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Going to college is both fun and smart, while getting your degree creates feelings of pride and accomplishment. The problem is the final cost of that degree, because college costs a lot of money—a lot. The thing is, you don’t have to deal with crushing debt, especially if you consider alternate techniques when you’re ready to further your education.
Get Great Grades
One of the best ways to get your college education without incurring debt is to become a good student. You don’t necessarily have to get straight As, although that will definitely increase your chances when you’re applying to certain schools. Maintain a high GPA, take AP courses, and get high marks on the SATs or ACTs; colleges will fight for you by offering scholarships.
Seek Out Smart Scholarships
Just because the school of your choice doesn’t offer you a scholarship doesn’t mean you can’t get one, though. There are private scholarships for everything under the sun. Try a sport scholarship or look for prizes for writing, artistic merit, debating, and foreign language proficiency. If you apply for and win several every semester, you can easily pay for all your own classes.
Choose an Alternate University
As technology progresses and evolves, so does education. Lots of universities now offer online classes, so you rarely have to set foot on campus to get your degree. Online courses are typically less expensive, which means you won’t have to pay as much for all of your requirements.
You could also make the choice to attend an online college. These institutions are fully accredited, so your degree is just as official as a degree from Harvard. Save up to attend one class at a time or take a year and put back the funds to pay for your entire college career.
Pick Grants Over Loans
Financial aid is a double-edged sword. While it gives you the funds to attend a two-year or four-year university all at once, you have to pay for it—plus interest. If you can’t get any scholarships or they just aren’t cutting it, you can still get help. Many grants are yours free and clear, so you don’t have to pay back any money. Others do require you to pay back the money, but the sums are smaller and the interest rates aren’t so insufferable.
Test Your Knowledge
There are also many programs that simply allow you to take course exams. You can essentially learn the material on your own time, through your own means, and then take midterms and end-of-year exams. You’ll have to pay to take these tests, but it’s much more affordable than paying for a full course, and you get all the knowledge to boot. It’s slightly different for courses that require lab exams, such as anatomy and chemistry, but they simply cost a little more and may call for lab time.
Don’t let money or fear of debt stand in the way of your dream to earn your degree. Where do you plan to go to school to meet your goals?
