How I Graduated College with Zero Debt

Like many young adults across the country, I was absolutely terrified by the looming cost of a college education after I graduated high school. I was not very experienced at navigating the complicated ins and outs of financial independence, yet somehow was able to make it out alive. Here are a few of the things that I did to pay out of pocket for my college education.

For almost everyone seeking a college degree, finding the right job can either make or break the bank. Many people might tell you that going to school and working full or part-time are mutually exclusive — don’t believe them. A ‘full-time’ 12 credit hour class load is not going to keep you from getting at least a few hours on your paycheck each week.

The key to being able to work while going to school is being willing to work whenever you can. I worked mornings, nights, and weekends to ensure that I was clocked in for at least 40 hours every week. As inconvenient as it may be, the weekend is a gold mine for getting extra hours. Don’t be afraid to work 10, 20, or even 30 hours over the weekend to get the necessary money to pay for all of your expenses.

Taking summer classes, I’ll admit, is not the epitome of that legendary summer break most students are looking for. However, classes offered over the summer term often carry a discounted tuition rate per credit hour. Not only can it be slightly less expensive, but scholarships for a summer term are typically less competitive.

The other often overlooked benefit of taking summer classes is that it can help free up the course load that you take during the Fall or Spring semesters. Even having one less class to take can help make all the difference when you are trying to work your way through college.

One of the things that I saw other students do during college was continue to take classes when they did not know what they wanted to study. While some students might need this time to get their hands dirty in a variety of subjects, it is not the cheapest way to find your passion. Don’t be that student who has 200 credit hours, but has not yet declared a major.

It took me a year after graduating high school to decide what I wanted to study. I was able to work full-time and set some money aside to use later for tuition payments. Taking a year to work helped me to be more prepared for the road that lay ahead.

Probably the biggest mistake I see other college students make is the decision to pursue an out-of-state education. While the school of your dreams might be across the country, or just a few states away, it is not always worth it to face tuition rates that can exceed 3 times that of an in-state option. I will say this once and only once…a bachelor’s degree is NOT WORTH $60,000. Please, please, please do not think that you have to pay $15,000 or more a year in tuition alone to get a college education.

Finding a way to either attend a college or university in the state you reside or obtain in-state status at an out-of-state institution will save you thousands and thousands of dollars. Do not settle for tuition costs that are equivalent to buying a boat every year.

If you just can’t possibly stomach the thought of going to a college other than that private university in upstate New York, then I hope you’ll enjoy undergraduate debt for the rest of your life. The reality of getting a college degree is that you often do not graduate with any sort of marketable skill or experience. There a few degrees out there that will land you a career out of the gate making a decent living, but for a lot of college graduates this is not the case.

Many degrees will honestly serve you no good other than as a resume builder for graduate school. My degree in molecular biology is pretty much worthless. I could maybe find work in a lab or for a biomedical company, but my job prospects are weak at this point in the game. If I wasn’t going to medical school, it would be hard to rationalize my choice of a major.

This is why it is crucial to learn a marketable skill in college, and not just a diploma. There is honestly no reason that you or anyone else should go into debt only to be able to make $12/hr. after they graduate from college. What was the purpose of getting a college education if all it did was pile on debt and give you no realistic way of paying it off?

There are also many other unseen costs of being a college student. For me, it was breaking a window in my dorm that cost almost $1000, paying the late fee for nearly all of my exams, and a stack of parking tickets that neared the thickness of a textbook. Being smart about your choices during college can save more money than a small scholarship or grant.

I can’t tell you how many times I saw other students ‘eat’ the cost of irrational decisions. If you want to avoid racking up these kinds of expenses then be mindful about what you are doing during your college years.

Scholarships are another way that you can mitigate the cost of attending college. Finding scholarships is not a hard thing to do. Most students will not put forth the effort to write essays or even submit simple information for the chance of being awarded a scholarship. It is always worth it to look into what kind of scholarships your institution awards, some of them might surprise you.

I was able to keep my grades high enough to be awarded academic scholarships for nearly every single semester I was in school. Do not think that you need to have a 4.0 GPA to be able to get money for your performance in school. Some companies offer good student discounts for your car insurance, phone bills, or other services you pay for. If you do not know where to start looking, reach out to your school’s financial aid office for scholarship resources.

The pressure to go straight to college after high school is growing every year. Yet, despite the increasing cost of attendance and student-debt, parents are seemingly all too eager to send their little lambs to the slaughter. Don’t give in to the social expectations that are placed on you while trying to make decisions for your future. Be smart about how you approach the complexities of paying for college.