Some Fresh Ways To Help You Pay For College
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009Depending on your college plans there are a few different tricks you can use to pay for college and graduate without the shackles of decades of debt. Here are some nifty (ya, nifty) pieces of info we picked up in the news recently that you can use to help pay for college. Why share? Because knowledge is power, and we’re always hungry for a triple-decker power sandwich with extra knowledge sauce (no pickles for me). So check this out (refreshments to be served following the blogpost)…
Some reports claim that the average rate of tuition increase, at 4.3 percent (totaling $1,081), is the lowest it’s been in ten years. For most people this is a small consolation. According to the College Board, the average tuition and fees at private four-year colleges were $25,143 in the 2008-2009 school year. Mind you, this is just an average. Some schools have actually decreased their tuition. If this peaks your interest, you might want to peep on Davis and Elkins College. This school actually dropped tuition by, wait for it….a whopping 1 percent! Incoming students will now pay $200 dollars less than before, almost enough for a month’s worth of groceries. William Jessup University lowered its tuition by 2.5 percent. There you can go from paying $20,480 to $19,968, letting you keep $512 in your pocket. Other schools, like Merrimack College and Yeshiva University have frozen tuition. Also making an effort is Boston College and Boston University who have allegedly raised tuition at the lowest rates in more than 30 years, by 2.8 percent and 3.8 percent respectively. These may seem like small gestures at a time when American’s are facing one of the worst economic crises in history. While the lowered tuition might not be the tipping point for you, if it comes down to the wire between two schools, it’s good to know who is making an effort to consider struggling students and their families.
Maybe you’ve gotten into one of the pricier private schools and are hell-bent on going. It’s just that even with the student loan, the financial aid, and the parental help, you’re still in the the red. When your parents hook you up with cash for college its a sponsorship of sorts. You’re promoting them by looking good. Have you ever thought about asking strangers to sponsor you? Say hello to UniThrive. A few Harvard grads have branched out of the flesh and blood college patronage traditionalism with this fresh idea. UniThrive is a non-profit website that connects alumni and students to help lower the costs of education. Alumni who are always being solicited by their alma maters to make donations can now see the direct result of their contribution by providing students with zero-interest student loans. It’s also a great way to connect with alumni and build a network as you prepare for your future. On the site, students post photos and biographical information, and they can request up to $2,000.
There are lots of little tidbits that can facilitate paying for college. So check back here for more helpful hints and useful info.
