How to Pay for College
To pay for college, try to get a part-time job while you're in high school so you can start saving money. Then, apply to in-state colleges, which are generally cheaper than out of state schools. Alternatively, apply to out-of-state colleges that offer to cover most or all of your financial needs. You should also apply to several colleges so you can pick the best offer when you make your final choice. Additionally, fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form as early as possible so you can get grants or loans from the government.
Start saving early. Starting a college fund at birth and depositing about $100 a month will accrue $21,600 by the time a child turns 18, plus a substantial amount of compounded interest. Stay clear of low-yield state prepaid plans and other government backed accounts. It's probably a little late for that, huh? See if your parents will match whatever you save in your college fund. Come up with some sort of compromise—in today's day and age, college cannot be paid for without some help. Look into a 529 plan account. The government knows that tuition prices are getting absolutely ridiculous. As a result, they're budging...a little. There's now such a thing as a 529 plan account that parents can open up that allows money to accumulate and be withdrawn federally tax-free, as long as it's used for educational purposes. It can even be started years and years in advance and doesn't necessarily have to be done by a parent. It can even be kicked to another kid. There's tons of flexibility. And students can contribute too! It's all about thinking about the long-term. Take AP courses or dual-credit classes. The quicker you can get out of college, the better. Mapping out your course-path is one way, but getting classes out of the way even sooner is a great idea, too. Your high school probably offers AP classes or has joined up with a local community college to give their students credit. Take advantage of it! It's so much cheaper! If your high school doesn't have an established program, ask about doing it anyway. You can spend the last period of your day at your local community college or university taking a legitimate college course that can start off your college transcripts. The only person you really have to get past is your guidance counselor! Take up valuable extracurriculars. Straight up, learning to play the bagpipes isn't the most lucrative hobby. If you enjoy something that you can make money at, do it. You won't have a ton of time to work as a student, but what free time you do have should be spent doing what you love. What's more, it could result in scholarships! Make music. Playing a musical instrument in a band or orchestra can earn someone many scholarships regardless of major. You might also get paying gigs at birthday parties and such. Play football. In a scene where athletic scholarships in other sports are a mere pittance or nonexistent, football has tons of athletic scholarships and can help lower-achieving students attend colleges they would have otherwise been unable to attend. Get a job. Just because you're in high school doesn't mean you can't squeeze in a few hours of work here and there. And as for summer? Full-time, baby. Banking a few thousand dollars for a couple summers while you still live at home will seriously dent the damage done to your wallet that first year of college. Whether it's detassling corn, working the orchard, or bussing tables, it'll be worth it. Being young has its definite advantages. If you don't have employment, you can proclaim you're working on your "college fund" and relatives and neighbors may find work for you to do. If you're car-less or otherwise unable to work for a legit company, don't be above asking for odd jobs around the neighborhood. Shoveling snow may be the best paying job you ever have! Apply to the right colleges. In general, in-state tuition is much cheaper than out-of-state tuition and public schools are much less expensive than private schools. However, know that some colleges claim to meet full financial need and others may seem expensive but have great financial aid plans. Do your research before you write anything off. 75% of the colleges on the meet-full-financial-need list rank in the top 25 in their rankings categories. These are very, very good schools that want to help you out! When it comes to aid, often where there's a will, there's a way. The cheapest option is to start at a community college and transfer later. Sometimes the credit doesn't always transfer, so be sure to do your research before you plan on this option. If it works, it can save you tens of thousands of dollars. Apply to several colleges. You may think those private schools are out of your budget range, but often private schools compete with their public counterparts by offering more grants and aid. Just because it has a loftier price tag doesn't mean you should avoid it. If they have a good program, apply. In general, in-state colleges are cheaper. But again, it all depends on the amount of aid you receive from each institution. Apply to several so you can leverage them against each other. If you have two (or more) colleges that are interested in you, they may up their offers! Know that several elite universities or colleges will defer tuition costs completely if your family income falls under a certain amount. Stanford University, for example, will pay the tuition of students with family income under $100,000 per year; and students whose families earn under $60,000 get free tuition, room and board paid by the university. Set your sights high. If you get accepted to a great university, tuition may not be a problem. Fill out the FAFSA on time. That's the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and it can be filled out as early as January 1. The deadline is around June 1st, depending on your state and school, but it is widely suggested you fill it out as soon as possible to get all your financial ducks in a row. If you're unfamiliar with the FAFSA (for starters, where have you been?), it's a form you need to fill out to receive any federal aid to go to college in the US. Without it, you won't receive any grants or loans from the government! Travesty. Negotiate your financial aid reward. Whether you've applied to just one school and have been accepted or have been accepted to a few, you have the power to negotiate. Often schools say aid is "non-negotiable"; however, that's just another way to say "they'll adjust it instead." Use your power! If you're set on one school but your financial aid is a little lacking, go in to the financial aid office and make an appointment to discuss the terms. Instead of going in and demanding more money, ask why you were awarded what you were awarded and how you could qualify for more. In addition, relay specific terms that could not be addressed in the FAFSA. Is your family taking care of an aging relative? Do you have a move coming up? Did a parent lose their job? Sometimes these things can be taken into account and applied to your aid. If you've been accepted to several schools, inform them that you're weighing your financial aid options and will make your decision in the coming weeks. Some schools may up the ante to get you to attend their institution. Take advantage of scholarships. Scholarship programs in your state can greatly reduce tuition costs for simply maintaining a high GPA and or doing volunteer work. There are numerous private scholarships that can be stacked, allowing you to piecemeal a financial aid package for yourself. Dunno where to find scholarships? Well for starters, the Internet. In addition to the larger scholarships, your school should be able to provide you with a list you can apply for. The financial aid office should be able to pinpoint you in the right direction—just make sure you're on top of things! Some deadlines come quite early. Talk about Parent PLUS loans. If you maxed out your federal aid and are iffy on the private student loan situation, there is an option for parents to take out loans. So long as you haven't had a credit mishap in just the past 60 days, you should qualify. Private parent loans are a bit harder to come by and the process is a bit more stringent. However, you have dozens and dozens of options when it comes to this realm. Find a financial aid agent. An academic financial aid agent will help you find the best scholarships, and they truly know the financial aid landscape and can find tax deductions which can help you get maximum benefit from need-based grants that may be available to you, even if you are a billionaire. 53% of federal financial aid in the US is actually given to those in the upper quintile ($60,000 gross income and above) because they are more financially literate and can find deductions where others might not. Apply for ROTC. ROTC cadets are eligible for scholarships covering tuition, fees, and textbooks for 4 years, plus a monthly stipend. In return, students take ROTC courses along with their regular classes, promise to serve after graduation (time varies). Over 1,200 schools offer ROTC programs in US. The Army requires 4 years active duty and 4 years in reserves. The Navy requires 4–5 years of active duty. The Air Force requires 4–6 years of active duty and 10 years for cadets trained as pilots. Know where you can skimp. That number each school spits out each year that sums up the estimated cost of tuition and fees is just that -- estimated. You don't have to spend every penny of that number if you choose not to. Know where you can fudge a little. This number usually includes a fairly extensive meal plan. You can have the meal plan for a month or two to see if you need it, but odds are you may not. Many students are happy with just one meal at the dining halls a day. One word: textbooks. Not only are they sometimes not even necessary for certain classes, but sometimes they can be found online at places like Project Gutenberg or Freeload Press. If not, some campus have book swaps (very literal) or have books available at the library. That's a hefty chunk of change saved! "Board" is a malleable term. A single room with a bathroom is going to cost a lot more than some co-op housing where you get a reduced rate for cleaning the kitchen periodically. If you don't want to pay for it in the first place, consider more meager living conditions. Plan out your major. Yeah, yeah, yeah, most students at some point hit a crap-I-hate-this-and-I-want-to-do-something-else stage, but if you can avoid it...do. Planning out your major—and the classes you'll take—guarantees you graduate in 4 years. Fact of the matter is that nowadays, most students don't. And spending 5 years in college is an 125% of the 4-year cost! No thank you. If you do it really, really well, you can graduate in 3 or 3 1/2. You don't have to abide by the 4-year rule, you know! Map it out and see where you have some wiggle room. (There's always a summer class to make it fit!) Utilize work study. Many schools have jobs specifically for students that need the extra cushion in their budgets. And you can gain valuable work experience, too! Indicate that you're interested in work study on your application form and you may be privy to a list of jobs not open to the public. Many work study jobs can lead to better, bigger opportunities. A work study job at the front desk of a dorm can lead to becoming an RA—and that could mean free room and board. Think about your living situation. If you can get around the "you have to live on campus" option, it'll save you thousands and thousands of dollars right outta the gate. Can you live at home with your parents or with a nearby relative? Schools will waive the requirement if you have an understandable commute. If that's not an option, research the dorm options. Some schools have co-ops that are cheaper or less-equipped rooms offered at a more affordable rate. If you're dubious, it's only for 9 months! Consider going Greek. Though it may seem like it's super expensive on paper, it may actually result in saving money, depending on what the alternative is. Think about it: you get your meals cooked for you and don't have to spend money on the small things, like toilet paper. Now that's a win. Going Greek isn't for everyone and it does involve a sum of money up front and a very specific lifestyle. If it's not for you, it's not for you. Don't force it. For some campuses, going Greek may be more expensive. If you're spending thousands on new dresses and social events, it's not the way to go about saving money. Be a student and an employee. Just because you're studying doesn't mean you can't get off your butt and work. Even the odd babysitting job can help pad your wallet. In addition to work study and hitting up your local Chili's for a waiting gig, look into freelance work. Consider it your beer money: Tutoring. If you've got good grades, this one is a no-brainer. You'll make a pretty decent wage just for teaching someone else stuff you already know. Your university should have a tutoring center you can apply to. Modeling. In addition to university ads, local businesses may hand out hefty sums to college students for simply appearing in their ads. Teen model photo contests will sometimes offer large cash prizes which can hugely dent that dreaded bill without costing too much time. Over spring break and summer you can find local gigs without cutting into your study time. Photography. You can bag some serious cash behind the lens, too. Photograph weird weather, fires, traffic accidents and such. Your town newspaper may buy these images from you for up to $100.00 per image. 
Start saving early. Look into a 529 plan account. Take AP courses or dual-credit classes. Take up valuable extracurriculars. Get a job. Apply to the right colleges. Apply to several colleges. Know that several elite universities or colleges will defer tuition costs completely if your family income falls under a certain amount. Fill out the FAFSA on time. Negotiate your financial aid reward. Take advantage of scholarships. Talk about Parent PLUS loans. Find a financial aid agent. Apply for ROTC. Know where you can skimp. Plan out your major. Utilize work study. Think about your living situation. Consider going Greek. Be a student and an employee. 