Students who are finding it difficult to pay for college with only a job and loans may have many other ways to earn money for college.

Gen and Kelly Tanabe, authors of several books, such as 1001 Ways to Pay for College and Get Free Cash For College, are visiting schools and communities with creative money-earning suggestions for students and their families.

The Tanabes succeeded in paying for their schooling mainly with scholarships, researching and applying for them from their junior year in high school through their junior year in college.

“It is a myth that there is only a certain time to apply for scholarships,” Gen said, who believes students don’t take advantage of scholarships offered to students already enrolled in college.

“Students are busy, so the thought of more essays and interviews isn’t appealing, so there is less competition, by either choice or just not knowing of the availability of scholarships,” he added.

In their book Get Free Cash For College, the Tanabes also suggest looking into professional associations for scholarships. Such groups give scholarships to students in certain majors, such as medicine or journalism, to encourage more involvement in the field.

More than 135,000 associations can be found in the Resource Encyclopedia for Associations in college libraries.

Along with suggesting scholarships, their new book proposes that students look into more innovative and creative ways to earn money during school.

The book looks at dorms as if they are a “mini-city” with certain needs to meet. All of student has to do is use some business savvy and have a knack to know what students need, it says.

Tanabe believes universities need to allow students in dorms opportunities to find ways to earn money, and doesn’t think many universities would have a problem with students running businesses out of their dorm rooms.

While the book sees this as a route any student could take, University of Wisconsin professor of educational administration Jacob Stampen sees this prospect in a different light.

“I am all for students trying something new, but how many students could do this and make a profit?” Stampen asked. “Born entrepreneurs may be successful, but it rarely results in something we can use.”

Stampen sees these kinds of suggestions as a reaction to what is happening on campuses across the nation.

“Nowadays tuition is rising faster than aid. Eight out of 10 students work during the summer, and almost half work during the school year, though if they work more than 20 hours a week it can start to hurt their grades,” Stampen said.

UW associate director of financial services Susan Fischer sees scholarships, part-time employment and smart spending as the best ways for a student to pay for college.

“We tell students to search for scholarships very early, from junior and senior year in high school, continue searching through after you declare your major and not to be discouraged if you have to apply to many scholarships before getting one,” Fischer said.

In response to the Tanabes’ money-making ideas, Fischer says the best way a student can get by is to watch their spending during this time in their lives.

“The best advice I can give is ‘live on less.’ Do you really need cable, expensive clothes, new CDs and lunch at McDonald’s?” Fischer asked. “Limit your spending now and [you will] be able to live better later.”