5 Life-Changing Ways to Get an Education Without Going Broke!

[@sarahereach]

Another textbook tip, never buy your books before the start of class. On the first day, ask your professor how often they plan on using the book, and whether they would mind you using an older edition. Often, I would have professors admit to me that they only put the book on the syllabus because it was a university requirement but that we wouldn't actually be using it for more than one or two days. For those professors that did teach out of the book, specifically science and humanities courses, most were perfectly fine with me buying the previous edition for pennies on the dollar off amazon or half.com. Usually, earlier editions do not rewrite the book, but simply update a few paragraphs here and there and change around page numbers. The exception to this is math courses, as the editors will change up the math problems, so never buy an old edition math book. These guidelines saved me hundreds of dollars over the course of my college career, especially at the beginning when I was getting the basics. As I got further into my education degree these tips worked less often, but by then the books were ones I would want to keep as career resources rather than sell back or trash.

[@whulsey]

As a graduate student who started out at a community college I cannot agree enough that they are one of the best ways to go! One word of advice is to make sure the credits will transfer if you plan to go to a university. Most of my credits did, however some of the classes I took to get my associate's degree (Organic chemistry, microbiology, etc) only transferred as a 'elective' credit and not towards my major. At the university I went to I had to take equivalent classes (I could not take the same one again for Jr. level credit) such as cell biology and inorganic chemistry. While I am glad I learned more, it did cost me to take classes that my peers did not have to take who started out at the University.

[@Ravenclaw1991]

I literally screwed myself over during my senior year.. I wanted to go to college (4 years later I still haven't been, but still I want to go) but I never applied to any colleges and I didn't take SATs. Mostly because I was so terrified of finishing high school and being thrown into the real world and I just wanted to delay everything as long as possible. Starting a semester late turned into a year, then 2 then 3 then 4 years.. I've considered online courses but I had a terrible experience with an online AP course in high school that made me extremely hesitant. I'm a little late now, so I plan on starting something hopefully in January, but I'm going to take classes at the local community college. Really, the main reason I haven't been yet is because I have terrible anxiety (the delaying real world things stems from that), and plus, I didn't have too much of an enjoyable high school experience thanks to peers, so I wanted to make sure the many people from my high school that went there were gone before I go... Long story short, thank you guys for helping to inspire me to move on with my life :)

[@wowitsniceoutside465]

YOU CAN DO IT BRO

[@thebrainscoop]

Also.. annual Museum Memberships. More expensive than a public library card but arguably just as awesome. Discounts often given to students, people under 13, veterans, seniors. Unlimited visits and you can usually bring a guest for free.

[@EdouardTavinor]

To the best of my knowledge the public museums in the UK are still free :) 'Twould be awesome if other countries would implement the same policy.

[@CanadianRM4]

Expensive than a library card? How much is your library card? Mine is free. 0_0

[@thewalkingwanderer]

Edouard Tavinor Bit of a late reply but only museums in London are free. It's part of a campaign (I think it's called 'Free London' or something unimaginative), still, it's pretty good since you can get a reasonably priced train/bus ticket to London from most of the south at least. I wish other major cities around the world would do something like that.

[@violinplayer101]

I highly recommend going to community college, at least to get your general ed. credits out of the way...It's a very smart decision. Also, there are so many places that give discounts to students, like restaurants, stores (including the Apple education store), movie theaters, and museums.

[@hatorigirl1202]

Two things: 1. Placement exams. Especially if you are going into a STEM field, you may be able to place out of some prereqs. You may have to make up the credit amounts elsewhere, but you'll get to take more niche or interesting classes that pertain better to what you're going into. 2. Old editions. Email your teachers about how necessary the latest edition of a textbook is. Old editions are cheaper, and sometimes the only difference is a new forward that changes the page numbers. Or if you're picking up a literature anthology, the old edition may be missing only a single story, which may be creative commons anyway. You may just have to make a friend to get a copy of the introductory info from the book. Oh! Also libraries. The school library should have at least one copy of every required textbook which is not allowed to leave the library. Paying the dollar or whatever to xerox a small passage is going to be better than getting the whole book.

[@shortneyx]

Also, in high school take as many AP classes as you can (without stressing you out too much). I took three AP classes in high school plus another class that was worth college credit and I already have 19 credits transferring in (thats more than one semester!) Given not all colleges will accept AP credits, or you need to get a 5 to get credit, but it's worth looking into.

[@hatorigirl1202]

Sometimes you can get around the acceptance problems by running them through another school. I know kids who registered their AP credits at the community college, and then transferred to a university, and those credits were seen as credits earned at the community college instead. Doesn't always work, but if you really want to go to a specific school that won't accept them, it's something to look into.

[@raeesmerelda]

Tracie Irene Be careful doing this though. I started out at one school where my AP English credits were counted and got me out of the required first-semester English, but when I transferred schools it just counted as a generic lit credit, and I still had to take the "required" English class (whereas if they'd gotten the AP score directly, I wouldn't have).

[@tmw924]

Study in Europe! It's is usually cheaper than it would be in the USA. The cost is different in every country though. (i know it's pretty expensive in England, but try counties like denmark or The Netherlands)

[@JennsCorner777]

Found this quote on Business Insider's "Unethical Life Hacks" article about school books~ "When I was in college, I used to take all of my textbooks to the 2¢ self-copy place and photocopy them. All of them. Then I'd return them before the deadline for a full refund. "It takes time, but a 500-page book will only end up costing you $10. When the new version is often $100 or more. "Nowadays, you can usually find a PDF online. But if not, hey, there's this."

[@sunn7045]

I've been binge-watching all of these, all of these videos help *so* much. Thank you!

[@katewidmer5038]

Hey, I can totally testify to the buying textbooks online tip. I majored in the humanities, so my books weren't usually as expensive as some of my peers, but I kept an excel spreadsheet comparing my school's bookstore fees to the cheapest option I could find online over the course of 3 years (yes, because I'm a nerd) and I saved over $1200. Every penny counts, so I'm super happy I spent the extra half hour looking online rather than just going to the bookstore. And sometimes, the bookstore did have the cheapest option, and I could save on shipping too!

[@SynaNara]

Ebooks and renting are two overlooked options. Ebooks tend to be a lot cheaper, and if there exists an ebook version and if it is a commonly used book it can often be torrented. On the subject of community colleges: yes, they can be amazing for your wallet, they can be a lot more flexible with scheduling which is great for those who have to work, and tend to be hella diverse. But if you are not careful you can screw yourself over and spend more time and money then you want to. So my suggestions are as follows: A) *Have a plan.* Know exactly what you want out of your college and what you want to do after. If you plan on transferring to a 4 year university this is especially important. Know exactly where you want to go and what that university is looking for. Know exactly what classes you want to take and which of those classes are transferable to you where you want to go (many classes in your CC may not transfer to equivalent courses in other colleges, so be careful of that). Know what AP scores they take and make sure both your CC and the 4 year have your scores. Know about any transfer plans this university has, and read the fine print. Do not go into CC thinking that you will just sail through, because shit happens (personal life, bad grades, unexpected trips or breaks, etc) and not knowing what you are doing will make things harder. B) *Don't fuck around with your CC's counseling center when looking for information on transferring.* While this may not be the case with your CC, in my experience, the counseling center at mine was fucking useless. Not once did I leave that place with the information I needed or any sense of satisfaction. Often they would just give me a hand out that I could have found online and sent me off. Many times I was even given conflicting information, or they neglected to tell me a crucial piece of information I had to learn the hard way later. Instead, *go to the counseling center of the four year you intend to transfer to.* They will give you better, more useful, and relevant information. The difference with me was night and day. C) *Don't be afraid to take summer classes.* Seriously, taking classes in the summer will cut down on a lot of time spent in a CC, even if it's just part time. I'm kicking myself for wasting an entire semester, especially since I was unemployed at the time. If you have a vacation planned, see if there are half semester options that will allow you to take a class or two, and still give yourself time for relaxation and a trip.

[@CheersKevin]

UW Flexible Option is also a great resource for those who may have dropped out (*cough*), or who have work experience that could be applied toward credit. Right now, the offerings are relatively limited, but this feels like the next step in the "open courseware" movement - going beyond offering information, and actually offering accreditation.

[@icecradle]

could you do something about how to keep your apartment/house tidy and clean and tips on that please? I'm such a messy person naturally and someone turning up unannounced is my worst fear x.x

[@icecradle]

I feel as I'm 28 now I should be beyond the 'but muuuuuuum, I don't wanna tidy my roooom!' stage... but I'm really not, and now I have 4 and a half rooms of my own to keep tidy x.x

[@hatorigirl1202]

If I may make a suggestion, enacting a 10 minute cleaning rule can do wonders. Once a day, set a timer for 10 minutes, and for those 10 minutes, do nothing but clean. Rotate rooms on different days, or assign different tasks to different days, whatever works for your space. Obviously this would exclude laundry and dishes, but almost anything else can be tackled in 10 minute bursts, if done consistently. Just don't look at the time, and focus on not stopping until the timer goes off. Larger organizational projects, the classic study timing techniques can work well. 20 minutes on, 10 minutes off, or 15 minutes on, 5 minutes off, etc.

[@AlthenaLuna]

One of the easiest ways I've found to get - and keep - an apartment clean and organized is to start off with everything the way I want it to be. Not a "well, I guess this'll do until I find a better way to store x/y/z", a proper home for everything and everything in its place. Once you know where everything belongs, you get used to it being there to be out of the way. With the cleaning (like dishes), the what worked for me was just doing them as they got dirty. The more I let mess accumulate, the harder it got to stay on top of it. A little bit at a time, a few minutes here and there, once you get stuff properly sorted once it feels low (or at least lower) maintenance to stay on top of it.

[@JanelChristensen]

I agree with everyone who has already commented here. I was kind of like you, and so I made a rotating schedule and assigned myself to clean one room each week - living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. I wash my sheets on the bedroom week and towels on the bathroom week. Of course I clean up spills and whatnot as I go, but that rotating schedule has worked for me for keeping things tidy. Plus, I give myself a little treat when I finish my chores for the week, so it's fun. :)

[@LawnPygmy]

Another tip for most of your general studies courses: The books you need for those don't change very much. You can almost always go back an edition or even two editions and find the book from anywhere to 75%-99% off. Adding 'pdf' to your search can sometimes yield free books. You can find hardcover and e-book versions for as little as $5 plus shipping. Just make sure you order the book ahead of time. If you don't know, then the school bookstore should be able to tell you which book you need if you give them your classcode and teacher's name. This may not be the case for all courses. Medical textbooks and some science courses are going to want you to have the most current version of the coursebook, but ask beforehand. Also, some teachers insist on teaching from the current book, and build their assignments from it. For some books, this may mean the questions asked in the chapters are different, or the assigned reading will be on different pages. By and large, though, most textbooks don't change very much between editions. Always find out ahead of time! Even if you buy nothing from the bookstore, they can still help you out.

[@shortneyx]

If you choose to go to a community college before a bigger university, make sure the university you want to go to will accept your transfer credits. Some schools may require you to re-take classes you already took because they want you to take THEIR courses. Not all schools are like this, but make sure you do some research before you make your choice.

[@natalietsang5377]

To save money on textbooks, you can also check out the university library. My university had all the course books on 2 hour reserve, and you could check them out and renew it online a few times. I used to check out books right before the library closed so I could keep them overnight.

[@dynamitekatie]

Scott's Tots reference: Top notch. Makes me laugh and squirm uncomfortably all at the same time.

[@KellyOKellyComedy]

A tip for those with a disability: Go find your local department of Vocational Rehabilitation. They will set you up with a caseworker/counselor and those people are AWESOME. Mine was very sweet and helped me get my tuition paid (whatever wasn't already covered by FAFSA) free books and I received a laptop! They said I would need to give it back at the end but by that time they said I could keep it. They will help you with any program too! Community college, a certificate program, items you need for work even money for interview clothes! Anything that they see is relevant to you landing a job. They need to follow up with you and make an education plan and approve the costs but they were very easy with approvals. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

[@Helanishelina]

Have spent my summer watching MIT Quantum Physics course to be more ready for this fall when I will hear that in my uni and so I hope I will thank myself in some months for doing this, as I am from Estonia and although my uni is super, it is still good to watch free lectures from very popular universities and to see how things have been teached there :)

[@crazypsychoanime]

Yes! I am taking a Coursera class that keeps referencing MOOC and now I know what it means! Awesome sauce

[@IsabelleRizoTheBellaVie]

I'm so glad you made this video. As someone part of the uncollege movement I help young people create their own curriculm, get a diy degree, and tell them the world is their classroom. Without debt!! Thanks how to adult

[@samramdebest]

How to Get an Education Without Going Broke? don't live in the USA

[@radagastwiz]

Or Canada. Ain't much cheaper up here.

[@samramdebest]

radagastwiz oh wo wo wo. You are saying something bad about Canada? I thought Canada was better than the US in every way

[@ladieanaxo2806]

Amen.

[@EpikkWin]

radagastwiz Well 7 grand a year is better than 40... but yeah. We don't have free education either, and community colleges aren't as common as it is in the US.

[@AndyMoranPhoto]

Get an education for cheap in other countries, mostly in Europe, but then pay equally out the ass for living expenses and taxes. You'll end up spending a butt load of money for something anywhere in the world; It all balances out eventually. It's just a matter of what the country considers to be priority to it's citizens.

[@Vincisomething]

I did not know about CLEP! I need to get on board to that!

[@raeesmerelda]

Re: textbooks- This especially applies to Art History textbooks. You probably don't really need the newest edition of your textbook unless it's been HEAVILY revised (usually only happens every few editions). Also, try the library. I used to work at a university library, and they'd always get at least a few copies of each class's textbook. Don't depend on it being available, and they couldn't leave the building, but if you went home for the weekend and forgot to bring your book back to school with you, it may save your butt.

[@ashleyfwtx]

If no one has said it yet, you can rent books through sites like Amazon and Chegg. Just make sure you send them back in on time. You can save SO much money. There will be classes that you want to keep the books for (Now that I'm in law school I don't rent anymore because I'll need my books when it's time to study for the Bar), but renting is a great option for those basic core requirements. You can still highlight in them and everything.

[@ashleyfwtx]

Also SO MUCH YES to community college. I saved probably $15k doing that. The thing is, your diploma doesn't say that you transferred from a community college, it looks just like everyone else's regardless of rather you've been there for 2 years or 4. And it's cheaper to make mistakes at a CC (college is an adjustment if you're the kind of person who never had to study in high school). Just make sure to take credits that will transfer. It's good to start working with an advisor from the university you want to go to a semester or two before you actually transfer.

[@TheFleurDeMer]

I'm not sure about other states but Minnesota has an education option for high school students called Post Secondary Enrollment Options (pseo) and is basically where as long as you meet the criteria in you junior and senior year of high school you can take classes through state public universities for FREE. I did it both years and almost graduated with my AA for generals, and while I wasn't always at the high school I did still have a good high school experience. Going to college afterwards I met a lot of people who wished that they had done the program as well because they hated having to take generals.

[@aerosimmy]

A word about the CLEP tests from personal experience: Make sure you take them BEFORE your first semester. I tried taking the math and social sciences CLEP tests over winter break between my first and second semesters, only to find out right before summer that the math one (which I had passed, I'd been a point short on ss) didn't count because I had already taken classes. Thankfully I'd taken the English one beforehand, so that shaved off two gen. ed.s. I looked into taking one of the MIT courses, but it was going to require purchasing a book, and being short on both time and funds I ended up going with a course on Saylor.org instead (which used an open source book and a variety of videos, some from KhanAcademy). I would have gone with one on Coursera, but what I needed wasn't going to even start until September and I'd needed to finish before June. I am taking some Coursera classes now, though, and have enjoyed them thus far. In fact, I really need to get to those, since two are supposed to end this week...

[@treymedley]

As someone who works at a community college, I would say yes to most of these. The one I would not is MOOCs. They are not a good idea, and I would not encourage anyone to do them. I would also add that you should see if you campus bookstore allows textbook rental. Often times this can be cheaper than buying the book anywhere else and if you know you don't need it long term, save yourself some money.

[@in2horses247]

You can also ask around on Facebook groups for your college whether a book is really necessary for a course... and also ask yourself if you're going to be using the books very often. I got books for my biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics classes but never opened them because the notes and practice problems from the professors were more than enough for me to learn what I needed, but that might not work for everyone.

[@PogieJoe]

I go to a community college and have a clear idea of what I want to do with my future and yet it's been one of the best decisions I could have made cost-wise and degree-wise. There's certainly a stigma against it but they honestly have the same gen ed. courses that any major college has...but tens of thousands of dollars cheaper. Remember people: there's not just one way to go about your future!

[@Jeanjellybean13]

The FAFSA is probably the worst form to fill out but the benefits are great!

[@SophieCousineau]

Another few things: 1) For university classes, a lot of times the textbook just isn't necessary/it's just "suggested" - if you know someone who's already taken the class, ask their opinion on whether or not you should even bother buying the book! For example, in my experience you don't need the textbook for most science classes, sticking to the scientific literature + some Wikipedia is good enough. 2) Some universities have a policy where mandatory (or even just suggested) textbooks MUST be available at the university library - so if you want to do readings, you could just borrow the book for free.

[@shereah]

Community College for the win! I graduated from Volunteer state community college completely debt free! I didn't know about CLEP exams. Ugh. Why didn't I know? Thanks for all the tips!

[@katerina3312]

I went to community college my freshman year because I didn't know what to do with my life then the next year I went to an art Uni. I got all my core classes (English, math, science) out of the way, which I still had to take at Uni even though it was an art school. Community college: $5000 for the whole year. Art school: $30,000 for the whole year Saved $25,000 on the same classes by going to CC. JUST MAKE SURE THE CLASSES WILL TRANSFER TO YOUR CHOICE UNI. I got lucky and they took all of them but one.

[@mojonacho]

If you're a working person, check with your employer. Some employers offer partial or full reimbursement of tuition.

[@AndieETC]

One important note specific to community colleges: completion rates for community college are much lower than traditional 4-year schools. It's worth considering the value of spending more money to increase the likelihood of A) finishing and B) finishing in a shorter period of time.

[@yesknopemaybe]

I really recommend Duolingo to people wanting to learn languages. It's FREE and you can get the app and/or work off of a desktop. In just a few months I can already understand about 60% of written Spanish and have slow conversations with native speakers. That is WAY more than I can say for the languages I took in high school and university. Also I think they're developing a way to get certified in English for foreign speakers that is way less expensive than going to testing centers. Definitely something to look into!

[@xoOMFGox]

If you need a specific book, you could maybe ask your lecturer. They may have a copy in their own personal collection. If you're a good student and all round nice person, they would probably lend it to you.

[@lunardragon2001]

As a community college instructor, I've seen avoidable mistakes, mostly this: Don't course overload. Yes, you lose out on many scholarships if you are only part-time student status; yes it seems "cost-effective" to take 5-6 courses at a school that bills per term rather than per credit, and yes, it will take longer to graduate if you cut course load. But you will pass. I've seen too many students fail courses because no advisor ever told them that 5 courses + job + kids = crazy. If you can't account for at LEAST 1-2 hours of out-of-class study per in-class credit time in your time management, then don't waste money on that course right now.

[@lunardragon2001]

Another tip: I know the HtA duo up there said it is okay to take prerequisites without knowing your major (and hey, I did too), but find out - fast - how many of those credits won't be applicable to your probable area(s) of interest. Community colleges don't care as much as they should if you purchase a course that leads nowhere near your major or elective requirements. The best way to find out if you will like a field is by internship (hopefully paid). It gives a more realistic idea of what you'll end up doing than mere book-work, and you'll BE paid to figure out your career instead of paying to do so.

[@nerdwithavoice]

There's also Amazon Student accounts, all you need is a .edu email address and you get free 2-day shipping! (The 6 month trial is free and then you have to pay, but if you're ordering textbooks and supplies and dorm stuff, it's worth it!)

[@VoldieFromTheHerd]

Thank you so much! I'm just starting the college application process and this will really help.(:

[@AQJ_DK]

Step 1: Be from not-America Step 2-5: Profit

[@petesime]

It may sound super obvious, but learn how to use your university's library. They are a bit different from the public libraries new students are familiar with. Most universities I'm aware of run orientation tours and classes on how to use their services. Invest the time into going to these and don't be afraid to ask library staff questions. It'll save time in the long run and, well, time is money.

[@Marjorie_Fisher]

I try to buy my books used as much as possible, and if it's a class that I know I won't need or want the textbook for later, I'll generally rent it. Also, borrowing or buying from friend's is another great way to save money. I'm very blessed to be able to attend university for nearly free due to being a child of a faculty member at my college, but I still pay around $5000 a semester between dorm, meal plan, and books.

[@NHyt32]

I would also recommend finding out if your high school has partnered up with a community college with online courses. I've earned enough credits to go into college a second semester freshman, earned both college and high school credits, and the high school district pays for it all. And, it sometimes depends, but most of those credits should transfer to a four year university.

[@amiablehacker]

Love the shirt Mike! Very fitting. ;)

[@chocolatereigns]

CHECK IF YOUR STATE HAS PSEO (post secondary enrollment options)! If you're still in high school, this is definitely the way to do both high school and college. The pros: You get out of the awkward, horrible place that is high school two years early! You get two years of college out of the way! FOR FREE! You get to have friends that are actually interested in the stuff you're interested in, instead of being put with people based on your zip code, age, and random chance! You get the flexibility that comes with only 12-15 hours of class a week. (You still have to do homework, but that can be scheduled flexibly) You get to work way more at the same time as going to school than you would if you were doing traditional high school, so you're making the money that will go toward the rest of college! Every extra shift cuts that cost down! The cons: You actually have to think. Just FYI: You do still have to meet your school's graduation requirement (unless you drop out and call yourself a homeschooler, because then you only have to meet your parents' grad requirement). This means you probably won't really be able to focus on any specific degree plan. CLEPs are great for filling in the holes that your high school leaves you with and getting a cheap degree. (And they save you tons of time - I CLEPped a 3 credit econ course over Christmas break last year.) I'm technically going to be a senior this fall, but between PSEO at the community college and CLEPs, I'm graduating with my A.S. I probably spent a total of $370 on the CLEPs and CLEP prep books that allowed me to get 18 of those credits.

[@HeyyoitsKristina]

Ahh, free college/university

[@TheSidster21]

you can also get books out of the library i did that whilst at university and it saves a lot of money particular if you use the library on campus at university they will usually have most of the text books relevant for your course and you can loan them for 2 weeks or more

[@xMasterxRazorx]

I've spent thousands of dollars of money out of my own pocket at community college and have nothing to show for it. I took a heavier course load than I could handle and had poor study habits and my GPA dropped so low I no longer qualify for financial aid. Now I can't afford to go back at a rate of $400 per class. Tried to apply for a different college but my GPA followed me. So I've given up on college. Also, the "expected family contribution" on the FAFSA is absolute bull sh@t.

[@kvol1668]

My parents made 90k per year combined, so we didn't qualify for any assistance, and they refused to even fill out the FAFSA. They told me to get married before I turned 18. Thanks mom and dad.

[@Fenyally]

this is great! as many other europeans the american system seems strange to me because it's so expensive! here in austria, university costs 18€ a semester (well plus the books & living, we don't have dorms on campus or anything like that). so for me, uni kind of is free education but i'm glad there are other resources out there for those who live in places where education is much more expensive! :) and great video, as always :)

[@iggy14750]

Thank you so much for this video. Most of the things I do know, but are actually easy to forget, and having this list is super cool for both the non-initiated and myself, two years into school. I didn't know about scholarship search engines and MOOCs. This is a superhelpful and nonthreatening piece of advice which contrasts with the typical barrage high school grads get. "You ought to look for scholarships," is well-intentioned but useless, while, "Here are some places you can look for scholarships," is so awesome. Thank you guys for these videos. Being ALMOST 20, I feel more clueless about the world every day, and these resources not only containing good advice, but LINKS TO THINGS WHICH ACTUALLY HELP are so awesome. DFTBA!

[@janewakefield4223]

I needed this video!!!

[@kcouch2012]

does anyone know which one give a certificate? as stated in 3:16?

[@andybearchan]

If you do have a good idea where you might be wanting to go to school you would do well to try and get residency in the state where you will be going to school before you go. It will give you a chance to earn some money to help pay for your school and make the tuition cheaper. Some states it is as little as a year. Check with their admissions office.

[@iLOVEpicklesBRO28]

I'm so happy about this. I'm planning on being a psychiatrist, which involves getting a PhD-obviously requiring a lot of time- I need any savings I can get!!!

[@LunaSolTerra]

I like "REAL TALK" as the catchphrase

[@shumajax1]

if you are going to a community college READ THIS LIST AND LEARN FORM MY MISTAKES. if you only read one thing the first point and the last paragraph are the most important 1 get an AA 2 NEVER GO TO THE ADVISING DEPARTMENT FOR ANYTHING, if you can always go to a seinor facalty member in a department that you are planing on majoring in they usualy can do all the advising stuff and actually know what class you need to take. If you have to go to reguler advising make sure you know everything there is to know about your degree and your progress in your degree there is a good chance that the adviser will aether have know idea what class you need to take or will just tell you to take the wrong ones. 3. by the end of your first year you need to have at least 2 University lined up that you are planing to transfer to and you need to get incontinent with them about what classes you should take to make that transition smoothly. 4. do not take out any loans to pay for community college. If can get grants or scholler ships or work study, get a job and save up money it probable wont take more then a year or 2 to get the money and you will be much better off. If you don't want to wait then you should be able to make enough money to go at least part time if you work part time and get a reusable amount of hours( especially if you live at home) 5. If you do not qualify for grants or scholarships and will need to take out loans to go to university I would recommend that you wait to start college so that you will be considers a independent student by the fasfa when you are done with community college. Unless you join the military or get married or have a kid or you parents are not around you will have to include then in you income until the January first after you turn 24, regardless of there ability or willingness to help you pay for school. the amount you can take out in loans a an depend student through the fasfa is not enough to cover tuition at most state university much less room and board. the extra money is expected to be payed for my loans you parents take out or give you. as an independent studnet however you will not have to include there income and unless you make a lot of money on you own will probable qualify for many grants and will be able to take out much more government loans to pay for you education. its very dumb but unless you family is really poor the tax and financial aid systems are set up in such a way that they insensitive you living at home until you are 24 with a low paying job or a resalable job and while attending school part time. honestly if you are not going to join the military and your parents can not help you cover the cost of school, your best option is to live at home until you are 24 or until you save up enough money to get you though school tell you turn 24 or save enough money to completely finish you degree, and that true weather or not you are going to go to community college or not.

[@jacks.6243]

I do have to say that crash course always was a big help for me - in school. I doubt that this is in depth enough to help in university and all of the other vlogbrothers initiatives are a bit more of the "additional/common knowlege" kid. Not really the stuff you need in educational systhems. I don't know about the other two you've metioned, but I doubt that this will help.

[@hatorigirl1202]

I think those were mentioned because the video is about getting an education, not about college. The videos ARE supplemental more than basic knowledge, but still beneficial if on subjects relevant to your job prospects. For example, my English degree taught me very little about book publishing, but TED talks taught me about the process of how a book cover is designed. Having that base knowledge may help me make the transition. Even if I'm going into editing, not design, I'm gonna need to know how to work with designers, and knowing a little about their process is going to help. Or if I'm editing a book that uses a lot of scientific jargon, any knowledge is better than no knowledge in those subjects. Getting an education goes beyond making it through an educational system. It's also about both career success, and life enrichment.

[@jacks.6243]

Tracie Irene [In regard to what you said] Like I said, I could only judge the vlogbrothers network. Still, no one is going to accept 'having watched online videos' as being the same as 'having recieved an education'. The best way for ov to help is to support acknowleged education. Anything that doesn't is personal education. It can be interesting to you, but not *directly* beneficial to your carrer - educational or otherwise. I enjoy a lot of those channels I studied for my final exams with crash course and I take great interest in further courses and both animal wonders and sexplanations. But I know that this is something for my enjoyment and personal education as opposed to professional education. [But I think you misunderstood me in the first place] What I mostly meant though was, that the video and title made it seem like ov was a cheap alternative to university when in fact it can barely help you through it.

[@andreabreckenridge5680]

I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU REFERENCED SCOTT'S TOTS.

[@inevitableerin7617]

AWESOME tip with community college! I went to a big-name university while a lot of my friends went to the local community college. I thought I definitely had the better caliber school, but most of the professors taught between the two schools so there was no real difference except I was paying way more money. I always wished I had started at community college and transferred and if you have the chance I suggest the same!

[@rosecityandbeyond]

I am subscribed to all of those youtube channels and watch TED religiously. I NEED MORE. (also, most of those people who run MOOCs are not nearly as good at communicating information as you guys on youtube)

[@LumosSun210]

As the annotation said, to learn code codeacademy is great. It tells you what you're learning and then it tells you what to do, then it checks if the code is right. It's really awesome.

[@Happypast]

Living in Sweden is so good~

[@Noosphericallyl33t]

So I'm assed out of fafsa due to blowing off classes while I was working, but now I feel I'm ready to focus the majority of my efforts on school. Thing is I have no money to pay for books/supplies or fees. I've also been putting in apps and applying to places all summer with no luck. Any tips?

[@hannahrendich2063]

Slugbooks is the BEST. If I got all of my books through my university, it would cost about $800, but with slugbooks, I'm spending $175 :D

[@kchiem]

"Put a ring on it!" -- A not so subtle hint from Emma, Mike. ;)

[@NotEveryoneEats]

I would attend my local community college but since I live in a bigger town so many people attend there so it is next to impossible to finish in two years, sometimes it could take 3 to 4 years to earn enough credits to be able to transfer.

[@ErolKing1]

Be a TA. I was a TA for Rutgers in NJ. They paid for my master's degree. One hundred percent free Master's Degree. Check it out.

[@kieranemcgarry]

Often textbooks will be kept on course reserve in the library. You can visit and scan some pages and read them on a computer or tablet, or take notes in the library before you go home. People will often sell photocopied versions of textbooks as well, though idk if it's totally legal. Especially in subjects like Psychology or Biology, a lot of the textbooks are overpriced and will be useless the next year and unsellable. It also doesn't hurt to make friends with people in upper years - I've lent out my Statistics textbook twice now, but I refuse to lend it to people I don't know and trust because I want it back. Your school may also have a lower renting price, or used textbooks.

[@TylerMayMedia]

This is great! Also if you're a guy register for Selective Service like right when you turn 18. I waited a bit and they took a month to send me back confirmation. Sadly I got their letter back the day after the first down payment was due and I wasn't able to use some scholarship I received this year.

[@powerofanime1]

WHY DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS CHANNEL?

[@theinsomniacsloth]

I don't know why but I find it pretty funny watching the person who isn't talking

[@TheEdnar83]

Jebus H. VonTöttenberg! And I thought the _one_ (1) 60€ textbook I had to buy was going to bankrupt me. Most course material ended up costing me less than 10€. Here's a tip if you wanna save on education, come to Finland as a foreign exchange student :D I'm dead serious about this. No term fees, living costs will probably be somewhere around 500-700€ a month, including housing, electricity, internet access, food and all fees you need to pay for your education. 9 out of 10 universities and colleges offer international courses and 99% of the native population takes English in school, so you'll do just fine language wise. Oh, and the housing. No dorm rooms you have to split between many people. You either get your own studio apartment or a room of your own in and apartment in a flat you split with 1-3 other people. There's plentiful student housing pretty much everywhere except the capital city of Helsinki, but even there you'll get priority for any open flats because of your exchange student status.

[@Vincisomething]

I use sites like Slugbooks and BIGWORDS. Sometimes I just type "pdf" after the title, but this has only worked once.

[@Interfectors]

I think StraighterLine.com should be a honorary mention. They offer full courses for a small fee but they charge $99 a month for a membership

[@ccubed215]

This video is beautiful.

[@Felixkeeg]

The American Education system is insane. I'm getting my degree in Chemistry and I pay ~365€ per Semester. This includes administrative costs and the commute for the whole semester by bus, regional trains, suburban trains, metro and trams in the larger vicinity of the university. There's no such thing as a textbook, as a script (or at the very least the powerpoint) will be made available on the university homepage for free. If you should struggle with some topics, the library is stocked with more than enough books to look up basically everything from the beginner level up to some super specific stuff. Now why the heck would you make education for your citizens so expensive, if education is probably the most important thing in order to make the economy bloom?!

[@Itstwofourteen]

Want cheap education? Join a branch of the military, serve 4 years honorably, and enjoy the full benefits of the G.I. Bill. Problem solved. Also, depending on your job in the military (MOS), you'll have time to get those general studies classes out of the way. Hmm... It sounds like I'm recruiting. Yeeaahh... NOT my intention, honestly. Just letting people know so they can keep a open mind and explore their options. This path is great for those who have no idea what they want to study in college, since it gives them time to figure it out while having job security. Also, a lot of the schools and courses in the military can be converted into college credits later on. (Bootcamp = physical education classes, NCO/Corporal's Course = leadership development classes, etc.)

[@emily8301]

I don't think my parents income will allow me to get money from the FASFA should I still do it???

[@eufreaka]

I wish I saw this before I wasted 2 full course load years at university..

[@LeoMRogers]

For open online courses, I recommend www.mooc-list.com, index of courses from various websites, including edx and coursera, but also other places you might not have come across.

[@AngelaLSullivan]

BIGWORDS (bigwords.com) is similar in concept to slugbooks except you put ALL your books in and it searches for the best deals incl. multiple shipping/coupons/etc. for all your books. I highly recommend it and use it every semester.

[@Kabloomybuzz]

Someone needs to make UK versions of a lot of these videos.

[@catlinboy]

In this case, the UK is very different. We don't have community colleges, often courses taken in other places will have no benefits in your current course (taking credits cheaper like they were suggesting). However our universities are a lot cheaper than USA, I think. (Although still scandalously high in my opinion. In recent years many students cannot live entirely on their loan/grants like I did and must rely on parents. I feel our feees are prohibitavely high to students of poorer backgrounds.)

[@gabigales2740]

Would FAFSA be only for your state you're in, or what?

[@jyjryu22799]

This will be useful to me very soon :)

[@MrSciencetalk]

You can just go to a free university in Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark or Germany!

[@AhummerD]

+Sciencymiency That's if you get in.

[@lorenabpv]

forever thankful to free public universities

[@starfinder14]

Hey, I would love for you to do a video on investing money. I'm a young teacher in my early twenties and I don't know where to start.

[@wintermoons1215]

Can you do a follow up video on paying back student loans? Unfortunately this video for me is 4 years and 25,000 dollars in debt to late >.>

[@jazycool]

From textbooks in a fan of Abe Books for cheap pricing and good quality.

[@krystalraynes1144]

If you take the cheap online courses, can you actually get degrees or no?

[@habojspade]

Trade school ftw!

[@flaviusclaudius7510]

You do realise that your audience is international, and much of this advice takes absolutely no consideration of that, nor is there any disclaimer at the beginning informing the viewer that ~some~ advice is virtually unrelated to their experience if they don't happen to be living in the US. The problem with this is that because the first two pieces are US-centric, following pieces aren't, and if I were busy I would see the first two and just close the video, assuming that there would be no pertinent information for me.

[@flaviusclaudius7510]

***** That doesn't negate their ability to place the disclaimer I mentioned, that while some of it is US-centric there is advice for a more international audience included as well. I guess I'm just used to videos that actually recognise the existence of this audience and account for it - this is not the first time they've ignored the big green area of not-America.

[@prsfilms]

Basically don't live in the US. I am only getting 1700 dollars for the semester and I can't get a dorm... No one will cosign for the extra money. So I am scrambling now trying to find a job.. or ya know. I won't be able to get anything out of all this. I live an hour away from the school that has what I want. The only thing I can think of .. is maybe quit. Oh btw I have aspergers. Piece that shit together. I don't know what I am doing.

[@csolisr]

#FreeCulture for the win!

[@davidshi451]

Alas, schools will still find ways to take money from you. Like requiring you to pay a fee to access online components on your textbook.

[@TheScientistA4]

Bozeman science!