I have been accepted to many universities for Mathematics Education, but I don't have enough money to attend most of them.

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Hi Martin,

You ask such a great question.

It is very likely that you will be most successful by using multiple strategies (repeat this).

Multiple strategies will also build your resume and experience along the way and help you get a good job later.

Please don't be discouraged: I worked so many different jobs in college, did work study, applied for scholarships, worked internships, had multiple jobs, etc. and I balanced this with school.

You can too. Focus on your goal and see if some of these ideas seem helpful.

Let me know what you think about these ideas and maybe there are some other ones you can think of too. Put them in order and then develop a plan.

Raising money for school is a job. And just like a job, the more methods you use to find money or a job, the more successful you will be:

It is important to be realistic about what you can afford in terms of college and to create multi-year budgets to project costs as well as how to pay back what you borrow. Map out multiple scenarios. How does the career you have chosen compare to the cost of college, especially since you are financing it yourself. There are so many different ways to achieve success, measure success, map out your options, and to realize your dreams. Judge each college by what they offer both academically AND as an alumni (you need to consider your future network) AND the economics of tuition/aid/work study. It’s almost like buying a car – there are a lot of options but you need to look for a solution that is a good fit for you.

Community College: If you can do really well at Community College this will allow you to apply for scholarships, open doors, introduce you to new career options. Community colleges are fabulous places with professors who are practitioners in their fields. There are also options to get your core courses and then transfer to a four year college. They are very affordable and an excellent way to boost your GPA in a cost effective way. If you can do really well at in State College, you can get scholarships to grad school, find new career options, network with the alumni association, and launch your career. Take advantage of all the opportunities but be sure to do well by working with counselors, tutors, and professors. Don't get lost in the crowd - find ways to make the experience very hands on and personable - you might join a club or pursue a specific interest that focuses your experience. Keep your eye on the future at all times.

Work Study: You do work study or scholarships to complete undergraduate at public or private college. You balance work off campus with class on campus and pay for school as you go. Balancing requires good organization but it is possible. Mentors and advisors can help you figure this out.

Cooperative Education: Some schools allow you to participate in cooperative education: this is where you go to school but someone else, like a future employer, pays for it (it might even be a school district, a business, an insurance company, etc.)

Military Service: Sometime students go ROTC in order to pay for school - if you select this option be very clear about what the commitment will be, for how long, and what is covered. In other cases, if you work for a company that has tuition reimbursement the company will help pay for your education as one of your benefits (be sure to see how much and what the limitations are. if you work for a business organization, they might only fund business degrees.)

Work for a University: Sometimes you can get a tuition break by working for a university. Sometimes by saving up for grad school or getting scholarships for grad school you can make the experience more affordable. Everyone's situation is different which is why the budgets and planning is so important

The most important thing is to leverage all the things you learn along the way. If someone can't help you, thank them and ask them for 3 contacts or 3 ideas that can help you achieve your goal. Your experiences and hard work make you who you are and pave the way for the contributions you will make in the future.

Math Scholarships: this is money you don’t have to pay back…

http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/math-students.htm

https://www.listsofscholarships.com/mathematics-scholarships/

Working as a Math Tutor: this is a great way to find a flexible job and make a difference.

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/fws/index.html

http://www.isac.org/students/during-college/types-of-financial-aid/work-study-programs.html

http://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/las/academic-units/math/applied-mathematics-concentration/ and http://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=math+tutor