• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • College Financial Aid
    • Financial Aid for College
    • Student Financial Aid Eligibility
    • Student Financial Aid
      • Student Loans for College
      • College Financial Aid 101
      • Need Based Student Loans
      • Financial Aid Forms (FAFSA & College Board’s Profile)
      • Military Student Financial Aid
        • College Benefits for Active Duty Military
        • National Guard Education Benefits
        • College Aid for Military Reservists
        • College Aid for Military Veterans
        • Military Dependent Financial Aid
    • Financial Aid Programs
    • Paying for College
  • Scholarships 101
    • College Scholarships (Overview)
    • College Scholarship Applications
    • College Scholarship Essay Writing Tips
    • Unusual Scholarships
    • Unclaimed Scholarships
    • Free College Scholarship Searches
  • Find a Scholarship
    • Latest Scholarship Postings
    • Student Scholarships by College Major
    • Scholarships for Hobbies and Interests
    • Sports Scholarships
    • Community Service Scholarships
    • Association Sponsored Scholarships
  • Find a Student Loan
    • Private Student Loans
      • Sallie Mae Student Loans
      • PNC Student Loans
      • Charter One Student Loan
      • Wells Fargo College Loan Programs
      • Texas Dow Employees Credit Union Loans
      • SunTrust Education Loans
    • How Do Student Loans Work?
    • Types of Private Student Loans
    • Student Loans to Cover Living Expenses
    • Private Student Loan Interest Rates
    • Graduate Student Loans from Private Lenders
  • Saving for College
  • Site Map

Financial Aid Finder

Your Guide to Maximizing your College Financial Aid

Financial Aid Finder HomePage
You are here: Home / Colleges / Reduce the Cost of College, Part II: Community College

Reduce the Cost of College, Part II: Community College

August 10, 2012 By mara

Welcome to the second part of my new series on ways to reduce the cost of college. Even if you have been savvy college shopper and received financial aid, you might still be suffering from sticker shock.  So last week we talked about how to save one-quarter of your tuition, room and board costs by graduating college in three years rather than four. This week I’m exploring how community college can help you keep your costs down.

One of the best ways to cut college costs is by enrolling in a local community college for the first two years, then transferring to a four-year school. Your diploma will be from the four-year institution, but your out of pocket expenses won’t be.

Take for example my neighbor, who just finished her freshmen year at Johnson County Community College (one of the top 10 2-year colleges in the nation, by the way). There she pays an average of $190 per class of four semester credit hours. At the University of Kansas, where she is planning to transfer at the end of next year, she will pay $900 for that same class. If she wanted to attend a private four-year college, her tuition savings would be even more dramatic.

Another way to take advantage of the lower cost of community college tuition is to enroll in one your senior year of high school. In fact, many schools offer this option for gifted students. But you don’t need to be a genius to avail yourself of major cost savings!

Most schools accept transfer students with up to four semesters worth of credit. Be sure to check with your future institution about their specific policies.

Tip: Get the transfer policy in writing, just in case it changes while you are earning your way to a less expensive degree.

Sallie Mae Student Loans Ad

Filed Under: Colleges, Financial Aid News Tagged With: community college tuition, pay less for school, reduce college costs, reduce cost of college

Primary Sidebar

FinancialAidFinder Logo
Sallie Mae Student Loans Ad

Latest Scholarship Postings

Systems Consultants Scholarship (Deadline: March 31, 2023)

March 18, 2023 By The FinancialAidFinder Scholarship Team

Reno and Gloria Quilici Scholarship (Deadline: April 1, 2023)

March 18, 2023 By The FinancialAidFinder Scholarship Team

Nevada Air National Guard Scholarship (Deadline: April 1, 2023)

March 21, 2023 By The FinancialAidFinder Scholarship Team

General Fred Michel Memorial Scholarship (Deadline: March 31, 2023)

March 18, 2023 By The FinancialAidFinder Scholarship Team

More Scholarship Listings

Sallie Mae Student Loans Ad

Explore Financial Aid Finder

  • College Financial Aid
  • Saving for College
  • Military Financial Aid
  • Grants for College
  • Student Scholarships
  • Student Scholarship Search
  • Find Student Loans
  • Financial Aid Info
  • Register to Receive College Financial Aid Updates
  • About FinancialAidFinder
  • Contact Us

Tags

529 plans applying for scholarships college college financial aid college savings plan college savings plans college scholarship college scholarships college student loans college tuition community college debt distance learning education engineering scholarship essay scholarships expected family contribution FAFSA federal student loans financial aid financial aid application financial aid eligibility free money for college GI Bill grant Grants hispanic scholarships minority scholarships Pell Grant Pell Grants private student loans reduce cost of college saving for college scholarship scholarship applications scholarship essays Scholarships scholarships for college student financial aid student loan student loan consolidation student loan debt Student Loans Info tuition work study

Footer

About FinancialAidFinder
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy

Scholarship Submissions

If you offer a college scholarship, you can submit it to us through this form:

Scholarship Submission Form

Copyright © 2023 · FinancialAidFinder - All rights reserved.