On a typical summer day, college sophomore Sarah Betts began seating customers at TGI Fridays at 10:30 a.m. When she got off work at 3 p.m., she grabbed a bite to eat before heading to her second job at Cracker Barrel, where she waited tables until just before midnight.

Betts worked more than 40 hours a week last summer, putting as much money as she could toward her student loans so she could return to Patrick Henry College, a small Christian liberal arts school in Virginia. Even so, she likely will have to leave school next semester so she can go back to working and saving money.

"It's not a matter of paying off a loan so I can come back to school; it's a matter of keeping that figure low enough," she said.

As the economy continues to stagnate, college students like Betts are struggling to find enough money to pay for their education. Students on some Christian campuses face a bigger challenge because their schools don't allow them to apply for any federal loans or grants.

Two-thirds of those with Bachelor's degrees leave school with student loan debt, according to FinAid.com. The average student owes $27,803, including federal PLUS loans taken out by their parents. Students also rack up heavy credit card debt. The most recent study from Sallie Mae showed that typical students carry $2,200 on high-interest credit cards, and they often used credit cards to make up gaps in their tuition payments.

Other students borrow to fund their education but drop out before they finish, triggering a vicious cycle. When they realize they need a better job to help pay off their loans, many try to return to school. But their outstanding debt often makes them ineligible for further financial aid.

At Liberty University, the number of families asking about need-based scholarships increased by 214 percent between 2008 and 2010. Most families are struggling because of unemployment or underemployment, said Rob Ritz, Liberty's executive director of financial aid.

The federal student loan default rate is still relatively low at Liberty - 4.9 percent in 2009, at the height of the recession. But it was only 1.9 percent in 2008. Student loan defaults can ruin a student's credit for life, and the government can garnish up to 15 percent of the borrower's wages until the debt is paid.

Other Christian colleges, like Patrick Henry, Grove City and Hillsdale, do not allow students to receive any federal financial aid, whether that money comes through grants or loans. That limits some aid options for students like Betts.

Despite the risks involved in taking out student loans, Patrick Henry College vice president Bill Kellaris said students should view their education as an investment.

"I think in general Christians should not take on debt for items that are going to depreciate," Kellaris said. "A college education... will be worth more to you when you're 40 that when you're 30. It'll be worth more to you when you're 30 then when you graduate."

Betts said high school students should prayerfully consider whether they are called to go to college.

"I think people have regrets when they went to college because it was a social norm, and they don't know why they went," she said. Betts believes God called her to gain a Christian liberal arts education for her future career as a teacher.

"Taking out loans is not something you do flippantly," she said. "But I believe there are some risks worth taking, and in the long run my college experience is worth the sacrifice."

Tips for minimizing college loan debt

Liberty University Executive Director of Financial Aid Rob Ritz suggests students should:

• Consider CLEP testing out of freshman-year courses.
• Take as many credits as they can handle. Most colleges charge students the same tuition for a 12-18 credit course load. If students can handle a heavier course load, Ritz suggested trying to load up classes and attempting to graduate early.
• Live in lower-tier, less expensive housing.
• High school students should attempt to graduate in the December of their senior year so they have more time to work and save while living at home.
• Explore additional financial aid offerings before they look at loans. Most schools offer need-based aid they can qualify for if their situation has changed since their financial aid package was awarded. Additionally, most students don't explore private scholarship options, which can yield up to $1,800 a semester on average, Ritz said.
• Work part-time during school and consider work-study programs.