Millions of graduates and students are in debt because of student loans. According to NerdWallet, 12.9% or 42.0 million Americans have student loan debts. Most people who are stuck with these debts are unable to pay them off. The ones who suffer the most are those who fail to secure jobs after graduation or work in the industry outside of their focus areas for low incomes.
The question is: Is it possible to go to school without getting into debt? The answer is: it is possible.
In this article, we will explore possible ways you can go to school without accumulating student loans. We will provide you with tips, ideas, and techniques some of us and many other people are using to stay away from student loans while going to school.
1. Increase your GPA to at least 3.5
The first and probably most important thing you must do is to have a good GPA. With a good GPA, you will qualify for many opportunities that will cover most of your expenses. So, if you want to pay little to no money at all, find a way to increase your GPA.
2. College without student loans: Pay with your own money
The best way to stay ahead of the game when it comes to schools and associated debts is to pay with cash. If you think it is a bad idea to pay your school with cash, you are wrong.
Our lives have become miserable only from debts that we have accumulated from multiple sides of our lives.
Why is debt real bad? Debts would be good only if there are no interest charges to pay on them, no due dates, and can be forgiven if you can’t pay them back. Everyone wishes this was the case. Unfortunately, the interest charges we pay increase the money we end up paying and the level of stress in our lives. As a result, everything in our lives gets compromised. We can’t sleep or have happiness when lenders are knowing on our doors.
What would happen if you pay with cash? Of course, your cash will be gone for good. But this is the cost you pay for your education besides the time and frustration from homework, and exams, to name a few. In addition, you will not end up paying an enormous amount of interest charges, and late fees on top of your principal.
3. College without student loans: Get scholarships
Don’t have cash at all? You can apply for scholarships. All universities, colleges, and community colleges have a number of scholarships to choose from. It is up to you to look into them and apply to as many as you can.
There are also companies that offer scholarships that have nothing to do with the school you are attending. Maybe the company you work for offers scholarships for their employees or their family members. Ask your friends if their companies help their student employees with scholarships. If yes, it might be time for your to change your job and work for those companies in case education is your priority.
You can also use an online search for a number of scholarships out there. They are there and you can find them. You can also ask alumni where they work and see if there is something that sounds like scholarships.
Again, having a good GPA increases your odds of getting a scholarship.
4. College without student loans: Work while you are in school
Some people might find this difficult. However, the best way to stay away from debt while going to school is to work while studying. You don’t necessarily have to work full-time. Of course, you can work full-time if that is what it takes for you to have an education free of debt.
This job can help you pay for your living expenses and food. It can also help you cover other expenses such as books, transportation, etc.
Eat where you work and worry about where to sleep later.
An on-campus job such as working in the cafeteria will give you money and most food you need in some cases. You have got to be a hustler.
If you want to maximize your per-hour dollar, consider getting an off-campus job. These ones tend to pay a little more especially if you work in a professional area. Plus, you will be building your experience which will come in handy after your graduation. You have no idea what millions of graduates without experience are going through.
5. Get an assistantship (teaching/Research assistant-ship)
This is probably the easiest way to get a free education. A ton of teachers at your university need help. Why? I once said that your teachers and professors give more homework and assignment than they can correct to show off. This is true. They need help grading those papers. Your teachers also need to publish papers too in order to keep their jobs, in many cases. You can do research for them if you are not afraid of banging your head on a wall.
How about all the labs they conduct every single day? You can offer them your help by conducting labs and grading papers for them. In return, you get your full tuition, or half tuition is taken care of.
There are some departments that offer assistantships that have nothing to do with research, conducting labs, or grading papers. Keep looking. You might find one where you work in an office and get your tuition paid for. You never know.
The key to getting an assistantship of any kind is to have a very good GPA
6. College without student loans: Apply for grants
Your school will offer some kind of grant. Some grants are given by companies and alumni who are giving back the money they probably stole from regular citizens. Other ones are given by your government through FASFA.
You see there are a lot of options to choose from. You only need to know where to look. Ask your school if they have grants for the following semester. Ask them about the requirements and what you need to do to be qualified.
You don’t need to pay thousands of dollars for an education that is decaying. Education does not guarantee you a job after your graduation. How are you gonna pay your student loans and other debts if you can’t find a job after your graduation? You will probably end up working with people who never went to school and they will be the ones training you. That will suck :(. More importantly, you will be making the same amount except that they will not have debt on their shoulders.
7. College without student loans: Apply for work-study
You still can’t find something that works for you? Get a work-study. If it is difficult for your to get a regular job at your college, consider getting a work-study. These jobs are provided by the federal government to help students who need financial assistance. They can help you cope with many of your financial challenges instead of getting student loans to pay for your school.
8. Consider going to community colleges and choose cheap schools
I am not telling you to go to a bad school. There should be a line between you and the level of debt you want to have on your shoulders. If you don’t want to play with debt, then community colleges might be your good friends. These colleges are much cheaper considered to regular universities.
If you don’t have enough money that can pay for a university or a college, this is a way to go. Some of their programs are shorter usually 2 years. You can then transfer your credits to a university in case you want to get more education at a university. In this way, you can reduce the cost of your education.
The amount of money schools charge per semester is not equivalent to the level of knowledge and quality of education you get from them.
Because of this, it is in your best interest to find a cheap school to attend. Why would you go to an expensive school if you cannot afford it? Why an expensive school if you can get the same education and pay less to no money for it? It is your choice.
9. College without student loans: Attend state colleges and universities
In-state means that you go to school in your state. This system is designed to keep students from attending schools outside of their states. Why? Schools and states don’t want to have universities and colleges without students. How will they make money?
The idea is that by going to universities in your state, you end up paying less tuition than people who come from outside of your state. Sometimes you pay half of what others are paying. If you are struggling with money and don’t want to get student loans, why can’t you take advantage of this system? Why can’t you go to school in your state?
10. Take a semester off to make money for your next few semesters. Do not spend what you don’t have.
You can take a semester off if it is your last option. I do suggest that people take a semester off to make the money they need for school instead of taking student loans. Why? Because education is not a marathon and none will hold you accountable for a loan and interest charges you never took.
The best way to secure your future is to avoid loans of all kinds at all costs.
If student loans are good, why are millions of people struggling with their tuition debts? There are many answers to these questions. But one of them is: They paid a ton of money on education that is not worth the price. They took loans and now the jobs they have can barely get food on their tables. So, be the smart one. You don’t have to do what millions have done. Why? Because you will end up like them if you follow in their footsteps.
