Unless you have a rich uncle, paying for your education is going to require careful thought and a lot of planning. Very few students can afford to write a check for the full amount of tuition.

Sixty-three percent of all undergraduates receive some type of financial aid, according to a 2003-2004 report by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Federal loans, private loans, grants, scholarships, military tuition assistance and employer tuition assistance are all possible forms of financial aid to pay for your online degree.

A growing number of people entering, or returning, to school are adult or non-traditional students. The challenges are different 18 years after high school graduation. By then there is a lot more to consider than cramming for midterms, nursing a hangover, or dealing with a sloppy roommate. And flinging burgers or delivering pizzas isn't likely to bridge the gap between the amount of money you have and what you owe. Older students tend to have fulltime jobs, families, household expenses and consumer debt. The question of how to pay for your education is timeless. There are really only three answers. You can have someone else pay, pay for it yourself, or borrow the money.