Plan to minimize your college debt

Thinking about going back to college as an adult learner? You’re not alone.

Research completed by the Lumina Foundation indicates that 37 percent of college students are 25 or older.  

However, going back to school is not without its set of challenges. Many adult students are concerned with finding a school that’s right for them as they try to balance work and family obligations while completing their education. Regis University’s adult and online accelerated undergraduate and graduate programs are designed with the working professional in mind.  

But perhaps the greatest challenge for the adult learner revolves around paying for college. While some employers offer tuition assistance, many adult learners are left to find alternative ways to pay for college.  You may be surprised to know there are many options to help make paying for school affordable for nearly every budget. Many of these options require students to take on some degree of debt. While this may be concerning for some students, the typical return on investment of a college education outweighs the debt that is incurred. 

Below are some tips for maximizing the return on your educational investment and minimizing your college debt: 

• • Consider options for reducing the number of credits required to complete your degree. Explore options for completing your degree sooner through transfer credit and programs such as The United States Department of Defense’s Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). 
    
    
  • Apply for scholarships. In addition to institutional scholarships, there are countless other scholarships available to adult students. Many of these scholarships do not need to be applied for before starting your program, so applying for scholarships throughout your program may provide some additional funds. Scholarship search engines such as fastweb.com and scholarshipmonkey.com provide easy ways to find potential scholarship opportunities for you. 
    
    
  • Shop for the best loan. While current federal loan interest rates are at the lowest they’ve been in quite some time, students with exceptional credit may find better rates by shopping around for a personal student loan. Check with your bank or credit union to see what options may be available to you. 
  
  
  
  • Pay as much as you can while you are in school. Most student loan options do not require payments until after you’re no longer attending classes at least half-time. However, making payments, even small amounts, while you are in school can have a large impact on the amount of interest you pay over the life of the loan. Regis offers interest-free payment plan options for you to pay for your classes as you go. 

Take the first step toward investing in yourself and your education by speaking with an admissions counselor today!