As an undergrad, I was a TA (free room & board & some other perks, in exchange dealt with problems, put on programs, etc....it was NOT a huge time commitment if you are good at limiting drama.) Another savings option, particularly if you are part of a community group, is to seek out senior citizens that have a spare room. You cook, do some cleaning, and some chores (such as grocery shopping) in exchange for room and board. It can make their life easier and less lonely, give their family peace of mind, and be advantageous for the student. This takes a certain amount of maturity, but can be a great situation....but really be clear about what you are able and willing to do and what is off limits.
I also got a CNA between HS and UG. I would work from 4pm-midnight M-F. I didn't get a great amount of sleep (5-6 hours), and I worked weekends off campus as a security guard for a manufacturing company (two 8 hour shifts.) I had to do rounds and check trucks in and out, but realisticly with 4 rounds taking ~15 min, and maximum 20 trucks at 5 min each, I had enough time to study/write essays/etc. I worked off campus because I made much better money (generally $4-6 dollars above minimum wage.) I also routinely recieved bonuses and 'tips' as a CNA (anywhere from a $5 every couple of weeks to $200 Christmas bonus for working 24, 25, 26)...and the company where I was a security guard did profit sharing, which meant an extra $20-50/mo. All those things add up. I also road a bike (good exercise) and I think my clients' family members understood that I was working hard to get through school and were a bit more generous (often sending meals home with me or providing me with free office supplies like notebooks.)
I did not socialize much, and that much work did affect my GPA. I graduated with a 3.4 at a school that doesn't inflate grades (no 4.0's at my UG.) It wasn't easy, but I learned a lot, and I am confident that it helped me gain admissions to med school in 2001 (which I actually chose not to attend) and now, a decade later, in vet school.
the challenge is that your family will have an EFC and it is very hard to get federal aid to cover that EFC if your family won't contribute. That is why I had to work that much. Also...some UG's are far more tolerant of work than others.
Finally, do NOT assume that state schools are cheaper. I went to a private school because, while the tuition was 4 times higher than the state school I could have attended, with the scholarships the school provided, the cost was 1/3 of what I would have paid at the state school, and the average class size was 16, with nearly all my Jr & Sr classes having less than 10 students, research (with publication) was common, and students were appreciated for their contributions. It really is about looking around, talking to admissions officers, and learning what will suit you best and where you will achieve the most while incurring the least damage (financial and otherwise.)
