Student loans are a good idea unless you can afford to get by without them. If you can afford not to, don’t go into debt! Another money saving idea is to attend a junior or community college before going to a four-year college. Community college is often much cheaper and will give you an opportunity to save some money. Also, don’t forget to file the FAFSA, so you can apply for financial aid!

most people get a part time job at the college campus! which pays for the tuition as well as living expenses.. try applying to state universities – they are typically cheaper!

I would say – you need to save atleast 5-6K before starting out for college (to be safe in case you cant find a job right away!)