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How could I convince my family to let me go to college, because they think it’s expensive?
How could I convince my family to let me go to college, because they think it’s expensive?
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5 answers
Dan Wolf
Retired Electrical/Software Engineer and part-time College Professor (BSEET and MS Engineering Management)
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Dan’s Answer
It doesn't have to be expensive and can actually be free.
My first suggestion is to consider a local community college (for your first two years) which will be less expensive than a state or private university.
There is federal financial aid available so you should visit your local community college and ask to meet with a financial aid advisor. Your parents will be asked to provide some financial information and then you will told how much (free) financial aid you are eligible for. You may also be offered low interest loans which will not have to be paid back until after you graduate.
I live in Allegheny County in Pittsburgh and you can get a free two-year community college degree if you agree to work as a part-time volunteer fireman for a couple of years. Is there anything like this in your area?
You can sign up for the US-Military, take free classes while in service, and accrue free education benefits for when you are discharged. You can also sign up for a guaranteed job that is related to whatever college degree you are interested in. Your local military recruiter will be able to provide the latest and best information.
You can find a job and save money for your college tuition. Some companies will even pay for part or all of your tuition when taking part-time night classes.
Once you achieve an associate (2-year) community college degree, you can transfer to a four-year university to achieve a four-year (bachelor) degree.
And finally, don't give up on your desire for a college degree. The right degree (medical, engineering, business, computer science, etc.) will almost always payoff in increased salary, benefits, and security for the rest of your life.
FIRST STEP: Start by requesting an appointment with a financial advisor at your local community college.
Ask the financial advisor for the actual cost of tuition, fees, and books. Now you can subtract the amount of free financial aid you are eligible for to determine how much the degree will actually cost you..
My first suggestion is to consider a local community college (for your first two years) which will be less expensive than a state or private university.
There is federal financial aid available so you should visit your local community college and ask to meet with a financial aid advisor. Your parents will be asked to provide some financial information and then you will told how much (free) financial aid you are eligible for. You may also be offered low interest loans which will not have to be paid back until after you graduate.
I live in Allegheny County in Pittsburgh and you can get a free two-year community college degree if you agree to work as a part-time volunteer fireman for a couple of years. Is there anything like this in your area?
You can sign up for the US-Military, take free classes while in service, and accrue free education benefits for when you are discharged. You can also sign up for a guaranteed job that is related to whatever college degree you are interested in. Your local military recruiter will be able to provide the latest and best information.
You can find a job and save money for your college tuition. Some companies will even pay for part or all of your tuition when taking part-time night classes.
Once you achieve an associate (2-year) community college degree, you can transfer to a four-year university to achieve a four-year (bachelor) degree.
And finally, don't give up on your desire for a college degree. The right degree (medical, engineering, business, computer science, etc.) will almost always payoff in increased salary, benefits, and security for the rest of your life.
Dan recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Jerry’s Answer
Education is expensive so we cannot debate that. However who pays the bill is key. No reason you need to pay. Many companies will pay for your education along with paying you a wage. It may take longer but you will gain your diploma plus important work experience. Both of which will set you up for a successful future. Check out Amazon and Verizon to name two but check around and you will find more. Another option if so inclined is a military job which offers outstanding educational benefits. I do think you are on the right path so best of luck with your goals.
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Aaron’s Answer
This is tough since there's no context of who's paying...will you be taking loans? etc.
From a promotions standpoint: I can say this. As someone who has worked as an engineer...I've been put in charge of people with 40 years experience simply because I had a degree and they didn't...and 9/10 times...they knew more than me....and I knew it...and they knew it...
I've also seen employees of 40 years get demoted and sent back to level 1 in their career because a new CEO came into the company and said all managers need to have degrees. This happens a lot when a company goes from small to big.
With regards to the financial argument: You can save lots of money through attending community college. Lots of universities have partnerships with their community colleges (associates degree built to transfer into bachelors degree at the larger university). You can look at these first to save money on those first couple years of college.
From a promotions standpoint: I can say this. As someone who has worked as an engineer...I've been put in charge of people with 40 years experience simply because I had a degree and they didn't...and 9/10 times...they knew more than me....and I knew it...and they knew it...
I've also seen employees of 40 years get demoted and sent back to level 1 in their career because a new CEO came into the company and said all managers need to have degrees. This happens a lot when a company goes from small to big.
With regards to the financial argument: You can save lots of money through attending community college. Lots of universities have partnerships with their community colleges (associates degree built to transfer into bachelors degree at the larger university). You can look at these first to save money on those first couple years of college.
Updated
Ricky’s Answer
If studying outside of the United States is an option for you, there are public universities in European countries such as Norway that do not charge tuition (or charge small fees), even to international students.
Updated
Baljit’s Answer
Hi Maram,
This is could be a double edged sword for you. One thing that you can bring to the table is that you could apply for scholarships that help pay for school. There is a lot of scholarships out there. You could apply from a job you hold, any companies that you researched online, and also your school of choice may often than not offer scholarships.
You could also try for a summer job or a part-time job to help with the expenses. This would give you experience and also help financially with the expenses associated with attending school.
Another way to help is to apply for financial aid through FAFSA (if you qualify). It is a lengthy process to apply but definitely worth it. if you have any questions the FAFSA representatives are very helpful and can guide you through your application. I believe October is the starting point for the application and end is March deadline to apply.
This is could be a double edged sword for you. One thing that you can bring to the table is that you could apply for scholarships that help pay for school. There is a lot of scholarships out there. You could apply from a job you hold, any companies that you researched online, and also your school of choice may often than not offer scholarships.
You could also try for a summer job or a part-time job to help with the expenses. This would give you experience and also help financially with the expenses associated with attending school.
Another way to help is to apply for financial aid through FAFSA (if you qualify). It is a lengthy process to apply but definitely worth it. if you have any questions the FAFSA representatives are very helpful and can guide you through your application. I believe October is the starting point for the application and end is March deadline to apply.