Unpacking free college tuition

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Top scholarships with upcoming deadlines

It's common knowledge to most people that a college education is expensive. Like, really expensive. According to a 2021 Fidelity Investments survey, college affordability is a top consideration for about 40% of college students – and it's easy to see why. For the 2022-2023 school year, the average tuition and fees were $39,723 for private colleges and $22,953 for public colleges ($10,423 for in-state students).

college students gather on campus

Thankfully, there are many people hard at work to improve college affordability and provide opportunities for student success for all students, not just wealthier students who can afford to pay the full cost. Financial aid is available in many forms, on the government level as well as in the private sector; many universities themselves offer financial aid to their students in the form of loans, partial tuition assistance, or even full-ride scholarships! Here on Bold.org, you can apply for thousands of exclusive scholarships tailored to you.

Some institutions have gone beyond standard financial aid packages and committed themselves to eliminating tuition altogether. Of course, free college vastly increases the accessibility of higher education. This allows opportunities for students who may not have had the resources to otherwise attend college; for many members of marginalized groups, free college programs can be literally life-changing.