Once you’ve gotten accepted to the college of your choice, the real work begins. Most students will need to source funding from loans, grants, scholarships, work-study programs, college savings plans or funds from their parents’ savings accounts to help pay for college.
Affording college can be difficult. The National Center for Education Statistics states that the annual costs for tuition, fees, room and board were $17,237 for public schools during the 2016–17 academic year. Costs more than double for a most private, nonprofit institution, with an average cost of $44,551, while a private for-profit school could cost $25,431.
While many students take out loans to help pay for college, there are many options that can help you plan for and minimize the costs of higher education.