College life is an experience that teaches students new things every day. It is normal to make mistakes in college; after all, it is part of life. However, some mistakes can be costly. Today, we’ll look at the top five costly mistakes in college.
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Joining college that you cannot afford
The decision of joining college should be informed by various factors. The cost of a college education is one of the most important factors that every student must consider. It can be catastrophic to join a college that you cannot afford. Without a financial plan, you are likely to fall out of college at some point. Therefore, you should ensure that you are able to pay your fees to the end of college. Don’t rely on external aid if you are not guaranteed.
Failing to apply for scholarships
Scholarships are by far the best way to finance a college education. It can be a costly mistake to fail to apply for at least one. Whether you think you can pay your fees or not, just apply for a scholarship. You might have a stable income and lose it while still in college. By then, it would have been too late to start applying for a scholarship for you will have to pause your education when waiting for feedback.
Taking longer to graduate
As much as possible, try to stick within your graduation timelines. It can be very costly to start deferring study sessions. The moment you start differing sessions, you will lose the initial morale of study. You will always feel that you are behind and even fall out. Since most of your first group of friends are not with you, it becomes harder to cope in college. Therefore, have a financial and social life plan that will ensure you stay in college the shortest time possible.
Being extravagant
You will be meeting new friends in college and it is natural to want to try and impress a few. Well, you can do it but avoid being extravagant. It is risky to be the person that people always look up to for money-related activities. Your friends will abandon you the day you lose your stream of income.
Doing too much
You should be realistic while in college. Don’t try to do too much. Have a balanced life that covers your academics and social life without straining too much. But if you can, enroll for short courses like AHA CPR that earn your extra credentials after college.