How to pay for college and minimize student debt

3 App State alums explain how they graduated debt free

View larger image — App State alumna Maegan Adolph ’22, who holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, is pictured on the App State Boone campus in fall 2022. Adolph used multiple scholarships and grants to pay for her education. Photo by Chase Reynolds

“The more scholarships that you apply to, the more likely you are to get scholarships — and the more scholarships you get, the more realistic getting a four-year degree is.”

App State alumna Maegan Adolph '22

By Brian Miller

Posted Dec. 19, 2022 at 12:36 p.m.

Last updated Feb. 10, 2025 at 3:06 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — Being a Mountaineer doesn’t have to come with a mountain of debt. As App State alums can attest, you might be surprised by just how many ways there are to pay for college.

“The more scholarships that you apply to, the more likely you are to get scholarships — and the more scholarships you get, the more realistic getting a four-year degree is.”

App State alumna Maegan Adolph '22

According to the App State Office of Student Financial Aid and University Scholarships, nearly 70% of App State students receive financial aid to help pay for their time in school, including university scholarships, outside scholarships, grants, loans, work-study programs and tuition assistance.

App State’s financial aid team encourages all App State students to apply for financial aid and scholarships, regardless of their financial situation. Some scholarships are awarded based on financial need, some are awarded based on academic merit and some consider a combination of need and merit.

Wes Armstrong, director of financial aid operations and technology at the University of North Carolina System and former senior director of App State’s Student Financial Aid and University Scholarships Office, said, overall, App State students have an incredibly strong academic background.

“This makes App State students very competitive with scholarship committees,” said Armstrong, adding, “Applying for scholarships at App State and with outside groups is worth every student’s time.”

Last year, 7,807 App State students — nearly half of them first-generation college attendees — received nonathletic scholarships and grants at App State, according to Rick Sears, interim executive director of institutional research, assessment and planning at App State. In addition to the $22.6 million in awarded App State institutional scholarships in 2023–24, students also received $5.25 million in support from outside organizations.

“Applying for scholarships at App State and with outside groups is worth every student’s time.”

Wes Armstrong, director of financial aid operations and technology, University of North Carolina System

‘A sigh of relief’

Minimizing student debt starts with a college education that provides great value at an affordable cost.

“Applying for scholarships at App State and with outside groups is worth every student’s time.”

Wes Armstrong, director of financial aid operations and technology, University of North Carolina System

According to the Student Financial Aid and University Scholarships Office, the university’s undergraduate 2024–25 cost of attendance is $24,793 for in-state residents and $43,076 for out-of-state residents. This is well below the 2024–25 national averages of $29,910 for in-state students and $49,080 for out-of-state students at public institutions, and $62,990 at private institutions, according to College Board. This includes tuition and fees, housing, meal plans, transportation, textbooks and supplies.

While yearly expenses can quickly add up for students, so can any number of grants, scholarships and assistance programs — from the local civic club essay contest to the full-ride academic scholarship, and everything in between. Thanks to financial aid, many students don’t end up paying the full “sticker price” posted on college and university websites.

Just ask App State alumna Maegan Adolph '22, from Jefferson, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and secured multiple scholarships and grants to pay for her App State education, including the Impact Scholarship, Golden LEAF Scholarship, Ashe Community Endowed Scholarship, Wright Diversity Scholarship, Jeremy Elliott Scholarship Fund, Goodwin Meissner Family Fund, Summer Appalachian College Opportunity Grant, a federal Pell Grant and a University of North Carolina System need-based grant.

“College doesn’t have to be financially intimidating,” said Adolph. “I think a lot of people are scared of going to college not because they are worried it’s going to be hard, but because they are worried about their student debt.”

Adolph is a former Upward Bound student and a graduate of Ashe County High School. The Upward Bound program at App State is for low-income and first-generation students attending Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Freedom, McDowell, Watauga and West Wilkes High schools, and provides academic support for students to complete high school, enroll in college and obtain a degree.

“The program helped me so much with applying for scholarships and finding a college that was the right fit for me,” she said.

Initially, Adolph didn’t think a four-year degree was possible because of her financial situation.

“My parents were trying to encourage me to go to a community college — they believed a four-year degree wasn’t something we could afford,” she said. “They were trying to encourage me to take a cheaper option so I could live at home and save up money, but then I started finding all of these scholarships through my high school.”

Adolph went as far as to apply for a scholarship associated with brick masonry and received the scholarship because she was the only one who applied.

“They tell you to fill out every single application you can get your hands on. I can genuinely say that is what I did,” she said.

Adolph then started writing essays for scholarships when applying to App State and soon found out she was receiving the university’s signature Impact Scholars Program Scholarship, a merit-based scholarship that covers full in-state tuition and fees for up to four years and includes leadership workshops, service-learning, international experiences and mentorship opportunities.

“I didn’t apply for a full ride, specifically. It was just one of those things where they read my essay and thought I would be a good fit for an interview,” said Adolph. “Once I got the letter saying I had a full-ride scholarship, I literally cried with my parents because this was actually happening for us. I’m from small Ashe County, and I don’t have to worry about paying for college anymore.”

Even with her college costs fully covered, Adolph still strongly encourages all prospective college students to start their financial aid journey by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which provides students with access to grants, loans and work-study funds from the federal government.

“It was one of the first things I did,” she said. “It’s so important, and sometimes I would get offers for need-based grants just because they could tell I had financial need.”

The extra financial assistance also alleviates other types of stress life can throw at you, Adolph said, allowing students to focus on their studies and experiential opportunities such as club involvement, internships or travel.

“I didn’t have to work in college,” she said. “It was never an obligation because I had money that the school was giving me to go toward my housing, meal plans on campus — that sort of thing. For most people, that is a sigh of relief. I know a lot of people working so hard throughout college trying to make ends meet, and for me, I didn’t have to worry about where my meals were coming from because I had this money set aside.”

Adolph did gain work experience during college, however, thanks to a paid internship made possible by her Golden LEAF Scholarship.

“The more scholarships that you apply to, the more likely you are to get scholarships — and the more scholarships you get, the more realistic getting a four-year degree is,” she said.

“Where you come from does not determine where you’re going. I grew up in a small, rural town with very humble beginnings. Because I hustled and worked hard, and thanks to the generosity of scholarship donors, I was able to graduate debt-free.”

App State alumna Alyssa Bouchard ’14, senior vice president of development, Gamma Iota Sigma

‘The small ones really add up’

App State alumna Alyssa Bouchard ’14, originally from Granite Falls, said that, for her, a successful future began with a successful college education supported by scholarships.

“Where you come from does not determine where you’re going. I grew up in a small, rural town with very humble beginnings. Because I hustled and worked hard, and thanks to the generosity of scholarship donors, I was able to graduate debt-free.”

App State alumna Alyssa Bouchard ’14, senior vice president of development, Gamma Iota Sigma

Bouchard currently lives in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and is senior vice president of development for the Gamma Iota Sigma fraternity’s national organization. She was president of the Rho Chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma as a senior at App State and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on risk management and insurance.

Bouchard graduated debt-free from App State with a combination of financial aid and scholarships, including the Spencer Educational Foundation Scholarship, the Golden LEAF Scholarship and many smaller scholarships from the university and outside organizations.

“I actually received so many scholarships my senior year that I had to turn some down,” she said.

As the daughter of a pastor and a teacher in a family with four children — three of whom were in college at the same time — Bouchard said her family’s finances were tight.

“I had no idea how I was going to pay for school,” she said. “I did not have a college fund, so I was completely dependent on financial aid and scholarships.”

Bouchard described graduating debt-free as a “big miracle,” but she put plenty of effort into making that happen, including working throughout college for the App State Brantley Risk and Insurance Center and in University Housing, as well as completing six different paid internships during summer and winter breaks.

Like Adolph, she also “applied for everything” and wrote countless essays for scholarships.

“It takes time and energy — writing an essay, putting together an application and tracking and managing all of it,” Bouchard said. “I had an Excel spreadsheet with deadlines and dates and links and all of that. Obviously, in my case it paid off, quite literally.”

Bouchard learned so much about finding and securing financial support that she then shared this knowledge with her App State student peers. As a senior, she would hold workshops through Gamma Iota Sigma to share tips and tricks on how to write essays, where to look for scholarships, how to gain real-world experience and how to maximize those benefits.

“App State and outside organizations are really generous toward students,” she said. “There are so many scholarships out there, and the small ones really add up. While a lot of students apply for those big scholarships and full rides, the smaller scholarships are often overlooked. So the odds are really good that you will get something.”

Bouchard noted that her smaller scholarships led to valuable personal connections, and she still maintains contact with a lot of those people and organizations today.

Most importantly, Bouchard said scholarships allowed her to make the most of her time in college and to start off on the right foot within her career.

“Where you come from does not determine where you’re going,” she said. “I grew up in a small, rural town with very humble beginnings. Because I hustled and worked hard, and thanks to the generosity of scholarship donors, I was able to graduate debt-free."

“Time is money. It’s not renewable. You’re buying yourself time to master the core subjects that you need to have, so you can add value to wherever you want to work in the future.”

App State alumnus and graduate student Omar Gonzalez ’23

‘Time is money’

App State alumnus and first-generation college student Omar Gonzalez ’23, from Hendersonville, has also financed his education through multiple scholarships and grants.

“Time is money. It’s not renewable. You’re buying yourself time to master the core subjects that you need to have, so you can add value to wherever you want to work in the future.”

App State alumnus and graduate student Omar Gonzalez ’23

Gonzalez graduated with a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science and is now a graduate student in App State's applied data analytics program, having begun his graduate studies as part of the Accelerated Master’s program. His scholarships and grants include the Spencer-Latin American Association of Insurance Agencies Scholarship, Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter Society Loman Scholarship, Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter Society NextGen Scholarship, International Student Financial Aid, Susanne Wolfe and International Association of Insurance Professionals Scholarship and Brantley Risk and Insurance Center Operating Fund.

Gonzalez, a U.S. Army veteran, also receives funding from the Post-9/11 GI Bill. He served in the Army for six years on active duty and four years on reserve duty as an intelligence analyst and a calvary scout.

“The GI Bill hooks us up,” he said. “They pay for tuition. We also get a monthly stipend for housing. All we really have to worry about are food and other utilities and things like that. With the scholarships I get, I essentially save that to alleviate those little burdens.”

Gonzalez said he especially encourages those with military backgrounds to consider furthering their education.

“A lot of people are afraid to get out of the military and go to college because it’s a weird transition,” he said. “A lot of people have to go from being in charge to being a student. Even if they have the GI Bill it’s hard to make that transition, but college opens up all kinds of new opportunities.”

Gonzalez makes it a point to budget and spend his funds wisely, and he recognizes that time is valuable, too.

“Time is money. It’s not renewable,” he said. “Instead of working 40 hours a week, you can maybe work 10 hours a week. You’re buying yourself time to master the core subjects that you need to have, so you can add value to wherever you want to work in the future.”

Gonzalez said that having extra funds has given him the time and freedom to move around, as demonstrated by his summer 2022 internship with United Services Automobile Association Insurance Co. in San Antonio.

“I was able to afford to drive down there, stay at an Airbnb and bring my wife with me for a week or two,” he said. “So with my scholarships, I have the ability to uproot for two months to San Antonio and get a ton of valuable experience.”

Gonzalez underscored the importance of applying for as many scholarships as possible and to pursue a college education, even if you can’t get the assistance you are hoping for.

“Even if you have to take a loss for a semester and need loans and stuff — fine, so be it,” he said. “The biggest thing is just to show up. App State is a very helpful environment. Nobody is going to stand there and let you fail. There is money somewhere and you can figure it out. There might be a couple of rough moments, but it’s temporary. You’ll be much better off in your future with a college education, no matter what the circumstance.”

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5 ways to fund your App State education

Financial aid is money to help pay for college. Anyone can access financial aid, regardless of income, GPA or residency. Students can qualify for financial aid based on need or merit. Need is what a family can contribute to college costs. Merit refers to achievement in academics, sports or other areas.

Taking the time to fill out applications, write a few essays and find the right job opportunities can go a long way in paying for college. Here are five ways you can help fund your App State education.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

The most important step to securing financial assistance is by filling out the FAFSA. The application provides students with access to grants, loans and work-study funds from the federal government. Loans must be repaid, while grants do not need to be repaid — as long as students maintain enrollment and meet all other requirements.

According to the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), students with a greater need for financial assistance may receive federal Pell Grants for up to 12 semesters. The amount of money students receive depends on financial need and cost of attendance, with the current maximum amount at $7,395 per academic year.

The FSA also states that applicants with the most financial need may qualify for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant — with App State students receiving a maximum of up to $500 per academic year. No additional application is required. Those with the highest need will automatically receive the award when they receive their financial aid package, so long as they are eligible and funds remain available.

The FAFSA typically begins accepting applications from current and prospective college students in early October. The deadline to apply is the end of June of the following year. Students should submit the FAFSA as early as possible, as some funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students do not have to be admitted to a school prior to filling out the FAFSA. Students need to complete and submit a new FAFSA each year to apply for financial aid, making sure that any information carried over from a previous application is still accurate for the current year.

Learn more
App State scholarships

App State offers university and departmental scholarships to first-year, transfer and continuing students. These merit- and need-based scholarships provide varying awards ranging from partial to full institutional costs.

App State also offers more competitive “signature scholarships” consisting of merit- and need-based opportunities for students with ambitious academic goals, students from underrepresented populations and more.

All institutional scholarships are tied to admission, so students must meet the early action admission application deadline in the fall before submitting applications.

Continuing students must apply for App State scholarships through the Appalachian Scholarship Application Portal (ASAP). With ASAP, students are automatically matched to scholarships for which they are eligible.

Learn more
Outside scholarships

Each year, students bring about $5.25 million in scholarships from outside organizations with them to App State. Students are encouraged to reach out to local community organizations, as thousands of scholarships are available each academic year.

Sources to connect with include student employers, employers of a dependent student’s parents, civic organizations and clubs, community foundations, religious groups, local businesses, chambers of commerce and local government agencies.

Students can seek guidance in learning about access to outside scholarships through high school counselors and App State’s Student Financial Aid Office.

Learn more
Work-study

Federal work-study jobs are administered on campus through the Office of Student Employment and are awarded to eligible students based on the FAFSA. Students are paid twice monthly according to hours worked, with earnings paid directly to the student, rather than being credited to the student’s account to pay for institutional charges.

For students who do not qualify for federal work-study, other on-campus student jobs are available through the Office of Student Employment.

Learn more
Tuition assistance

For those looking to work their way through college outside of a work-study, many major companies now offer tuition assistance programs. Some examples include Amazon, AT&T, Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, Publix and Walmart. Depending on the company, students can receive partial to full tuition reimbursement.

Have financial aid questions? App State has answers

App State offers Financial Aid TV as a free service to help current and prospective students and their families find short video answers to their financial aid questions. The site’s video content covers a variety of topics, including how to apply for financial aid and tips for writing scholarships essays. Interactive transcripts are available with the videos, as well as useful links to relevant financial aid websites.

Learn more

6 extra tips to cut college costs

Planning ahead and managing a budget will help college students keep costs down.

Get a head start on college courses

The less time you spend in college, the less money you’ll need for tuition and fees. High school students can get a jump on college credits by taking Advanced Placement courses, as well as participating in dual enrollment programs.

Attending a local community college out of high school is another option for those looking to save money — and it comes with the likely possibility of transferring into a four-year university.

The Aspire Appalachian Pathway Program offers a seamless pathway for students enrolled at partner community colleges to complete their degrees at App State. Students participating in the program will receive dedicated advising assistance from both their community college and the university.
Stay in state

Staying in your home state can save you tens of thousands of dollars on college tuition. The current national average total cost of attendance at public universities is $28,840 for in-state residents and $46,730 for out-of-state residents. This includes tuition and fees, meal plan, room and board, transportation and textbooks and supplies.
Consider online degree programs

Obtaining your college degree online can reduce your total cost of attendance by offering savings on student fees and eliminating the need for housing, transportation and a meal plan.

App State offers online degree and certificate programs for undergraduate and graduate students.
Start saving early

Make the most of your high school or college job by setting a portion of the money you earn aside. Many banks offer plans specifically designed to encourage saving for future educational costs — including for tuition, books and supplies, computers and more. These types of savings plans maximize the amount of interest you can earn.
Get thrifty

Manage the daily costs of living — such as gas, groceries and internet — by being thrifty and having a budget in place.

Some ways to save money include buying or renting used textbooks, taking public transportation to and from campus, finding the right meal plan and refraining from using credit cards when possible to avoid any extra debt. Living with roommates or commuting from home (for those eligible) can cut down on housing costs.
Graduate on time

It can be difficult to decide what to major in, but extra semesters mean extra money. Having a game plan before starting college can help you avoid taking unnecessary classes and graduate on time. It’s even possible to graduate early by taking an extra class or two each semester.

Scholarships at Appalachian

Appalachian State University offers students the opportunity to receive a world-class education at an affordable rate, with an average of $25 million awarded to incoming, current and transfer students each year based on need, as well as academic and athletic achievement. On average, about $4.9 million in outside aid is awarded to App State students annually. App State’s Office of Student Financial Aid and University Scholarships assists students in learning about and applying for these university scholarship opportunities and also shares information about non-App State scholarships.

Learn more

Office of Student Financial Aid

The Office of Student Financial Aid exists to help students understand and maximize their financial aid options.

Learn more

App State answers 5 common questions about financial aid

Feb. 10, 2022

App State’s Office of Student Financial Aid and University Scholarships provides answers for five common questions about financial aid.

Read the story

About Scholarships at App State

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

“The more scholarships that you apply to, the more likely you are to get scholarships — and the more scholarships you get, the more realistic getting a four-year degree is.”

App State alumna Maegan Adolph '22

“Where you come from does not determine where you’re going. I grew up in a small, rural town with very humble beginnings. Because I hustled and worked hard, and thanks to the generosity of scholarship donors, I was able to graduate debt-free.”

App State alumna Alyssa Bouchard ’14, senior vice president of development, Gamma Iota Sigma

5 ways to fund your App State education

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

The most important step to securing financial assistance is by filling out the FAFSA. The application provides students with access to grants, loans and work-study funds from the federal government. Loans must be repaid, while grants do not need to be repaid — as long as students maintain enrollment and meet all other requirements.

According to the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), students with a greater need for financial assistance may receive federal Pell Grants for up to 12 semesters. The amount of money students receive depends on financial need and cost of attendance, with the current maximum amount at $7,395 per academic year.

The FSA also states that applicants with the most financial need may qualify for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant — with App State students receiving a maximum of up to $500 per academic year. No additional application is required. Those with the highest need will automatically receive the award when they receive their financial aid package, so long as they are eligible and funds remain available.

The FAFSA typically begins accepting applications from current and prospective college students in early October. The deadline to apply is the end of June of the following year. Students should submit the FAFSA as early as possible, as some funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students do not have to be admitted to a school prior to filling out the FAFSA. Students need to complete and submit a new FAFSA each year to apply for financial aid, making sure that any information carried over from a previous application is still accurate for the current year.

Learn more
App State scholarships

App State offers university and departmental scholarships to first-year, transfer and continuing students. These merit- and need-based scholarships provide varying awards ranging from partial to full institutional costs.

App State also offers more competitive “signature scholarships” consisting of merit- and need-based opportunities for students with ambitious academic goals, students from underrepresented populations and more.

All institutional scholarships are tied to admission, so students must meet the early action admission application deadline in the fall before submitting applications.

Continuing students must apply for App State scholarships through the Appalachian Scholarship Application Portal (ASAP). With ASAP, students are automatically matched to scholarships for which they are eligible.

Learn more
Outside scholarships

Each year, students bring about $5.25 million in scholarships from outside organizations with them to App State. Students are encouraged to reach out to local community organizations, as thousands of scholarships are available each academic year.

Sources to connect with include student employers, employers of a dependent student’s parents, civic organizations and clubs, community foundations, religious groups, local businesses, chambers of commerce and local government agencies.

Students can seek guidance in learning about access to outside scholarships through high school counselors and App State’s Student Financial Aid Office.

Learn more
Work-study

Federal work-study jobs are administered on campus through the Office of Student Employment and are awarded to eligible students based on the FAFSA. Students are paid twice monthly according to hours worked, with earnings paid directly to the student, rather than being credited to the student’s account to pay for institutional charges.

For students who do not qualify for federal work-study, other on-campus student jobs are available through the Office of Student Employment.

Learn more
Tuition assistance

For those looking to work their way through college outside of a work-study, many major companies now offer tuition assistance programs. Some examples include Amazon, AT&T, Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, Publix and Walmart. Depending on the company, students can receive partial to full tuition reimbursement.

Have financial aid questions? App State has answers

Learn more

“Time is money. It’s not renewable. You’re buying yourself time to master the core subjects that you need to have, so you can add value to wherever you want to work in the future.”

App State alumnus and graduate student Omar Gonzalez ’23

“Applying for scholarships at App State and with outside groups is worth every student’s time.”

Wes Armstrong, director of financial aid operations and technology, University of North Carolina System

6 extra tips to cut college costs

Planning ahead and managing a budget will help college students keep costs down.

Get a head start on college courses

The less time you spend in college, the less money you’ll need for tuition and fees. High school students can get a jump on college credits by taking Advanced Placement courses, as well as participating in dual enrollment programs.

Attending a local community college out of high school is another option for those looking to save money — and it comes with the likely possibility of transferring into a four-year university.

The Aspire Appalachian Pathway Program offers a seamless pathway for students enrolled at partner community colleges to complete their degrees at App State. Students participating in the program will receive dedicated advising assistance from both their community college and the university.
Stay in state

Staying in your home state can save you tens of thousands of dollars on college tuition. The current national average total cost of attendance at public universities is $28,840 for in-state residents and $46,730 for out-of-state residents. This includes tuition and fees, meal plan, room and board, transportation and textbooks and supplies.
Consider online degree programs

Obtaining your college degree online can reduce your total cost of attendance by offering savings on student fees and eliminating the need for housing, transportation and a meal plan.

App State offers online degree and certificate programs for undergraduate and graduate students.
Start saving early

Make the most of your high school or college job by setting a portion of the money you earn aside. Many banks offer plans specifically designed to encourage saving for future educational costs — including for tuition, books and supplies, computers and more. These types of savings plans maximize the amount of interest you can earn.
Get thrifty

Manage the daily costs of living — such as gas, groceries and internet — by being thrifty and having a budget in place.

Some ways to save money include buying or renting used textbooks, taking public transportation to and from campus, finding the right meal plan and refraining from using credit cards when possible to avoid any extra debt. Living with roommates or commuting from home (for those eligible) can cut down on housing costs.
Graduate on time

It can be difficult to decide what to major in, but extra semesters mean extra money. Having a game plan before starting college can help you avoid taking unnecessary classes and graduate on time. It’s even possible to graduate early by taking an extra class or two each semester.