What innovative ways have you found to pay for college?

There are scholarships for almost anything out there. You have selected a great time to start searching for scholarships. The best approach that I have come across over time is utilizing several different methods to seeking out scholarships. I will include items that can be done now and can be done in the junior or senior year of high school.

First, the college's financial aid office and website has a list of private scholarships offered from outside organizations and companies. Sometimes a college major's website will list scholarships, too.

Second, the public library has a book listing scholarships with some not even listed on the web.

Third, the high school guidance office has a list of local scholarships and state scholarships & grants. This can be done in the senior year.

Fourth, a campus work study job can help with money needed during the school year. The program is funded by the federal government. It will be a job on campus and most times can work to your availability schedule. There should be a box on the FAFSA form for it.

Fifth, fill out the FAFSA form after January 1 of his senior year of high school. It will qualify her for need based financial aid from the federal government and the school itself. It will come in the form of scholarships, Pell Grant, student loans, and the work study program.

Sixth, study and practice for the SAT or ACT tests. It can help bring merit scholarships from the college itself. Prepare for the PSAT which could bring in scholarship money with excellent scores. I recommend using test preparation book, software, or a test preparation course.

Seventh, states do offer grant and scholarships for students with excellent grades. Search Google.com and Yahoo.com for these grants and scholarships with your state's name.

Finally, I recommend joining several free membership scholarship search websites. There are scholarships for a variety of things including ethnicity, clubs, hobbies, and even wearing duct tape to the high school prom. Most are updated on a regular basis. Most offer a customized search based on information entered onto a form on the website.

Good luck!

Taking the first year or two of classes at a community college is a really smart way to cut down on college costs. The classes are a fraction of the costs and often give more personal attention than large lecture sections would at a major university. Another option that might work is having your kids work after high school. There are a million benefits to working for a while before going to school. First, they can earn and save money. Second, they can try out a few entry level jobs that may interest them which will give them some insight into what they'd like to eventually major in once they get to college. Third, some jobs provide tuition reimbursment to employees that want to take college classes. Fourth, a lot of students are burned out after 13 years of continuous school and need a break. You have no idea how many students party their way through their first year or two while their parents pay for their education. The freedom of living away from home with no rules and thousands of other kids their age often makes it challenging for 18 and 19 year olds to focus on their education. Finally, you kids could look into finding a full time job at the university they want to attend. At my school, I found a job that is only 20 hours a week and with it, I am allowed to take 6 credits a semester for free. Don't be afraid to let your kids take out loans and work while they're in school. The value of an education often out weighs the burden of student loans. Its okay if they have to borrow money for school and then pay it back later. Most people with a college degree will make more money over their lifetime than those without it. And, federal loans are super low interest and have a variety of repayment options. Good Luck!

there are plenty of things your family can do to get a college education. For one, your kids can get excellent grades in high school and find schools that reward this with grants and scholarships. have your kids get a job and preferably not a minimum wage one. they could make decent money as food servers because of the tips. Or, why not go to community college for a couple of years and live at home. that will cut the cost in half at least. You dont need to sell your home, you could always pull out some equity. Make sure your kids pick a field of study that will guarantee a high paying position when they get out. I know it is expensive and you dont want your kids to have debt, but honestly, why can't you and your kids sacrifice a bit to get what they want? Did they do their part in high school to better their chances for free money? Do they take AP classes, gpa 4.0 or better, volunteer and help the community. Not trying to be rude, but I am a bit bothered by those who dont want to have to pay for their own education through loans because they want a house or retirement or whatever else. I was "saddled" with 80,000 of student loans and I am still paying them off 10 yrs later also. But you know what else, I went to community college and had a 4.0 GPA. My college gave alot of money for that; I used to be a waitress and worked every weekend through college and now I am an MD. It is worth it. I cant believe that you think your kids money should go to "rainy day savings" before paying for their education. Typical american attitude "gimme gimme gimme and I dont want to do anything for it". I have my house, my retirement, my vacations, my rainy days are covered and I still manage to pay my student loans-no problem.

I'm not a stellar student, academically, musically or athletically, but I received a scholarship from every school I've applied to.

I know that this sounds harsh, but don't shoot for a "high" school in the ranks.

The university I'm going to in August (Mount St. Mary's University in Maryland), and is one of the schools that's best kick for your money. I received $10,000 a year from them in scholarships, while only having a 2.75 GPA and a 1020 on my SATs.

Good luck in the process!

For starters, writing a book geared toward college students is not a good money-making idea. Sorry, but college students have two things that will kill your idea....the will to photocopy anything that they don't have to buy and a large group of people in a very small area to share ideas with.

As a high school senior going into my first year of college, I lack personal experience that you might be looking for, but I know how daunting paying for college is, and I'm happy to share the ways I cut down my cost for college.

First off, I've had a part time job since I was 16, to make some extra cash for college. It's not for everyone, I've had to sacrifice many opportunities to go out with friends and other high school stuff for the money, so make sure your child knows what they're getting into if they decide to go this route.

During summer between sophomore and junior year, i took an enrichment class at the local community college for U.S. history that satisfied both high school and college credit. The fee was waived since i was an enrichment student. It was very rewarding and allowed me to experience the freedom of college. With the credits for that class taken care of, i took a work experience elective in place of U.S. history so I could get more hours in at my job. This saved me both time and money.

During my junior and senior year, I took several AP classes. These classes are college-level and are followed by an AP test in May, that, if passed, counts for college credit, as well as high school credit. again, saving time and money one would have to pay in college. If your child is good at any particular subject, I'd encourage them to enroll in an AP class, but they are difficult, so there's caution in taking more than one.

Also during junior and senior year I joined a variety of school clubs that participated in volunteer work. Community service hours look great for scholarships, which can pay a lot, and also help in getting into college.

This past year, i applied for as many scholarships as i could, and got a few local ones. I also applied for a FAFSA, which is free money for college from the government. In California, i applied for a CalGrant, which is money for college that doesn't have to be paid back. In total, i received around $5000 from scholarships and grants.

Lastly, enrolling into a two-year community college before going to a 4-year university would be more cost-effective and an easier transition. Additionally, colleges give transfer students priority in accepting new students, so there shouldn't be a problem in getting into a god 4-year university.

I know, it's long, but I'm very proud of myself for setting up the ways i plan to pay for college. It was a lot of hard work, but I'm glad i'm about to see it pay off.

First, I argued with my child to "stand out". So he did. Then, I pushed to look for scholarships. It worked really well.

The old fashion way. A piggy bank. =)