Smart ways DACA DREAMers can attend college with little to no debt

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You might have heard the news, Entrepreneurs like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos are making it easier for DREAMers to get a cheaper education.

DREAMers and DACA holders all around the country make it possible to get a degree with little to no debt.

Just a couple of months ago, I interviewed Elvis. He graduated college without using any student loans. So it is possible!

Yet, many use student loans to achieve the dream of an education. I borrowed over $15,000 back in 2010. As a DREAMer, I was surprised I was even allowed to borrow money.

It was even more surprising to know Texas allowed DREAMers to apply for State Financial Aid. And Texas is not the only state to grant DREAMers and DACAmented students in-state tuition.

Tuition Cost

Figure out how much you’re going to pay for college. It’s ok to shop around! Currently, there are 16 states that allow in-state tuition for undocumented students, DACA holders, and DREAMers:

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington.

Hawaii, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Oklahoma offer in-state tuition rates through their university systems as well.

Scholarships

College scholarships are free money! Many have zero strings attached as long as you make good grades and stay on a path to graduation.

Other scholarships cater to your future career. TheDream.us offers national and opportunity scholarships, specifically for DREAMers.

Western Union Foundation also has a scholarship program specific to immigrant students.

Scholarships A-Z is a non-profit organization based in Arizona. Their mission is to help immigrant students pay for college regardless of immigration status.

Applying for scholarships requires planning and great time management. A scholarship can be the catalyst to allowing you to stay in school and graduate with minimal debt.

Work Programs

DACA recipients can now legally work in the U.S. Many companies like UPS offer educational assistance programs and “allows our part-time employees to earn up to $25,000 for their college education” according to the UPS Earn-and-Learn Program.

Check with your school, you might also qualify for the work-study programs. If your college of choice is located in one of the 20 previously mentioned states, you might be able to work in exchange for tuition discounts.

Other companies that offer educational assistance programs:

Gonzalo Becerra is a fellow DREAMer. He’s in his last year of college and has yet to take out any student loans.

I took dual credit classes in high school and went to community college to finish my 2 years. I was working at UPS for a while… so that also helped me a lot.

Crush Those Credits

Like Gonzalo, you can also make sure your credit basics are out of the way. Take as many credit classes and advanced placement tests to exit out of basic courses.

Many colleges require these basic courses as part of your graduation plan, regardless of your degree.

Testing out of basic courses can save you thousands of dollars and put you on a fast track to graduate. That money can be better spent on food, housing, and entertainment.

Online classes and community colleges can also be a smart way to save money on tuition. Before taking this route, just make sure those credits transfer to the college of your choice.

Avoid Debt If possible

College and adulthood come with much responsibility. Planning and budgeting can be the make-or-break of your future wealth.

If you absolutely need student loans to graduate then consider these 5 things before you take out student loans.

Purchasing a brand new vehicle, maxing out your credit card, or simply spending recklessly can put you in a deep financial hole.

Avoiding debt can also mean avoiding the traditional college route altogether. There are many vocations that don’t require years of your life or high tuition rates.

College increases your chances of a higher pay scale but does not equate success, ingenuity, or even intelligence.

Even though a college education is a great privilege, you can get a quality and practical education without going massively into debt to pay for it.