Lil Spears Gets Her GED

Jamie Lynn Spears isn’t going to let a pregnancy stop her from heading to college.  The 16 year-old star of Zoey 101 recently passed her GED and friends say that college is in her future. "She's already got her diploma. She wants to take her ACT. She's not wasting any time," a friend of the Nickelodeon (VIAB) star told People.com. "People don't know her. When she gets something in her head, she'll make it happen. Everybody is so supportive of her."

Jamie Lynn, who is pregnant with boyfriend Casey Aldridge’s baby, reportedly passed her high school equivalency exam with particularly high scores in reading comprehension. Jamie Lynn has said she would like to stay in her home state, Louisiana, to complete an advanced degree. "I haven't thought anything about what I might study. I'll have to look more into that. But if I went anywhere, I think it would be fun to go to LSU."

Now, with a new baby on the way, she may want to think about what college will cost her. Okay, so Jamie Lynn probably has enough money stashed from her television career, but her reality is not the same for most teens. Approximately 80% of undergraduates receive some sort of tuition assistance for college. And the cost of tuition at both public institutions like Louisiana State University, and private universities, is rapidly on the rise. That is why understanding your student loan options, is important for all future college students.

Beth Guerard, a spokesperson for Sallie Mae (SLM), the nation’s leading student loan company, says that finding the right way to pay for school “is as easy as get[ting] the cheapest money first.”  Families should first look for money in scholarships and grants. Then they should explore federal student loans. And, finally, after those resources have been tapped, they can fill any gaps with private loans.