Cooperative education programs allow students to alternate between working full time and studying full time. This type of employment program is not based upon financial need, and students can earn as much as $7,000 per year.

A few schools that have this program include: Georgia Institute of Technology, Kettering University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and LaGuardia Community College

Some colleges and universities offer discounts to enrolled students if they recruit another student.

Student Referral programs are a fantastic way to save money on your own tuition while also encouraging your friends to get the education they deserve. Finishing college is bound to be easier with some support!

Some schools offer combined degree programs or 3-year programs that allow students to take all of the courses needed for graduation in 3 years, instead of 4, thereby eliminating 1 year’s educational expenses.

Also, look into the ways in which you can double up on course credits. For those who plan to double-major or minor in a subject area, see if you can pick classes that will satisfy two requirements. Sometimes, certain mandatory general-ed courses will also count towards your major. These tricks can shorten your college career–and cut tuition costs–while still allowing you to earn a degree.

Most colleges and universities sponsor resident advisor programs that offer financial assistance to students in the form of reduced tuition or reduced room and board costs in exchange for work in resident halls.

If you choose to attend college far enough from home as to make commuting impossible, look into becoming an R.A. at an on-campus dorm. Not only will making friends be easy, but you’ll save the cost of rent, which is often a huge chunk of money that could instead be put towards your tuition or social life.

Some colleges give credit for life experiences, thereby reducing the number of credits needed for graduation. Students should check with the college for further information. You can also write to Distance Education and Training Council at 1601 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, or call (202) 234-5100.

Additionally, if you have a special skill, hobby, or life experience, don’t overlook scholarships! There are thousands of them out there that cater to every niche. Do your research and take advantage of what makes you unique!

Choosing the right college is an important decision, loaded with factors to consider. WiseChoice is a service that launched several months ago with the goal of making that taxing process a little easier.

“Our primary goal in developing WiseChoice is to replace confusion, worry and anxiety with knowledge, guidance and confidence, for both parents and students alike,” says WiseChoice President Richard Taylor.

WiseChoice is all about helping college applicants find the right fit. Features like personality assessment quizzes and a college search-and-compare database allow students to input information about themselves and receive individualized reports based on their profiles. The site also contains a wealth of easy-to-use tools that address every stage of the application process, such as planning college visits, choosing a major, finding scholarships, and taking standardized tests.

Best of all, WiseChoice operates on a pay-what-you-can system for their services, which means that families can get access to all of the above features at a price they can afford.

“There should be an even playing field when it comes to finding the right college.  Income aside, all students and parents should have access to the best resources and tools for finding the education that’s right for them.  We believe that our service is so valuable that people will realize the benefit and pay accordingly,” Taylor said.

Head to www.wisechoice.com to start building your personalized college profile!

For high school seniors across the country waiting anxiously beside their mailboxes for the big envelope, now’s the perfect time to begin thinking about financial aid. We know the last thing anyone wants to think about after submitting college applications is taking on the task of filling out more forms. But luckily, a newly revamped FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) has made it easier than ever to apply for student aid.

And the FAFSA isn’t just for first-year college students; anyone who meets the eligibility requirements (U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, enrolled in a school that participates in the federal student aid programs) can submit an app. Watch the video above for step-by-step instructions from the U.S. Department of Education.

Tip #1: Start searching soon
College Navigator: nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator
Visit financial aid sections on college websites, or call to find out what financial aid is available. Options may include federal aid, student grants, work-study, or local loans and scholarships. It’s possible that the FAFSA is the only major financial information that you need to supply.

Tip #2: Pin down a PIN
You’ll need a PIN (Personal Identification Number) to access and secure your FAFSA information online.
For more info, head to www.studentaid.ed.gov

Tip #3: Dig up the docs
Gather the documents that contain information you’ll need for each school, such as income tax returns and W-2 forms. For a full list of documents, visit www.fafsa.ed.gov

Tip #4: Fill out your FAFSA
Make sure you’ve included the identification numbers for each of the schools that you want to receive your FAFSA. Have questions? Call 1-800-4FED-AID

Tip #5: Update your app
After you submit your FAFSA, you’ll receive a student aid report in the mail. Then you’ll have a chance to review and update your app. The sooner you submit the final version, the sooner you’ll get your aid results.

There exist many reasons why so many American high school students choose to drop out or wind up flunking out. Some kids have difficult problems to deal with at home, and others might get involved with the wrong crowd, both of which causes schoolwork to suffer. Either way, the cases are widespread, and the numbers staggering.

Gateway to College is a scholarship program designed to reengage students who have dropped out or are on the verge of dropping out of high school. This nonprofit organization was founded on the belief that everybody deserves a second chance and nobody should get left behind, especially when it comes to getting an education. Any individual between 16-20 years old who, for one reason or another, is out of school or close to dropping out is eligible to apply. All the organization asks is that the student is motivated and willing to make that long-term commitment given the opportunity.

Currently, the program operates in 27 colleges within 16 states, preparing those accepted into the program to become college students on the way to earning their high school diplomas. The students form groups of 20-25 called “learning communities” and take courses together that count as dual high school and college credits. Last week, it was announced that Gateway to College received $9 million from three leading foundations—the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Kresge Foundation—to expand their programs.

A Gateway To College press release states that between 2005 and 2007, the average high school dropout earned $18,800 per year, while the average community college graduate earned over $34,500. Could you or someone you know benefit from this program?

Check out the program’s official website to see if Gateway to College operates in your area and find out how to apply.

Last week, Dr. Jill Biden blogged about the newly-updated FAFSA form in the White House Blog. The Second Lady and former teacher felt that it was “great to see how the current forms have fewer questions, easier navigation and are more user-friendly” (Read her post here).

The new online form utilizes “skip-logic,” cutting out unnecessary questions and expediting the process. Furthermore, sections are now color-coded to designate whether they are meant for parents or students. And beginning sometime this summer, families will be able to take advantage of an “auto-complete” feature, which will preload the form with financial info from their IRS tax returns.

According to this USA Today article, an estimated 1.5 million low-income students don’t apply for federal aid despite being eligible, likely due to the daunting process of filling out the FAFSA. Hopefully, this revamped FAFSA succeeds in making it easier for every student to get the financial aid they deserve.

Get a head start on completing your FAFSA for the 2010-11 academic year using the new form, then report back here to GetSchooled and give us your thoughts!

If you’ve never heard of a 529 Plan, here’s the basics:

- It’s a special account to put your college savings into.
- The money you put into it is tax-deductible, so if your parents or grandparents are putting money in your 529 Plan, they don’t have to pay income taxes on that money (which means they get lower tax bills or bigger tax refund checks in April).
- You don’t have to be a millionaire to start one of these plans. Some let you start with a contribution of as little as ten bucks. And every little bit helps.
- There are different kinds of 529 Plans. Each state has different options (and you might be able to invest in another state’s plan). You have to be a little careful because not all 529 Plans are great. All of them will take some fees out of the money you put in (the people who run the plan need to make some money), and some of them take bigger fees than others. (Louisiana residents score: they’re eligible for the lowest-cost 529 in the nation, according to savingforcollege.com), so it will pay (literally) to do a little research and ask questions.

To read up on how 529 Plans work and how you can get started on one, savingforcollege.com has great info. Or if you have questions, feel free to ask them in the comments and we’ll answer them if we can!

The findings gathered from Public Agenda’s recent study and the responses we’ve gotten indicate that the education system is in dire need of change. However, not many of us are currently in the position to make those changes, which is a big reason why everyone should try their best to finish school.

In the meantime, there are many things you can do to beat the system and get the education you deserve. The internet has a wealth of resources available to students hoping to score some extra financial aid; there’s about $3 billion in scholarships out there, all with varying requirements and deadlines, so you’re bound to be eligible for some of them!

Collegeboard’s Scholarships Search lets you input your information — such as ethnic background and religious affiliation — and it’ll give you a customized list of scholarship suggestions based on your unique profile. Again, thousands of opportunities exist out there, and each one carries different guidelines. There are scholarships for just about everything (minority background, military status, state of residence, career interests, family circumstances — you name it), and it won’t hurt to do some research and get help paying for college.

Here’s a few more online resources to get you started: FastWeb and Scholarships.com. Also check out the Find Scholarships section on GetSchooled.

Have your own ideas on how to help fund your college education? Give us your tips in the comments below, or tell us on camera!

How much do you really know about paying for school? That’s the question posed by BET’s True or False financial aid quiz.

It’s only five questions. Get the answers by taking the quiz now at mybetedu.com/my-money/.

Get Linked:
• BET’s financial aid quiz
• BET’s Education education website

Then, keep searching. Scour the Internet for different scholarships. There are scholarships available from both your state government and the federal government, as well as from many private companies, clubs and organizations. Some scholarships are need-based, while others are merit-based and dependent on your scores on either the ACT or SAT. So keep your grades up. Prepare for the big standardized tests, and make sure you take them by the deadlines. You could end up with $500 or $5,000 that you never have to pay back. Apply for any amount. It all adds up.

Grant opportunities are another way to get the money you need. Many students start by applying for a Pell Grant, but there are others. Getting the assistance you need often comes down to doing the research and submitting the applications. The Internet is a goldmine. Start mining now.

CHECK OUT THESE LINKS

FAFSA APPLICATION

SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH TOOLS

PELL GRANT INFO

There are many types of student loans out there, so research is important. Many lenders, including the government, offer loans with low interest rates, so pay close attention to the fine print and try to get a low interest rate locked in. Some loans can even be deferred over time, so you don’t have to pay them back immediately after graduation. Because there are educational fees and costs in addition to tuition—such as supplies, textbooks and campus fees—getting a loan is a good way to make sure your expenses will be covered so you can focus on your studies. And developing some serious skills.

CHECK OUT THIS LINK

STUDENT LOAN INFO