Savings Tips & Resources

Take challenging courses to prepare yourself for college and to earn free college credits! Taking AP classes and the AP exam means fewer courses you will have to take in college. Also, being a AP student not only makes your transcript impressive to college, it also sets you to a path of grants and scholarships offered by some colleges.

Your high school counselor can help you plan the most appropriate course schedule that will satisfy your high school requirements and aid your college admission. Also, counselors can also be helpful in help you find scholarships and other financial aid.

The PSAT/NMSQT exam prepares you to take the college entrance exams and it gives you an opportunity to be recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program. 

For further information, visit the PSAT/MNSQT website.

You may want to consider taking only the exam that benefits you the most according to your chosen college. Taking only the SAT or ACT rather than both exams can help you cut down on costs and the amount of time you need to study. However, the downside to taking only one exam is having less options to being admitted to larger range colleges that may require the exam that you chose to not take. 

* If you want to take both exams, do not forget about the fee waivers! Ask your high school counselor if you qualify.

Getting good grades not only helps you get into the college of your choice, but it gives you a lead on college scholarships. However, do not forget to not only focus on your grades. It is also important to focus on the content of the class, so you can understand what it is being taught and do well on the SAT and ACT.

Start researching for scholarships early. Many scholarships deadlines can be as early as the end of junior year. You ask your counselor, online or the financial aid departments of the colleges you are interested to attend.

Click on Scholarship Tools to start looking for scholarships.

As a high school student, you can do some volunteering, joining clubs, and participating in community activities and sports. Being involved in extracurricular activities makes your transcript look good and it allows you to qualify for scholarships specified by the activities you have done.

It's never too early to start doing research on how the financial aid process work. Familiarize yourself with financial aid and student loans, so you can start making a financial plan for college.

Don't wait the last minute to start thinking how to pay for college. Prepare yourself by doing research and talking with your parents. Once you know how much help you can get from financial aid and your parents, then you will be able to plan accordingly to what to do next. For example, you can consider what colleges you can afford or if you need to apply for scholarships, loans or get a part-time job.

Who Gets Aid can help you estimate your eligibility for federal student aid.

Working part-time can help you earn money for college and it will look great on your college and scholarship applications. Also, having a part-time job can get you excellent letters of recommendation and you get to evolve your time management and cooperative skills that will help you in college.

You can enjoy your summer doing what you like most, but also keep it productive. You can spend some of your summer doing an internship, shadowing careers or volunteering. Also, many colleges offer summer programs for high school students, which can take advantage of gaining connections and possible college credits.

Check nearby colleges for courses that you can enroll while you are still in high school. You can save time and minimize your future cost by earning some credits in advance. Keep in mind to check if the college credits you earn will transfer to the college you plan to attend.