There are many great things about college. Unfortunately, the cost is not one of those great things. If you're in college right now, then you know how costly it can be. Paying for room and board, books, and more can really put a dent in your bank account. You might be able to spend less while in college by using the following tips.
Begin preparing for college your junior year. Most students wait until their senior year before getting serious about college. Instead, use your junior year to tour different colleges, learn about the scholarships available and begin applying for the colleges of your choice. Using this technique will help you accomplish everything in plenty of time.
Consider living on campus even if you go to school close to home. Not only will you miss a lot of things going on, but you may miss out on your first opportunity to live on your own and make your own financial and social decisions. If you can possibly afford it, live in a dorm.
Keep up with your checking account to avoid wasting money on overdraft charges. Debit cards are easy to use, and unfortunately, that means it is also easy to spend more money than you actually have. Get into a schedule where you check your account online every few days so that this does not happen to you.
As a college student, you will have access to many different jobs on campus. If you do not already have a good job, you should look for a job on campus. You should choose a job that will allow you to acquire some new skills and meet some interesting people.
Attend every class unless you are sick. Unlike when you were in high school, most of the time you are not required to attend all of your classes. However, if you stay home you may miss valuable information or the opportunity to meet other students and get to know your teachers.
You will need to study a lot to keep your grades up, but take one day a week off to relax and regenerate. Approach your learning by immersing yourself in your courses. Talk about the subject to others, look for references to it in the world around you and apply it to your life in general.
Think about studying abroad. Look at the opportunities offered by the school, but don't let that box you in. If you want to study in another country, you need to find out everything that is available to you. You might even be able to find something better outside of your school.
Know your limits - don't overwhelm yourself with too many courses. It may seem like a great idea to take as many courses that you can, but if you take too many, you may fail a few in the process. This totally defeats the time saving you were trying to accomplish!
If you have any textbook's leftover after a semester, decide what to do with them. Your dorm room space is probably precious. Some books are worth keeping for professional use. However, if you do sell, do so privately. You can find a better value for your textbooks if you sell it to an individual instead of selling it online or to your college bookstore. Just make sure to sell soon, as new editions will outdate your texts quickly.
Flash cards are not just a helpful tool for younger children; they can really help you with your college classes as well. In addition to them being a great visual tool for helping you to remember important information, they are also easy for you to carry around wherever you go.
Attend orientation to make some early friends. Lots of people move into buildings full of strangers when they arrive at college, and this can be an isolating experience at first. The quicker you start meeting people, the sooner you can fit in.
Don't get overwhelmed by homesickness in the first few weeks. Many students get homesick or feel that they made a mistake because it's a different experience from anything they may have ever encountered before. If after a year you are still feeling like college isn't right for you, you can then consider your other options.
Make friends with your roommate. Your roommate, or roommates, can be the best part of your college life or the worst. Do everything you can to foster a good relationship with them. You don't have to be the best of friends, but try your best to make sure you are friendly with each other.
Avoid using your financial aid funds to go on a shopping spree at your campus bookstore. This is common, especially among first-year students. When you learn that you have financial aid credit at the bookstore, it is tempting to buy things you don't really need. Avoid this impulse and your pocketbook will thank you later.
Eat well. You may have heard of the 'freshman fifteen', or the 15 pounds that many college freshmen gain when their moms are not watching their diets! Remember that good food makes you feel alert and energetic, and the wrong foods will make you tired and hinder your performance. Eat right!
Explore all of your options in financial aid to maximize your benefits. If you have applied for a student loan, you may be able to convert part of that loan into a financial-aid work study award. This means you can find a job on campus and work off some of that loan to decrease your overall debt.
Do not skip classes with attendance policies that are not mandatory. Skipping one day can quickly snowball into missing weeks or months. Missing that many lectures makes passing final exams, and the class, really difficult to achieve. Just one skip can start a big blow to your final grade point average.
There are many costs associated with college. Tuition, books, and living expenses are just a few of the things you'll be spending money on while in college. Don't let this discourage you though, as you can spend less if you know know. Just use the given tips and you'll be saving money in no time.
Orignal From: The Top College Information You Will Read
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