Lower the Cost of Higher Education- Bargain Shop!

So, you have a Senior- or, maybe a hyper-future-oriented Junior in high school. You are starting to see some very disturbing numbers about the costs of college today. Even if you have been faithfully putting away savings over the years, it will never be enough. And, there’s no wiggle room in the family budget right now. As this gap becomes more real, some color drains your face. What do you do?

It’s time to get creative. It’s time to be open to a different path. It’s time to do post-high school differently.

Let’s do some essential cost savings work first. The key to this working well for you and your student is to be brutally honest in your answers.

How do I lower the cost of College?

Simple. Do it differently.

First- MOST states have a Community College path to your State University System. It has been looked down on for decades. It should be held up as a shining Yellow Brick Road to Brilliance today. In my state, 60% of our 57 community colleges now offer semester tuition of only $500. WOW! Even if not available for you, ALL Community Colleges are significantly lower in cost- generally around 40% of the local University. That means if you must borrow, you’ll borrow a lot less. If you intend to transfer to University, you are taking the first two years of courses on the cheap. Who doesn’t like a 60% off sale?

Second- Let someone else pay the bill for you. The military has some extraordinary college programs- they can be secured with/through ROTC, or you can join and earn the option of attending college while serving or after you are honorably discharged. This benefit can extend to your family, but you must discuss the most recent rules with a knowledgeable recruiter. The military option is generally a zero cost to you. What a benefit!

Third- Scout for money, honey! Yes, you can apply for scholarships. Yes, they are all around; and you have to do some digging. For example, a friend sent me a link to the Daughters of the American Revolution scholarship program. ( DAR) Who knew? You do, now! https://blog.dar.org/dar-scholarshipshelping-spread-sparkle . You may need to apply for 5-10-15 or more scholarships, but just winning one nice-sized one might pay for a year at community college! Remember, national organizations tend to get a lot of applicants. Don’t be afraid to check out local service clubs( Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, etc.) or a religious organization you may belong to, as they often offer scholarships, too.

Fourth- If you have a gifted child who does well on tests, consider the CLEP route. Your student can take a test at a national testing center which may allow them to get college-level credits for about $200 per 3 hours of credit. You don’t do this process without a plan. It involves checking out what CLEP courses are “accepted” at your future University or College program. Each school is different. This takes a good bit of advanced planning. Still, you can get almost your first two years of credits for well under $5,000.

The economy is crazy, and living costs are getting tough. If you have a Junior or Senior student with some hopes, get creative. Talk with them about things. Tell them your goal is to help them get the education they need for what they want to do at the BEST PRICE! When you look through the lens of bargain hunting, higher education can be done well for pennies on the dollar.

For more information, check this out: ENOUGH! The College Cost Crisis is my book with lots more information and ideas to save you tens of thousands of dollars.

Until Next Time,

All My Best,

Bonnie Burkett