The minority high school students Tescia Ross mentors in the Bay Area often think college is too expensive.

"They have this idea in their heads that they can't go to college, that only the upper-class white people prepare for college," said Ross, a 20-year-old Modesto native.

But Ross is living proof that people can find a way. A Davis High School graduate whose mother makes $15,000 a year, Ross is entering her junior year at the University of California at Berkeley.

She is one of 16 people featured on a new UC Web site that shows how students -- ranging from those whose families make $15,000 to $140,000 to those who are financially independent -- manage the cost of a UC education.

Like many people, Ross makes college possible with a combination of loans, scholarships, grants, other aid and work.

David Gomes, interim director of financial aid and scholarships at California State University, Stanislaus, said prospective students should explore all avenues before assuming they can't go to college.

A number of factors contribute to the amount and type of aid for which a person qualifies, from the size of one's family to the number of people in college to the age of their parents, Gomes said.

"We strongly encourage everybody to apply so they can find out for sure," he said.

Eligibility varies according to the financial circumstances of each household. For example, students can be awarded $400 to $4,000 in Pell Grants, depending on how great their need is, he said.

Other programs, such as the Cal Grant, are awarded based on need and academic performance.

At the University of California, officials say paying for college is a partnership among the student, parents and the university. Students are expected to help by working or borrowing. Parents are expected to contribute according to a level set by a federal formula, and the university contributes according to the student's eligibility for aid.

"A UC education is an investment. We try to give students and parents the tools and resources they need to manage the cost," said Chris Carter, who works with student financial services at the UC Office of the President.

Gomes said even if students qualify for big grants, that's not enough to cover all costs, particularly when they have the added expense of living away from home.

At that point, people have to make choices, he said. Are they willing to go to a school closer to home, to juggle work and school, or to take on loans?

In Ross' case, with "awesome" grades and plenty of experiences -- student body president, track and cheerleader -- she said she was confident she'd go to a four-year college.

"I was really worried about how I would be able to fund college," she added.

Using the Internet to get an estimate of how much it would cost, she figured $17,000 to $19,000 a year.

"I wasn't going into it blindsided," she said.

With help from a high school counselor, she applied for scholarships and aid.

"Even if you come from a low income, I think the best thing is to tap into resources," Ross said. "Because you're preparing for college, you need to take the initiative."

In her first year, scholarships, grants and about a $4,000 loan covered her tuition and the cost of staying in the dorms, she said. Because of her income, Ross' mother was not asked to contribute.

As with all students, Ross was asked to contribute. She got a work-study job as a student assistant for the director of financial aid.

Last year, she moved out of the dorms and needed more money to pay for an apartment and food. She kept working 10 hours each week and took out a $5,025 loan, cutting what she needed to earn to $1,315.

Ross said she also got a slight boost in her grant aid from the university -- to $9,480. Generally, students whose families make $60,000 or less qualify for grants from the university.

Ross found a studio apartment for $600 a month in Emeryville, at a complex that offers budget rates to people, mostly students, with low incomes, she said.

For the coming year, Ross said she got an increase in her grant aid and won't have to take out loans.

"I'm planning on going to grad school, so I'm trying to be good with the loans," said Ross, who wants to be a marital and family therapist.

Though her mom's salary was low, Ross said growing up she never thought of herself as poor. Her mother's attitude had a lot to do with it, she said.

"My mom always has high spirits. She always said, 'If we don't have this, we'll make it,'" Ross said. "I had what I needed and that was enough for me."

Ross suggested that prospective students search the Internet for grant and scholarship opportunities and talk to students who go to college.

"Prepare yourself and don't be afraid to ask questions, especially from people who know," she said. "And work hard, too."

The UC financial aid profiles including Ross', are at www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/youcan.