How can I pay for college if I don't want student loans?

Question

I refuse to get student loans. I'm so scared if I go to college it will take me awhile to find a good job. I don't want to finish college with all that debt either. I don't even own a credit card. I hate owing people money. Are there other ways for me to pay for college?

Answer 1

work your *** off

Answer 2

1) There are several ways. As for what is best for you, take a trip to your schools financial aid office, and see what they recommend. (Specific to your situation/institution) Also, you can try Salliemae 2) YES... always do your fafsa!! Try to do it on time as well (many schools have a cut off date that is rather early) 3) I get you... no, if it is a federal student loan, they won't track the money. 4) Depends on the community college. Depends on the University. Depends where you live. The only way to get this information is to find out the tuition costs at your school. (There are other fees that go with this, which will add to the cost, they can tell you what they are as well (tech. fees etc.) Keep in mind, these costs go up every year, so the number they provide will be an estimate. 5)Well, what I would recommend is, when you finish school... to consolidate. Basically, you combine all your payments into one monthly payment. It's easier, and usually cuts the amount you end up paying back. I have pretty much used Salliemae since my sophomore year. I am almost done with my bachelors, and have many thousands in loans. I will be consolidating with Salliemae, because I find them friendly and easy to use. That is just my experience though. Often, if you have been with a specific bank for a long time (checking or savings account)... you can consolidate your student loans through them, and they will give you a better rate than the studnet loan places. Good luck.

Answer 3

The others suggest scholarships, grants and so on. If you can't get one of those, the only thing I can think that you can do, since you don't want any student loans either, is finish up your high school first. Don't go to college yet after graduation. Find a job first and try talking to your parents if you can stay home yet so you can earn money for your college. Set your goal, know what career you'll going to take and how much money you'll need and then save all the money you can. When you have enough and you think you're ready then that's the time to go to college.

Answer 4

Yes, there are many options, and depending on your parents income or your own if you have been out on your own a year or more, there are vaiours options.

Talking to the college or university you plan on attending, student services or if they have one, they Financial Aid office. There are Pell grants which many people qualify for if you are low income to medium income. There is tons of work study programs at most colleges. You work on campus and they fit it in around your classes.

If you are planning on attending college this coming Fall I'd recommend you contact the college or Universities Financial Aid office right away as some paper work for Grants, like Pell Grants need sent in the next few months.

My friend didn't think she could qualify for grants because of her and her husbands combined income, but she qualified for a Pell and was so surprised. There are also grants that offer money to cover books and supplies. Some grants are small, some large and I've found that those who take the time to get with a Financial Aid office can usually find enough grants to pay Tuition, books and most supplies and often some that pay living expenses or enough of living expenses that they don't have to work full time.

GOOD LUCK

Answer 5

Scholarships/grants or cash. That's it. There are a lot of scholarship search services online, but you'll have to get cracking. They tend to be very competitive. If you can find local agencies offering scholarship money, those tend to be more in reach.

Loans aren't that bad -- you just have to be disciplined and learn as much as you can about the one that you get. I didn't have loans before I started grad school, and it is scary, but it is better than not taking the opportunity to get your education! Yes, it might take you a bit to find what you want when you get out of school. That's why you take a job for the mean time, if you can't find anything you like. Schools will also help you get a good job through career services.

Answer 6

Yes, there are. You can apply for grant money, but you must be below a certain income level, and I assume that you still live with your family, so that is probably out. There are a lot of scholarships you can apply for, some within your major/minor and some general ones; but you must have a GPA of at least 3.0. I don't blame you for not wanting to acquire debt, but among financial planners this is considered good debt, as opposed to bad debt (credit cards). If you can't get a job within six months of your graduation date, you can apply for a deferment of your debt, until you start working. Also you've got ten years to pay off your student loan. One thing you need to realize is everybody owes money to some entity: electric bills, phone bills, rent, income taxes, and so on. Also, you will find a job faster with a degree than without one, generally speaking. If you are an achiever and make good to excellent grades, you should be able to get enough scholarship money to carry you through, but you must work very hard at both getting very good grades, and making applications for those scholarships. They usually demand essays, and unless you are a critical thinker, and possess good writing skills, your chances will be much less at obtaining a scholarship.

Answer 7

First, I would recommend that you start out at a good community college for your first two years, where the tuition is substantially lower than its four-year college counterparts. When transferring to the four-year college for your final two years, choose a public/state university where, again, tuition will be less expensive than a private university for all four years. This will allow you to get the value for your buck.

But whether you choose to attend a public or private university, you should apply for federal aid and see what is available to you, even if you think the answer is nothing. Additionally, scholarships can help you pay for college, and there are lots of them out there, but it will take a thorough search to find them and effort to complete the applications thoroughly. Finally, you can work for the money. Use your summers to work as many hours as you can. Use your semesters to work part-time on- or off-campus between classes. Or even work full-time and attend college part-time; many employers reimburse employees for some tuition costs as an additional benefit.

Lastly, do not be afraid of student loans. There is usually a grace period of several months after you graduate before you have to start making payments. But more importantly, do not be afraid of loans because, unlike credit card debt, your education is investment debt. Just like investing in a home loan for a home you expect to appreciate in value, education is an investment--an investment in yourself and your future career and earnings. Good luck.

Answer 8

Most all college loans aren't due (first payment)..until you began working..Theres a grace period..You need to speak with the school your interested in..The financial aids office..I work for a major state university..I think that's where you should start....

As for your credit card...Get one with a low credit line to help achieve a good credit rating..It is the key factor when you apply for loans to get the best interest rate possible..Also some loans are tax deductible...

Answer 9

Your options are: get a scholarship, go to school part-time while working full-time(this takes a long time), or work part-time through the school year, full-time in the summer semester, saving as much money as you can.

Also, if you wish to minimize costs, going to school near your parents' house will minimize the cost of college, as you wouldn't have to pay to live in residence.

Answer 10

If you're a pro at something, build up a web site or blog and use adense to earn money. If you are an expert at something, it'll bring money in your pockets. http://index-go.com/google-services/google-adsense.asp

But for sure, you'll need a job. There's some interesting jobs for qualified students: http://index-go.com/find-a-job.asp

Good luck !

Answer 11

Scholarships or lots of overtime. That's what I'm doing.