Financial Aid Tip of the Month, April 2017
Taking more classes each semester may help you cut the cost of college, according to KHEAA. That’s important if you’ll need student loans to help pay for your education.
A full-time load for undergraduate students is usually 12 credit hours per semester. Associate’s degrees usually require 60 credit hours to finish, bachelor’s degrees 120 hours. At 12 hours each semester, you’ll need five semesters to finish an associate’s degree and 10 semesters to finish a bachelor’s degree.
But if you take 15 hours per semester, you’ll finish an associate’s degree in four semesters and a bachelor’s degree in eight semesters. Most colleges won’t charge you any more for 15 hours than they do for 12 hours. That might save you thousands of dollars in tuition and fees.
When you’re planning your schedule, think about taking that extra class each semester. The sooner you earn your degree, the sooner you can start job hunting.
KHEAA is a public, non-profit agency established in 1966 to improve students’ access to college. It provides information about financial aid and financial literacy at no cost to students and parents. KHEAA also helps colleges manage their student loan default rates and verify information submitted on the FAFSA. For more information about those services, visit www.kheaa.com.
In addition, KHEAA disburses private Advantage Education Loans on behalf of its sister agency, KHESLC. For more information about Advantage Education Loans, visit www.advantageeducationloan.com.
