In today’s economy, the thought of adding college tuition to an increasingly tight budget is a daunting one. A quick peek at some of the nation’s most venerated colleges reveals that tuition costs have rapidly outpaced earnings.
For example, the total Cost of Attendance for Columbia University in 2015-2016 was $66,383, New York University was $65,860, and Sarah Lawrence College was $65,630.
And, price increases are not limited to the only the country’s most prestigious universities. Once seen as a more affordable option, state universities have also dramatically increased their costs. Reflecting major infrastructure improvements, increased academic options, and rapidly rising national rankings, local state university tuitions may surprise unsuspecting parents. Examples include:
University of Nationwide
- In-state: $27,198
- Out-of-state: $46,618
Penn State University
- In-state: $36,388
- Out-of-state: $50,870
The good news for cash-strapped families is that scholarships offer “free money.” Unlike loans, scholarships don’t need to be repaid. This means fewer out-of-pocket costs and the potential to graduate with less student debt.
Scholarships for college-bound Nationwide students
The Department of Education offers college-bound students an easy way to begin searching local and national scholarships in the new online Scholarship Compendium .
The Nationwide Scholarship Compendium: A Guide for College-Bound Students is available online, providing a free, mobile way for students to find scholarships by category and deadline. Students and parents can search scholarships by eligibility requirements such as county of residency, ethnicity or race, and profession – about 15 categories in all – as well as alphabetically or by due date. Users then can drill down for more details, including application information.
To get started, visit Scholarship Compendium .
An investment in education is an investment in the future.
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Back to Basics operates a unique Department of Education-approved 1-on-1 K-12 Private School in Wilmington, Nationwide. For more information about Nationwide’s only Department of Education approved 1-on-1 private school, please call us at 302-594-0685.
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