Third, consider subsidized Stafford loans. A Stafford loan is a federal loan given to students, and a subsidized Stafford loan means that you do not have to pay interest on the borrowed money until you graduate or drop below full time in school. The interest does not accrue because the government pays the interest on it until you are done with school and can pay it on your own. This is going to reduce your college cost because it means that you will save all of that money in interest that you would pay if you were to get any other kind of loan for tuition, etc. Always consider government loans first for school as they usually offer better rates, which reduces the overall cost of college.

When scholarships, grants, loans, and alternative funding still aren't making the cost of tuition manageable, there are ways you can lower the tuition bill and reduce the cost of college so that you can still obtain higher education. Not all of these are as good of options for everyone, but if it means no college, or some, they are worth considering.

• Go to a community or junior college. This is a great way to get higher education for a significantly less expensive amount then a four-year college. Of course, the degree may not be as valuable, but in some cases it will not matter. In addition, if you go to a community or junior college for a while, you can often transfer your credits to a four-year college. This is a good way to pay less per credit and still graduate from a four-year school. In addition, if you attend a junior college, it usually will be close enough to home that you can reduce your college expense right there by living at home, eating at home, etc. This will save you a lot, because you won't be paying for things like laundry, utilities, etc. Also, if you do not have a personal computer, but your family has a family computer, it allows you to save in that area as well. Just remember, some junior colleges or community colleges are not that much cheaper, and it might be worth getting extra loans, etc. to get into a better school. However, with that said, if you can't get into a better school, sometimes a few years at a junior college will help you get in.

  If you are going to try and go to a JC or community college for a while, and transfer credits to a four year college, make sure that you know what classes will transfer and what will not so that you do not waste tuition money on courses you can't carry over.

• In-state tuition or reciprocity. This is a great way to reduce the cost of college, as if you are a resident, and attend a public university in your state, you will be able to pay less than someone attending the same university from outside the state. While it is possible to pay in-state tuition at a school in a state away from your home, it is more difficult than it once was. It used to be that after a year of residency you could claim that state as the state you reside in. However, too many people did this simply to get education discounts. So, today you have to live in the state for at least a year before you claim residency, you have to intend to stay in the state after graduation, you have to be financially dependent from your parents, or from out of state guardians. However, if you are in the military, or your family is, or if you live near a state border, you can usually get away with claiming residency regardless. Being a resident can save you money. If you are not and you live in a neighboring state, consider reciprocity. Some universities have deals with neighboring states that allow their residents to attend the university for in-state tuition costs. For example, if you live in New Jersey, you may be able to attend a public school in New York as if you were a New York resident. Check with the school you want to attend to see if you can save money and reduce the cost of college that way.?
• Advanced Placement (AP) courses. These are another way to help significantly reduce the cost of college. Many high schools offer college-level classes to prepare students to take the AP exams. If you pay for and pass the AP exams, most colleges will offer you credits in classes equivalent to what you would have taken instead of the exam. This means that you pay $85 dollars for the test, and get maybe 3 college credits from it. If you take enough AP exams, you can often get a whole semester of college out of the way and paid for before you ever get into college. So, if your high school offers advanced placement classes, consider taking them. Even if you are not offered credits for passing, you may be able to waive a general education class, which frees up your schedule to take the classes you want, and those in your major. If money is really tight, and you are not sure you can afford the cost of the exams, be sure to check with your school to find out if your scores will count toward college credits in your intended major. If they do, it is worth beg, borrowing, or stealing to make it work. In some cases you can get the fee waived or covered by your school if your family qualifies for financial aid.
• College-Level Examination Program or CLEP. This is an idea similar to AP courses. Some colleges may let you take the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams to receive college credit for certain classes. Not all colleges allow this, but currently, 2,900 colleges give credit or advanced standing to students who pass CLEP exams. Again, the test costs money, generally around $75, but if it gets you out of, or gets you credit for college courses, it can save you hundreds, or even thousands in tuition and book costs. There are two different kinds of CLEP tests, those that are general, which help you get credit for your generals, such as English, or basic Math. In addition to that there are some specified tests that can get you credit for specific classes. For example, you might be able to get college credit for a year of college level Spanish by taking the Spanish CLEP test.

Other ways to reduce the cost of college include:

• Live at home. This saves you in many ways, your upfront costs are less because you do not have to buy things like sheets, dishes, pots and pans, etc. In addition you usually do not pay utilities or rent. In addition to that you can eat at home, and do your laundry there, etc. All of this saves you money that can be used for college tuition and books.
• Trade, buy used, and buy online. Books are a big part of the cost of college, even if you do not realize it because it comes in small increments. So, save money and reduce college costs by purchasing used books, buying from other students, or trading text books you have, or buy buying online. Often times the campus book store is over priced and expensive, and you can get the same books for less by finding a student who took the course the semester before, or by trading or sharing with friends. Just be careful not to buy out of date texts, as this will save you nothing.
• Get good grades in high school and college. This is going to help you reduce the cost because you will be more able to qualify for scholarships, especially those offered through the school. Even partial tuition scholarships are extremely helpful.
• Go to spring and summer terms. These are less busy at most schools, which means it is often easier to get scholarships to help cover tuition, and it helps you graduate faster.
• Load up on courses. Most colleges require you to pay the same amount of tuition whether you are taking 12 credits of 18 in a semester. While it can be challenging to appropriately handle 18 credit hours, if you can do so and maintain your grades, taking more than the minimum amount of courses for full time status means graduating faster, and paying less.