As four-year colleges and universities continue to raise tuition costs, students with limits on their time and money are seeking new educational options. In recent months, community colleges across the country have reported record growth. But in some cases, schools have to think outside the box to find ways to accommodate such a dramatic increase in students.

Solutions such as expanded makeshift parking lots where more students can park, using rented spaces for additional classroom space, or placing students on waiting lists for the next session have already been employed at some schools. Now, a few community colleges are experimenting with expanded class schedules that mean some students are studying poetry, psychology, and welding in the dead of the night.

Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, Massachusetts and Clackamas Community College in Oregon are two schools that are embracing this unorthodox class schedule. Bunker Hill’s midnight class offerings are currently a psychology course and a writing course, while Clackamas students have the option of spending their late-night hours perfecting their welding techniques.

If late-night learning isn’t your thing, a community college near you may be bumping up its class schedule to help students get an earlier start. How does 6 am sound? If you’re an early bird, a community college near you might have extra-early classes that help you fit even more into your already busy schedule.

Would you ever take classes late at night or early in the morning? Do you think these classes would be a convenient fit in your life?

Many of us don’t place a postsecondary education in the same category as our other monthly bills: rent, electricity, cable, car payments, or credit card bills. Typically, expenses allotted for “education” are notably much pricier than those other monthly bills. But a company called StraighterLine is now offering an online college education at a flat rate of $99 per month – a cost that fits right in with the rest of those ordinary monthly bills. But is it the real deal? Students who have used StraighterLine say, “yes!”

Earning an advanced education can feel overwhelming in today’s economic climate. As job losses occur across almost every business sector, making serious time and financial commitments to an education might seem out of the question.

But today’s students now have a new option. StraighterLine was established to give students a new option for earning required college credits, and for making a college education more accessible. Burck Smith is StraighterLine’s founder and he’s serious about helping out today’s college student. Like many other educational experts, he recognized early on the power of technology to change the face of higher learning. With advances that are constantly being made in the online world, colleges can now provide an online education at almost no cost. In fact, the financial cost to most institutions may only be the cost of labor – paying the instructor who passes his or her expertise on to students.

So, are these institutions passing their savings on to the students? Most of the time, the answer is no. This is where Burck Smith saw an opening for StraighterLine. With a flat charge of only $99 a month, students can take online classes through StraighterLine to fulfill their college course requirements. As most college students will tell you, that $99 monthly rate is significantly cheaper than a typical university’s asking price.

Know anyone who’s used StraighterLine to earn their college credits? How do you feel about such dramatically increased accessibility and affordability in the education world?

When the financial aid runs out – how do you survive on little to no money for expenses while in college? Since the economy has taken a bit of a nose dive, students are starting to see the signs of struggle when it comes to living and going to school on a budget. There is a resource that can help when financial aid doesn’t cover all expenses – work study.

Established as part of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, work study programs fall between a loan and a grant. Students can work up to 20 hours a week in libraries, residence halls or dining halls for money that then can go to college-related expenses.

President Obama wants to ensure that at least 25% of college work study funds are used to support public service opportunities instead of jobs in dining halls and libraries. This means they are trying to open up private and public sector roles so you can gain valuable work experience while in school. The opportunity may be there to even choose how to contribute your service to emerging Energy Technician or Green Job corps and get practical experience in fast-growing career fields.

Start exploring your possibilities today with Career Explorer.

We’ve all heard of the midlife crisis, but have you ever stopped to think how much going through one costs? I’m not talking about midlife crisis clichés – new cars, new spouses, or new wardrobes – these midlife “crises” are professional. For individuals considering a drastic career change involving a new education, deciding how to afford it can often make or break the decision to change paths.

As many of us are already aware, committing to an education can be a rewarding, yet expensive life decision. Like other big-ticket purchases, if you decide a new education is worth the financial cost, you’ll have to make room in your individual or family budget.

Kevin O’Leary, a working dad and husband, recently decided after spending ten years in an advertising career that he wanted to make a career switch. His new desired profession? A physician’s assistant. As one might expect, the world of advertising usually doesn’t teach the skills needed for the medical career lifestyle, so Kevin will soon be on his way back to school.

Before making a commitment to his new education, Kevin tested the waters of the medical profession by spending some time working in a hospital near his family’s home in San Gabriel, California. Once he felt sure this was the right decision, he made plans to attend a two-year certificate program in the fall of 2010.

The next step? Make room in the family budget. Here are the O’Leary family’s strategies for saving education money. They might work for you too!

1. Stockpile cash. By cutting spending, trimming down 401(k) contributions, and holding off on making contributions to their young daughters’ 529s, the family can put this money toward Kevin’s education.
2. Stay nearby. Consider local programs in your community to cut down on commuting expenses.
3. Plug tuition gaps. Check out education-specific saving plans and apply for federal loans and scholarships.

Have any other tips for fitting an education into your budget? Let us know what worked for you and your family!

In a recent blog post, we talked a little about the Federal Student Aid Programs that don’t require repayment. But, even if you qualify to receive a grant or begin a work-study program, chances are, you’ll still probably need additional funds.

Filling out FAFSA will also help determine your eligibility for a number of loans. Let’s take a look at one of my favorites:

Federal Perkins Loan
This is a loan with a super-low 5% fixed-interest rate, with the ­college serving as the lender. You don’t have to pay your principal and interest charges if you’re enrolled at least half-time.

Eligibility based on financial need. And, even though your financial need is determined by the U.S. Department of Education and the info you provide on your FAFSA, your school’s financial aid administrator has a big say in determining the amount of Perkins loans to award.

Undergraduates can qualify for up to $4,000 annually with a maximum limit of $20,000 for the whole of your undergraduate education. Graduate students can qualify for up to $6,000 with a maximum of $40,000, including undergraduate loans.

And, you start making payments nine months after you graduate, or from the time your enrollment falls below half-time status. Repayment can take up to 10 years.

The extra perk in the Perkins Loan? Students who get involved in certain fields like public, military or teaching service employment may be eligible to have all or part of their loans CANCELLED! It’s one of those “you scratch America’s back, America will scratch yours” deals.

Sounds good to me!

Anyhoo, keep on the lookout for our next installment where we’ll explore Federal Stafford Loans.