November 20, 2023 by

Let’s face it, college is expensive. Cedarville is a wonderful school, and I will forever be grateful for every moment I have spent here, but it hasn’t come cheap. I will admit that I’m nervous to look at the bill for classes, boarding, books, and my meal plan, but by God’s grace, I know it will not be the end of the world. Attending a private Christian school comes with its prices, but there can be efforts made to make this burden as light as possible.  

  1. Saving and Making Money

My first piece of advice would be to start saving for school as soon as possible. Many people grew up with a piggy bank their parents gave them so they could save up for college. Though a collection of quarters and nickels won’t make too big of a dent in tuition, it is still very wise to save up whatever you can for your educational pursuits. When you’ve become aware of how costly attending university can be, start setting aside some money to attend the school of your choice. And though saving while you’re young is ideal, it is never too late to start. 

A lot of parents will offer opportunities to earn money around the house, either by cleaning, extra chores, or simple weekly/monthly allowances. Outside of these little ways to earn money, there is the classic strategy of getting a job. There are typically at least one or two working opportunities available around your hometown or for your neighbors, and Cedarville certainly offers plenty of work opportunities on campus. As soon as you are enrolled at Cedarville and have your email up, you will receive plenty of emails offering chances to work at Chick-fil-A, Tossed, or Panda. I have worked every semester I have attended Cedarville, and I have enjoyed it every time.  

Before Panda was Panda, my first job on campus was working in the same location at Stinger’s. It was my first job, and it was a wonderful start to working life. I highly suggest that if anyone is ready to start working, it should be at Cedarville. My first day at Stinger’s my coworkers were kind, and the customers were understanding. I work at Chick-fil-A now, and it is just as pleasant as working in Stinger’s. Every week my shift lead asks us a “closing question,” which is usually related to our walk with Christ or our time at Cedarville. It’s such a fun time to get to know my coworkers more and pass the time as we’re sweeping and mopping. One particular question, “When did you become a Christian?” was a nice one to discuss. 

I can almost guarantee that wherever you work in Cedarville you will be surrounded by some of the nicest people in the world. One of the benefits of working at the school you are attending is that you are sometimes working alongside classmates. The majority of the time, the people you are serving are your fellow students as well. Not only fellow students, but sometimes friends. You will not be spared from hard work, make no mistake about that, but you won’t be alone. I can certainly say that much. 

  1. Financial Aid

Another recommendation I will suggest to save up for Cedarville is to start looking for scholarships, which Cedarville is in no short supply of. There are plenty of scholarships available at Cedarville, and there are a lot of scholarships found outside of Cedarville as well. I especially advise this for freshman. Like my mom told me, a lot of scholarships are made especially for freshmen. My mom was also a Cedarville student and told me that her entire freshman year was paid for in scholarships. Be active in your search and don’t be lazy. The time and effort you put into searching for a scholarship will be time and effort put into not paying for school, so don’t slack off. 

  1. Transfer in Credits

Now there are other ways to save money for school besides scholarships or cracking open your piggy bank. You can save a lot of money for Cedarville by getting your general education courses out of the way as quickly (and as cheaply) as you can. Cedarville offers plenty of chances for high schoolers (in person or online) to take part in dual enrollment classes so that gen-eds may be taken care of, and to get a taste of the kind of education Cedarville will offer. I had a friend in my freshman year who was a senior in high school and took a lot of her gen-eds through Cedarville’s dual enrollment classes. She is a freshman now at Cedarville and is spending her first semester in major related classes! Though I made a lot of good friends in the gen-ed classes I attended (for God did not let that time go to waste), it did mean I had an entire semester of gen-eds to get through before beginning any of my education classes. 

For any potential transfer students who have already taken their gen-eds, scholarships are available that range from $10–18K. Cedarville will be more than happy to aid your move from one school to another. And for any East Coasters transferring from Word of Life’s Bible Institute, there is a special scholarship offered to anyone transferring to Cedarville on top of the original transfer scholarship. 

When you have prayed and are sure about college, then Cedarville would be my recommendation for a first choice. As expensive as college is, it is not impossible to pay for school, and you shouldn’t let financial fears control your future. Save up, pray, and my best wishes for your financial pursuits! 

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