Paying for College
Scholarships
One thing that should not discredit any school is the cost of tuition. Despite lower incomes, or even poverty, it may be possible to attend the most expensive colleges and universities. The best schools are also usually the most financially endowed and they can afford to offer some type of scholarship assistance.
Government Grants
One thing that should not automatically eliminate any college is the cost of tuition. Despite the most modest income, or even poverty, it may be possible to attend the most expensive college or university. The top colleges and universities are often the most richly endowed, and can afford to offer the largest amount of financial aid.
Financial Aid
One thing that should not automatically eliminate any college is the cost of tuition. Despite the most modest income, or even poverty, it may be possible to attend the most expensive college or university. The top colleges and universities are often the most richly endowed, and can afford to offer the largest amount of financial aid.
At least partial financial aid is widely available, even to students from families whose annual income exceeds $50,000. At many colleges only a small minority of students actually pay the full tuition listed in the catalogue. The larger the tuition, the more likely that is to be so. You certainly don't need to be either poverty- stricken or a genius to get financial aid of some kind. More than 900 colleges, universities, and technical institutes provide financial aid for every freshman who demonstrates any "need" by their criteria.
College Jobs
Whatever the student's academic ability and financial needs, it is usually best to avoid working at a job while going to school, or to minimize the hours if it is unavoidable. A bigger loan is far preferable to more hours of work. College represents an enormous investment of time, money, effort, and emotion. This investment should not be jeopardized for the relatively small sums of money to be earned on a part-time job.
The hours spent on the job are not a real measure of how much it takes away from learning. It is not just the hours, but the fact that these hours are usually fixed, which reduces the effectiveness of study. Some subjects- especially math and the sciences-require sustained, concentrated study for as long as it takes to wrestle with a given problem. If you are two hours into your assignment when time comes to go off to your job, there is no assurance that you can come back three or four hours later and pick it up right where you left off. The mind just doesn't work that way. Moreover, the fatigue factor affects your sharpness, whether you go to work before or in the middle of your studying.
|
