There are so many things to consider when choosing a good college. It's not just about finding a good mate nowadays! If your goal is to graduate debt free, you may have to keep some things in mind that other, less frugally minded people may not consider. Here are the top 5 things to look at when choosing a school that will graduate you debt free:
Job, job, job I don't care how cheap the school is, if you can't get a job, it is still too expensive. Some career paths require the big name diploma, while others would not even think to ask. Know this before you waste your time.
Transportation Costs There is a great school in Australia, where you can graduate with an undergraduate degree for just a couple thousand dollars. And its in Australia! The trouble is, it costs a fortune to get to Australia.
Try to look at all the angles when it comes to transportation costs. Is there public transportation, so you could save on a car + insurance? Would you be able to carpool? Maybe living on Campus would save you the most money.
Be realistic, if you go to a cheaper school, but have to commute every day or weekend, you may be eating up some of the savings.
Where to live Living at home may save you lots of money, if you choose a local school. Look in to the real costs of off campus housing. Utilities, car, insurance, gas, rent, and furnishings may make living in the dorm more attractive.
If the school you are looking at is too far from home, or has crazy rental prices, you may be better off somewhere else. Also read the fine print in any scholarships or loans that you get. Some have a stipulation that you live on campus. This is usually true for scholarships awarded by the school.
Consider an online degree Everybody is doing it. And you can save SOOOO much money. There used to be a stigma against people who didn't graduate from a real school, but that is so pre-dot com bubble burst. Of course, on line classes are not as much fun, but we are talking about debt free, not fun.
Show Me the Money Now if you have been doing your work before hand, you are a desirable student and therefore have many schools courting you to attend their schools. Colleges are feeling the pinch in this economy, too, and they are willing to negotiate with the the best of them. Now, just prove that you are one of the best of them.
Things many colleges can be flexible with:
Registration Fees
Scholarship Matching
Cafeteria accounts
Book Store accounts
Accepting Pre-college credits
Compare all of these numbers with the different schools. If you have a first choice school, that is more expensive than your second choice school , you could send them a price comparison, and see if they are able to make you a deal.
The price for most things is negotiable. You just have to be willing to ask.
How did you decide which school to attend?
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