PHOENIX — The Money Saving Monday 12News is talking about saving for college tuition saving. We have the best ways to cut down those costs.
Before you sign anything, start doing the math for what all those college expenses are going to rack up to, we’ve got some expert advice on where you should start.
“I graduated in three years,” said Hayley Finetti. “I received my Bachelor's in political science with minors in international studies and psychology.”
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Some college students aren’t as lucky as Finetti. Not only did she graduate in three years, but she was also able to save a lot of money in the process.
“I applied for the FAFSA every year… coming into my first year of college and through my last year of college,” she said.
And Finetti qualified for FAFSA, also known as Free Application for Federal Student Aid, every year.
“I grew up in a middle-income household,” she said. “So, I would definitely say all students should apply, because you might be eligible for more aid than you think.”
Finetti also applied for scholarships starting her senior year in high school.
“Going into my first year of college, I had received $4,000 in scholarships, and then during my last two years, I received another $5,000,” said Finetti. “$9,000 to go toward my college career… I was so grateful for it.”
Finetti got some pointers from her mom Jennifer Finetti along the way. She is the director of outreach and advocacy for ScholarshipOwl, a platform that makes it faster and easier for students to apply for scholarships.
“It’s not just about streamlining the process, it’s also about matching the right scholarship to the right student,” Jennifer Finetti said. “We have artificial intelligence and machine learning built into the platform to make that happen.”
She’s learned some of the best ways to save over the years, so future college students can save the most money ahead of the upcoming semester.
“Applying to the colleges that you think are going to be, not only a good academic fit, but also a good financial fit for you and your family,” Jennifer Finetti said.
It’s also important to prioritize and apply for scholarships year-round.
“It also means submitting the FAFSA and working part-time during the school year and full-time during the summer,” Jennifer Finetti said. “It does take a lot of time and effort to plan for college, and to go through the process of applying and reviewing offers, and so forth, but it’s time that’s well worth it.”
So, it’s a combination of strategies that will make it possible for a college student to be able to afford college.
Jennifer Finetti said that if you follow those tips, you shouldn’t need to take out loans.
Often you get out of it what you put into it. If you do your homework, there are some big savings to be had. In her daughter’s case, she was strategic about it.
“I tended to pick a day on the weekend, a Saturday or Sunday to just focus on applying for as many as scholarships as possible,” said Hayley Finetti. “A lot of click to applies.”
She did whatever it took to see the results she was hoping for.
If you have any Money Saving Monday ideas you would like to share with us or any topics you want us to cover, just send an email to: money@12news.com
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12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.