It may not be possible to earn all your own college costs, but a part-time or summer job can help. Check with your school’s employment office for job listings. On some campuses, work-study programs help students find career-related jobs.

AmeriCorps
 
Community service jobs through the AmeriCorps program provide educational awards. For more information, visit www.americorps.org and www.cns.gov. 

Finishing College Sooner

High school students can take the College Board’s Advanced Placement exams and receive college credit for honors courses or independent study for college-level courses. Advanced college placement avoids repeating work and could save the cost of up to one year of college. A number of colleges also award college credit to high school students through the College Board’s College-Level Examination Program. See your high school counselor or visit www.collegeboard.org. 

Reentry Students 

Reentry students-those who return to college after some time away, might find that a college will give academic credit for job, volunteer, or travel experiences through the College Board's College-Level Examination Program. The exams enable you to demonstrate knowledge gained outside formal educational settings and assist colleges in recognizing and rewarding that knowledge. Contact CLEP, c/o The College Gateway Place, Suite 480, San Jose, CA 95110-1017, telephone 408.452.1400, or visit www.collegeboard.org. 

Cooperative Education

Cooperative Education is a work-learn program that incorporates paid work experience with classroom studies. Co-op placements can be arranged on an alternate plan, where full-time work is alternated with full-time school, or a parallel plan, where you work part time while attending classes. In most cases, academic credit is received. Cooperative Education programs do not provide financial aid, but students can often earn enough to pay their college expenses.

These programs are available at both public and independent colleges. For more information, contact your college’s financial aid office, or the National Commission for Cooperative Education, 360 Huntington 
Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-5096, telephone 617-373-3770, or visit www.co-op.edu. 

Private Loans

Home equity loans and other commercial and private loans can also help pay for college.