College without Student Loans

College without Student Loans?

Is it possible to finish college without incurring debt?  It may not be easy, but it is definitely possible.  Here's how:

Take College Courses while Still in High School.  Many schools offer college credit through dual enrollment.  Dual enrollment is when you take college courses at your local high school and receive both high school credit and college credit.  In most cases, these courses are free.  Some students are even able to obtain an associate's degree by the time they finish high school.

Choose an Affordable College:  Treat college like you would any other major purchase and shop around for a college that offers the best value for your dollar.  In-state public universities offer a great education for a fraction of the cost of out-of-state or private schools. You can save even more by completing your first two years of prerequisites at a local community college then transferring to a state university to complete the last two years.

Apply for Scholarships and Grants:  There are many scholarships you may qualify for.  For example, in Georgia we have the Hope Scholarship.  The HOPE Scholarship is a merit-based award available to Georgia residents who have demonstrated academic achievement. A Hope Scholarship recipient must graduate from high school with a minimum 3.0 grade point average and maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative postsecondary grade point average to remain eligible.  Look around.  You will be surprised how many scholarships are available and you may qualify to multiple ones.

Work while you are in School:  Working 15 to 20 hours per week can help cover a lot of the incidentals that are not normally covered by scholarships.  If you can pay for things like food and entertainment out of pocket it can help you avoid student loan debt.

We are here to you with college planning.  Just give us a call.