How to Go to College Without Student Loans

A college education does not have to come with a pile of debt. Follow these steps to learn how to go to college without student loans.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. START IN HIGH SCHOOL
   
   If you are still in high school, visit with your counselor to see what high school classes you may be able to take for college credit. You may have to pay for some of these classes, but the cost per hour of credit will certainly be lower than if you took them in college. This could also shorten the number of semesters you have to spend in college, also lowering your college tuition costs.

2. CONSIDER COMMUNITY OR JUNIOR COLLEGE
   
   Community or junior colleges can give you some of the best bang for your college buck. By completing two of your four years at a community or junior college, you could cut costs significantly.
   
   If you're not interested in starting out at a community college, take classes there in the summers. The counselors at the community college can work with you to make sure your credits transfer.

3. SCHOLARSHIPS
   
   There are thousands of college scholarships available to students each year. Make it your part-time job to educate yourself about and applying for scholarships.
   
   Don't overlook some of the smaller, more obscure scholarships. There will be less competition for these and obtaining several of them can add up to a significant amount of money.

4. TAKE FULL LOADS
   
   Taking full loads of classes each semester will ensure that you graduate on time. This eliminates the costs associated with extra time in school.

5. GO PART TIME
   
   This Step is exactly the opposite of the advice given in Step 4. If going to school full-time is impossible to do without going into debt, take classes part-time while working a full-time job to cash flow your education.

6. INVESTIGATE EMPLOYERS
   
   Many employers provide tuition assistance to their full-time (and in some cases part-time) employees. Like in Step 3, make it your job to educate yourself on which employers in your area do this. An employer like UPS is a great place to start.

7. WORK
   
   It seems obvious but many students overlook the impact that working will have on their budget. Plan to work part-time during the school year and/or full-time during the summers, earmarking your earnings for college expenses.

8. BUY USED BOOKS
   
   Textbooks are a major expense of going to college. Find out if your college bookstore sells used text books. If not, look at Amazon and eBay. Just make sure the book you are buying is the edition that the professor wants his or her students to use.

9. PURCHASE COLLEGE MEAL PLANS
   
   If you are living on campus, purchase the campus meal plan and then use it. You will save yourself a lot of money eating this way versus eating out.

Resources

• FastWeb: Scholarships, Financial Aid, Colleges

[Cherst1031]

on 8/10/2008 This is all good information, which I will need to use in the near future for my youngest...

[LilacGirl]

on 8/10/2008 These are all very good suggestions. Terrific article.