College education is expensive! But for many people, it is necessary for a variety of reasons, either you want to advance in your career or to get a hike in pay. After the shouldering the cost of getting a bachelor's degree, many students are hesitant about spending even more time in school to get a higher education degree.
But a master's degree does not have to break the bank, and there are many ways to lower the costs to get the degree you want.
Did you fill out your FASFA?
Step one is to fill out your FASFA. For those who do not know, FASFA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. After you have decided to go to school, it is one of the most important forms you can fill out.
Simply by filling out this form and putting in the school you will be attending, you qualify for many grants, both through the federal government, state government and through your school. And unlike loans, grants do not need to be paid back.
Even if you filled one out in the past, you need to fill out a new one every year. And while you may have needed to put in your parents' income on your FASFA documents as an undergraduate student, as a master's student, your filing is based solely on your and your spouse's income.
So, if you did not make much for your filing year (because you are just out of college or for any other reason), you could qualify for a lot of grants.
Is someone else willing to pay?
If you are employed or if you have a specific job in mind after graduation, you should talk to them about sponsoring your education. Many employers have programs in place where they will pay for some or all of your fees for your education either while you are employed with them or even before you start.
For some students, this can be a fantastic way to further their education because not only are their costs covered, but there is a job ready for you when you graduate, so the stress of finding employment does not weigh down on you while you are studying for finals.
Ask the school
The next place to check is the advising office at your college, or at the college you would like to attend. The school is going to be a great source of information regarding who is offering scholarships to their students.
Many schools even have databases set up with lists or organizations and benefactors who are offering scholarships to their students.
Go to the internet
If you are still having trouble, check out the college board. The college board website has lists of hundreds of scholarships that you can qualify for based on GPS, interest or other factors. While it can take a while to comb through everything, there is something there for everyone.
And if all else fails, you can always turn to Google. It may turn up far more information than you need, but in the age of computers, search engines can be your best friend. Start with very specific searches and widen your scope if you do not find anything interesting.
Above all, remember that you can do this. The hard part is getting into the school; there is always a way to figure out how to pay for it, you just have to keep looking.
*This article was origionally published by the K12 Teaching Alliance and Tempesta Media
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