In This Chapter

There’s an old saying that the best defense is a good offense. In other words, don’t sit around and wait for your adversary to find you. Instead, take the fight to your adversary. In doing so, you have a better chance in winning the battle on your terms. Nowhere is this truer than with the substantial direct costs associated with college, such as tuition, room, board, and books.

If you sit back and accept these costs as a foregone conclusion, then that is exactly what they will be. You’ll be slapped with the full cost, and you’ll have no choice but to accept it and scramble to pay the tab. But, if you decide to not accept your financial fate, choosing instead to be proactive, you can cut thousands of dollars out of your tuition bill.

As with many things in this book, taking a hatchet to the direct costs of college requires some forethought and planning. If you wait until the last minute to make the cuts, you’ll have far fewer opportunities and less overall leverage with the people who want your money.