(CNN) â€� Next month, thousands of college students will graduate, but even before they cross the stage for their diploma, many will face a big financial worry.Â
Nationally, student debt has crossed the trillion dollar mark. But there are steps you can take ahead of time to help limit the debt you take on for your college education.Â
When choosing a college make sure you get the full cost of the school. That includes not only the obvious ones like tuition and room and board but also books, food and traveling home.
Also, when picking the college that’s right for you, don’t overlook states schools. The big ones are highly regarded academically � and smaller state schools often offer good value for far cheaper than private school tuition.
And if you’re a student who’s about to be a college grad and worried about paying off your debt � you have options.
Carefully weight whether you need to defer your payments, and also consider refinancing your loans � or even combining the various loans into one payment at a lower interest rate.