Free Money? I Think So!

There are basically two different kinds of free money out in the college world. First, you’ve got government grants and second, there are tons of scholarships. You should apply for both! You’re not going to get anything unless you ask right? Knock and the door will be opened to you.

Grants

These can be accessed by filling out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA for short. This can be found at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/#. You can start this application process on January 1^st for the following school year (starting in fall). From what I’ve heard, it is best to apply as soon as possible so that you are sure to get a cut of the funds. If you wait too long it is possible that all the funds will already have been disbursed to other students.

The students most likely to be awarded some sort of grant are the ones who are in some sort of financial need. So if you aren’t making a lot of money, don’t have much saved, and you’re parents don’t make a lot, and then the government will probably give you money. It also depends on how much you will be spending at school, but I was able to collect while going to an extremely inexpensive community college. The Pell Grant is a pretty common one that is easy to get.

Scholarships

There is a lot of information regarding scholarships, so I will start with a little bit (so as not to overwhelm you) and then submit more posts later on.

The first thing you should know is that scholarships are extremely specific. They are looking for a specific type of person, and if you fit it exactly then you’ve got a very good chance of taking home the bacon! There are scholarships relating to your height, your nationality, your athletic ability, and even if you are left-handed! There are actually a lot of athletic scholarships. Finally, there is a reward for the incredible lack of left-handed desks in school. But anyway, I’m sure you get the picture. Apply for scholarships that match you. Your school most likely has a list of scholarships that you can find on their website.

You will probably be asked to submit some kind of essay to accompany your application. This may seem daunting, but most are very short. I’m sure you can hammer out three paragraphs right? Just incorporate a little thought and authenticity into your writing. Whoever is going to read the essay (the sponsor) needs to know that you are a serious student who has positive values and may be sympathetic to their cause in the future. Most of these sponsors want to see that their money is going to someone who will do well. I’ve noticed that being “real” and down-to-earth is a very good approach. Tell them stories about yourself.

One question to ask yourself is, “How many people are applying for this scholarship?” If you suspect it’s a lot, then I wouldn’t put too much stock in winning something like that. I know that Coca Cola has a nationwide scholarship that doesn’t have a lot of restrictions. It’s also got a pretty big payout, which basically equates to a large turnout. So be realistic. Do you think you can write an essay that will rise above thousands of others? If you can, then go for it! I applaud your skill and enthusiasm. For the rest of us, try to find more specific awards. They might pay less, but you can always apply for multiple scholarships. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Fun on a Dime... Or Less!

I’ve decided to start a weekly segment which is going to be all about the awesome time you can have… without spending all your hard earned cash! I know it’s tough to keep the bank account full when there are so many entertainment options that cost and arm and a leg.

This is a game that I played last week and is hilarious!

Step 1: Get a bunch of friends together! It is best when there are more than four or five people.

Step 2: Next, give everyone a stack of blank paper sheets. There needs to be the same amount of sheets as there are people playing the game. Then everyone must sit in a circle.

Step 3: The third step is where the fun begins. Everyone comes up with a phrase of some sort which they write down on the top sheet of paper. I wrote, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” But you can write anything you want. It could make sense or it could be totally off the wall. Do whatever you want.

Step 4: After you’ve written the phrase, pass your stack of papers to the left (with the phrase on the top sheet). Then the next person will place the phrase on the bottom of the stack and try to draw a picture representing what you wrote! This is where it gets crazy! The papers keep going around the circle of friends so that the phrases get interpreted as pictures and the pictures get interpreted as phrases.

Step 5: After all the sheets of paper have been used up and the stack that you started with has made it back to you, it is time to share what happened along the line. My phrase ended with a picture of a confused man staring at two fish swimming in a fish tank…

This is a great way to break the ice at a party or just get to know how your friends think. Basically it’s just another way of playing telephone. Only it’s way more fun! 

Failure to Launch

OK so this post will probably get me into some steamy, scalding, hot water with a lot of you. I know you’ve probably been dreaming about getting that high school diploma and hitting the road! You want to get out there and experience “real life”. But wait! Hit the brakes. Is that such a good idea? Do you know how expensive the dorm life really is? Not to mention how distracting it can be. Don’t be surprised if your total bill doubles with the addition of living expenses. Living at college ain’t cheap I tell you.

As long as you have got a fairly good relationship with your parents then I would recommend that you seriously consider staying at home. Since my parents could not offer me any money for college they encouraged me to stick around and cut my expenses in half. I took their advise, and I am now about to graduate with money in the bank. Parents generally know what they are talking about. We’ve just got the idea that somehow we know better. So if your parents are cool with you sticking around, you should jump at the chance (especially if it comes with no rent and free food).

If you are serious about college and not going simply for the parties, then staying at home is another great opportunity. Picture this. It is late on Sunday night, and you are scrambling to finish that ten page research paper that is due at 9:00 the next morning. Sure you should have done it sooner but Friday and Saturday were just too awesome to waste on a paper. You’ve got six pages (double spaced of course), and you are on a roll. Then you hear a flock of classmates come crashing into the dorm next door and start blaring America’s Top 40. Well that’s it! Concentration is shot!  It takes so much more dedication and commitment to succeed when there are parties and friends trying to pull you away. How much easier would it be to work in the comfort of your own home?


Success is extremely profitable, even in school. I’ll talk about good grades and scholarships at a later time.

Get a Job

This may seem very basic, but many students choose to devote all their attention to their studies. Commitment to school like this is by no means a bad thing, it’s just expensive. If you want to avoid loans, then a job is your only option unless you’ve already got the money for college.


Start with a small, part time gig where you work 15-25 hours a week. Don’t go overboard and get a full time job. That will only get you burnt out. College students have traditionally gotten jobs working at coffee shops, restaurants, and other service industries, but you might also look into being a lifeguard, courier, or even a teacher/tutor of some sort. If you’ve got a skill that you could teach others to do (music/math/computer lessons), I would suggest you do it since it will probably make you more money per hour than a service job. On the flip side, this might be more complicated because you’d be working for yourself rather than an established company.


What’s nice about working for a big company is that they will guarantee a certain amount of hours. There is no uncertainty about how much money you will make. Also, they might give you money simply because you are a student! Pretty sweet huh?! I know that companies like Starbucks, Office Depot, and UPS offer tuition assistance to part time employees. You’ll have to do some research on other benefits that these companies can provide, but I know that a lot of them offer some pretty good stuff.


So there are a lot of different options available to you when it comes to making money. It just depends on what you know how to do and what you like to do. It also depends on your personality. Are you the type of person that likes a little risk or would you prefer a safe/dependable job? Do you want to strike out on your own, or do you like the idea of jumping in where someone else has started? Whatever you choose to do, make sure you are getting some sort of consistent income. The bills pile up quick.

Private vs Public

There is a huge price range when it comes to considering college! You’ve got your basic two year community colleges all the way up to Harvard, Stanford, and Oxford (here’s a little tip… if anything ends in –ord then you know its pricey). Any private school is going to be extremely expensive because they are not funded by taxes. I paid well under $10,000 per year while attending community college and state school. On the other hand private schools can cost upwards of $50,000 per year. Now that may seem reasonable if you expect to graduate with a law degree or become a surgeon, but most people don’t end up with careers that pay in the hundreds of thousands. If you are a driven, ambitious individual who know exactly what you want, then maybe you should consider going to a top private school. In my experience I’ve noticed that most people don’t know exactly what they want to do and end up changing majors at least once.


Going to a private college does look good on a resume, but finding a job that will pay off all the debt is the hard part. You’ve got to hope that when you emerge from the classroom that the economy is good and your field is in demand. One of the worst things that could happen is for the interest to start piling up and you sink deeper and deeper in debt. This can most certainly happen to anyone and usually ends in bankruptcy, which is good for no one at all.

A state school is much more manageable and affordable. It is reasonable to work a part time job in order to fund your time at college with the help of grants/scholarships. This does not put on the pressure of completing a degree that you find does not fit you. It allows for a little flexibility, just in case you want to change majors and take another year for school. You won’t be fifty grand further in debt. 

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Orientation Day

This blog has been created to give college students or future college students a leg up on their financial situation as they plan for the next four years of their life. It’s here to tell you that there is a way to get through it without debt! So I bet you’re thinking, “Yeah right! A college education is expensive”… and I’ve got news for you. That is absolutely true. But, there are ways that you can fund your bills, cut your costs, and get good grades in the process. Stay with me and I’ll share my experiences in college and how I got through free of debt. I’ll go over everything from how to get scholarships, housing situations, part time work, government grants, grades, and even having fun on a budget.


I’m not going to give advice about something that I don’t know anything about, so obviously I’ll talk about what I’ve learned through my own college experiences. I’m here more to tell you how to avoid resorting to student loans, than to guide you through the payment of those loans. This is because I never had to take out a loan to graduate.

In all fairness, I have not graduated yet, as I’m still working toward my bachelor’s. That being said, all I have left is twelve credits and then its graduation baby! So unless some catastrophic disaster occurs within the next three months, I will emerge debt free with a bachelor’s degree. So I’ll share what has worked for me and what has been difficult with regard to my finances.