As a recent graduate, I say with utmost certainty that the major thing keeping me from doing masters degree right away is the crazy price tag. Well, that and I want to work a few years beforehand.

If there is one trend that has continued unabated by the economy, it is the growth of tuition costs in education. Schools have announced hikes of anywhere between 4-8% for their students to meet next year; this is a staggering jump on a product that many argue is already overpriced.

So, how can we beat the high cost of an advanced degree?

There are a number of different paths you can take toward trimming down your academic expenses, let’s go over them.

1) Consider a public (state) college instead of a private one.

I know the allure of a prestigious-sounding private school can be hard to overcome, but in reality, there are an absolute ton of public schools that offer an education just as robust, at a much lower cost. Although prices are set individually by each school, it isn’t a long shot to expect at least a 30% decrease in school costs, assuming in-state status.

In addition, online degree schools can sometimes be less expensive than private schools. Above all else, make sure the school you plan to attend has exactly the major and concentration you want for your advanced degree; don’t settle for a school that is cheap over a school that is targeted for your career.

2) Scholarships, scholarships, scholarships!

If you thought you were done with scholarship searching when you graduated with your bachelors, think again! Scholarships and grants remain the best money you can possibly get to pay for school, because, well…. you don’t have to pay it back.

There are a bunch of different websites you can use to find said scholarships, including ones like StudentScholarshipSearch.com and ScholarshipPoints.com. FastWeb.com and Scholarships.com are excellent excellent resources too. Bottom line, plan to set aside some time each week to look for free money.

3) Build your credit history beforehand.

Did you know that you can save thousands of dollars during your loan repayment period(s) if you can qualify for a low interest rate? If you are planning to undergo a graduate degree, financial planning is key to reducing your overall debt burden by the time you are finished.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to build your credit and what all the terms mean, check out Student Platinum’s credit education center.

A number of loan contracts and details differ based on the enrollment status of the student. Unfortunately, each college and educational institution may define the terms of enrollment differently. In most cases, enrollment must be at least half-time to qualify for financial aid at all.

When looking at graduate schools, you may be wondering how many credit hours are needed to be considered a full-time student, versus a half-time student. Here are some guidelines based on information gathered from a few types of schools:

Semester-based school with mostly 3 credit hour courses: Most institutions are using 9 credit hours as full-time and 6 credit hours for half-time.

Semester-based school with mostly 4 credit hour courses: Institutions use 8 credits as full-time with 4 credit hours for half-time.

Quarter schools: These institutions indicated using 6 credits for full-time with anywhere from 3-5 credit hours as half-time.

As a recent graduate, I say with utmost certainty that the major thing keeping me from doing masters degree right away is the crazy price tag. Well, that and I want to work a few years beforehand.

If there is one trend that has continued unabated by the economy, it is the growth of tuition costs in education. Schools have announced hikes of anywhere between 4-8% for their students to meet next year; this is a staggering jump on a product that many argue is already overpriced.

So, how can we beat the high cost of an advanced degree?

There are a number of different paths you can take toward trimming down your academic expenses, let’s go over them.

1) Consider a public (state) college instead of a private one.

I know the allure of a prestigious-sounding private school can be hard to overcome, but in reality, there are an absolute ton of public schools that offer an education just as robust, at a much lower cost. Although prices are set individually by each school, it isn’t a long shot to expect at least a 30% decrease in school costs, assuming in-state status.

In addition, online degree schools can sometimes be less expensive than private schools. Above all else, make sure the school you plan to attend has exactly the major and concentration you want for your advanced degree; don’t settle for a school that is cheap over a school that is targeted for your career.

2) Scholarships, scholarships, scholarships!

If you thought you were done with scholarship searching when you graduated with your bachelors, think again! Scholarships and grants remain the best money you can possibly get to pay for school, because, well…. you don’t have to pay it back.

There are a bunch of different websites you can use to find said scholarships, including ones like StudentScholarshipSearch.com and ScholarshipPoints.com. FastWeb.com and Scholarships.com are excellent excellent resources too. Bottom line, plan to set aside some time each week to look for free money.

3) Build your credit history beforehand.

Did you know that you can save thousands of dollars during your loan repayment period(s) if you can qualify for a low interest rate? If you are planning to undergo a graduate degree, financial planning is key to reducing your overall debt burden by the time you are finished.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to build your credit and what all the terms mean, check out Student Platinum’s credit education center.

A number of loan contracts and details differ based on the enrollment status of the student. Unfortunately, each college and educational institution may define the terms of enrollment differently. In most cases, enrollment must be at least half-time to qualify for financial aid at all.

When looking at graduate schools, you may be wondering how many credit hours are needed to be considered a full-time student, versus a half-time student. Here are some guidelines based on information gathered from a few types of schools:

Semester-based school with mostly 3 credit hour courses: Most institutions are using 9 credit hours as full-time and 6 credit hours for half-time.

Semester-based school with mostly 4 credit hour courses: Institutions use 8 credits as full-time with 4 credit hours for half-time.

Quarter schools: These institutions indicated using 6 credits for full-time with anywhere from 3-5 credit hours as half-time.

There are many scholarships available to students who excel in their chosen career & education paths. There is also the federal Pell Grant available for need-based undergraduate students who would otherwise not be able to afford a college education. The maximum Pell Grant limit for 2010 - 2011 school year is $5,500. While you might work hard to earn your scholarships & qualify for the Pell grant, what happens if you quit school in the middle of the year & not complete your required courses for which you were paid the Pell grant? In such a scenario, it is best to know your options & courses of action if such an event happens to you.

The federal Pell grant is awarded by the US Federal government, however it is distributed by individual schools in which the students are enrolled in. For instance if you were enrolled in first year at University of California, you would apply for the Grant using the Free Student Aid (FAFSA) website. In the application form, they ask which school you are enrolled in and your student number. The federal government would then distribute those funds directly to University of California to pay for your college tuition fees. Normally the funds that are left over after paying all your course & enrollment fees are paid to you once per term. If you quit university after completing the first term, you would simply not get the grant awarded to you for the 2nd term.

In most cases, students do NOT have to return their Pell Grant money for courses they attended in the previous term. And if you do NOT enroll for the next term, you simply will not receive the funds for that term. If a student quits school forever, then he automatically becomes ineligible to apply for the Grant. However, most students leave school for shorter periods of time (1-2 semesters) before they return. In such a case, be sure to speak to your school's financial awards office on how to set up an arrangement such that when you return in 1-2 semesters, you can apply for the federal Pell grant again.

Be aware that the rules we have outlined above are general in nature and NOT specific to your situation. It is best to speak to a financial advisor or counsellor at your university's campus for more information about your grant & your eligibility for Grants. A counselor is usually available at your school's financial aid office or you can phone in & book an appointment. Their staff will be able to guide you on your options for obtaining & keeping a grant & any money that you might need to pay back to the federal government if you drop out of school.

If you were awarded a grant, consider yourself very fortunate for receiving such assistance. Do so by trying to stay in college & completing your required courses or Degree. Dropping out from college can have a negative impact on your future & career so be aware of what you are doing. If you have dependents and have to work full time to support them, consider taking night classes & saturday morning classes to get your credit hours. This way, you can work full time & maintain your award.

Learn to get free Pell grants from the US Department of Education including Pell grant application & eligibility criteria. The maximum limit for 2011 school year is $5,500 and applications are free.