Help Your High Schooler Pay for College

If you have a child in high school, you know how close college is for him. Your child may not be thinking about it now, but you probably worry about it every single day. For most parents, the fear is less about their child being accepted into college and more about finding a way to pay for it. That is where this little article might help you out. Here are some simple ways to help your high schooler pay for college if you are not able to do so on your own.

Pay for the PSAT

Encourage your child to take the PSAT in his junior year. This test will determine whether or not he is considered a National Merit Scholar. If your child is smart enough to become one of those individuals, you will not have to worry about financial aid whatsoever. Just about any college he applies to will offer him a full ride, including room and board. Study with your student to ensure his or her success on that exam. It will make a big difference in the future.

Apply Early for College

A lot of colleges will use a student’s admissions application as an application for scholarships issued through the school. Thus you could fill out a number of scholarship applications just by applying to schools. Granted, you will have to pay to apply to the schools, so be careful about which ones you choose. Make sure your child meets all of the entrance requirements before you waste your money on a pointless shot.

Convince Your Child to Get a Summer Job

At this point, your child should be old enough to work during the summer. He may not pull 40 hours a week like you do, but he should find a part time job at a store or restaurant. This will give your child money to spend on clothes, books, a car, housing – whatever the case may be. You can still provide for him as much as possible, but the extra income will take a little weight off your shoulders.

Look Everywhere for Scholarships and Grants

You can find scholarships just about everywhere, from the internet to local organizations. If you see a scholarship contest in your area, get your child to apply for it. If you have some free time on the weekend, look for opportunities online. While you’re there, fill out your child’s FAFSA to see if he qualifies for a Pell Grant. You could subscribe to popular scholarship blogs online and get news about financial aid sent right to your email account. You could even fill out no essay scholarships for your student without having him around. The more work you put into finding financial aid, the more your child will put in as well.

You can never have too much financial aid for college. Save whatever money you can on your own, and make a positive effort to find the rest of it with your kid. Make sure he does some of the searching too, just so you have the best possible chance of getting the money he needs for college. This will teach him good habits for when he gets out on his own.