If you’re wondering how you’ll pay for your son’s or daughter’s college education take heart — you are not alone. Granted, the company of others who find themselves in your position may be small comfort, but what it does do is shine a collective spotlight on a big problem: post high school education is a huge financial burden.

Short of expecting some sort of government intervention which may or may not arrive, families of college students have some options to reduce that burden now. Scholarships, grants, and college savings funds come to mind as well as sending your student to the local community college or state university for the most affordable education. However, specialized training may only come at a private school, meaning yearly tuition expenses of $20-50,000 annually.

What your teen’s high school guidance counselor failed to mention is that there are some schools across the country who do not charge tuition. Zip. Zero. Nada. In some cases your student may have to work 10-15 hours per week for the school, but in other cases no work requirement is involved. Yes, you may still have to come up with room and board, but considering that you’ll be saving what amounts to be tens of thousands of dollars in tuition annually, that is chump change in comparison.

So, where can you find these schools? Well, Business Week ran an article in November 2007 pulling together ten such schools. Read that article and then check out the ten schools featured for more information:

West Point Military Academy — considered by some as offering the finest education in the land, your four year degree can be had for no charge in exchange for a five-year paid U.S. Army commitment.

Berea College — a Christian school located in Kentucky offering a wide variety of studies including Language Arts, Math, History, Philosophy, Religion, and Speech Communication.

Cooper Union — situated in New York City’s East Village, a school for students pursuing degrees in architecture, art, engineering, and humanities/social sciences.

College of the Ozarks — a Christian school offering bachelor’s degrees to students in need. Work on a farm in exchange for free tuition.

Deep Springs College — all male, located in the California desert. Offers just 26 students the opportunity to study for free; covers just the first two years of higher learning.

Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering — opened in 2002, Olin graduated its third class this past May. Located 14 miles west of Boston, the school currently enrolls just over 300 students.

The Curtis Institute of Music — considered as one of the leading music conservatories, Curtis is located in the heart of Philadelphia.

U.S. Air Force Academy — same requirements as “West Point” listed above. AFA grads pictured.

U.S. Naval Academy — same requirements as “West Point” listed above.

Webb Institute — located on Long Island, NY, the school offers a free double major in naval architecture and marine engineering to eligible students.

Not mentioned, but also free are the US Coast Guard Academy and the US Merchant Marine Academy.

Of course, you have to be accepted into these schools in order to be eligible and some of the requirements (such as military service) could be show stopper for some students. Still, having citadels of higher learning available that are tuition-free is a welcome option for those suffering from college tuition sticker shock.

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Adv. — High tuition got you down? Visit SayStudent for options the help relieve your family’s burden. Vist SayCollegeMove for tips to help your co-ed prepare for college this fall.

Tags: college, college aid, education, room and board, scholarship, student debt, Student Loans, tuition, university

If you’re planning on attending college this fall or are still a year away from making the transition from high school to university, you may be wondering how you will pay for your education.

After all, the monies your parents socked away in your 529 account will cover only a few courses, your grades won’t qualify you for an academic scholarship, and as far as sports goes you just don’t have the skills to compete at a Division 1 school.

One way that you can get help for school is to apply for scholarships. You know, those financial grants offered by the Woman’s Club, Nurses Guild, or local businesses to help defray some of your costs. Though you may not get all of your expenses covered, that $1000 scholarship from Toastmasters or the $500 “prize” from First National Bank can help.

Not every scholarship is nationally recognized and some are, er, a bit strange. We’ve assembled a list of seven of the more unusual scholarships with links to their sites:

Kor Memorial Scholarship — The Klingon Language Institute is interested in helping students with an academic interest in languages. No, you don’t have to major in Klingonese, but your interest in languages beyond English could net you a $500 scholarship. buy’ ngop!

TCI Clubs International — Women who measure at least 5′10” and men who are 6′2″ or taller are eligible for a college scholarship up to $1000 if they apply to a local club chapter. Formed as a social organization for tall people, TCI’s tallest member is 7′3″.

Letterman Telecommunications Scholarship — Are you just an “average” student? If you have an interest in telecommunications and are already attending Ball State, then this David Letterman scholarship could be right for you. The winner receives a $10,000 scholarship; $5,000 for the First Runner-Up; and $3,333 for the Second Runner-Up.

Zolp Scholarships — These four-year scholarships are available to students accepted to Loyola University who are Roman Catholic and whose last name of Zolp appears on a birth certificate and church confirmation certificate. Scholarship amounts vary depending upon fund availability and the number of eligible recipients. Zolp? Zounds!

Love Bugs? — Your interest in insects could net you a $500 Lafontaine Aquatic Entomology Scholarship courtesy of the Federation of Fly Fishers.

Patrick Kerr Skateboard Scholarship — Skateboarding isn’t a crime and this scholarship named for a young enthusiast could net the top recipient a $5000 scholarship. You must be in good academic standing and a skateboarder. Patrick was killed in 2002 as a result of a skateboard accident.

Who Wants Chocolate? — Your love for all things confectionery could net you a scholarship from the American Association of Candy Technologists for enrolled college students who will be sophomores, juniors, or seniors this academic year. You won’t win a Mounds bar, but you could fetch a scholarship worth $5000 if you can demonstrate interest in confectionery technology. Yum!

Other scholarships for short folks, fat people, knitters, pie makers, and students with the surname Scarpinato, are also available. Who knew that applying for financial assistance could be so fun?

Tags: college aid, college scholarship, student lending, Student Loans