Nothing beats getting money for college that you don't have to pay back. The difference between that and loans is amazing. The only thing better would be getting paid to study, and since that's not really an option the next best thing is a free ride with free money. You probably already know of the first two sources of free money for college, but the third is a little more obscure and takes an open mind and a little creativity.
Grants - When you get a grant it is free money in its rawest form. There are typically no strings attached, no minimum requirements that you need to uphold, or any hoops to jump through. You apply for the grant, you get accepted, it gets awarded and the money shows up in your account, or is automatically applied to your tuition and fees. No muss, no fuss. The easiest grant to get in the world is the Federal Pell Grant because you only need to need the money. You don't have to prove anything or write a fancy application essay. You just have to prove that your finances merit free money for school and it's yours.
Scholarships - These are the next best source of free money for college and they're almost as good as grants. Many times you'll have to meet certain qualifications like a specific grade point average or all A's in a certain subject. In some cases you'll have to maintain these standards when you're going to school. This can cause some added stress to your studies.
You, Inc. - Many people think they have look outwardly in order to get free money for school but the answer to paying for college could be within you right now. If you start your own business your freshmen year, you could be paying your own way by the time you're a junior. You may argue that it's hard to start a business when you have no money to start it with, but as a college student you will have one thing: time. Spend the time that others spend partying and doing keg stands to start your own business and make money for yourself. This could be conside red free money because it doesn't cost you anything, you won't have to pay it back because you're not loaning it, and at some point it will just start flowing in on its own making it really easy and hands free so you can focus on graduating.
No matter which route you go with you're on the right track thinking about getting free money to pay for school. Too many students rely on student loans and then get into big debt trouble once they graduate. The goal should be to get as much money as you can that you never have to repay.
If you're trying to find grad school grants that you don't have to pay back there's plenty available. There's also graduate school grant money for all different ethnicities and backgrounds.
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