Suzanne Shaffer
Freelance Writer
College Coach
If you're not sure if you can afford to transfer to your dream college, first and foremost, complete the FAFSA and apply for financial aid. Colleges require it if you want to qualify for grants or scholarships. Then ask the financial aid office to connect you with scholarships offered by the school either specifically for your major or transfer students. Do some digging on the college’s website for any other scholarships you might qualify for and apply. After you search the college website, start searching for scholarships for general college students or transfers and start applying. You can do a simple Google search and find any number of scholarships set aside specifically for current college students. Or you can sign up on some scholarship search engines that will send you scholarships to apply for. If you can avoid it, don’t take out student loans to pay for this dream school. Graduating with debt can cripple you after graduation. If you do borrow, your total student loan debt should be no more than what you expect to make during your first year of work after graduation.
Use CollegeXpress’s Scholarship Search tool to find awards you’re eligible for as a transfer student!