Contact the housing department at your college. There may be an off campus housing department that you can call. If not, contact the dorm to find out where you can find off campus housing.
Make an appointment with an admissions advisor. Ask about off campus housing options. See if there is a list of landlord or roommates available.
Check the college's website. There may be an off campus housing link along with specific things to look for when visiting apartments and houses.
Check local newspaper listings around your college campus for roommates and relatively cheap apartments.
Go to roommates.com. It is a low cost roommate search engine that you can use to specify what you are looking for in a roommate and apartment. Also check out Placefinder.com to see if your college has listings for off campus housing. See the links below.
Put the word out to your classmates that you are moving off campus next semester and see if they are looking for a roommate or know someone who is.
Put up a listing for a roommate or apartment on the school's bulliten board and in other high traffic areas, such as the cafeteria and library boards.
If you need to work while goign to school, consider looking for work as a live in nanny or housekeeper. You save on rent and earn a living while completing your coursework.