10.08.08 | Four Places to Find Emergency College Funds
I grew up like most kids, loving the October Halloween month. I had a license to be bad and wasn’t afraid to use it. Snickers, KitKat’s, Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, & Twix were the sweet objects of my affection. And yes, my waistline reflected my sinful indulgence, but I wasn’t trying to impress anyone. Today October holds a much different feel from those young carefree days; a feel more in line with those post chocolate celebratory belly aches, given all the economic woes plaguing our county. And while my waistline is now much thinner, so is my hairline. Stress surrounding the greenback plagues us all.
“I need money for school, please help,” is a common phrase I hear from students each day. And when you come to the realization your money tree has been chopped down by Paul Bunyan it’s a terrifying reality check. I’ve been there myself. I just wish I had the ‘08 version of me to advise the ‘94 version of me, but I digress. I want you to benefit from my infinite wisdom. Here are my “Fab Four” ways to get those funds you need!
Perhaps the only good thing surrounding an economic downturn is the cost of borrowing decreases, which means lower interest rates for you and me, which makes private loan options more attractive. It’s important to note that most students do require a co-signer for a private loan. Funds get sent directly to you and are great for everyday school expenses. You can also borrow up to $45,000 and repayment does not begin until after you graduate.
To apply for a private loan (click here).
Bank of America offers a $25,000 line of credit for qualified applicants. Decision in 10 minutes and the funds get deposited directly into your checking or savings account. Best of all you don’t need excellent credit or collateral. Another great perk is you can re-borrow money you’ve already paid back if you get in a pinch.
To apply for the Bank of America Line of Credit (click here).
Great to have for emergency situations. Also, depending on the card you can score some pretty sweet rewards points such as cash back on gasoline or even World of Warcraft online game time. The Citi mtvU card, our Editors Choice, rewards students for using credit wisely and getting good grades. A lot of cards also offer exclusive savings on merchandise and restaurants as well.
To apply for a credit card (click here).
I saved the best for last. We hold monthly scholarship giveaways for students. Students love it because you don’t need to write an essay or have a certain GPA to enter, but that doesn’t mean everyone has an equal chance of winning. By completing point activities you can accrue additional points which can then be used toward a monthly scholarship drawing. By the way, if you are already a scholarshippoints.com member use this bonus code FOURSTEPS for 20 magical points, and don’t forget to enter this month’s big 10K giveaway – cha-ching!
To become a scholarshippoints.com member (click here).
I hope at least one of these options satisfies you like a king size snickers, and I hope you get the funds you need for school. I want to turn those tricks into treats. Then we can all do the Monster Mash and won’t have to wonder whatever happened to the Transylvania twist!
Five most recent student loan help blog posts: