College  |  September 19, 2023  |  Rob Zodda

Parents—wondering how to pay for college? Start here.

What you'll learn
  • What to discuss with your child
  • When your child should apply for scholarships
  • How federal loans compare to private loans

Maybe the paying-for-college process has changed a lot since your glory days. Or maybe your student will be the first in your family to go to college. Whatever the case, it can be tough to know where to start when it’s time to help your kids pay for college. Try breaking it into steps with this 1-2-3 approach.

1. Use savings, scholarships, and grants

Savings

According to Sallie Mae's national study, How America Pays for College, families spent $28,026 on college, on average. About one-fifth of these costs (22%) were covered by parent and student savings.  However much you’ve saved, it’s important to set clear expectations with your child before that tuition bill comes due.

Yes, your high school senior is busy (and you probably don’t want to burden them with finances), but if you have an honest conversation now, your student will thank you later. It’s important that students understand what their financial choices will mean for them after graduation.

Make sure you’re on the same page about the answers to these questions:

  • Is paying for college your responsibility or does your child have skin in the game?
  • How much money has your family saved for college?
  • How much savings can your child contribute to their own education?
  • Who will make student loan payments, if necessary?
Scholarships

One of the biggest missed opportunities in terms of paying for college is college scholarships, free money for college that your child won’t need to pay back. They’re offered by colleges, towns, states, religious organizations, companies, non-profits, and more. Scholarships can often range from $500 to more than $25,000.

Scholarships have come a long way—they’re not just for straight-A students and athletes. There are opportunities for kids with any skill or interest:

  • crafters
  • gamers
  • musicians
  • future politicians
  • volunteers
  • film buffs
  • lefties
  • and more

Your child will need to search, using a tool like Scholly by Sallie, and apply for scholarshipsScholly by Sallie,* the top scholarship app, has helped students find millions of dollars in scholarships. Best part? It’s free and super easy to use. Simply tell Scholly Search® about your interests, background, and accomplishments and you can get matched with scholarships in just minutes. Then start applying. Applications might require an essay or other submission.

*By clicking the Scholly by Sallie link, you’ll go to our trusted affiliate Scholly’s site. Any information you provide will be shared with Sallie Mae and will be covered under the terms of the SLM NitroCollege, LLC privacy policy.


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Pro tip:

Parents who have been through the process say applying for scholarships during senior year of high school almost seems late. Juniors can (and should) apply early and often. Think of scholarships as on ongoing item on your student’s to-do list.

College grants are another free money option for college. The difference with grants is that they’re usually given out based on financial need.

For your student to qualify for grants, your family needs to fill out the FAFSA® (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), a form that determines how much federal financial aid you’re eligible for.

2. Take advantage of federal student loans

If your family needs to borrow money for college, borrow from the federal government before exploring private student loans. Federal student loans usually have lower interest rates and more flexible repayment options than private student loans.

To qualify for federal student loans, again, your family needs to fill out the FAFSA®. The FAFSA® typically opens October 1 every year, but due to new changes in the application, the opening date has been pushed to December 2023 for this year only.

  • Student's Social Security number
  • Permission from the family member who completed a tax return if you'd like to import information directly from the IRS. If you prefer not to import it, then you'll need to provide other financial info
  • Bank statements
  • Information about your family's investments (real estate, money market funds, stocks, etc.)
  • An FSA ID for your student, and for yourself. FSA IDs can be obtained at studentaid.gov

3. If you still need money, consider a private student loan

Private student loans are offered through banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions. Work with your child to find the lender that offers the lowest interest rates and loan repayment options that work for you.


Need money for college?

Consider a Sallie Mae® private student loan

  • Available for online or on-campus study
  • Competitive fixed and variable rates
  • No origination fee or prepayment penalty
  • Multi-Year Advantage: Returning undergraduate students have a 97% approval rate with a cosignerfootnote 1

When cosigning a private student loan for your child, be sure you can both answer these questions:

  • When will the first loan payment be due?
  • How much will the monthly payment amount be? (This might depend on the repayment option you choose. See your options with a student loan calculator.)
  • What’s the interest rate?
  • Is the interest rate fixed or variable (meaning, is it always the same or can it change?)
Pro tip:

Cosigning a loan is more than just signing a piece of paper. Cosigners are equally responsible for making sure payments are made on time. Missed and late payments could trigger late fees. Plus, late payments might be reported to consumer reporting agencies, impacting your credit score.

You’re on the right track

By starting early, following the 1-2-3 approach, and having open conversations with your child, you can help them make a great investment in their future.


footnote FAFSA® is a registered service mark of U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid.

footnote SLM Nitro College, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of SLM Corporation and Nitro by Sallie Mae is a service mark of Sallie Mae Bank. SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries, including Sallie Mae Bank and SLM Nitro College, LLC are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States.

footnote Sallie Mae does not provide, and these materials are not meant to convey, financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult your own financial advisor, tax advisor, or attorney about your specific circumstances.

footnote 1. Sallie Mae loans cover enrollment periods of up to 12 months. Students must apply for a new loan each school year. This approval percentage is based on students who were approved for a Sallie Mae undergraduate loan with a cosigner in the 2020/21 school year and were approved for another Sallie Mae undergraduate loan when they returned with the same or new cosigner in 2021/22. It does not include the denied applications of students who were ultimately approved in 2021/22.