Tapping Financial Resources Outside of Student Loans for Your College Degree
College students in the U.S. are struggling to cover the rising costs of tuition, fees room and board as prices hover at $16,188 for public institutions and more than $40,000 at private schools. Although students have traditionally borrowed to pay for college, this option can leave students with considerable debt after graduation. The class of 2016 was saddled with an average student debt load of $37,172.
As a result, students must search for alternative ways to pay for higher education expenses, whether through scholarships and grants or in non-traditional ways like crowdfunding and work-study programs. This guide breaks down these four ways to pay your way through school and keep your higher educational journey completely (or at least mostly) debt-free.