How much money can you save by completing your college studies faster? It is pretty easy to calculate. You don’t even need to take a math class! If tuition at your college costs $20,000 a year and you can graduate in three years instead of four, you are going to save $20,000. If you go to a private college that costs you $50,000 a year, you will save $50,000 if you lose a year. And so on. But how can you trim time from the four years you were planning to spend at college? Here are some ways to get it done . . .
Option one: Take exams to earn college credit.
We’ve written about them exams before on this blog. You have several options to choose from, including AP exams or CLEP exams. They offer different options for earning credit for advanced work or knowledge you already possess. Check them out carefully.
Option two: Take an extra course every semester.
Sure, that will mean more work. But if you can cut a semester from your college time and save tens of thousands of dollars, it’s well worth investing the effort.
Option three: Start out at a community college, then transfer to a state school.
This strategy will probably not cut the amount of time you are in college. It will, however, let you spend a lot less money for a year or two of college before you move to a more expensive state college or university. Just be sure to speak with an admissions representative at the state school you are aiming for so you will have a realistic idea of how much time and money you will save.
Option four: Take courses online.
You can use StraighterLine courses to complete required curricular courses at your college, and at very low cost. You can also take StraighterLine courses during summer vacations, winter breaks, or at any other times to earn credits and trim time from your college studies.
