepreneurs don’t just make money for a living like their working peers. They also get a chance to pay off their debts faster and even have a stable source of income for the future.
Get on a Budget
Smart budgeting is one of the most important skills a student should have in order to ensure a comfortable life in college and graduate debt-free. Unfortunately, a large part of young people has no idea how to manage their finances and plan daily expenses correctly. And this causes lots of problems.
The good news is that we are living in the 21st century. Even if you have zero budgeting skills, there are plenty of tools that can help you get on the right track. Equip yourself with the right apps, and you will be able to manage your budget stress-free.
Additionally, if you are interested in betting on games with Bitcoin, it is crucial to set a budget and stick to it. Using budgeting tools and apps can help you keep track of your spending and avoid overspending.
Learn to Be Saving
While tuition fees in modern schools are very expensive, not all things in your student life have to be expensive too. There are plenty of tricks that can help you save lots of bucks on housing, textbooks, food, and other things. You just need to learn how to find saving opportunities and use them to your benefit.
For example, instead of buying full-price items, you can hunt for seasonal or student discounts. Instead of wasting thousands on textbooks, you can buy used ones or even rent them. There are many opportunities for saving your money on a daily basis. Start using them right now, and you will be able to graduate without debt or with a very small remaining of it.
Opt for Grants and Scholarships
Grants and scholarships are both types of non-repayable financial aid for students. They are awarded for many reasons and on many different terms. Some are granted based on your talents and academic profile. Of course, such options aren’t suited for all. However, there are also plenty of grants and scholarships that are provided to young people with certain backgrounds.
A good grant or scholarship can cover from a small part to 100% of your tuition. Needless to say, receiving one is a great strategy to graduate without a hefty debt. So be sure to look for options that might work for you and give them a shot.
Let Your Employer Handle It
The next strategy is great for students who are already employed. Though not everyone knows this, many companies participate in employer-sponsored tuition programs. Such programs basically mean that a current employer might help you pay off your loans or reimburse tuition.
The eligibility for such programs can vary from one company to another. Often, both full-time and part-time employees are allowed to enter the program. So if you are a working student, be sure to double-check if your company offers such an option and try it out. This strategy can be very helpful.
Take More Credits
Everyone in college is required to take a certain amount of credits to keep up with the curriculum. Typically, you will need to get 15 credits each semester. But here is one interesting thing about credits - their typical number is calculated per program and broken down into semesters in order to let you finish your education within the given four years. That is, if you take more credits, you can actually graduate faster.
For example, if your program sticks to the standard 15-credit semester, try taking 17-20 credits instead. This way, you will have a more intensive schedule and will get through the program faster. If you do this, you can reduce your time in college from four to three years and, thus, save money on a whole year of tuition, room and board, and related expenses.
Pick the Right College
Finally, if you are just getting ready to apply for college, the best strategy to ensure debt-free graduation is to choose the right school. Here, you might have several options.
First of all, you should consider in-state schools. Traditionally, the cost of tuition is significantly lower for in-state students than for those who come outside of the state. According to NCES (National Center for Education Statistics), the average in-state tuition in a public school is $9,349, whereas the average cost of out-of-state public schools is $27,023.
Another option to consider is a community college. The average tuition in such schools is slightly above $3,000, which makes them rather easy to afford without any loans.
Finally, in 2022, there are also a few alternative schooling opportunities that you can try. First of all, online colleges. Such schools are becoming more popular after the Covid-19 pandemic. They offer more flexibility, freedom, and significantly lower fees. Moreover, such education is quite easy to combine with a job, which makes it a perfect option for graduating without any debts. And secondly, there are also non-loan schools. These will require you to meet certain financial aid criteria, and if you do, they will offer you aid that will let you get through college without loans.
The Bottom Line
If you are terrified by the opportunity to spend the next 5-10 years of your post-graduation life paying off your loans, we get it. Entering your adult life with debt surely feels bad and puts additional stress on you. But it doesn’t have to be like that.
After reading this article, you will know about some of the most time-tested and working ways to tackle your tuition and other expenses. Feel free to use these tips to graduate debt-free!