Hiring is expected to be down in 2009 and chances are, the number of students enrolling in four-year colleges and universities will be down, too. College tuition goes up every year and student loans are getting harder to come by. Savvy parents, who have very young children, are taking advantage of 529 savings plans and programs like UPromise to prepare for future college expenses.

Parents whose children are already in college or hoping to attend within the next few years have options, too. Although FAFSA is always the best place to start, parents can also apply for PLUS Loans through other sources. These loans are great if you can get them because they aren't based on income. There's no such thing as having too much money to qualify. But great credit history is must, I'll bet.

Private student loans are another way to pay for college, but are likely to be tougher to get in the wake of recent mortgage foreclosures and job layoffs. Private lenders will probably want concrete proof that their money will be repaid.

Sites like NextStudent.com have advice and resources that can help parents, students and recent graduates to understand where and how to get the money they need to pay for college.