| Is it possible to graduate college debt-free? Unless | | | | real application, which will save you some time. |
| you're from a wealthy family, this may seem like an | | | | If you're serious about graduating from college |
| impossibility. But it can be done, if you follow the | | | | debt-free, then you want to avoid student loans. |
| advice in this article. But be forewarned, it's not easy. | | | | However, the FAFSA will also help you get student |
| And it can't be done unless you're willing to think | | | | loans if need be. Many private student loans offer |
| strategically and work hard. | | | | very good interest rates, so it's definitely an option. |
| Before you go out and start applying for student | | | | There is a growing trend in the U.S. of high schools |
| loans, you should pursue financing that doesn't have | | | | offering classes to students to let them earn college |
| to be paid back - i.e., grants and scholarships. It is | | | | credit before they even enter credit. This is FREE |
| definitely a good idea to work and study hard in high | | | | education that will reduce the number of hours you |
| school. If you have good grades, you should qualify | | | | need to take in college to get your degree. You |
| for some kind of scholarship at your school that will | | | | should definitely take advantage of this opportunity if |
| at least partially offset your tuition. Another area that | | | | it is offered by your school. The fewer hours of |
| can help you with scholarships is your extracurricular | | | | classes you need in college, the less money you'll |
| activities. Like it or not, you need to think of your | | | | need to pay tuition. |
| high school career in terms of building a resume. The | | | | If after applying for grants and scholarships, and |
| better your resume, the better your chance of | | | | getting as many credit hours as you can in advance, |
| getting scholarships. The more things you can do to | | | | you still need money, there's always the old |
| get your tuition bill down to start with, the easier it | | | | fashioned way to get it: working for it. Possibly the |
| will be to figure out how to fund the rest of it. | | | | most popular way for college students to make good |
| There are a number of different need-based grants, | | | | money is waiting tables in restaurants. In a good |
| such as Pell grants, SMART grants, and SEOG grants. | | | | restaurant, you could make up to $20 per hour or |
| There are grants provided by the federal | | | | more. If you're not the waiting type, you may need |
| government and grants provided by the states. If | | | | to think out of the box. Any job will do, but to pay |
| you know where you are going to school, you should | | | | tuition and living expenses, and still have some money |
| probably call or visit your school and ask for | | | | left over, you will probably need to make more than |
| information about grants and other student aid. You | | | | you can make working for minimum wage. Some |
| can also find a lot of information by searching online. | | | | possibilities include buying and selling items on eBay or |
| The first step in applying for financial aid, such as | | | | offering tutoring services. |
| grants, is filling out the Free Application for Federal | | | | Our final tip is to graduate early. You don't have to |
| Student Aid, or FAFSA. The FAFSA has a little over | | | | spend four years to get your degree (and certainly |
| 100 questions that help the government and | | | | not five or six, as some students like to do). If you |
| institutions get a good picture of your financial and | | | | take a heavy load every semester, you can graduate |
| academic standing. A lot of financial documentation is | | | | in three or three and a half years. Obviously, the |
| required to complete the form, so you should give | | | | fewer semesters you have to pay for, the less you'll |
| yourself plenty of time. To make things as easy as | | | | have to spend. Sure, you'll be working hard and may |
| possible, you should use the FAFSA4Caster, which is | | | | not be able to party with your friends as much. But if |
| an online application that helps you estimate your | | | | you're serious about graduating from college |
| eligibility for federal student aid. The information you | | | | debt-free, then you'll do what you have to do. |
| enter in the FAFSA4Caster can also be ported to the | | | | |