Washington, along with every state except California, received an “F” in higher education affordability in a recent study by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

According to the report, poor and working-class families spend up to 36 percent of their income — in addition to financial aid — to pay for tuition at a two-year college. With the poor economy and budget cuts, the situation is only going to get worse, officials say.

So what can Federal Way students do to help pay for college? Planning ahead can actually make college more affordable.

Scholarships

Hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships for school are just waiting to be found.

The Internet is a great way to find scholarships; search engines like FastWeb.com and scholarships.com can find thousands of scholarships based on the information provided.

At FastWeb.com, an applicant fills out a profile that includes classes taken, interests, hobbies, past club memberships and even parents’ work history. The search engine then sends back a list of scholarships the applicant is eligible for. Many deadlines are during the winter months and usually require an essay at the very least. The earlier you start looking for scholarships, the better.

Some of the big Washington scholarships include the GET Ready for Math and Science Conditional Scholarship, which is available for low- and middle-income high school students who have top math and science test scores. Recipients must agree to earn a bachelor’s degree in a qualified math or science program at an eligible Washington college. Recipients also agree to work full time in a math or science field in Washington for at least three years after graduation. If a recipient meets all the requirements, their loans will be paid and the recipient could get up to four years of college paid.

Another scholarship is the Washington College Bound Scholarship, which is for students in the seventh, eighth or ninth grade. Students who meet the low-income eligibility can receive a four-year scholarship that covers tuition, fees and books if they agree to graduate from high school and show good citizenship.

Federal Way resident and former school board member Charlie Hoff has a group of about 35 students, mostly in eighth and ninth grades, who along with their parents meet once a month to look for scholarships and grants for college.

Some schools have geographic preferences, meaning they want to have students from all parts of the country, Hoff said.

Oftentimes these schools will give out grants and scholarships to help bring more Northwest students to their schools. Hoff’s program, which he estimates has helped about 300 students over the years, brings in about 20 scholarships each year. The group meets the second Sunday of each month at City Hall and anyone is welcome to attend, particularly students in eighth or ninth grades.

Many school counselors also have lists of scholarships that students can apply for. Public libraries are also a source of information on scholarships.

Loans, etc.

One of the first steps in applying for financial aid is completing the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). This determines student need and is based off of parental income.

The FAFSA allows students to apply for Pell Grants (grants generally do not have to be repaid), Academic Competitiveness Grants, federal Stafford loans, work study and Perkins loans.

Private loans can come through a bank or another lending institution. A word of warning: Many private loan lenders are being hit hard by the credit crunch and may not be available. Stories have flooded the news lately of college students whose private lenders have fallen through at the last minute, leaving the students struggling.

Federal loans can be either subsidized or unsubsidized. Subsidized loans are need-based; the student does not pay interest that accrues while attending school at least part time. The principal interest is deferred.

In an unsubsidized loan, the principal interest is still deferred; however, the student pays interest on the loan. Unsubsidized loans are available for any student. Perkins loans are low-interest loans. The maximum amount each year is $4,000 for undergraduates and $6,000 for graduate students.

College in high school

One of the cheapest ways to pay for college is to earn credits while in high school.

The Federal Way School District has several courses that give students the opportunity to earn college credit.

Federal Way has more than a dozen Advanced Placement courses. Scores on the test range from one to five, and colleges offer credit depending on the score. Most schools will accept a three, but some require a four or five to gain any college credit. The Federal Way School District pays for the cost of the test for students.

International Baccalaureate is a similar program where students can take classes in high school that can earn them college credit. Thomas Jefferson High School has the IB program.

The Cambridge program at Federal Way High School can also earn students college credit.

Running Start is another program. Federal Way students can attend community college classes for both high school and college credit. If enough Running Start classes are taken, it’s possible to graduate high school with an associate in arts degree.

For students interested in a trade program, the district has Career and Technical Education (CTE) and offers vocational training programs that can either lead to college credit or a spot at the head of the line for admissions.

CTE offers apprenticeship programs in construction, automotive, horticulture and cooking. The programs mean that students may join an apprenticeship right out of high school, in many cases going to the front of the waiting lists for trade schools. The horticulture program offers college credit with the Puget Sound Tech Prep Consortium. Students in the ProStart Culinary program at Federal Way and Thomas Jefferson high schools learn food and business — at the end of the two-year program, passing the final exam can result in an industry recognized certificate.