The cheapest way to pay is perhaps not to pay at all. This makes grants and scholarships a particularly viable option. Scholarships however often entail a truly admirable performance in high school in either academics or athletics so the sooner the prospective student focuses the better. Other avenues for scholarships and grants include economic hardship as well as other criteria such as minority status, ethnicity and gender. You should investigate the U.S. Department of Education's list of available money sources, programs and funding opportunities to see if you or the student in your life is eligible. Also, see if other foundations connected to your identity offer money such as those concerned with American Indians, Latinos/as, African Americans and women.
If you already have substantial knowledge in several subjects, you may be able to avoid taking college credit courses for them. This will allow you to advance toward the degree quicker and with less cost. You can do this by taking CLEP (College Level Examination Program) exams. Related exams are available for a broad range of introductory course subjects such as math, foreign languages, English, sciences, business and humanities. Each exam costs only $77 and there are discounts for active and former members of the armed forces. To find a testing center in your area and register simply enter the information in the CLEP search engine.
Another method is to combine community / junior college with a university. If you begin with the former, you can finish prerequisites inexpensively. You can transfer the credits to your state university and be awarded the full degree. Just ensure how many credits the university expects you to complete there, especially those in your core study area. In this case, you may opt to pursue an associate's degree. If you attend full-time, this normally takes two years. This avenue will help you allay the cost of attending all four years. Additionally, an associate's degree gives you a strong foundation if you decide to return and finish the your bachelor's degree later on.
Perhaps the most important consideration is shopping around and weighing your options. Colleges and universities in the United States are listed, ranked and categorized in many different formats. These include price but also include class size, quality of education and graduation rates. Even if you are looking for a cheap option, you still want to establish that you're getting a quality product. Search for bargain schools that are still strong in your area of interest and may be considered a best buy. Remember that even if you save money on the education or degree, a cheap, poorly respected school may cost you more in the long run when a prospective employer or admissions committee examines your educational history and degree-granting institutions.