[dateline] -- As money gets tighter, more families are struggling to foot the bill for college.
The tightening credit has hit the student loan market particularly hard.
So what options is Ohio's chancellor of higher education weighing to make college more affordable?
Eric Fingerhut said his office is thinking about limiting overlapping degree programs, sharing administrative services and allowing some schools to raise tuition.
As the quarter ends at Columbus State Community College, students turn their attention to next quarter and how they plan to pay.
"It's difficult being a single mom and having to pay for bills, college and working full-time. It's been difficult," said Rhiannon Rosser, a Columbus State student.
New research from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education finds rising costs of college may put a degree out of reach for most Americans -- especially during a recession.
The study found tuition and fees increased between 1982 and 2007 by 439 percent, while median family income rose just 147 percent.
It found students' borrowing has doubled and students from lowers income families were awarded smaller grants than more affluent families.
David Metz, Director of Financial Aide at Columbus State said that while no one doubts the looming crisis, more and more families are turning to community colleges for relief.
"Community college is much more affordable. We have agreements with several other institutions in the state of Ohio that allows a student to attend Columbus state for their first two years and transfer those hours," Metz said.
To help families control costs, suggestions to lower tuition and fees include more distance learning courses, better use of senior year in high school and possibly shortening college from four years.
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