Although receiving a college education is beneficial before entering the job market, many individuals take out student loans to pay for that education must be paid off for years after graduation. Attending a community college in order to obtain part or all of a degree will help to lower overall college expenses. The U.S. Department of Education's website states there were 1,655 community colleges in the United States in 2001. Also, 62 percent of those community colleges had open admission policies at the time. Individuals can consider attending community college as a way to lower college tuition expenses.
Instructions
1. Log on to the Internet and use a reputable search engine in order to locate community colleges that are near your home. Community College Review is an example of a website that assists students by providing information about community colleges throughout the United States. Create a short list of potential colleges that might work for you.
2. Schedule appointments to take tours at all of the community colleges on your list. Once the top choice is determined, arrange to meet with someone in the college's admissions office and its financial aid office to determine what the tuition will be. Ask about possible grants and scholarships that may be available.
3. Consider applying to receive any academic or sports scholarships that are applicable to your. The College Scholarships website explains that community colleges provide scholarships for individuals with high academic scores as well as sports skills. Determine whether the scholarships are full or partial scholarships.
4. Research potential grants. The College Scholarships website explains that scholarships and grants will usually assist in paying the cost of tuition, but some cover the cost of books.
5. Log onto the FAFSA website and complete the application process to be considered for federal financial aid.
6. Determine what degree you would like to obtain in addition to what the final tuition expenses will be. The College Scholarships website explains that even if a student attends community college for two years, he will have saved a substantial amount of money and will spend less time at a four-year institution. Check with an academic adviser to make sure that credits earned for classes taken at the community college will transfer to a four-year school.
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