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SALT LAKE CITY -- This month across the state more students than ever are enrolled in college. Many went back to school because of the economy; but the economy is making it hard for many students to pay for college.
But there are many things students can do to cut the cost of class. One student for example is saving almost 70 percent on her college bills.
Scholarships
Sharlee Larsen is a freshman at Weber State University. She's scraping together every way to pay the roughly $2,000 a semester for tuition. She received some scholarships from Weber, and another big one.
The higher grades you get the more money you get.
–Tony Casillas, East High School head counselor
"The Morgan Lions Club for $1,000," she says.
That's right, the Lions Club. Weber's financial aid and scholarships director Jed Spencer says many businesses, organizations and endowments will give you money for school.
"If you can get four or five small scholarships, that's the same as one big one," said Spencer.
At Salt Lake's East High School, they have a counselor dedicated just to helping students find scholarships.
"The Internet is good news and bad news, A lot of research the kids have to do, but we point their heads in the right direction." said head counselor Tony Casillas. He has students start focusing as early as 9th grade.
"The higher grades you get the more money you get," said Casillas.
On-campus money
Sharlee is going to work as a math tutor on campus at Weber.
Spencer says tutoring, service and leadership mean chances to get money for school. You could get a waiver on your tuition, and it puts you in contact with other areas of campus where you get access to other scholarships.
"It's a way to get involved, help the community and get money," he said.
Spencer also says try any campus clubs, activities, band, sports, even billiards - all those organizations have money to give away.
"The more a student gets involved in the campus, the better their opportunities are to get some of these scholarships," he said.
Focus
Larsen is going to live at home in Morgan while going to Weber. So is U of U student Katie Tillou in Holladay, and she has other ways to save money.
"(I'm buying) used books. I'm packing a lunch every day to take up there," said Tillou.
Tillou has also hit on something that could save other students thousands of dollars - figure out your major, stick to it and graduate.
"You could take classes just as an interest thing. The less money I have the less I will branch out," said Tillou.
Larsen has one more way to get cash.
"I'm on work study so that gives me another few dollars an hour," she said.
Add that do her scholarships and math tutoring and she's saving more than 13-hundred dollars. That's close to 70 percent of her college bill. Not bad for cutting the cost of class.
Below is a breakdown of the educational offerings from the 13 colleges and universities in Utah:
| Institutions | Fall 2008 Enrollment | Fall admission Deadline/App fee | Scholarship App deadline | 09-10 Tuition & fees for 1 year (based on 15 credit hours) | Avg. on-campus housing | Avg on-campus meal plan for 1 yr | Financial Aid Priority Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigham Young University | 30,500 | Priority 12/1, Regular 2/01, $35 | 2/01 | $4,290 LDS, $8,580 non-LDS | $2,922 | $3,791 | None |
| College of Eastern Utah | 2,082 | Open, $25 | 02/01 | $2,740 resident, $4,540 non-resident | $1,660 | $1,798 | 3/01 |
| Dixie State College of Utah | 6,443 | Open, $35 | 3/01 | $3,145 resident, $10,897 non resident | $1,800 | $1,400 | 3/01 |
| LDS Business College | 1,400 | Open, $35 | 3/01 | $2,800 LDS, $5,600 non-LDS | N/A | N/A | 7/01 |
| Salt Lake Community College | 29,867 | Open, $40 | 3/01 | $2,790 resident, $$8,730 non-resident | N/A | N/A | 4/01 |
| Snow College | 3,798 | Open, $30 | 2/01 | $2,542 resident, $8,238 non-resident | $1,700 | $1,800 | 6/01 |
| Southern Utah University | 7,516 | 8/01, $40 | Priority 12/01, 2/01 | $4,269 resident, $12,847 non-resident | $2,553 | \#3,350 | 7/01 |
| University of Utah | 28,211 | Priority 12/15, Regular 4/01, $45 | 2/01 | $5,742 resident, $18,163 non-resident | $3,143 | \#3,144 | 4/02 |
| Utah State University | 23,925 | 4/01, $40 | Priority 12/01, 2/01 | $4,830 resident, $13,800 non-resident | $2,350 | $3,150 | 3/15 |
| Utah Valley University | 26,696 | 8/15, $35 | 2/01 | $4,048 resident, $10,088 non-resident | N/A | N/A | 5/01 |
| Weber State University | 21,674 | Open, $30 | 1/11 | $4,088 resident, $11,554 non-resident | $2,592 | $1,550 | 3/01 |
| Westminster College | 2,600 | Rolling, $40 | Priority 3/1, Exemplary Achievement 2/15 | $24,996 | $3,963 | \#3,070 | 4/15 |
| Utah College of Applied Technology | 41,563 | Varies by program/campus | varies by program | Utah HS students: $0 (fees may apply), adult student: $1.40/hour | N/A | N/A | varies by program |
Utah System of Higher Education
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
