Spend Less for a College Degree

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By David Young

A good professional degree along with a steady job is the formula for success in a persons professional life. But most often people need to pursue certain specialized courses to ensure they are able to stay ahead of their peers. There are some simple steps to reduce the cost of getting a degree, so everyone enjoy the benefits of a higher degree.

Step 1 " Those wanting to pursue a professional degree later on can first look at gaining admission in a community college. The cost of education in a community college is less costly compared to a four year degree university. The credits of the elective courses chosen to study here can be transferred to a four year institution. This enables students to pursue higher education without much cost involved.

Step 2 - Many colleges offer athletic and non-athletic scholarships for students who are part of the student government, yearbook staff, chess club, the arts, etc. There websites like FastWeb.com and Scholarships.com that help you with getting a scholarship based on some criteria. The criteria may include categories like minority, disabled, gender-based, religious, academic, or athletic scholarships etc. Remember to check in the University websites for financial aid applications.

Step 3 " Those who apply with work experience, like working professionals wanting to pursue an MBA or DBA degree can check with the college/university if there any work credits allocated during admissions. There are some colleges that give three, six or more credits for business experience that is related to a college course. Find out if the employer is offering a tuition fee reimbursement for pursuing higher studies. Also, if you have passed tests like DSST (DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) and CLEPS (College-Level Examination Program) they can add more value to your credit count during college admission.

Step 4 - It is advisable to pursue online courses that completely eliminate many overhead costs like travel, purchase of books, dresses, vehicle etc. Online degrees can be taken up to give the career a boost in order to handle the economic crisis situation intelligently. Some online universities provide early bird discounts and conduct essay contests to grant scholarships and waivers. These schemes can be well used to cut down on major portions of the college expenses like tuition fees.

Step 5 " Make sure to check with university offices whether they offer Federal Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, Pell Grants, and in-house scholarships for those who qualify. Also, check out the government website www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA is an important document for getting any kind of financial assistance from the government, without having to pay back!

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