College tuition is rising every year, at a rate faster then inflation, which is making it harder for students or their parents to pay for their college education out of their own pocket.

This is bad news for parents and students. So, what are students on a schools search to do? Attending a community college is one solution - community colleges are still relatively cheap, and some are even going down in price. However, for students seeking a bachelor's degree from a University this is not a satisfactory solution.

Eventually, all students are going to have to seek some form of financial aid. I would encourage all students to start by talking to their guidance counselor about scholarships. While not all students are going to eligible for scholarships, guidance counselors can direct students to the best resources available, and talk to them about possible alternatives should scholarships not be a viable option.

Another option is to consider commuting. Many students would like to move into a dorm, live the "college life," and get away from mom and dad and out on their own. While this is great for some, many students are finding that it's much more cost-efficient to live at home during their college years and commute to a nearby campus. It has been reported that after financial aid awards, commuter students are paying an average net tuition cost of only $320 to carry a full course load. Adding $2,191 for books, supplies, and transportation brings the out-of-pocket costs for a year at the lowest-cost college option to $2,511.

Finally, I would encourage every student to look at scholarship search and college websites to educate themselves on the topic of financial aid. There are dozens of good websites out there to review. Princeton Review is great for college information; FAFSA.com is a good place for financial aid information; SchoolSoup.com is probably the best place to look for scholarships and save money on textbooks. There are literally dozens of other resources out there for those who are willing to learn.

The most importing thing to understand is that everyone can go to college - and I mean everyone! There is financial aid available to anyone who is willing to go into a little debt, and community colleges will accept pretty much everyone.

Keep looking for an affordable education, and check back here frequently for more information about college scholarships and financial aid. And, of course, please ask if you have any questions.