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It is a known fact that college is not cheap. It does cost a decent amount of money to further your education. Between the costs of tuition, books, room and board and school service fees, the total bill can add up fast. However there are ways to get reduced or even free tuition for your college education.
SCHOLARSHIPS
While this is the most obvious, not many students actually seek out scholarships. There are tons of scholarships available; you just have to apply for them. There is a scholarship for anything that you can think of. You do not have to be the valedictorian of your class; there is money available for everyone. Check with your high school guidance counselor or your academic advisor at your college for a listing.
Some states even offer free tuition for their brightest students. Did you know in the state of New Jersey, if you are in the top twenty percent of your high school class, you may be eligible for free tuition at your local community college? They even offer a second program where if you receive the free tuition at the community college and maintain an A average, you can receive the final two years of free tuition at one of the in-state universities. There are many similar free tuition programs in other states as well, just do some research and see what is available.
Washington State, for example, has a program that allows students from lower income families to attend college.
As of 2008, Stanford University will no longer charge tuition to students whose families earn less than $100,000 a year. In addition, all room and board fees will be waived for students whose families earn less than $60,000 a year.
In 2008, MIT also announced plans to offer free tuition for those whose families are earning less than $75,000 a year.
Other ways to get free tuition:
GI BILL
If you are a veteran of the United States military, you may be eligible for up to thirty-six months of education benefits. This includes college courses, job training, certification tests, and much more.
EMPLOYEE REIMBURSEMENT
A lot of companies like to see their employees advance their education. Some companies offer their employees partial to full reimbursement of tuition for classes related to their job description. This is usually dependent on a passing grade of no less than a “C”. Check with your employer for the terms regarding any tuition reimbursement policy.
SCHOOL EMPLOYEE
Some colleges and universities reward their employees with reduced or free tuition as a perk for being a college employee. In some cases this even extends to immediate family members. This is the perfect opportunity to complete your college degree at little to no cost.
TEST OUT
If you have to take a class that you already have an in-depth knowledge of the subject, you can request to test out of the class. This is much cheaper than paying for the full class. This is of course up to the college and they may make you submit a resume and your reasons why you should be able to test out of their class. However, the fee to test out of a class is usually one-third the price of the class. While it is not free, it is definitely a much cheaper alternative.
It is tough to find ways to obtain free tuition but there are options available. It is like finding a needle in a haystack but it is not impossible. You just have to be proactive in your search, as the money is not going to come to you. Good Luck!
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