Parents, we don't mean to scare you but if you have young twins, you could be looking at a cost of at least half a million dollars to put your children through college based on current inflation estimates. And that's just the tuition cost. Even if your twins are already in high school, top-notch universities are already charging upwards of $30,000 a year for tuition so multiply that cost by 2 and by four years and it's around a quarter of a million dollars.

Add in costs for housing, food, books and fees and the bottom line is college is an extremely expensive undertaking for families with several college-age students. Luckily there are resources out there that could help lessen the costs.

Probably the best thing your children can do to help alleviate the costs is to excel either in the classroom or in athletics. Outstanding students can qualify for a number of scholarships to the point that the top schools might be fighting over your children attending their school. Student-athletes are the same way, and it's not uncommon at all to see twins both get full rides in such sports as football, men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball and soccer or men's or women's tennis (track and field is another popular sport for twins but it's a little more difficult to get full rides in that sport).

But even if your students aren't class valedictorians or the best athletes, there are opportunities available to lower the costs. Going to an in-state school will cut your costs way down and public universities are still much more affordable than most private schools. Many schools offer particular help in obtaining scholarship aid and loans. And there are programs which can help you save for college for your children even before they're born where you might not be doing anything special other than normal grocery trips and paying for gasoline.

Another suggestion is to contact your state's local Parents of Multiples program. Many state programs have special scholarships for the college-bound twins and multiples of their members. For instance, in New York there are two annual $1000 scholarships awarded to children attending college and one $1000 scholarship awarded to a mother of twins attending a university or college. You can see more on the Marie Simmons Scholarship Program at this web page

There are also several schools that have really good scholarship deal specifically for twins, triplets and families with super twins. This is just a small list - if you know of other special programs, please let us know by sending us an email. And remember, just about every university in the country does offer some small family-based grant of anywhere from $500-$2000 in tution fee reductions if a family has more than one member attending a school at the same time. There are restrictions and conditions that must be met so be sure to contact the school's financial aid office for more information.

SCHOOLS WITH SPECIAL TWIN/TRIPLET SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

• Carl Albert State College (Oklahoma)

Paula Nieto Twin Scholarship - Established by Paula's twin, Penny Nieto Gooch, as well as family and friends, this cash scholarship is awarded to twins.

• George Washington University (Washington, D.C. - web site)

Offers a deal for siblings (both twins and not). One sibling pays full tuition, and second gets a 50% discount. Tuition in 2002-03 was almost $28,000.

• Lake Erie College, Painesville, OH 44077

Contact: Director of Admissions (216) 942-3872. A Four year college. Tuition: ($16,370 in 2002-03). Only pairs of twins (either men or women) may apply. Scholarship is for 4 years. Full tuition is paid by one twin only and the twin who pays alternates each year so the burden does not fall on one twin only.

• Morris Brown College (web site) -- Atlanta, GA

Provide some financial relief for parents with twins who are enrolled full-time at Morris Brown College by waiving full tuition for one of the twins. Each twin must maintain a 2.0 GPA at the end of each academic year. Tuition for 2002-03 was $4184 per semester.

• Northeastern Oklahoma A & M College (web site) -- 200 I Street NE, Miami, OK 74354

Twins/Triplets must attend NEO together. Provides $440 for each twin/triplet each fall and spring for room expenses.

• Randolph-Macon Women's College, Lynchburg, VA

Twin sisters who enroll as full-time degree candidates will be eligible to receive a grant equal to 15% of the annual charge for tuition (7 per year - award was $2835 in 2002)

• Sterling College, PO Box 98, Sterling, KS 67579-0098 (web site)

Four year college. Christian liberal arts institution affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Tuition: $12,750 in 2002-03. Each twin receives an award equal to one-half the tuition for the school year. Each twin is required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If the family demonstrates additional financial need, the college attempts to meet that need with the following awards and scholarships: Twin award, followed by the Pell Grant, Kansas Tuition Grant (for Kansas residents only), outside scholarships and finally, Sterling College academic and/or activity awards, loans and work, up to the demonstrated financial need.

• West Chester University of Pennsylvania -- Bonnie Evans Feinberg Scholarship

To an incoming first year student from a middle-class, multiple - sibling family who is a solid "b" or better student. Renewable with maintenance of a 3.0 gpa (awarded to one student only per year).

• Wilson College (web site) -- 1015 Philadelphia Avenue, Chambersburg, PA 17201

A women's-only liberal arts college that developed a twins scholarship in 2006, the annual twins/triplets scholarship pays 45% of each multiple's annual tuition. Contact Linda Britten, Wilson's Associate Dean of Financial Aid for more information at 1-800-421-8402 or via email