The turbulent economy has touched all of our lives in some way. It’s affecting our jobs and even our plans for furthering our education. But the uncertain economy doesn’t have to dampen your aspirations of earning a college education. There are some things you can do to offset rising tuition costs. Here are a few suggestions:

Keep it local – Sure you had dreams of attending a big school miles away from home. But that big school comes with a hefty price tag. Instead, check out community college. Yes, it may be considerably smaller in size but that doesn’t mean you’ll get less of an education. Many working professionals teach at community colleges and with the smaller class size, you’ll get the personal attention that you might not get at a bigger school. You’ll also get considerably smaller tuition costs.

Apply for Financial Aid A.S.A.P. – Don’t wait until the last minute to fill out your FAFSA. Financial Aid is handed out on a first-come, first-serve basis. Make sure that you turn yours in as early as possible.

Take a year off – There’s nothing wrong with taking a break before you go to college. If you’re still trying to decide on a major, take this time to explore your interests. It’s also a good time to work and save up for college.

Look for scholarships in unlikely places – Did you know that you could earn scholarships based on your height, weight and how well you use duct tape? It’s true. There are a lot of unusual scholarships out there if you know where to find them. There are also many career-specific ones. So get online and do your research.