Paying For College without Getting a Second Job

College can be expensive, but you don't have to let the price tag keep you from getting the education that you need to further your career. There are several ways that you can come up with the money that you need to attend college, without having to work extra hours or work at a second job. If money is the only thing that is keeping you from going to school, try these suggestions in order to obtain the finances that you need to pay for school.

Ask Uncle Sam and the South Carolina Government

The government is a large source of funding for many students in the United States. Uncle Sam provides grants and loans to students with financial need. Fill out the Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) every year if you are interested in applying for financial aid. Using the information that you provide, the government will come up with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Your school will use the EFC to determine your financial aid package. If you take out loans but don't like the idea of being in debt, you might want to consider joining the National Guard after you graduate. South Carolina has a loan forgiveness program for students that join the South Carolina National Guard. Financial aid used to be limited for people that were attending online institutions, but as internet education has gained acceptance, the government has lifted the restrictions that were once placed upon financial aid for internet colleges.

Apply for Scholarships

Scholarships are available for almost any reason that you can think of. There are scholarships that are geared specifically toward South Carolina residents, towards people with certain majors, or people that work in certain occupations. Scholarships are not limited to incoming freshmen or to high school students. In fact, there are some scholarships specifically for older students. Visit the College Board's web site for a large listing of major scholarships. Many local scholarships are not listed online. To find these, you can visit the guidance office of your local community college for assistance. Many of these local scholarships are smaller in value, but have less competition. You do not have to pay for scholarship information. There are services that try to get you to pay for them to give you scholarship information, but the information that they can give you is the same information that you can get for free on the internet.

Ask Your Boss

Your company may offer financial assistance for its employees that choose to go back to college. Businesses benefit when their employees have high morale. They also benefit from employees that are educated, so helping you pay for your education is often a win-win situation. Check with your company's human resource office to see if they have a tuition assistance program. If none is in place, you can always ask if they have ever considered it.