OK! So my last post was about how the American higher educational system just makes in nearly impossible to students to get an undergraduate degree...but I forgot that being an almost graduate myself from this system, I've saved a little money in some ways that could probably help future undergraduate students as well. So here's a list of things that could possibly help:
1) Government Aid
1) Government Aid
If you're like me and you're family places into the middle class, you're doomed to be told that you're family makes too much money to be given a whole lot of financial aid. Sometimes I just want to go up and say to these people "My dad complains when I ask him for $20...how is that considered making too much for aid?" But unfortunately, that's the way it is so...just fill out your FASA form like a good little student and see what you're school offers you. Most of the time, schools offer partial scholarships for good grades so that helps a little but BEFORE you decide to take out any independent loans, wait until you see what federal aid you can get, including federal grants and loans (because these loans often have lower interest rates than private ones..and federal subsidized loans don't have any interest..I think..so take advantage!) If you have a good financial aid adviser at your school, they should tell you how much your family is excepted to contribute to your educational cost.
Now, scholarships other than what your school gives are great but hard to come by...I haven't seen one since I've been in school...but if you can get your hands on one then great! The motto with those types of scholarships are "Fill out a lot and be persistent" so if you have the time, then do it! It can't hurt to do it anyway, plus the questions that they ask really get you thinking why you want to go to school and what you want to do in school, which is good! Because goal oriented people make it further in life (....maybe you've already heard that one before...)
2) Work study.
Now, scholarships other than what your school gives are great but hard to come by...I haven't seen one since I've been in school...but if you can get your hands on one then great! The motto with those types of scholarships are "Fill out a lot and be persistent" so if you have the time, then do it! It can't hurt to do it anyway, plus the questions that they ask really get you thinking why you want to go to school and what you want to do in school, which is good! Because goal oriented people make it further in life (....maybe you've already heard that one before...)
2) Work study.
It's a really good way to earn work experience and also pay for little expenses like...DAILY LIVING. Once you find a way to pay for tuition, room and board and if you are a lousy cook like me, a meal plan....you'll be completely broke (and they say you're family earns too much money..yeah rollin' in the big bucks..) Find a little job on campus that you can work at for maybe 2-3 hours a day. For me, I worked at the library and it was a pretty good setting...plus the little bit of money that you get from these jobs really add up..so think about doing that.
3) Text Books
3) Text Books
...now this is a lesson I learned my first year of college...NEVER sell your books back to your school. Unless you want to feel like you've just been raped and slapped in the face. The first time I sold my textbooks back to my school...they gave me $5.25 for all my books, yes you read that right and I paid almost $120-130 for them. Your school will come up with some lame excuse like, these books are out of edition or out of date and can only be bought back at this price and some other bull shit of an excuse...so yeah never do that.
Instead, go online and try to sell your books, you can at least get most of your money back for them. Sites like amazon, textbookx. com are good sites where you can sell your textbooks for decent prices....
Now, for buying textbooks...before you even think about BUYING these things, look to see if you can't borrow them from your school library...that's why it's there, to borrow books! Most students don't take advantage of all the cool things that there libraries can do for them...like if your school library doesn't have that book you need they can go to another library and borrow the book you need for that Philosophy class instead of shelling out $21.50 for it. Take advantage of your library people~(words from a girl that spent 3 years of her life working at Lauinger Library..go hoyas LOL)
Now if the library thing doesn't work out for you and someone else beat you to the book (in that case you can call them an asshole and curse their mothers LOL I'm just joking I've never done that before *shifty eyes*) Then, try and find them online for a relatively cheap price. Sites previously mentioned such as Amazon and TextBookz are pretty good places for finding good deals.
Now if all else fails, going to your school book store should be a LAST and I mean LAST resort. Your school already gets enough money out of you already so don't fuel them even more by going to the book store and spending over $500 dollars on a chemistry book that you could have gotten online for $400 dollars less. It's just a rip off...ok! I just remembered a funny story! When I had just transferred to Georgetown and all the new transfers and new students were taking a tour around DC I was walking with a group of students and this one guy was like "Man, I just dropped $1000 dollars on A textbook at the bookstore" Hearing that I almost tripped and fell. Is this guy FOR REAL! Did he really just come out of his mouth with that....does he know that..that kind of money could sustain me for the whole year...maybe even two and I wouldn't have to beg my dad for $20 just to make it through the week! I just looked at him like he was crazy...because he obviously had to be to spend that kind of money on one book...even Oprah wouldn't spend that much money on one book....
4) Private Loans.
Instead, go online and try to sell your books, you can at least get most of your money back for them. Sites like amazon, textbookx. com are good sites where you can sell your textbooks for decent prices....
Now, for buying textbooks...before you even think about BUYING these things, look to see if you can't borrow them from your school library...that's why it's there, to borrow books! Most students don't take advantage of all the cool things that there libraries can do for them...like if your school library doesn't have that book you need they can go to another library and borrow the book you need for that Philosophy class instead of shelling out $21.50 for it. Take advantage of your library people~(words from a girl that spent 3 years of her life working at Lauinger Library..go hoyas LOL)
Now if the library thing doesn't work out for you and someone else beat you to the book (in that case you can call them an asshole and curse their mothers LOL I'm just joking I've never done that before *shifty eyes*) Then, try and find them online for a relatively cheap price. Sites previously mentioned such as Amazon and TextBookz are pretty good places for finding good deals.
Now if all else fails, going to your school book store should be a LAST and I mean LAST resort. Your school already gets enough money out of you already so don't fuel them even more by going to the book store and spending over $500 dollars on a chemistry book that you could have gotten online for $400 dollars less. It's just a rip off...ok! I just remembered a funny story! When I had just transferred to Georgetown and all the new transfers and new students were taking a tour around DC I was walking with a group of students and this one guy was like "Man, I just dropped $1000 dollars on A textbook at the bookstore" Hearing that I almost tripped and fell. Is this guy FOR REAL! Did he really just come out of his mouth with that....does he know that..that kind of money could sustain me for the whole year...maybe even two and I wouldn't have to beg my dad for $20 just to make it through the week! I just looked at him like he was crazy...because he obviously had to be to spend that kind of money on one book...even Oprah wouldn't spend that much money on one book....
4) Private Loans.
Now this is what got me into trouble, but just couldn't be helped T^T After graduation..I'm probably looking at a 60000-70000 dollar debt...yay me! So, if your like me and you have to take out loans to cover the rest of the cost for school, here are some things to keep in mind.
- make sure you verify the interest rate. A low interest rate will save you money because, if your anything like me, you don't have the money to pay for your loans now, so having a low interest rate that won't break you when you get out of school in 4 years is ideal.
- If you have a loving and kick ass dad like mine, you're parents can try and pay off some of the interest that you create while in school. It's good to have family backing because that makes the process a little more maybe comforting. Just the feeling of knowing that you have your parents to lean back on if something goes wrong is a blessing that not many people have, so use it to your advantage!
-go with loans that need to be school verified, because these loans often have lower interest rates and your school will make sure that you only take out the amount that you need and nothing more! This will save you money!
- and lastly, don't be so down on yourself if you have debt after graduation! Most American graduates do and are still paying it off in their 40-50s It's just the way of this crazy ass system and you just like the millions of others have to take out loans to get by and try to make it. Don't feel overwhelmed by the cost either because most educational loan services will work with you to try and pay off your student loans. Also think about consolidation to try and get a lower interest rate and...just relax! You're on the same boat as millions of American graduates for undergraduate and graduate studies.
Well that's all the tips I have for now, and remember getting a higher education is an investment..a costly one but one with lucrative benefits..even though you might not feel that way in the beginning... because I know I don't feel that way now T^T
- make sure you verify the interest rate. A low interest rate will save you money because, if your anything like me, you don't have the money to pay for your loans now, so having a low interest rate that won't break you when you get out of school in 4 years is ideal.
- If you have a loving and kick ass dad like mine, you're parents can try and pay off some of the interest that you create while in school. It's good to have family backing because that makes the process a little more maybe comforting. Just the feeling of knowing that you have your parents to lean back on if something goes wrong is a blessing that not many people have, so use it to your advantage!
-go with loans that need to be school verified, because these loans often have lower interest rates and your school will make sure that you only take out the amount that you need and nothing more! This will save you money!
- and lastly, don't be so down on yourself if you have debt after graduation! Most American graduates do and are still paying it off in their 40-50s It's just the way of this crazy ass system and you just like the millions of others have to take out loans to get by and try to make it. Don't feel overwhelmed by the cost either because most educational loan services will work with you to try and pay off your student loans. Also think about consolidation to try and get a lower interest rate and...just relax! You're on the same boat as millions of American graduates for undergraduate and graduate studies.
Well that's all the tips I have for now, and remember getting a higher education is an investment..a costly one but one with lucrative benefits..even though you might not feel that way in the beginning... because I know I don't feel that way now T^T
Links to check out:
Search Amazon.com for textbook buyback store
Search Amazon.com Books for textbook buyback store
No comments:
Post a Comment