Education is a very important facet of our life as it can provide us a better and brighter future. Though some may say that education is not that important because some of the most richest and successful billionaires of the world did not finish school, having a diploma and a degree is still an added credential. It will help you gain more respect from other people and colleagues that you are dealing with.
With the increasing demands of professionals from prestigious companies, being a degree holder is an added bonus when you apply. If you are a college graduate, then it is definitely a great plus on your resume. Education is indeed one of the best tool and weapon in this over challenging and competitive world of workers.
Many may give up going to college because of the cost of college education. But you must keep in mind that everything that is valuable comes with a price, however, its returns are great. College offers a lot of benefits. If you are a college graduate and have a diploma, you will earn more if you work full-time compared to those full-time workers who only finished high school. Once you graduate from college, it is definitely worth the cost and you will reap more than your expenses.
How Much Does It Cost To Go To College In US?
Now, how much does going to college really cost? It actually differs from one place to another depending on the country of your choice. Let’s stick with the college cost in the US though because this is where most people want to attend and be educated at. It is important to note that when thinking about your college cost, it is not only the tuition fee that you should worry about. There are other factors to think of such as housing expenses, meals, transportation fees, books and other supplies, among many others. To better see the figures for each of these expenditures, I will summarize it in a table. Please note, however, that these are just estimates and the cost will still depend on how you budget your own money whether to spend more or save more.
UNIVERSITIES | TUITION FEES | HOUSE & MEALS | TRANSPORTATION FEES | BOOKS & OTHERS | TOTAL |
2 years public college | $ 3,347 | $ 7,466 | $ 1,708 | $ 1,270 | $ 13,791 |
4 years public college for US residents | $ 9,139 | $ 8,887 | $ 1,082 | $ 1,146 | $ 20,254 |
4 years public college for out-of-state | $ 22,958 | $ 8,887 | $ 1,123 | $ 1,146 | $ 34,114 |
4 years private college | $ 31,231 | $ 10,089 | $ 990 | $ 1,244 | $ 43,554 |
The above figures are merely estimates for an entire year. The tuition fees for the universities came from the US College Board and are applicable for the school year 2014-2015. Other expenses will depend on some other factors though. For example, if you live in your parents’ house, you can definitely save on housing fees and if you live near the university where you are enrolled in, you can save a big chunk of your transportation expenses. However, if you live in another country and you want to go home, your transportation fee will definitely cost you more. For books, you may spend more if you are a Science major compared to an English major as your textbooks will certainly differ from each other.
Having these figures, might dampen your will to continue and obtain a college degree. You might think, “Where on earth will I get that huge amount of money from?” Don’t give a lot of fuss about it. Anyone, including you, can still afford and go to college.
How to pay for college? Simple. There are a lot of financial aides available and they are very much willing to offer their help for you to achieve your dream of having that diploma in your hands. Financial aides may be freely given or lent to you depending on the aide that you have applied to.
You may apply for a scholarship or a grant so that you will not have to pay it back. A certain program which allows you to work part-time to earn for your expenses is also available through the work-study program. Or you may also apply for a loan which you will pay depending on the terms being agreed to upon application. Whichever of these financial aides you choose, it will surely help you big time. What’s more is that you can even combine these financial aides for your convenience.
You may think that these financial help are for residents of the US alone. But there are also financial aid options for international students who wish to apply for it. Universities such as Yale, Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania allocated and provided aides to their international students. If you are interested for these aides, you may check on the website of the university you wish to be a member of so that you can see the requirements and know if you are eligible.
Definitely, all the cost you’ll incur for studying in the US will depend on what university you choose, your degree and your way of life. But no matter where you attend or how you live, what is important is the fact that you are there to study and learn. Once you have the knowledge, it is something that cannot be taken away from you. What you learned from these universities and how you apply it in your life and career will determine your success and your future in the coming years.
Don’t be afraid to go to college. It is an opportunity that is open for everybody but only the brave and the driven will go and take the challenges of it. Become that fearless person. Eventually all the sacrifices and hardships that you are going through now and will be going through until you graduate, will make you stronger and fiercer to face the real world of professionals. There is a competition out there and what you need is to become a globally competitive individual which your university will train you to be. So study now and you will earn your reward someday.
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