Just imagine: you’ve just graduated from college. You’re young, talented, ambitious, and… rich! Hard to believe, right? And yet it can happen in real life! Surely, making a fortune by the end of college is hard – but it’s still possible. You just need to start early, set your goals, and choose the right strategies for achieving them.
However, there’s one question you need to answer early on, and that is…
How Much Money Is a Fortune?
First, let’s get it straight with the terms because everyone has their own ideas about what a fortune is. The question is not an idle one – just search “how much money is a fortune” and see all those discussions on Quora and Reddit!
To save you some time, here’s the short answer: there’s no official definition. In fact, one can consider any large sum of money they can feel safe and comfortable with to be a fortune. For some, it is $100,000, for others it is millions.
For example, Shauntae M. Jordan in her best-selling book “Learn How I Made a Fortune While In College” shares her experience making $60,000. Is it a fortune? For someone fresh out of college – yes, it is! Or at least it was in 2011 when the book was published.
And while there are examples of people making much more during their student years, it’s better to not rely on that much. Surely, you might hit the gold mine and make millions – but you as well might not. And yet there are fool-proof ways for anyone to make a comfortable sum before graduation.
Let’s see what they are.
Choose a College You Can Afford
If your higher education is not fully sponsored by your relatives, this step is crucial to your future financial wellbeing. Surely, it may be tempting to study in one of the world’s top colleges, but be realistic about your budget when making a choice.
Sometimes, it’s wiser to choose a decent college with lower tuition fees. That may hurt your pride, but we’re talking about money, right? However, if you’re really smart and want to get into the best college possible, here’s another option.
Look for Grants and Scholarships
Consider applying for various grants and scholarships of which there is an abundance. You can expect to get financial aid from:
- Governments (federal or state);
- Colleges;
- Private organizations.
While finding financial aid opportunities may seem a daunting task, it’s not that difficult once you do research. So be sure to use this brilliant opportunity to save money on your education as over 85% of college students do.
Control Your Personal Spendings
Oftentimes, the way you spend whatever money you have can make all the difference. To avoid letting your precious cash go down the drain, learn to spend responsibly. Install a mobile app to track your finances or simply create an Excel spreadsheet and write all your income and expenses down.
However, some spendings are necessary – for instance, an online paper writer won’t leave you broke but will save your time and mental health when you need it. The same goes for occasional small pleasures like a dinner out or a late-night movie: everyone needs a break!
Avoid Getting In Debt
We’ve already touched on that subject, but it’s worth mentioning once again: debt is your fortune’s worst enemy. And student loan debt (which, by the way, reached a staggering $1,56 trillion in 2020 in the US) is not the only problem.
Many people are just used to living in debt. It’s the lifestyle they lead almost unconsciously – whenever they need something they can’t afford at the moment, they buy it with credit money. But this is definitely a no-go for students. You do want to grow your fortune, not your debt, right?
Get a Job
So, you’ve done all you could to minimize tuition fees and irrational spendings. But to start building your fortune, you need to have an income! And the easiest way to get it is to find a job.
There are dozens of options for students, and it doesn’t matter much what you choose as long as it pays well and allows you to study at the same time. However, it’s better for your future career that you start working in a field that you’re majoring in right away.
Start a Business
If you feel there’s an entrepreneurial streak in you, you can try starting your own business. In fact, college years are the best time to launch your first startup, as the risks are low and the outcome may be tremendous. We all know the examples – the business moguls who started their businesses during their student years. Look where it got them!
You can even make a fortune working remotely – like Samuel Leach, the founder of Samuel & Co Trading, who literally started his career in his bedroom, spending his free hours learning the art of trade. And if you don’t want to continue as an entrepreneur, you can sell out within 3-5 years and get your fortune ready.
Learn Investment Strategies
Finally, it’s vital to make whatever money you have work for you – otherwise, you’ll be working for it your entire life. In order not to end up like that, learn all about investment strategies and choose the ones most suitable for you.
But be careful to approach the task seriously. Those Instagram courses you saw in an ad are probably not the best choice if you don’t want to lose all your savings. Dig deeper: take a course in your college essay editing, read professional literature, find a competent advisor.
Wrapping Up
Most college students graduate knee-deep in debt, and one may think it’s natural or inevitable. However, there are real-life examples that prove it’s not only possible to leave college completely debt-free, but even make a fortune by the time you get your degree.
Surely, it requires will, discipline, and a lot of planning. But the outcome will be a better, more prosperous life and more freedom of choice once you step out of your alma mater. Whether it’s worth all the effort or not is only for you to decide!
Editorial Staff of the TechnoRoll, are a bunch of Tech Writers, who are writing on the trending topics related to technology news and gadgets reviews.