Come from a large family? Do your parents have a lot of debt? Maybe they have medical bills and worries of your own. Whatever your reasoning for not wanting to add to their financial woes, know this – you can pay for college without your parents. Get the scoop on self-sustainability in this short list of tips.
It’s a common misconception that students must include their parents in the college planning process for financial purposes. With a bit of planning and hard work, you can use medical program, crowdfunding, or even a military career to graduate without burdening your parents. Here’s how:
Don’t Add to Your Parents’ Debt. Use These Tricks to Go to School Debt-free.
Maybe you come from a large family and your parents just can’t pay for everyone to go to school. Perhaps your dream has always been to spare your parents the burden. No matter what your reason for needing or wanting to do it, there are things you can do to access higher education without digging into your parents’ bank accounts.
Crowdfund Your Way through School
This may not work for the entirety of your time in school, but starting a profile on a site like Sponsor My Degree may help you to raise a bit of money towards your education. Start your account early (even in high school) and ask people to contribute to it whenever special occasions, birthdays, graduations, or holidays arise. You may be surprised at the number of family members who are willing to contribute to the success of their younger generations. You likely won’t raise everything you need this way, but it’s worth a shot.
Capitalize On Your Medical Conditions
Do you have a medical condition that has needed your attention for a good deal of your life? Check out medloophole.com to find out if you may qualify for some sort of financial aid based on medical need. The creator of the site, Jason White, struggled with asthma and allergies growing up and ended up qualifying for enough financial aid to graduate from his undergrad program with no debt. You will end up applying for scholarships from state and federal programs, but the site helps you to identify what’s available to you – especially since these aren’t as well-known.
Join the Military
For some, joining the military is a lifelong aspiration. For others, it’s an afterthought or an option not considered until much later in life. Either way, joining the military doesn’t really limit your school choices – it may just alter your timeline a little bit. The Armed Forces’ Military Tuition Assistance program can cover up to 100% of your college costs, whether you choose to go to school online, at a satellite location near your base, or both. You may even be able to apply some of your military and job training towards credits.
There are plenty of options out there for people who can’t or don’t want to ask their parents to pay for school. No matter what your reasoning, don’t give up on your quest for higher education. With a little work, you’ll find it’s definitely within reach.
