If you've been looking at colleges recently, you've probably been shocked at the expense. Just who in the world do these people think they are charging so much? If you want to go to college, though, you're going to have to come up with a way to pay, and this article is here to help.
You have three major options for finding money for college. You can save the money, get a scholarship/grant, or borrow the money. Each of these approaches have there pros and cons, so you need to think through each before pulling the trigger.
First, let us discuss the savings options. To save enough money for college, you need time. Starting early is the best way to go if you possible can (and I know many can't). You also want to make sure your money is tax sheltered, so look into getting a so called 529 savings plan. These can be set up at many banks and financial institutions.
The best way to get money for college is through scholarships and grants since these will give you free money. The biggest key to getting this is to apply! So many people do not apply for scholarships, and thus leave a lot of money on the table. Don't let this be you.
If you can't come up with the money by any other means, you'll need to check into getting student loans. Student loans are typically low interest loans that you will have to repay over a long period of time after you graduate. These come in two flavors, government backed and private. Let's talk about both.
The standard Stafford loan is a typical example of a government backed loan. These loans are easily obtained, but may not have enough money to cover all students. Still, these loans are vastly preferable to most other loans, as they have quite a few forgiving options. If you don't have enough money from these, you'll have to go with a private loan, which may or may not have very good terms in comparison. Always shop around if you're going with a private loan.
Paying for college isn't easy, but I hope this has given you a good idea of what kind of options are out there. Best of luck!
You have three major options for finding money for college. You can save the money, get a scholarship/grant, or borrow the money. Each of these approaches have there pros and cons, so you need to think through each before pulling the trigger.
First, let us discuss the savings options. To save enough money for college, you need time. Starting early is the best way to go if you possible can (and I know many can't). You also want to make sure your money is tax sheltered, so look into getting a so called 529 savings plan. These can be set up at many banks and financial institutions.
The best way to get money for college is through scholarships and grants since these will give you free money. The biggest key to getting this is to apply! So many people do not apply for scholarships, and thus leave a lot of money on the table. Don't let this be you.
If you can't come up with the money by any other means, you'll need to check into getting student loans. Student loans are typically low interest loans that you will have to repay over a long period of time after you graduate. These come in two flavors, government backed and private. Let's talk about both.
The standard Stafford loan is a typical example of a government backed loan. These loans are easily obtained, but may not have enough money to cover all students. Still, these loans are vastly preferable to most other loans, as they have quite a few forgiving options. If you don't have enough money from these, you'll have to go with a private loan, which may or may not have very good terms in comparison. Always shop around if you're going with a private loan.
Paying for college isn't easy, but I hope this has given you a good idea of what kind of options are out there. Best of luck!
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