How to get an affordable degree, need advice?

Look for full ride (not just full tuition, unless school is in commuting range and costs of living at home and commuting are not too much) scholarships in this list (but verify on college web sites):
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/21089443/#Comment_21089443

A higher ACT or SAT score can increase the possibilities of scholarships (see the above list for target scores).