How To Pay For College

More than half of college students are paying for school on their own. As the cost of a four-year education soars, we talk to experts to find the best ways to manage college expenses at every step — from application to enrollment to graduation and beyond.

Paying off student loans can be a financial nightmare. But if you know how to navigate the system, you can find a payment plan that's more affordable. Plus, if you qualify for loan forgiveness, you might get tens of thousands of dollars of debt wiped out.

Money issues don't end when you accept your financial aid. Paying your way through school can be stressful, but lots of folks have made it work and they have advice for how you, too, can navigate your years in college.

Don't let college anxiety rush you into a financial mistake that could haunt you for years. This Life Kit episode lays out the do's and don'ts of paying for college so that you don't have to mortgage your future before you get there.

In this special episode, Sam Sanders of NPR's "It's Been A Minute" talks with financial journalist Hannah Seligson and Aminatou Sow from the podcast "Call Your Girlfriend" about why millennials are so financially intertwined with their parents.

Don't let the sticker price of college paralyze you. This episode gives you smart saving strategies — including how to prioritize your own retirement savings, choosing a 529 plan and what financial aid offices really look at — so you can start saving for your child's college tuition.

Life seems full of ever-increasing piles of paperwork — bills to pay, appointments to make, forms to sign, carpools to organize. Here's how to conquer the responsibilities on your to-do list so you can get back to your life.

Life Kit is excited to bring you more episodes but we're making some changes to how we organize things. Starting in the new year, this three-part guide will disappear, but all of the episodes will still be available — they are just moving to our main Life Kit feed. Search your podcast app for Life Kit from NPR and subscribe so you never miss an episode.