Before I became an educator, I worked for a university in the Financial Aid department. For many, Financial Aid was a scary territory, because it was the department that worked directly with Student Loans. The first tip when planning for college that I would suggest, would be to avoid student loans as much as you can. I know everyone is different and comes from different backgrounds. The best tips I would suggest would be to start thinking and planning now! College is expensive and you will thank your past self for planning early. Start with listing out schools you would like to attend! Remember, just because the school has a well-known name, does not promise you higher success than attending a state school. You can save thousands of dollars by considering attending a state university. Even better, you could save even more money by starting out at a community college. In most cases community college tuition costs are significantly lower than average 4-year colleges.
Make sure you have done your research, and you are fully aware of the cost of school.
My second tip would be to consider taking dual-credit classes in high school. By taking dual credit, you have the possibility to save money on the class expenses and get ahead in your plan of study.
SCHOLARSHIPS! Do not skip out on applying for scholarships. They are everywhere! Research online all the different types of scholarships you can apply for. Don’t just for the big ones, because there are MANY lower amount scholarships that are just as useful as one large scholarship. The best thing you can do for yourself is approach applying for scholarships as a part-time job, sit down a few hours a day, and research and apply to all that you can find. I would even recommend applying for scholarships that you may not 100% meet the requirements, but perhaps at least 75% of the requirements, because in some cases, you may be selected if not enough people applied for it.
Mission Saksham 