Additional Ways to Offset Costs of Community College

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Financing your college education will require some creativity on your part. In addition to exploring available loans, grants, work-study opportunities, and scholarships, there are other ways to offset some of the costs of college: community service, employer assistance, military service or veteran's benefits, and some tax breaks from the IRS. 

Community Service

Turn your desire to help others into an opportunity to attain your own educational goals. For example, AmeriCorps offers students a great way to lend a hand while earning a modest stipend and funds for college (www.americorps.org; tel. 202-606-5000). Another federal program, Learn and Serve, offers competitive college scholarships to high school students who have demonstrated leadership while participating in service projects (www.learnandserve.org; tel. 202-606-5000).

SNAPSHOT: Deborah Smith, a 50-plus mother of seven served as an AmeriCorps volunteer with Habitat for Humanity for two years. "I wasn't able to transfer the nearly $10,000 worth of tuition to one of my children or grandchildren so I decided to go to college myself. I enrolled in Kirtland Community College (Michigan) and had many costs of college covered by the AmeriCorps educational funds. I was also fortunate to have a wonderful honors scholarship at Kirtland. At the same time I studied at Kirtland, I was also enrolled in Madonna College. Between the two colleges, I was able to access financial aid"Pell grants and some state grants to help me along."

Many employers offer tuition assistance, often based on you achieving a passing grade, to encourage employees to continue or complete their education. This type of underwriting can be for work-related courses through short-term workforce development programs or for longer-term degree- and certificate-related study.

It's definitely worthwhile to make a trip to the human resources office of your employer or your parents' employer to check on their policies. If an employer is willing to invest in you and your education, why not take advantage of the opportunity and financial assistance? It's a benefit to you that will keep paying in terms of promotions, higher pay, or, eventually, a better job.

SNAPSHOT: Keith Armstrong, a detective in Jersey City, New Jersey, who attends Hudson County Community College says, "My employer, the Jersey City Police Department, feels that an educated member of the force is an asset to the department and the community so they encourage us to pursue an education. To back that up, they also pay for our education. You can't beat that as an incentive."

Of course, you may already be working part time or full time when you decide to enroll in community college. You'll need to find a balance of the two that's right for you, as it's hard to juggle a job and school.