Main image courtesy of The Washington Post.
Paying for college is expensive. No matter what major you pick or even what school you go to, college will still be super expensive. From your tuition, room and board, books and supplies, and other expenses that you may have to consider, trying to pay for college can be stressful because of the many expenses that go into it.
For many students, their parents are able to help them pay for them to go to college, or have opened up a savings account and have been putting money in it since they were born. When it comes to other students, they may be all on their own when it comes to paying for college. No matter what their situation is, this can be stressful, but there are many ways to be able to pay for your education.
If you are a student that is not receiving any help from your parents when it comes to paying for college, here are some of the most helpful ways to be able to pay for college all on your own!
The Best Ways to Pay Off College Debt Without the Help of Your Parents
There are a lot of ways to pay off your college debt, so make sure to check out these useful tips and tricks!
Wanting to go to college is a fulfilling experience no matter what career path you want to take. There are so many reasons to go to college and learn new things, but it can be very expensive. Some students don’t have the help of their parents when it comes to paying for their education, so they may have to take matters into their own hands.
If you are a new college student that isn’t getting the help from your parents when it comes to paying for your college education, here are some of the best ways to save money and pay off your student loans!
File for the FAFSA
Have you ever heard of the FAFSA? The FAFSA is short for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and it is the best way to get extra financial support from the government to be able to pay for your college education. All you have to do is put in what school you’re attending, what you plan on studying, and your annual income. Then, whenever you get the amount of money that the government says you can have, you can choose between subsidized (interest is paid by the Education Department while you’re in school) or unsubsidized (interest that builds up as soon as loan is dispersed).
If you know that you aren’t going to be receiving any help from your parents, whenever you’re filling out the FAFSA, make sure to mark yourself as an independent. This way you don’t have to include any information about your parents’ income or their assets. As a result of this, your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will be lower, which will help you to receive a generous amount of money in the end.
Take out Private Loans
Something that you can do if you know you won’t be getting any help from your parents to pay for college is to take out private loans if you are qualified. By taking out private student loans, you are able to defer your loans until six months after you graduate, so you are able to find a job and start saving to be able to start paying off your loans.
While taking out private student loans is convenient at the moment, you just have to be careful when it comes to out much you take out. Never take out more than you need to pay off your tuition, room and board, books, and transportation, because depending on how much you take out, it could affect how you efficiently pay back your loans at the end.
Start Out at a Community College
While you may want to start off at a four-year college and stay there during the duration of your college experience, it is also essential to consider the fact that if you’re not going to have your parents help, that you maybe should reconsider it. Instead, you could always go to a community college instead to save money for your first two years of college!
Starting off at your local community college is great if you’re low on money, and maybe if you’re just not sure what you want to study. At a community college, you can get all of those annoying general education classes out of the way so whenever you transfer to a four-year college, you can focus specifically on your major and the classes that you have to take for that, all while saving thousands of dollars in the process!
Work Before and During College
While it may not seem feasible, it may be necessary both before and during college, and that’s having a part-time job. Having a part-time job is a great way to get you started on paying off those school loans, or even just putting part of your paycheck into a savings account to give you a head start whenever you graduate and are expecting your loan payments.
Working during college can be stressful and there’s no doubt about that. Trying to juggle a part-time job, classes, studying, socializing with friends, and even sleeping can be one of the most difficult things that you’ll encounter while you’re in college, but if you’re not receiving any help to pay off your college debt, it is one of the best routes to go to help you get a head start on paying them back when you graduate.
Paying off student loans is scary. Making sure that you have the money to pay them off, and even just preparing yourself for future payments can be a stressful thing to think about, but you shouldn’t worry too much. Even if you are someone that won’t have help from your parents, make sure to check out our top ways to pay off your college debt to prepare yourself for when you do have to start paying them back!
