Nationally, trends seem to be increasing tuition and fees. Tuition and fees for a 12 credit (full-time) resident student at the University of Utah is about $2000 per semester (multiply that cost by about 3 times for a non-resident). This doesn’t include books, living, and any other costs. Generally speaking, most students graduate within five to six years which means a total of $24K, re-emphasizing that this doesn’t include extra costs like living, vehicle, cell phone, and others.

What do students do in order to overcome this challenge? A common answer is saving up early. However, based on my experience, many of the students I work with don’t have this as an option. Most of the students I work with have been unable to successfully save early.

Some choose to work while they’re going to school, often times supplementing their income with saved money, Pell grants and student loans. Pell grants are monies available to students based on need, which will be determined from parent’s income and other family contributions. Many institutions like the University of Utah have priority registration dates and the magic date is March 15. Forms are filled out through http://fafsa.ed.gov and generally don’t have to be repaid. Many times students don’t complete the forms because they think their parents make too much money. I encourage all students to complete the forms regardless. At the University of Utah if you’re a full time student it is recommended to work no more than 20 hours per week. It is recommended that you study 2 hours per credits taken. So if you’re taking 12 credit hours you should be studying at least 24 hours per week. Working more than 20 hours per week really makes it difficult to put in proper time to know your material. Another aspect to look at when considering this option is it may prolong your length of time to graduate. Some students have tried to go to school when they have the money. When they run out they stop for a while to make more, lengthening their time. In my experience students that “stop out” don’t generally return for many reasons. Students wanting to continue onto graduate school will really want to consider their time working because it can have an impact on grades.

Another option is attaining scholarships. The magic date to remember for most institutions of higher education is February 1st. This is when most scholarship applications are due. There are other dates but as an individual you will need to pay close attention to these. Another thing to be mindful of is most scholarships are for incoming freshman and they continue throughout their education. It’s absolutely critical that students in high school pay attention to this as this may be their only chance to getting a scholarship. There are scholarships for continuing students but they are difficult to find. With scholarships the greatest challenges are discipline and patience. Most scholarships are based on grade point averages and SAT/ ACT scores. Another component of scholarship applications and what seems to be the most discouraging is the forms themselves. Many scholarship applications require personal statements, letters of recommendation, community service statements, and copies of your parent’s income taxes. When looking for scholarships look within the colleges at the universities. If you’re interested in Math then look in the college of Math. I know many students that have found creative ways of attaining scholarships. The greatest loss is not asking. Now is the time to get involved with community service activities. Excel at school, work within your communities or your churches. Although there are a lot of scholarships available, they don’t come easily and most students don’t have them.

I’ve been awakened by many of the stories that students have come with and the great challenges that they’ve overcome. No matter how many barriers seem to come their way, the students that are most successful persist.

Feleti Matagi is the Program Director and Advisor for the Pacific Islander Students at the University of Utah.