By Isidro Medina
Pulse Staff Reporter
Palo Alto College students use on-campus resources to help defray the out-of-pocket cost of college, which can add up.
Kytheranialynn Fambrough-Brown, a sophomore and the current Palo Alto College Student Government Association president, said, “As a STEM major, I’ve been getting the T-STEM scholarship. So, that’s something I’ve been relying on every semester.”
According to the Palo Alto College website, in-district students taking 12 hours spend an average of $873 a semester. By applying for and receiving scholarships, students save money on their tuition.
Fambrough-Brown is a busy student. Well-dressed and polished, she manages to keep it all together, even though she is affiliated with several student organizations
Through her assigned advisor, Fambrough-Brown found out about the Texas STEM Challenge Scholarship, which awards up to $2,500 for qualifying students.
Many students opt to get jobs while in school to help with more routine expenses, such as gas, food and bills.
Miranda Rasche, a sophomore working in Student Life, said, “Financially, it has helped me. I love coming to work and interacting with everybody. It pretty much gave me a whole new opening as to what I want to do when I grow up.”
The work-study program, run through the Financial Aid Office, is a way for students to make money and gain work experience. Not everyone qualifies, but there are other ways of working on campus.
Peer advisor, peer mentor and student ambassador positions exist on campus in Student Life, the advising centers and the Welcome Center. Having work experience can prove invaluable to new graduates seeking better-paying jobs.
PAC Connect allows employers to post jobs for students seeking work. This service can be found on www.alamo.edu/pac/career-services along with resources for resume-building and other job placement assistance.
The cost of books can add up very quickly, especially with the more classes that you take. The PAC bookstore has a “price-matching” program for books with prices lower than on Chegg.com, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
The bookstore will give you a gift card for the price difference that can be used on anything in the store, even another book. Using the program can help you save on shipping expenses, plus the book will be available to you right away.
“Wow,” said Kasandra Gomez, a sophomore Nursing major. “I wish I knew about that. It would be a lot easier than waiting for one or two days for my books to come in.”
The cost of education may seem like a financial struggle, but on-campus resources help defray the costs of tuition and books, making it easier for students to manage their costs.
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