I took a semester between HS and college to move back to the US (I was in south america). Best move ever since I was on the fence about school and working with my uncle at a sewer and drain cleaning business (and plumbing too) gave me a great reality check.

I then went to a state school where, except for one semester, I worked full time and school full time for 2.5 years (1 $4,500 student loan only and about $2k in credit card debt + a car loan). I got an offer for a $35k a year job in Dallas through a friend and quit my $7.50 an hour job the next week.

Took another semester off and then continued taking classes in the evenings and weekends at a community college and local commuter college.

When I finally graduated it was basically a non-event for me (didn't walk or send announcements) since I realixed I'd just paid $30k for a piece of paper that is a one liner on my resume and that really didn't teach me much.

So, like I tell lots of people these days, take the basics at a community college, take the upper level classes at a college and just get the paper since unless you're going into the hedge fund business or med/law school noone cares about your grades, just that you have a degree.

Of course if you own your own business, noone cares about a degree :)