Ideas for raising money for college tuition and expenses?

Question

I am currently a senior in high school. With college looming over the next bend, the financial aspect has become a major dillema. Does anyone have any advice for ways to raise money for college? As far strectched or creative as they may be? I try to read all the college finance tips, and am constantly looking for scholarships, but college is alot. My school is until 5:30 and because i travel i dont get home till late so i cant take a job. Any good ideas out there?

Answer 1

Senior in high school - if you're planning on paying for it youself, you left it kind of late. Have you decided where you want to go yet? Your best bet is to find a good state university (the tuition is usually cheaper for residents), and talk to their financial aid office. They may be able to direct you toward scholarships and grants that are specific to that school. There's also the student loan route, which will depend on your income and your parents income. It's based on how much they think your parents should be able to pay. With student loans, you don't have to start paying them off until after you graduate, and the interest rates are usually fairly low. Most schools also have on-campus jobs.

The other thing you can do, if you don't care what college you attend, is look for really strange scholarships for specific skills, ethnicity, family affiliations, etc. For example, there are scholarships for being left-handed, for being tall, for wearing duct tape to your prom, for writing an essay on The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. The college I attended offers scholarships up to a full 4-year tuition for people who can play the bagpipes.

Answer 2

There are a couple of things you can do now to prepare.

First, go to the high school guidance office because they have a list of scholarships and grants available for those who attend your high school.

Second, go to the college financial aid websites of the places you want to attend. Often they list scholarships awarded by other places than they do.

Third, register and join free scholarship websites online. Some are updated on a regular basis.

Fourth, early next year, apply at fafsa.ed.gov. It will help you tap into the grants and scholarships attached to the college and university.

Fourth, go over the website of the scholarship granting organization thoroughly. It will give you clues into what the organization's philosophy and beliefs are, and they can come in handy for the essay portion of the application. The essay is key to getting the scholarship.

Finally, pay attention to the deadline. Send your application well in advance of the deadline. Each scholarship and grant will list the deadline on its application and website.

Answer 3

OK but i disagree too much to give a simple answer. If I ran higher education: university would be selective. No more open admissions. If you don't have a B average, you don't get in. Period. Assistance or no assistance. as for Assistance: if you study for a PhD, your tuition and fees usually are covered by the school. You work for your Department as a Graduate Assistant. You actually work in your field as a junior intellectual, and get paid a stipend. That's how most doctoral students pay for their education. i would like to see something like that for universities. Why student loans, grants, scholarships, and that whole mess? Reduce by far the number of entering students, and give those students jobs on campus. We already have work-study. Just bump it up a bit. I think that states need to increase their funding for higher education. more state money and federal money so that colleges could pay their students for working (and cover their bills). We can cut costs by reducing needless duplication. Think of all the campuses with duplicate departments in state university systems like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, and NY. We don't need an English department and Anthropology Department in every college town. We could have a Science university. Liberal arts school, etc, and concentrate students together at that campus. It would be a better environment for learning, and reduce needless duplication of faculty, equipment, and other incidentals.