Tuition, fees, and meals cost a pretty penny for a broke college student. On top of that, housing alone is priced at $11,500 on average. Is there any way you can cut the costs and make your on-campus experience more affordable?
Lower the price tag of campus housing options with these 3 savings tips.
1. Transfer From Community College
You can complete the first half of your undergrad through community college and save a lot of money. In fact, students, on average, save about $30,000 because of how much lower the cost of tuition is. If you stay home on top of that, you can save thousands more since you won’t have to overpay for dorms.
Often, upperclassmen have more options for affordable housing. If you wait to move on campus until you’ve earned an associate’s degree, you can have access to the cheapest available dorm option. By that point, you’ll also be a lot more connected to the on-campus community and have a greater need to be around your peers.
2. Apply For Student Leadership
Resident Assistants, also known as RA’s, are responsible for the well-being of fellow students living on-campus. Typically, RA’s receive compensation for their work by receiving discounted housing and meal plans. This could make a big difference in your overall cost of going to college.
There might also be other student leadership positions available that will help go toward your housing costs. Talk to your advisor about work-study positions and leadership scholarships so that you can save more when you stay on campus.
3. Head Home During The Summer
It might be difficult to visit home during the school year if you live out of state. But with so much downtime over the summer, you can save more on housing by staying home until the new semester starts.
While you’re home saving on housing, you can also apply for a seasonal job that will help you put some housing money into savings. Utilize every moment you have during summer vacation by staying off-campus and saving up as much as you can.
