Going back to school to earn a credential that significantly increases your salary, bumps you up the career ladder and helps you have a fulfilling career are all wonderful reasons to enroll a FastForward program, but there are also many other small perks that get overlooked. From saving money on your phone bill each month to enjoying a half-priced Spotify account, the list of student discounts is expansive and full of hidden gems.
To help you maximize your role as a student at a local community college, this blog guides you through some of the most important perks to cash in on.
Music made more affordable 🎶
Gone are the days of purchasing your favorite songs on iTunes or buying the latest CD, all thanks to the music sharing platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. But, paying almost $10 each month starts to add up. Luckily, if you are enrolled in one of Virginia’s Community Colleges, you can qualify for the Spotify and Apple Music student discount program.
Spotify’s student discount program offers unlimited music and a limited version of Hulu for only $4.99 a month, and Apple Music offers a similar student discount program with the first month free and the remaining monthly cost only $5.99. So, turn up the volume on your study music playlist and embrace the jam sessions at half-price.
Free news âś…
There’s nothing worse than landing on a news story or a recipe and hitting a paywall. The slow cooked carnitas recipe might be your dinner solution, but the thought of paying $5 to access the recipe probably stops you in your tracks. However, as a community college student, you can gain free access to The New York Times and many other news outlets just by being a student! When you sign up for your account, simply click the box that you are a student and use your “.edu” email address.
Amazon Prime pro-rated 🎥
Having Amazon Prime has become a necessity in today’s hyper-ecommerce world. And having an Amazon Prime account doesn’t just include ensuring packages show up the same-day you ordered them. With exclusive shows, movies and streaming, a discounted Amazon Prime account is a bigtime win, and as a student, you should be capitalizing on this multi-faceted perk.
Amazon Prime offers a free six-month trial for students and then a half-price membership for the remainder of the year. Student Amazon Prime also comes with free food delivery through Grub Hub and a free, three-month trial of Calm, an app that provides mindfulness and meditations to help you relax and de-stress after those long weeks of studying.
Affordable phone
Like the other services on this list, the cost of entertainment, food and life keeps rising. Luckily, phone providers are here to help college students cut down the costs of having a wireless plan and offer discounts for continuing education. Verizon Wireless offers $25 on unlimited mobile service, and students can receive $10/month off (for 1 line) or $25/month off (for 2 lines).
AT&T also offers a discount program for college students, which includes $10 off select programs, in addition to discounts on new phones, tablets and watches.
Museums and entertainment 🖼️
Lastly, the list of student perks wouldn’t be complete without some options for entertainment. If you’re a community college student, be sure to bring your student ID to local museums to qualify for lower priced admission into exhibits and galleries. For example, Richmond students can gain free access to featured exhibits at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art (VMFA) and access a student membership card for only $10 (usually $70).
Students living in Williamsburg and Virginia Beach are eligible for free entry into Williamsburg Botanical Garden, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Hermitage Museum and Garden and Chrysler Museum of Art. A full list of Virginia Beach college discounts can be found here.
For students living in the Northern Virginia region, many of the Washington D.C. museums offer student discounts, so be sure to have your IDs ready before arrival.
Students in Southwest Virginia can receive a discount ticket to the Virginia Museum of Transportation, as well as other local attractions by simply showing a student ID.
Looking for more information on how you can save money by investing in your education? Talk to a career coach to explore financial aid options and learn more about other local places to use your student ID for a discount. Get started here.