Posts Tagged ‘grants’

Paying for Your Master’s Degree Online

Friday, May 20th, 2011

Considering going back to college and completing your master’s degree online? My College Guide has advice on how to pay your way through school. Plan now to make it easier later!

Paying for Your Master's Degree Online

Paying for Your Master's Degree Online

Just so you know, online courses frequently cost you less than on-campus courses—and that holds true for your master’s degree online, too! The amount of money you will need to invest can frequently be considerable less than what you would expect. In other words: it pays to shop!

Paying for Your Master’s Degree Online

You have a few options when it comes to paying for your master’s degree online.

Grants and Scholarships – While you shouldn’t rely on this method and think that it will pay all of your way through school, it never hurts to find and apply to anything and everything that matches your academic background! You can start with our list of college scholarship websites right here on My College Guide. Your school may have institution-specific scholarships that they will award you with as well!

Money in the Bank – Have a nice stash of savings? Depending on the program you choose (and if you received a few grants and/or scholarships), you might want to think about using some of your savings to pay your way. Of course, you will really want to think about whether this degree will actually improve your circumstances or not.

Private Loans – Paying interest? It’s not fun. But if you really think that going back to school and earning your master’s degree online will pay off in the long run, it just might be worth it! Look into your private loan options and see what you can find.

The Boss – What about your employer? If a master’s degree online will prove to be a huge boon to the company, many will help pick up your education tab. Check out if the company that you work for will do the same for adults going back to school like you!

Final Advice

Make sure to read our article, Three Things to Ask Yourself Before Getting a Master’s Degree Online. No matter how much money you may be able to save by earning your master’s degree online, it will still be a hefty expense. Make sure your degree will translate into higher pay for you later on!

Image Courtesy of Flickr, foreverdigital.

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Colleges for Low Income Students: Free Tuition, No Loans, and Full Rides

Friday, April 16th, 2010

College, and the costs that go with it, can make higher education seem way out of reach – especially for low income students.  The good news?  There’s something better than hope – there’s loan-free financial aid packages and even tuition free colleges!  Who knew college could be so affordable?

Duncan Hall at Rice University -- Loan free tuition for low income students!

photine/Laurie

For high achieving low income students, many colleges and universities offer a no-packaged loans policy – which include grants, scholarships, and work-study programs in their financial aid packages not interest accruing loans!  Many offer free rides to college (and then some).   A few of these colleges, like the Webb Institute and Deep Springs College, don’t even have tuition!  You really can graduate debt free!

Check out our large list for a host of higher education institutions that offer free tuition or loan free tuition for students of low income families.  Click on the college or university name to be taken directly to the financial aid page that relates to that school – and get in touch with the financial aid office to see where you fit in.  College isn’t just for the wealthy – it’s for everyone.

Alice Lloyd College Rice University
Amherst College Sacred Heart University
Barclay College Saint Louis Christian College
Berea College Soka University
Bowdoin College Stanford University
Brown University Swarthmore College
Claremont McKenna College Texas A&M University
College of the Ozarks Texas Tech University
College of William and Mary University of California
Columbia University University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art University of Pennsylvania
Cornell University University of Texas
Curtis Institute of Music University of Virginia
Dartmouth College University of Washington
Davidson College Vanderbilt University
Deep Springs College Vassar College
Duke University Washington and Lee University
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering Washington State University
George Washington University Webb Institute
Harvard University Wellesley College
Haverford College Williams College
Lafayette College Yale University
Lehigh University The Armed Forces:
Macaulay Honors College at CUNY US Air Force Academy
Massachusetts Institute of Technology US Coast Guard Academy
Miami University of Ohio US Merchant Marine Academy
Michigan State University US Naval Academy
Princeton University West Point US Military Academy

Seven Schools with Great Financial Aid Packages

Saturday, December 12th, 2009

collegemoneyThese days, money is tight for just about everyone—and college is one of the biggest expenses your family will ever face. A four-year program at many private universities will cost over $200,000, not counting the cost of textbooks and other extra fees. While some students may be eligible for scholarships (we’ve got one for you here) and financial aid, there’s always a concern that a school might reject you because you’re not able to pay their tuition.

Not these schools. With “need-blind” admissions policies, they pay no attention to how much money you have when deciding whether or not to admit you. Better yet, some schools even claim to meet full need, which means that they’ll provide grants to make up the difference between the family’s expected contribution, based on income, and the cost of tuition. While most students are able to obtain loans to help pay for college, these need-granting schools will generally contribute money that the students will never have to pay back, which can take a lot of the stress out of the college experience.

Want to see which schools have the best financial aid policies? Here’s a selection of colleges that aren’t likely to leave you with mountains of debt.

Harvard University. Last year, Harvard admitted Khadijah Williams, a homeless straight-A teen from Los Angeles, providing her with a full scholarship that covered all of her classes, textbooks, room, and board. This isn’t a first for them—the school has been long known for a remarkably generous financial aid policy, covering all costs for families who make below $60,000 and reducing the cost of college for middle-income families by as much as 50 percent. This year alone, they are awarding $145 million in need-based aid. So if you’re Harvard material, don’t worry about the price tag: you’ll find a place there

Bowdoin College. Bowdoin College, a small liberal arts school in Maine, may have a high price tag—$53,250 a year—but very few students are expected to pay that entire amount. The school offers need-blind admission, and more than 40 percent of students receive grants to help pay tuition, which do not need to be paid back. For a chance at a debt-free education in beautiful Maine, take a look at Bowdoin and its financial aid policies.

Bryn Mawr College. Bryn Mawr, a women’s college in Pennsylvania, has a generous grant assistance program, offering more than $20.4 million in financial aid to 62% of the student body. For more information, visit the school’s financial aid page.

Cornell University. This Ivy League university in upstate New York has always been generous with financial aid, but it recently announced an even more impressive initiative: starting this year, families with incomes below $75,000 will not have to pay any loan money, and families who earn between $75,000 and $120,000 will not have to pay back more than $3,000 for each year of school. The remainder of the money beyond the family’s expected contribution will be covered in full by the school. Check out their policies here.

Macalester College. This small, but highly competitive liberal arts school in Minnesota provides need-based financial assistance to all eligible students, which is about two-thirds of the entire student body. The average yearly financial aid award is $32,258, though some students are eligible for full scholarships. Find out more.

New College of Florida. Though it’s a public school, this university has only 785 students—and 90% of them are receiving financial aid assistance. With annual tuition, room, and board of just $12,567 for in-state students and $34,169 for students from out-of-state, it’s already one of the best educational deals around. Find out about their financial aid here.

Swarthmore College. This highly selective liberal arts college pledges to meet all student financial need after the expected family payments have been made, and awards more than $34 million in scholarships, loans, and other assistance to 70 percent of its student body every year. Swarthmore also offers a deferred payment plan, which allows families to pay tuition and other student fees in smaller monthly increments, interest-free, for a one-time participation fee of $60. Check out the options.

There are plenty of other fantastic schools with great financial aid packages available to the cost-conscious student. To find more, take a look at this list from US News and World Report —and make sure to register for our $2,000 scholarship!