With tuition costs rising beyond the $40,000 a year level at such places as USC, many college-bound students are ardently searching for scholarships, grants, and work study programs. Some are avoiding the escalating costs altogether by gaining admission to the service academies (West Point, Annapolis, Air Force), where tuition, room and board, and medical are covered. More on gaining admissions to the service academies can be found at: /imported-20110121194859/2008/9/2/attending-us-service-academies.html. The service academies, however, are not for everyone, particularly if you’re not engineering or mathematically inclined. Another alternative is to apply for a ROTC scholarship, which can be used at a range of schools nationwide, and, in conjunction with many different majors (including a number of liberal arts majors).