How to Pay for College Without Your Parents
Let’s be honest—college is not cheap whatsoever. The cost of tuition, books, room and board, and other fees can quickly add up. While some students can depend on their parents or guardians for financial help, others may need to cover the costs on their own.
If this is your situation, don’t fret—you can still start the journey to your future career without digging into your parents’ pockets. However, if you decide to go this path, you’ll need to start ASAP to get as much free money on the front end as possible without needing many (or any) loans.
Ready to fund your education? Here are six ways to pay for college without your parents’ help:
Prepare ahead
If you want to pay for your college education independently, you need to start planning now to save money.
Here are some pre-planning tips to help you save some coins on college:
- Sign up for AP classes: If your high school offers Advanced Placement (AP) classes, consider signing up for a few. AP classes are college-level courses that allow you to earn college credit and placement—which could help you save money on classes you’ve technically already passed.
- Do dual enrollment: Dual enrollment entails taking college-level courses at a local community college or university while still in high school. Going this route can save you money on tuition but can also help you get an idea of what college classes will be like.
- Get a high-yield savings account: Start saving now by signing up for a high-yield savings account. These savings accounts earn an above-average interest rate on deposits, which allows you to save money faster, as some pay up to 15 times more than traditional savings accounts. Shop around to see what banks are offering and open an account.
- Work during the summer in high school: Getting a summer job can be a great way to earn money and gain work experience. Summer jobs can also help you explore potential college majors and career paths while building your resume and LinkedIn profile.
Think about what post-secondary education you want to pursue
Do you want to attend a two-year or four-year college? Or are you interested in attending a technical school? Knowing where you want to pursue your education is crucial, as that will let you know how much you can expect to pay.
Check out the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard to look at average tuition costs, graduation rates, median earnings of graduates, and much more.
Apply for scholarships
Don’t leave free money on the table. Make sure you’re sending out applications for scholarships. While some schools will automatically consider you for merit-based scholarships when you submit your application, you’ll also want to look for other scholarships you can apply for.
If you know what program you’ll be applying to, you can contact their department to see if they offer scholarships to incoming freshmen.
Aside from school-based scholarships, you can also search for scholarships online—and you won’t have to go too far. We have a free scholarship database that you can filter for scholarships relating to gender, ethnicity, level of current enrollment, and much more.
Complete the FAFSA
As you apply for scholarships, make sure you also apply to the Free Application for Financial Student Aid (FASFA). FAFSA can help you qualify for grants, work-study programs, and federal student loans.
To be considered for these financial aid opportunities, visit StudentAid.gov to create an FSA ID. From there, you’ll need to gather a few important things—such as your driver’s license, social security number, and potentially some information from your parents regarding their finances—and then you can complete your application.
Just so you know, the FAFSA opens every year on October 1, and some federal financial aid is first come, first served, so don’t wait too late to submit it. Once you start college, you’ll want to keep submitting a new FAFSA every year to get financial aid as long as possible.
Consider private student loans
If you’ve received financial award letters but are still short of your tuition costs, you may want to consider applying for private student loans. Private student loans are different from federal student loans as they’re non-federal loans offered by banks, credit unions, and state agencies.
Some notable private student loan lenders include:
If you go this route, you may face higher interest rates than federal student loans, and you may need a co-signer to be eligible for funding.
Get a part-time job or side hustle while in college
If you have time between classes and social life, consider getting a part-time job. Or, if you can’t find a job that fits your schedule, consider getting a side hustle, such as babysitting, DoorDash, or freelancing.
Now, a job or side hustle likely won’t cover all your college expenses, but it could be a steady income that can help pay for books and fees or start paying on student loans if you take any out.
With financial support, a college education can be affordable. If you’re not receiving help from your parents, you want to seek as many opportunities to get free money or other forms of financial aid to pay for your college. Use the tips mentioned above to help you navigate financing your degree and start making moves today.
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Paying for college is challenging, but with some creativity and persistence, you can find ways to make it affordable. Each approach requires planning and effort, but taking proactive steps can minimize debt and give you a financial head start in your post-college life.
Remember, education is an investment, with many paths to making it affordable. You can always start by checking out Appily's scholarship database. We have millions of dollars worth of scholarships you can apply for to help bring down the cost of college, and they've all been vetted, so they're legit and scam-free.
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