Looking for a college can be one of the most important and nerve racking processes of a junior or senior’s life. Filling out applications, taking tours of campuses, and declaring a major are not only time consuming, but can be stressful. Since this is hard enough, worrying about the cost should be a little easier. Many students apply for loans and offset the costs until after graduation, and some parents even help out with tuition if they have the money. Even if you have to apply for loans, there are a few things that can be done to help with tuition and avoid any unnecessary costs.
First, the most important thing to figure out is whether you are planning to go away to school or find a campus close to home. By staying home, room and board fees will be eliminated, significantly decreasing tuition costs. And, instead of going away and not having a job, you can keep your current one while still going to school if you decide to stay at home. Not only will staying home save you money, but you will also be able to see your family and friends more often and a home cooked meal always beats cafeteria food!
Once you find a campus and find out what classes you have to take, schedule them as soon as possible. Some colleges require you to meet with your advisor before you are allowed to choose your classes, so scheduling an appointment early is the best thing to do. Classes fill up pretty quickly, so if you schedule early, you’ll have more options or choices and making your schedule is that much easier. Clumping your classes together will help avoid having to make multiple trips to school each day, which in turn will save gas money. Also, with more free time you can work more hours or just have a more flexible schedule. Another way to cut down on costs while at school is to bring food from home. Cafeteria food can be expensive and not too healthy, so remember to pack a lunch or snack before leaving for class.
After you figure out your class schedule, this would be a good time to find out what text books you need for each class. Every campus will usually have a book store that sells new books, but there are also stores that sell used books which can save a ton of money. Used books may have been used only once or maybe a few times, but they still include the same material. Even though there are book stores on campus that sell used books, the internet is another place to go to save even more money. There are websites that specialize in selling used text books and they get them to you fast, with cheap shipping costs. If using these websites, you might come across international editions which are versions of text books that usually just have a soft cover, which may look different than the original. All of the pages are exactly the same as the U.S. edition, but these books are even cheaper. On-line shopping is the way to go for textbooks, especially if you are trying to cut costs.
And, if you’re looking for a computer for school, most people decide to go with a laptop because they’re easy to carry around, but they can tend to be expensive. If you’re interested in a laptop and don’t want to spend a lot of money, a netbook would be best. Netbooks have just been created within the past year and a half and they are slowly becoming more desired. Netbooks are smaller than laptops, around nine to eleven inch screens, but they still have the necessary features needed for school. Most have Windows XP or Linux as an operating system and Microsoft Word and Power Point can be added to these. Netbooks are a lot cheaper than laptops, usually starting around $270.
So, if applying to many colleges, applying for loans, and trying to take as many campus tours as possible has you worried or stressed, don’t let the costs get you even more worked up. By living at home, scheduling classes early, shopping online, and researching before you purchase a netbook, you will be able to save a ton of money. And, along the way you will figure out more ways to save, such as carpooling with classmates who live in the same area as you or even taking on-line courses if your college offers them. College can be very expensive, but there are ways to make it more affordable.
About the Author:
I am currently a junior at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, majoring in accounting.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Ways to Save Money While in College
