Go to College for Free! A Real-Life Example
On my post titled Save 50% on Education Expenses, I received this testimony from someone who saved much, much more than 50%:
Personal story: I went to a local private 4-year college on a full scholarship. I had great grades in high school and really good scores on my SAT's. I could have gotten into schools with much better reputations, but I went to my little local school and paid for nothing -- a full tuition scholarship and other scholarships that ended up covering most of my fees. Four years later, the same small school helped me get an internship (by way of an alumnus) and that led to a full time job in the IT department. I am one of the few recent graduates with ZERO debt and a better paying job than most of my classmates. Now I'm looking into graduate school, which the tuition reimbursement from my employer will help pay for.
I agree that it's definitely worth looking into those smaller schools who are trying to attract those "higher quality" applicants.
Wow! This reader went to school for FREE!!!!! Lots of good stuff/advice here. My thoughts:
1. Yes, going to a small, local, private school may be a better deal overall -- you can get a great education, they tend to give out lots of aid/scholarships, and you can save on expenses by living at home.
2. Getting good grades (and high test scores) is a great way to save on college costs. Do all you can to make sure your kids are taking their studies seriously in high school. (I know, it can be an uphill battle. That's why I said "do all you can do." Most of it is up to them, unfortunately.) ;-)
3. Networking with alumni is a terrific way to land a job/internship.
4. If you want to go to grad school, getting an employer to pick up part (or all) of the tab can save you thousands of dollars.
5. For more ways to save on college costs, see these posts:
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