Even though college is expensive, it provides a lot of opportunities for academic and personal growth. Many students can agree it’s the services colleges offer that provide various opportunities for them, attracts them to the school and helps them consider whether or not they wish to attend. In addition, it’s always nice to get more bang for your buck when you can take advantage of the freebies your college offers.
Most colleges and universities have tons of services; so many that it’s hard to promote all of them to students. We all know about the obvious offices on campus like advising, financial aid and the scholarship office.
But other services that are just as important are often overshadowed and made invisible to students. It’s a shame because these services are usually free to use because they are covered in tuition. Learn more about the services your college may offer for free below.
1. Nutritional Coaching and Advising
While most campuses do have a fitness center, some students may not know that their college or university has taken fitness aid to the next level. A lot of schools like the University of Florida and Eastern Michigan University offer fitness and wellness coaching along with the free use their gym equipment.
In addition to personal training options, there may be a whole nutritional planning service with coaching. Sometimes it’s hard for students to eat properly due to a low budget, not enough time or whatever reason. Through nutritional services students can establish a daily meal plan, grocery shopping list tips, a health assessment, guides to eating out and more.
2. Money Management
Going away to college for the first time can be stressful, especially on your finances. Even if you commute, the pressure of balancing your income, everyday expenses and college courses will most likely weigh in. According to Market Watch, only 5 states require students to take a personal finance class in high school.
This lack of financial literacy leaves a lot of college students in the dark about how to manage their money successfully.
Some colleges like the University of Iowa and Boston College come to the rescue with various types of personal finance services and weeks in the calendar dedicated to financial literacy information. Through these services students, can receive tools and one-on-one advising on topics like saving, credit cards, budgeting, preventing identity theft and being financially conscious when spending.
3. Career Services
Check to see if your school has any career services on campus. If so, make a priority to utilize them. The whole point of going to college is to obtain a better career right? A vast majority of schools offer an array of career-based services to students at no cost. Some of the most effective services include resume revision, mock interviews, and job searching. Be sure to attend free job and internship fairs sponsored by your school and any career speaker events on campus.
4. Peer Mentoring and Tutoring
Peer mentoring and tutoring are great services available to students but very few of them know about it. When you begin attending a college as a freshman or transfer student, you can pair up with a peer mentor who can help guide you through your first semesters. These peer mentors are often in good academic standing, active on campus and familiar with various campus resources. A peer mentor can be someone students can relate to and learn from while they adjust to campus life and the academic demands of college.
Tutoring can really help improve your grades in difficult classes and the best thing about it is that it’s usually free! Trained peer tutors are great because not only do they know the material you are struggling with, but they also might be aware of your teacher’s conduct and certain techniques you can use to study.
5. Legal Assistance
Some colleges like Northern Illinois University and Texas A & M University have a legal service team conveniently on campus. Campus legal services provide tons of legal information and advice to students who otherwise might not be able to receive such insight. Assistance can include advice, consultation, legal advocacy and in some cases, court representation.
As a student, it’s nice to know you have this service right at your fingertips because it could come in quite handy. For example, let’s say you and your roommate need a legal advisor to review your lease or you need assistance dissecting a traffic violation. On campus legal services can definitely help.
Use These Services to Save BIG!
Hiring a tutor can be costly but absolutely necessary if you are having trouble in one of your classes and want to do well. Working with a nutritionist can easily run you over $100 per hour and hiring a lawyer can be super expensive. It’s great that many colleges and universities all over the country offer these services for free or at extremely discounted rated so you should take advantage of it since you won’t be a student forever.
Check to see if your college or university offers any of these helpful services. Ask friends and classmates about various campus services. Or, feel free to poke around your college’s website for the information. Sometimes campus service departments post flyers for events they are hosting.
Remember the worst thing you can do is let free useful services go to waste. So don’t be afraid to get involved and learn about new resources and services that can help you.
Does your college or university offer any of these services for free?
Chonce is a freelance writer who’s obsessed with frugality and passionate about helping others increase their savings rate, eliminate debt, and work toward financial stability. She chronicles her journey to becoming debt-free on her blog, mydebtepiphany.com.
