Financing college is one of the most important decisions a young adult makes. Too many times these decisions are made too quickly and many mistakes are made that will cost tens of thousands of dollars more than the actual cost of attending college. Prospective college students should take their time and develop a strategy to minimize their debt burden. It is possible to graduate from college with little to no debt and live a happy and successful life free of the constrictive nature of bearing student loan debt after college.