Affording College

Paying for college starts with the application process. Most 4-year colleges and universities charge an application fee. Applying can quickly become expensive, especially if you have to pay for the SAT/ACT and pay for AP tests senior year. It's a good idea for a family to budget for these expenses in advance. Making your college list thoughtfully with a mix of "reach", "match" and "safety" school, thereby limiting the number of schools you're applying to will help keep costs down. Do your research and resist the urge to keep "clicking" boxes on the UC and CSU applications! If you haven't already, check out this page for some strategies for making college affordable.

If you are eligible to receive free or reduced meals, FILL OUT THIS APPLICATION! This will save your family money when applying to college. Not only will your College Board testing fees be waived but your Coalition, Common and Universal College Application fees will too (many other college applications will waive their fees as well) . This can save your family THOUSANDS of dollars!

For a list of colleges and universities that offer tuition discounts to middle-income families, click here.

For a list of the most generous Ivy League Universities to middle class families, click here.

It is important for you to fill out the FAFSA application in the fall of your senior year of high school and every year you are in college. This is the only way you can be eligible for Federal Student Aid and for some colleges, universities and scholarships, the only way you will be considered for free institutional aid.

Other Tips:

  1. Earn credits elsewhere. Most colleges allow you to transfer credits from other colleges. There are often limitations to what can transfer and/or a maximum number of credits that can be completed at other schools. Any transferred credits can help to lower your overall tuition cost because you may be able to get your degree in fewer semesters. Look into the credit transfer rules of any school you’re interested in attending. Credits can be earned through community college courses either prior to attending college or throughout the summer and winter breaks. Consider enrolling in a community college for 2 years before transferring to a 4-year college or university for even greater savings. Remember, the California College Promise Program offers 2 years of free tuition at participating community colleges! You can start taking classes a Ventura College while you are still in high school, this is called Dual Enrollment and 4-year colleges love to see high school students taking college classes!

  2. Explore all aid options. You can receive scholarships and grants from many different sources. Your school may offer some, the government has ways of helping out, and there are numerous scholarships out there for special interests, personality traits, and even body characteristics. Don’t think that there isn’t scholarship money out there for you; aid is available for everyone.

  3. FAFSA/CADAA. Be sure to fill out your FAFSA or CADAA application properly and EARLY. Even if you don’t think you’re eligible for aid from the government, fill it out and see if you are. The window for applying for aid is from October 1 - March 2. By applying early, you increase your chances at getting federal, state and college offered grants. Many schools dole out aid on a 1st come, 1st served basis. The same applies for federal financial aid. Do not wait until the last minute when the available funds have been reduced because aid has already been distributed to other applicants! Be sure to research other federal aid programs or even aid from your local government.

  4. Be creative. Not only can you earn credits elsewhere, but you can even fulfill college requirements in high school by taking AP courses, college-level courses online, and through dual-enrollment classes that afford you both high school and college credit at the same time.

  5. Reduce materials. College materials, like textbooks and various supplies, can make up a significant portion of your college costs. There are many options out there for you to get textbooks for a significantly lower price than at the college bookstore. Buy lightly used textbooks whenever possible.

Consider Careers that help pay your loans after you graduate

Are you thinking of becoming a teacher? There are special grants and loan forgiveness programs available to credentialed teachers that agree to teach in a high-need, a low-income school districts for at least 4 years.

Do you want to become a nurse or medial professional? There are loan repayment programs that help pay off your educational expenses if you agree to work a minimum of 2 years in a Critical Shortage Facility or as a faculty member at an eligible nursing school.

The US Military offers generous loan forgiveness programs to help pay off college Federal Loans to its members.

You can learn more about these loan forgiveness programs offered by the military here: US Armed Forces Federal Student Loan Benefits booklet.


These are just a few examples. Do some research online. You may find other opportunities to help pay for college in the field that interests you.