If it seems like college tuition prices are rising, you aren't imagining things. According to a study done by CNN/Money, tuition for the 2004-2005 school year is being raised by anywhere from 4.5% to 11.1%. While the average tuition increase hovers around 5 to 6%, actual inflation is only at 2.3% per year! That means that universities and colleges are raising costs even though most other things that you can buy are raising costs at much lower rates. This may seem pretty daunting at first - especially when you take into account the fact that tuition does NOT include room, board, books, fees, transportation, or personal expenses. That doesn't mean that you can't go to college though, even if your parents can't afford the tuition at your top choice schools.

There are tons of ways to pay for college. Whether you're trying to help your parents out by paying for part of your costs, or you're shouldering all your own college bills, you DO have choices. Universities and colleges award some students grants, while the federal government offers low-interest loans and even grants. Besides these more traditional ways of paying for college, there are also work-study programs, part-time jobs, military and ROTC programs, and private scholarships. CNN/Money reports that the 2004-2005 school year will be setting record low interest rates on Stafford loans (offered by the government to be used for educational purposes).

Whatever your family's financial situation, you should think of yourself as having an equal opportunity to go to college. Finding ways to help pay for college is not always easy or fun, but it's definitely better than giving up on your goals. If you want to go to college, make sure you get the help you need. Look under "DEFINED" to find out more about different resources you have. We've also got a lot of tips on how to pay those bills under "HOW TO."