There are several ways to pay less for a college education, thereby making college more affordable despite the high cost. These 18 tips will help you cut the cost of college.
[See also How to Cut College Costs for additional tips.]
Learn more than a dozen tips about ways to spend less on a college education.
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Tips about Financial Aid for College
Focus on free money first, such as grants, scholarships and tuition waivers. Use a free scholarship matching website, such as Fastweb.com or the College Board’s Big Future, to find scholarships that match your background profile. Also use Google to search for scholarships by adding the word “scholarships” to your search query, but beware of scholarship scams. If you have to pay money to get money, it’s probably a scam. Scholarship listing books can also be helpful, but check the copyright date to ensure that the book isn’t too old to be useful. Continue searching for scholarships even after you are already enrolled in college.
Apply for financial aid even if you don’t think you’ll qualify. File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year to qualify for federal and state grants. Some colleges will require a supplemental form, such as the CSS Profile, to apply for their own financial aid funds, but must still use the FAFSA for federal and state aid. Students are more likely to qualify for financial aid at a higher-cost college, even if they aren’t…
