College tuition costs continue to rise at four-year schools. Community college rates are also rising, but the average tuition at a community college is often 50 to 70% less than the tuition at a four-year school. Many four-year state schools have agreements with community colleges guaranteeing admission to two-year graduates; if that is the case where you live, your children could gain admission to a four-year school that may not have originally qualified for – and can cut their total costs dramatically. For example, the Guaranteed Admission Program is an agreement between the Connecticut community colleges system and the University of Connecticut; students who graduate from a Connecticut community college will be guaranteed admission if they plan to get a degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences or Agriculture and Natural Resources. Other states like Hawaii, Oregon, California, Virginia, New Hampshire, Florida, and Massachusetts have similar programs. Guaranteed admission programs are a great way to cut overall costs and get a degree from outstanding state schools.