How Students Can Graduate College Debt Free

Just as gaining acceptance to a great college requires advance planning, so too does paying for it.  Students are awarded a college degree upon earning a set number of credits – typically reached by taking four or five courses a semester for four years.  

One strategy to minimize the cost of college is to enter with credits.  This is frequently attained by taking Advance Placement (AP) courses while in high school.  These courses offer an end of year exam, graded on a scale of “1” to “5.” Most colleges will award college credit for each exam in which a student scored a “5” or “4” – and sometimes even a “3.” Students who successfully complete eight AP courses during their high school years can often start their college years as sophomores – reducing costs by 25%.

 

To lower the cost of attendance, students can apply to colleges one tier below the level to which they would likely be accepted.  When applicants present GPA and SAT scores higher than the average, colleges often offer impressive scholarship awards.

Enhance Future College Apps with Productive Summer

Summer is around the corner, freeing students from the academic constraints that dictate their schedule throughout the rest of the year.  While some rest and rejuvenation time is important, students should maximize the opportunities the season offers to engage in activities that will ultimately enhance their college applications.

Students may have already scheduled some of their upcoming summer activities: part time job, pre-college program, volunteer service trip.  Likely, however, there is more time at their disposal that can be utilized to pursue an area of passion that may help identify their future college major.

 

Students with an interest in writing can self-publish a book, at no cost, through Amazon’s KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). They can pen a book on any topic, design their own cover, write their bio, and have it printed and offered for sale (at a price they choose) on Amazon’s site around the world. Author copies are typically offered at less than $5.00 per copy.  Becoming a published author is an impressive use of one’s summer vacation!

The Colleges Offering “Over-the-Top” Amenities

College life, at a vast majority of schools, has become increasingly luxurious over the years as students seek, and are granted, an array of amenities. At most schools, a rotating buffet of food to meet a variety of culinary and dietary preferences is offered daily. To help students keep healthy and stay in shape, state-of-the art fitness centers grace most campuses.  Libraries, with different floors for different purposes (quite study, group meetings, etc.) are open for up to 24 hours a day. Medical facilities, for when students fall ill, often provide care that supersedes what students are accustomed to getting at home.  

Then, there are the more specialized amenities – some academic and some social -- to which specific students are drawn.

 

Students majoring in nuclear engineering would do well to choose a school with its own nuclear reactor right on campus. This opportunity is presented to students at MIT, North Carolina State University, Ohio State University, Penn State University, Purdue University, RPI, University of Maryland, University of Florida, and more.

 

Students engaged in the world of finance might be impressed by “trading floors” hosted by Bentley University, Babson College, Ithaca College, St. Joseph’s University, and a multitude of other business schools.

Billions in Merit Awards Available to Students

Students and their parents, who are looking towards a college education in the near future, need to look beyond the “sticker price” when identifying best fit colleges.  There are a multitude of opportunities to greatly reduce college costs, even for families who do not qualify for need-based aid. 

The average published 2023-24 sticker price for tuition and fees at private four-year institutions is $42,540. At public four-year out-of-state colleges and universities it is $29,150, and at public four-year in-state schools it is $11,260. These statistics are reported in College Board’s “Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid,” and do not include room and board, which can more than double the cost of tuition at some institutions. 

 

Merit scholarships can greatly reduce these costs, allowing students to attend their dream school without incurring life-altering debt.  For some students, their hobby or talent is the key to success.  More than $3.6 billion in athletic scholarships are awarded each year to more than 180,000 student athletes, according to the NCAA. Other students receive merit scholarships for their talents in music, dance, community service, golf caddying, chess playing, video gaming, and even bird watching. The best way for students to access these funds is to make a list of all their activities and then search on free scholarship websites for relevant grants.