Some parents save money for decades to be able to afford a college education for their child. Sometimes they start saving money before the child is even born. Also, going to college these days is much more expensive than it used to be, because there are many added costs. Plus, college has gotten a lot more exclusive. Basically, if you want your child to have the best education, you have to expect to pay for it. These days, the average cost of annual tuition at some of the best colleges is between $50,000 and $100,000 a year. If you would have saved that money instead of sending your children to college, you would be able to purchase a few new houses. Yet, there is an affordable way to send your children to college – without breaking the bank.
Here are five ways to reduce the cost of college without compromising quality:
Take measures before college. These days, it is important to start investing time and money into your child’s college career as early as possible – even as early as the toddler years. There are a number of ways to boost your child’s IQ in the beginning so that they do better on tests and improve their future GPA. In their earlier years – before they go to preschool – you can use Baby Einstein to broaden their mind, which uses a vast array of multimedia tools.
Take extracurricular activities in high school – even middle school. By increasing the number of extra curricular activities you take in high school, you can really impress a school admissions officer. A college wants to see that a student is extremely academically motivated and the more motivated they are, the higher the chances are of them getting a scholarship to a great college.
Do very well on the SAT. The better you do on your SAT scores, the better you will ultimately do in college, so when you apply for colleges, it looks a lot better if your finals scores are through the roof. Also, the better your SAT scores, the better chance you have of getting a more affordable rate on tuition. So, make sure that you take the time to carefully study – invest in a tutor if you have to.
Live at home instead of on campus. On-campus living can be expensive. Not only do you have the rent, which can be quite high at a nice college, but you also have all the other expenses that come with living on campus. For instance, food cards, bills and other miscellaneous costs, which can really start to add up. By living at home, you can save on many of those costs, and oftentimes you can live much more comfortably.
Get a part time job. If you want to really take the financial burden off your parents, you could get a part time job. With school, work might get a little stressful, but at least you will have the money to take care of many of the costs that make going to college financially unfeasible. Plus, you might be able to go out to dinner once and while.
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