MAY 3, 2016

By now, most high school seniors know where they will attend college this fall. But a gap year, like the one that Malia Obama will take before she heads to Harvard University in 2017, can be a good option for students who want to take a break to explore their career interests or travel before they go to college.

Seniors who still need money to pay for college in the fall can apply to these scholarships with late deadlines. Teens with more time to save can consider the advice of this student who raised more than $90,000 for college during high school.

How is your family saving for college? Email us at edunewsletters@usnews.com or tweet @USNewsEducation using #ExtraHelpTip. You may see your response in an upcoming newsletter.

Happy May!

The U.S. News Education newsletter team: Alexandra @alipannoni, Allison @aegualtieri and Briana @B_Boyington.

Here’s How to Pay for College

11 Ways to Raise Last-Minute Cash for College

There's still time for high school seniors to find money for the fall semester.

Try submitting an appeal to the college’s financial aid office or ask about payment plans, along with these other suggestions.

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10 Ways to Nab a Scholarship to Pay for College

Students of all ages can use these 10 tips to find scholarships, including taking advantage of employer scholarships and entering scholarship sweepstakes.

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How 1 Family Is Saving for College for 7 Kids

One couple decided to make saving for college for their seven children a priority – they’ve built college savings into their budget and treat it like a bill. Get other tips from this family here.

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4 Fast Food Jobs That Pay for College

Is your teen looking for a summer job? Some fast food giants like Chipotle Mexican Grill, and these three other restaurants, offer hourly employees tuition assistance to pay for college.

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Rankings Spotlight

Tuition and fees at private colleges can be expensive, but most students don’t pay the sticker price.

Vassar College in New York is the most expensive private school – tuition and fees for the 2015-2016 school year are $51,300. On the other end of the spectrum, Berea College in Kentucky is the least expensive private school – tuition and fees this year are $870.

See the rest of the top 10 private colleges with the highest and lowest sticker prices here, and check out the full U.S. News Best Colleges rankings here.

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College Prep for All Students

3 Last-Minute AP Prep Tips to Ace the Exam

Advanced Placement exams started yesterday and run through May 13.

Before test day, make sure your teen has a plan to tackle the exam and considers these other last-minute tips as well.

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3 Ways Parents Can Support Teens During AP, IB Exams

Along with AP exams, it’s also International Baccalaureate testing season. Parents can help students get through this stressful period by making sure teens eat a good breakfast before taking exams, along with these other tips.

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Words to Live By

"It’s not nearly as easy to work your way through college as it used to be – stop telling us to do it just because you did a couple of decades ago."

– Randy Olson, a graduate research assistant at Michigan State University in 2014