For educators: Military Resources
Planning ahead even before stepping foot on a campus is the key to keeping your finances in check, both during college and after you graduate. Here’s your checklist toward a solid financial plan.
Determine the total expected costs including tuition, fees, housing, books and supplies, meals, and travel.
Assess your savings, family contributions and potential earnings from part-time work to see what you can afford for both necessities and extras.
Draft a list of all available aid such as scholarships, grants and loans, that can help reduce out-of-pocket expenses.
Include all foreseeable expenses but also be sure to earmark an emergency fund for surprise costs.
From day one, have a strategy to manage loan repayments — factoring in interest rates and the repayment timeline — to minimize financial stress upon graduation.
We hope you’ve found these tips both useful and inspiring. There ’s more to explore, so why stop now?