Page 37 - University of Oregon Parent and Family Guide

2. Apply for scholarships.
There’s a misperception that scholarships are only available for high school seniors but nothing could be further from the truth. Scholarships for current college students may be career or major specific and sometimes come in the form of grants and fellowships. To begin the search, your student should contact the financial aid office and campus career center. Professors may have information about scholarships opportunities as well. Your student can also use popular search engines like Scholarships.com, Scholly, Chegg and Cappex.
College students who work part-time (15–20 hours/week max) during the school year get better grades than those who don’t. Many on-campus departments hire students: Admissions, the recreation center, the library, dining facilities, the bookstore, campus museums and galleries, the theatre, and the Alumni Office. Faculty hire students as teaching and research assistants, and students can also apply to be Resident Assistants (RAs), who typically receive free or reduced price on-campus housing.
4. Re-evaluate the meal plan. Don’t pay for meals your student
doesn’t eat!
5. Tweak travel expenditures.
If outlays on travel add up to more than
is ideal, negotiate how many times your student will come home next school year. By deciding this now, they are forewarned and can come up with other ways to spend some of those breaks. Many schools plan activities, including service trips, for students who stick around while classes aren’t in session.
Don’t forget to keep track of any loans. You and your student may use federal
or private student loans to help pay for college. If the amount received was
more than tuition, there might be “extra” money available. Since repayment is usually deferred until graduation, it can be tempting to spend this money and then take out more loans for next year. Be sure your student understands how much money has been borrowed and who will be responsible for repaying it. This is not “free” money; it’s borrowed money.
APPROACHING THE MIDPOINT
3. Plan to maximize earnings over the summer and consider school-year employment.
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Financial Flight Plan is a program devoted to creating a community of financially capable students at the University of Oregon. Through interactive campus-wide workshops, they provide lessons and resources to help students manage their money by budgeting and borrowing responsibly, understanding credit, and making informed decisions regarding their finances. Learn more here: ffp.uoregon.edu.