<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=331510594798275&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Skip to Content Oregonians Credit Union Oregonians Credit Union
  • Save & Spend
    Save & Spend See an Overview
    • Current Rates
    • Disclosures
    • Fee Schedule
    • Credit Calculators
    • Savings
      • Regular Share Accounts
      • Youth Savings
      • Homebuyer Savings
      • Money Market Accounts
      • Club Accounts
      • Share Certificates
      • IRA Accounts
    • Checking
      • My Rewards Checking
      • My Interest Checking
      • Checking Comparison
    • Credit
      • Credit Cards
      • Overdraft Line of Credit
    • Digital
      • Digital Banking Online
      • Mobile App
      • Digital Payments
      • Mobile Wallets
  • Borrow
    Borrow See an Overview
    • Current Rates
    • Mortgage Rates
    • Loan Calculators
    • Mortgage Calculators
    • Auto
      • New & Used
      • First Time Auto Buyer
      • Local Car Search
    • Home
      • HELOCs
      • Fixed Rate Equity
      • Mortgages
      • Home Improvement
    • Personal
      • Personal Loans
      • Line of Credit
      • Share Secured Loans
    • Recreational
      • Bicycles & Electric Bikes
      • RVs & ATVs
      • Motorcycles
  • Plan
    Plan See an Overview
    • Retirement Calculators
    • Financial Planning
    • Insurance
      • Auto
      • Home
      • AD&D
      • Life
    • Protections
      • Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP)
      • Mechanical Repair Coverage (MRC)
      • Debt Protection

    Featured Program

    Oregonians Financial Planning image with father and baby walking

    Oregonians Financial Planning

    Plan for the road ahead and manage your wealth along the way.

    Learn more
  • Business
    Business
    • Current Rates
    • Disclosures
    • Fee Schedule
    • Business Checking
      • Business Membership
      • Small Business Checking
      • Business Interest Checking
    • Business Loans
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Investment & Rental Property
      • Equipment Loans
      • Term Loans
      • Credit Cards
      • Line of Credit
    • Business Resources
      • See all
  • Learn
    Learn See an Overview
    • Education Explore videos, blogs, fraud prevention tips, and our knowledge base of information..
      • InfORmed Blog
      • FAQs Knowledge Base
      • Fraud Watch
    • Financial Tools Browse calculators, applications, disclosures, and apply for hardship assistance.
      • Resources & Disclosures
      • Calculators
      • Hardship Assistance

    Featured Resource

    It’s a Money Thing

    Get money savvy fast with fun videos and lesson plans on earning, saving, and more!

    Learn more
  • About
    About
    • About Us
      • Who Can Join
      • Community Involvement
      • Scholarships
      • Latest Annual Report
      • Careers
    • Locations
      • Beaverton
      • Gresham
      • Milwaukie
      • NE Portland
      • Oregon City
      • Prineville
      • St. Johns

    CO-OP logo

    30,000+ fee-free ATMs

    Get cash at 30,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide, many of which will take deposits into your Oregonians accounts.

    Find an ATM
  • I want to...
    • Become a Member
    • Talk to Someone
    • Apply for a Loan
    • Open an Account
    • Check Loan Status
    • See Current Rates
Account Access
  • Forgot Password
  • Forgot User Name

Don't have an account?

Enroll
Routing #: 323075709
  • Locations
  • Rates
  • Contact
Call or Text: 503-239-5336
Join
  • I want to...
    • Become a Member
    • Talk to Someone
    • Apply for a Loan
    • Open an Account
    • Check Loan Status
    • See Current Rates
  • Locations
  • Rates
  • Contact
Account Access
  • Forgot Password
  • Forgot User Name

Don't have an account?

Enroll
It's a Money Thing
    • Earning Income
    • Spending
    • Borrowing
    • Investing
    • It's A Money Thing Junior
    • Saving
    • Credit
    • Credit Union Advantage
    • Managing Risk
  • Borrowing

Student Loans 101

5 Ways to Lower the Cost of Tuition Before Considering a Student Loan

If you’re considering financing your college education with the help of a student loan, the smartest thing you can do for yourself is to only borrow what you truly need. (This advice applies to pretty much all loan products, by the way.) Pursuing post-secondary education should be an exciting time in your life. You’re making decisions and opening up possibilities that will shape your future—a future that is adventurous and fulfilling and that decidedly does not include years and years of crippling debt.

For many young adults, student loans serve as the first real experience with borrowing a large amount of money. It’s a steep learning curve for someone just starting out, and not understanding financial concepts like interest rates, loan terms and repayment schedules can quickly snowball into a very stressful and costly post-graduation experience.

Although there are things you can do during your time as a student to soften the sting of student loan repayment (working part-time while in school and sharpening those budgeting skills are two solid strategies), why not get the process started even sooner? The following tips will take a bite out of your total education costs and reduce your dependence on outside financing—and they can all be put into action long before Orientation Day rolls around.

1) Do the Two-Step

(No, we’re not referring to the dance.) The college two-step means splitting your studies between two schools. You start by attending a more affordable institution for your general education courses, and then transfer to your school of choice to complete your degree (one example of this in practice is earning an associate’s degree at a community college and then transferring into a bachelor’s degree program at a university). This way, you save some money on introductory-level courses and reserve the big bucks for the specialized instruction that comes in the latter half of your academic career.

2) Go for Extra Credit

Find out if there are any opportunities to earn college credits while still in high school. Beyond reducing college tuition costs, advanced college credit programs are an excellent way to explore your interests more seriously and to get a sneak preview of what your college workload will look like. If you’re already out of high school, find out if any colleges or universities in your area offer summer courses at reduced tuition—that could be an alternative way to score some credits before September.

3) Seek Out Scholarships

Apply for every form of scholarship, grant and tuition waiver that you’re eligible for. It’s never too early to start your scholarship search—reach out to your high school guidance counselor or the financial aid coordinator at the college you wish to attend. Visit scholarship search engines and online resources. Reach out to your current employer and your family members—you never know, there may be some form of tuition subsidy or grant opportunity available to you through an employer or alumni network. Be exhaustive in your search and approach each application with the same level of enthusiasm and optimism—even the smallest awards and prizes will add up. It’s free money, and it’s there for the taking.

4) Location Scout

Geography can play a significant role in determining your total education costs. A single school may have different tuition rates for in-state, out-of-state and international students. Generally speaking, staying in-state is usually the most affordable option—in addition to saving on tuition, you can also sidestep some of the larger expenses associated with studying abroad (like travel costs, meal plans and living in residence). Of course, there are plenty of non-financial incentives for studying abroad, but it’s important to understand just how much the location of your school will affect your bottom line.

5) Double Down

Some schools offer accelerated programs that enable you to complete a four-year degree in just three years. This is a great option to consider—that’s one less year of tuition to pay!—but bear in mind that you’ll be squeezing more classes into a shorter period of time. The intensive schedule might make it difficult to accommodate a job while you’re in school, for example, so weigh your options carefully before committing to a more ambitious schedule.

The tips outlined above represent thousands of dollars of potential savings. Whether you’re a first-time student or a returning student, it’s in your absolute best interest to whittle down your education costs as much as possible before considering a student loan or alternative financing option. Your future self will thank you.


Student Loans Infographic

Was this information useful? Visit our  It's A Money Thing home page for more quick videos and helpful articles to help you make sense of your money, one topic at a time! Check back, new topics will be introduced regularly.

Topics Covered

  • Borrowing

Related Lessons

Credit 4 min
Comparing Payment Cards
Borrowing 4 min
Leasing vs Buying a New Car
Borrowing 4 min
Loan Basics

Oregonians Credit Union

6915 SE Lake Road, Milwaukie, OR 97267 

Call or Text

503-239-5336

Out of Area

800-982-2974

Routing #

323075709

Download our App

  • App Store Download
  • Google Play Store Download
  • Save & Spend
    • Open a New Account
    • Savings
    • Checking
    • Credit
    • Digital Banking
  • Borrow
    • Apply for a Loan
    • Vehicle Loans
    • Home Loans
    • Recreational Loans
    • Personal Loans
    • Business Loans
  • Plan
    • Insurance
    • Protections
    • Financial Planning
  • Learn
    • Informed Blog
    • Fraud Watch
    • It's a Money Thing
    • Calculators
    • Hardship Assistance
  • Business
    • Business Accounts
    • Business Loans
    • Business Resources
  • About
    • Become a Member
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Locations
    • Careers
    • Privacy & Disclosures
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Site Map
    • Digital Banking Login

  • NCUA
  • Equal Housing Opportunity
©2025 Oregonians Credit Union All rights reserved.

You are leaving OregoniansCU.com

By accessing this link, you will be leaving Oregonian Credit Union's website and entering a website hosted by another party. Please be advised that you will no longer be subject to, or under the protection of, the privacy and security policies of Oregonian Credit Union's website. We encourage you to read and evaluate the privacy and security policies of the site you are entering, which may be different than those of Oregonian Credit Union.

 

Subscribe

It's a Money Thing