Money for College: Scholarships, Grants, & More

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

The FAFSA is your starting point for all kinds of financial aid, whether from the government or even Lone Star scholarships!

Taking classes costs you both time and money (and energy).

It's not always realistic to just work fewer hours -- especially when you have classes and books and things to pay for! Taking a full load of classes is the same as having a 40 hour/week full time job. For every hour you're in class, plan to spend 2-3 hours outside of class studying, doing homework, or otherwise preparing for that class.

When you can add scholarships and grants to your income, you're not just getting money.

• You're getting time -- that money means maybe you can work fewer hours at your job, which means you can do better work for your classes.
• You're getting a break -- if you don't have to work so many job-hours, and if you keep your course load steady, you're getting some breathing room for your mental health. That relief for your time and energy means you can make time for friends and family and fun.

(Not that you need us to tell you that!)

The bigger your school commitments, the smaller your work commitments should be, and vice versa. If you have to work a lot, you should take fewer classes at a time.

Created & maintained by: Elaine Patton

First published: Spring 2022