Many students say they
couldn’t attend SPU, well before they
heard about scholarships or financial
aid. Many of those students are now
thoroughly enjoying their SPU experience.
Here are a few misconceptions
about paying for college that I want
to tackle.
1.) I can’t afford it. You don’t know
this until you go through the process!
I was a first-generation low-income college student and I made it through
a private college education. If I just
looked at sticker price, I would not
have given myself the opportunity.
2.) Loans are bad. Loans you get
from a college are going to help you
appreciate your investment, gain
credit for purchases down the line,
and they are manageable. Our Student Financial Services office works
hard to make sure this is true, which
is why our default rate is so low. I still
pay college loans and although it isn’t
my favorite thing to make payments
each month, I have no regrets!
3.) Scholarships are too competitive. There isn’t a year that goes by
where I hear about a scholarship that
could go to three to five students
and only two students apply. Apply
for everything out there because you
never know!
4.) Cheaper is better. This might be
the case if you are buying a fashionable
shirt that will end up at Goodwill
in a few months, but your college
decision will impact the rest of your
life. I know so many SPU graduates
who are thankful they made the
investment at SPU, because they
don’t think they would have grown
as much in their faith and character,
or had the same job opportunities
elsewhere.