As nervous as college freshmen may be, their cash-strapped parents are probably trembling more.  Disciplined savings using any or a combination of the options mentioned above may not cover the full expense of a college education.  As they have for the last ten years, college costs rose faster than inflation this year.  For the 2009-10 school year, a college freshman can expect to pay anywhere between $15,000 and $60,000 for a full year of tuition, room and board, books, etc.

But many college students don’t pay full sticker price.  63% of students receive some form of aid, either loans, grants, or …