ScholarShare

ScholarShare is an innovative new tax-deferred savings plan for California students and their families administered by the California Student Aid Commission. Under the program, parents make contributions for their children's future college expenses into the ScholarShare Trust. Once in the trust, funds grow on a tax-deferred basis, and when withdrawn to pay college expenses, earnings on the principal are taxable by the state and the federal governments at the student's rate rather than the parents'. For more information, call (877) 728-4338 or visit the ScholarShare website.

The Military

Educational benefits and scholarships are available to those who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. In some programs, enlistees receive an education first, and serve an equivalent amount of military time after graduation. Other programs allow you to accumulate money for an education while completing an initial enlistment period. Some scholarships pay full tuition and all instructional fees, and may include a living allowance. Loan repayment is also available to Army service personnel. For more information, contact your local Armed Forces recruiting office.

Working Your Way Through College

It may not be possible to earn all your own college costs, but a part-time or summer job can help reduce the amount you'll need to borrow. School employment offices can help you find a job on or off campus. Also, check with the local office of the California Employment Development Department for job listings.

On some campuses, work-study or student assistant programs help students find career-related jobs.

Community service jobs through AmeriCorps provide earnings and educational awards of up to $4,725. For more information visit the organization's website or call (916) 323-7646.

Finishing College Sooner with AP Exams

High school students can take the College Board's Advanced Placement examinations and receive college credit for honors courses or independent study in foreign languages, English, history, science, mathematics, music, and art. Advanced college placement avoids repeating work and could save the cost of up to one year of study. See your high school counselor for details.

Transferring from a Community College with General Education Credits

Some students save on some of the costs and headaches of attending a four-year university by taking classes at their local community college before transferring into the CSU system. Students should take classes that parallel those that are offered at a CSU campus and fulfill the requirements for the CSU General Education-Breadth (GE-Breadth) program. At least half of every student's freshman and sophomore class schedule is made up of such general education coursework.

You can save some money this way because community college fees in California are $26 per unit. If you attend a community college as a full-time student (approx. 12-14 units/semester), fees would be around $312-$364 a semester (excluding parking fees, books, and supplies).

Sometimes, by taking such GE classes at a community college, you could save yourself some of the frustration and headaches that may arise when you attempt to register for those hard-to-get-into, required general education courses.

Transfer students going this route must check with their community college counseling office that their course credits are approved by their target CSU campus for credit within the CSU GE-Breadth program (Double-check to be sure).

Cooperative Education and Reentry Student Credits

Cooperative Education
Cooperative Education allows you to alternate work and school. You may take time off from school to work in career-related jobs off campus, receive academic credit for that work experience, and return to school in good standing. Often you can earn enough money to pay for the next year, while gaining valuable work experience.

Cooperative education programs are available at public and independent schools and colleges. For more information, write to the California Cooperative Education Association, c/o Western Resource Center, Inc., 12251 Viejo Camino, Atascadero, CA 93422.

Reentry Student Credits
Reentry students might find that a school will give academic credit for job, volunteer, or travel experiences. The College Board's College-Level Examination Program is a nationwide program of testing for college credit. Exams are based on undergraduate courses in a variety of subjects. CLEP enables you to demonstrate knowledge gained outside formal educational settings and assists colleges in recognizing and rewarding that knowledge. Contact CLEP, c/o The College Board, Western Regional Office, Suite 480, 2099 Gateway Place, San Jose, CA 95100-1017.