LANSING - According to an article written by money.cnn.com in 2012, the average student had debt around $29,400 dollars. In Michigan, 62% of students graduate with debt. With over half of all students attending at least a four-year institution leaving with a degree and debt, there are alternatives to loans such as grants and scholarships.

The most visible grant -- Pell Grant -- are given to the more needy students.

"We look at a family of four, about 50-60,000 a year, if you have under that you'll probably get the Pell Grant, if you have over that you probably won't get the Pell Grant," said Val Meyers, Associate Director of Michigan State University's Financial Aid Office.

As of 2011, the average Pell Grant awarded was $3,800. That amount, obviously far under what the amount of tuition is per semester at many major institutions. So, a Pell Grant would still not be enough to cover costs. This is when scholarships come in to play.

There are many scholarships out there of varying amounts that students can apply for every year. Unless you are lucky enough to receive a full-ride scholarship, this may be something to look in to deeper.

Meyers gives advice on scholarships, "When you're heading home for the holidays...you take some time to start looking at scholarships for the next year and kind of make that a habit every year."

Making an effort to look and apply for scholarships can help lessen the load of college loans. Any dollar you can get that does not have to be paid back will help after graduation.