Let’s face it: paying for college could be an extremely difficult undertaking. These are not the days when our parents were young, and working hard could singlehandedly pay for tuition. The average net cost of attending university in New Jersey is over $33,000. In other words, that part-time job at Mcdonald’s is not going to cut it. Regardless, there is a way to escape this quandary.

First, try applying for a Federal loan a.k.a. FAFSA. Now, this may seem like a difficult way to get money seeing as how generally most people attending Middletown South do not live in low income areas. Thankfully, anyone can apply for a federal loan whether you are low income or not. Anyone can apply for FAFSA by simply logging onto the websites of the Department of Education or SimpleTuition.

Also, getting a job could be quite beneficial. Finding one is difficult, and staying balanced with school work and friends is onerous; however, if you save wisely it will help greatly. Even if you only manage to save a thousand dollars, that will be enough to cover the cost of needed books and supplies. Even something as basic as paying for your books will help not only pay for college yourself, but also when getting loans. If you have money saved up for books and supplies, that means more of your loans can go towards paying for your tuition. Also, many colleges will be impressed that you were able to work throughout high school, and this may increase your chances of being accepted.

Another means of easing the financial burden is by trying to get a scholarship. Every college has scholarships, and some scholarships are more difficult to receive than others. Still, there are many different types of scholarships. You can get one for scoring high on the SAT, having a certain GPA, or winning something like a writing competition. When looking at a college, remember to glance at what scholarships they offer, and if you could possibly receive one.

If you are still having difficulty finding ways to pay for university, apply to your local Community College. Do not listen to the negative sentiment that many will give you about Community College. Many successful people attended them such as business man and politician Ross Perot, former Speaker of House Jim Wright, and Ceo of the Black and Decker corporation Nolan D. Archibald. After two years of low tuition, you can apply to other colleges and pay significantly less than if you were to attend four years at university.

College has become a very costly, but still necessary business. Regardless of the difficulty paying for college, most employers expect an employee to have at least a bachelor’s degree. Still, there are many ways to pay for college. The ways of doing so may be difficult, but in the end it will be very rewarding. When you are preparing to go off to college, remember all the ways that you can pay for this intimidating endeavor.