2 answers
liz
Student
Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas
2
Questions
Asked
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How do I get more financial aid?
I am registered for websites that show me available scholarships like Cappex, but I still have a very large sum of money per year that I will need to be paying because I am paying for college on my own. #financial-services
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2 answers
Sherri Harmon
Financial Aid Professional
13
Answers
Indiana, IN
Updated
Sherri’s Answer
Hi Liz, financial aid is a little more complicated, there are many factors that come into play when determining eligibility. Applying for scholarships is a really good start, also finding a job that offers tuition reimbursement might be an option. If you belong to any organizations, you might ask them to donate to your education. Another scholarship website is: http://www.careeronestop.org/toolkit/training/find-scholarships.aspx
I hope this information is helpful.
Best Wishes,
Sherri
Alexandra Grashkina-Hristov
International Tax Professional
147
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Alexandra’s Answer
Hi Liz,
It is admirable and quite amazing that you are trying to pay for college on your own. I did that, too, and in my experience, once the hard times are gone, you feel very proud and you have great experiences. There are several ways to secure more financial aid and funding in general (some, or all, of them may apply to you):
- merit scholarships - the school you attend may have some and there may also be external ones; you apply for those and they are competitive
- need-based scholarships - these are based on your financial need, not on any achievements; you are probably already considered for those when you applied to your school
- work-study - some schools offer options for on-campus jobs as part of the financial aid package they offer where they would pay you to do work while you study (for example, help with shelving books in the library, which I did for a while); this is a better form of work because you work in the school and get to classes more easily; also, you can meet some professors and useful contacts in the school; some professors also need research assistants or other help and will pay an hourly wage for that, which is definitely worth looking into.
- other work options - this is not really financial aid but you may seek some external employment while in school;
- federal student loans - you can get a loan from the federal government if you are a US citizen or permanent resident; yes, I know this is not like getting financial aid but the federal loans usually have lower interest rates than private loans and there may be some loan forgiveness
- crowdfunding campaign - if you would like, you can set up a campaign on a site like GoFundMe to request that your friends contribute some donations to your college education; don't worry if people are only able to make small donations because every dollar is helpful, right?
- an option to consider is also going to school part-time so you are able to work and space out the tuition payments; not all schools offer this option but it does work for some people; as long as you graduate and get the degree, it is OK if it took you longer.
Hope you find a combination of those to help you out with paying for college.
Good luck!
Alex
It is admirable and quite amazing that you are trying to pay for college on your own. I did that, too, and in my experience, once the hard times are gone, you feel very proud and you have great experiences. There are several ways to secure more financial aid and funding in general (some, or all, of them may apply to you):
- merit scholarships - the school you attend may have some and there may also be external ones; you apply for those and they are competitive
- need-based scholarships - these are based on your financial need, not on any achievements; you are probably already considered for those when you applied to your school
- work-study - some schools offer options for on-campus jobs as part of the financial aid package they offer where they would pay you to do work while you study (for example, help with shelving books in the library, which I did for a while); this is a better form of work because you work in the school and get to classes more easily; also, you can meet some professors and useful contacts in the school; some professors also need research assistants or other help and will pay an hourly wage for that, which is definitely worth looking into.
- other work options - this is not really financial aid but you may seek some external employment while in school;
- federal student loans - you can get a loan from the federal government if you are a US citizen or permanent resident; yes, I know this is not like getting financial aid but the federal loans usually have lower interest rates than private loans and there may be some loan forgiveness
- crowdfunding campaign - if you would like, you can set up a campaign on a site like GoFundMe to request that your friends contribute some donations to your college education; don't worry if people are only able to make small donations because every dollar is helpful, right?
- an option to consider is also going to school part-time so you are able to work and space out the tuition payments; not all schools offer this option but it does work for some people; as long as you graduate and get the degree, it is OK if it took you longer.
Hope you find a combination of those to help you out with paying for college.
Good luck!
Alex