Many parents and their children approach the college process much like the deer running into the road. They just dart out there and hope for the best.

Given how much a college education costs, you need to plan ahead and know how to navigate through the twists and turns of the financial aid process. That way, you and your child can avoid being hit with a tuition bill that can cause serious damage to your financial future.

Most parents don’t have nearly enough money saved in their ” college fund” to send their children to school for 4 years.  You should begin saving as early as possible. The average in-state tuition and fees for full-time undergraduate students for 2004-05, before student financial aid was deducted, was $5,986 for a public two-year college and $10,720 for a four-year public university. Private four-year schools averaged $25,204 in 2004-05.

Private loans are the fastest-growing sector of the multibillion-dollar student loan industry. In 2005-06, college students borrowed a record $17.3 billion in private loans, up 913 percent from a decade ago, according to a report issued Tuesday by the College Board.

At a time when the cost of college is surging and financial aid is shrinking, private loans make it possible for many students to attend colleges they couldn’t otherwise afford. But consumer advocates and student groups worry that the growth of these loans could prove disastrous for borrowers who don’t understand the risks.

Before you get a private loan, make sure you understand the risk. The government does not guarantee the private loans, and the interest rates are variable and can go as high as 19 percent. Private loans are almost a necessity because the total amount undergraduates who are dependents can borrow through the federal Stafford loan program is $23,000.

College graduates made an average of $51,554 in 2004, the most recent figures available, compared with $28,645 for adults with a high school diploma. High school dropouts earned an average of $19,169 and those with advanced college degrees made an average of $78,093.

“There appear to be strong incentives to get a college degree, given the gaps that we observe,” said Lisa Barrow, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The income gap narrowed slightly from five years earlier, when college graduates made nearly twice as much as high school graduates. But the differences remained significant for men and women of every racial and ethnic group.

The salary gap between college graduates and those with only diplomas should be a motivation to get a college education. Today’s online degree programs make it possible for students to earn a degree on a schedule that fits in to their lifestyle.

Twenty-eight percent of the 14,000 employers polled in the quarterly Manpower Employment Outlook Survey expect to add employees to their payrolls during the fourth quarter this year. Eight percent said they expect to cut staff and 58 percent expect no change.

The survey also revealed that most sectors – seven of 10 – will keep their hiring consistent with the previous quarter. In the mining sector, more jobs are expected, and employers in the education and finance/insurance/real estate sectors expect less hiring.

Overall, hiring patterns do not show any significant signs of a slowdown, despite concerns about an upcoming slackening in the economy.

“Eleven quarters of consistent survey results show that the U.S. job market is not prone to radical swings at this stage,” said Jeffrey Joerres, CEO of Manpower (Charts), a recruiting firm, in a statement. “Even the economic pressures of 2006, such as rising interest rates, energy costs and inflation, were not enough to rattle employer confidence.

Employers are having difficulty finding qualified people to fill jobs, which makes now – a good time to have a college degree. If you are thinking about going back to school, there are many online degree programs available. Earning specialized, marketable skills with online degree programs can help you find jobs in today’s market place.

Across the country, more than one-third of students enrolled in higher-education programs are older than 24. And that could rise as the population ages and more Americans return to school to hone job skills, prepare to launch new businesses or to pursue areas of personal enrichment.

“More older students are coming back to college,” said Scott Higgins, interim dean of research and graduate studies at Western Carolina University. “Many are seeking insight and skills required to start small businesses”.

Those who decide to back to school after lengthy break have to sacrifice alot of time and money for their education. Graduate students can, however, borrow up to $18,500 a year on federal Stafford loans, which carry a relatively low interest rate of 6.8 percent. For those who need extra cash, there is a new Graduate Plus Loan available at a higher rate than Stafford loans.

Engineering is a field desperately seeking qualified workers. As boomer-age professionals retire, engineering industries are facing serious shortages, according to Abbie Goodman, executive director for The Engineering Center, which provides management services to professional engineering-related associations. Often taking a quieter back seat, engineering has moved front and center as one of the best careers, with dependable jobs and excellent pay.

“Firms are advertising for jobs and having trouble finding qualified candidates,” Goodman said. “We will need qualified professionals to do the work designing our water systems, school buildings, office buildings, and manufacturing facilities.”

Among the most in demand are civil engineers, particularly those who have expertise in cleaning up manufacturing sites and repairing environmental damage.

It is a good time to be considering a career in engineering, as the growth in this filed is great. You can get started on an exciting career path by earning a degree in engineering.

That stress of finding work after school should be somewhat relieved this year. The NACE expects 2007 to be the best hiring period for new graduates in five years, according to its Job Outlook 2007 Fall Preview Survey.

According to the survey, employers cited growth of individual organizations combined with retirements and high attrition rates as the primary reasons they expected an increase in new graduate hires. The group predicted a 15 percent increase in such hires in 2006.

“The economy is very good right now,” Rich Cox, the fair’s organizer, said. “A lot of employers are in the hiring mode.”

Clay Reed, corporate recruiting manager for Coldwater Creek, said his company is going through a period of growth, doubling its revenue from last year and planning on doubling the number of its employees by 2010.

Growth in the job market, and a large number of retirements are cited as key reasons experts expect to see a larger number of new graduate hires. With a strong job market, graduates can rest assured of opportunities right after graduation.

That leaves you in a tough spot if you’re officially “dependent,” but your parents can’t or won’t contribute to college expenses. Even if you live on your own, schools will expect your parents to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and any other required forms and will compute your expected family contribution (EFC) based on their resources. Financial aid officers have the leeway to grant an exception, but they seldom do, unless circumstances are dire—your parents are incarcerated, missing, or severely abusive, for instance.

If you think your own situation might warrant an exception, see a financial aid officer and be prepared to document your case with police records and/or written statements from social workers, guidance counselors, or clergy. If you do qualify as independent, only your income and assets will count toward the EFC, and you’ll probably benefit from a hefty aid package.

These changes have made it more difficult for students to qualify for federal aid, which could contribute to why some colleges are seeing a decline in enrollment. Many students simply cannot afford to go to college with today’s price of tuition, and a lower availability of federal aid.

The health care profession overall is in short-range and long-range jeopardy” of not being able to find enough qualified employees, said Nancy Foster, corporate director of human resources for Lake Hospital System.

There are about 6,200 allied health professional jobs in Northeast Ohio, according to a study released in July by the Center for Health Affairs’ Northeast Ohio Nursing Initiative. That figure is expected to grow as new health care equipment demands special training for those who run the machines, said Ron Dziedzicki, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at University Hospitals.

For example, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the number of physician assistant positions nationwide to climb 55% by 2014 from the 53,000 at present. Likewise, the number of lab technicians is expected to rise nearly 23% by 2014, according to the BLS, which estimates the current number at 257,000.

Anyone looking to change careers or enter the healthcare industry can almost be guaranteed job security. There will be a serious demand for qualified healthcare workers – now and in the future. Salary will most likely rise in healthcare, as there will be a great need to attract workers to fill available positions.

As the Baby Boom generation ages and retires, a well-educated corps of young people isn’t stepping up to take their place, and the United States is slipping behind other countries that are producing a better educated young workforce, says “Measuring Up 2006,” a national “report card” on higher education released by the nonpartisan National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

About 35 percent of the nation’s 18 to 24 year olds attend college, placing the U.S. fourth internationally and earning a B in participation, the report said. Yet only 17 out of every 100 college students ultimately receive a degree or certificate, placing the U.S. behind at least 14 other countries, including Japan (the international leader), Portugal, Ireland, and Iceland.

Enrollment in most colleges remains strong, but the number of students who actually complete their degrees is declining.  Many blame the high cost of attending college as a major factor.  Student aid programs have also failed to keep up with the escalating cost of attending – and staying in college.