Palin's mysterious years as a scholar

[mitchum]

We all know:
it took Palin several years to earn a bachelor's in Communications (not Journalism)
there was a lot of college hopping with a couple of interludes at community colleges (presumably in order to pull up a a miserable GPA)
but...
What were her grades like?
How did she pay for her education?
The beauty pageant apologists say that she "only entered Miss Alaska in order to win the scholarship", but since she came in 3rd place, I don't imagine there was much scholarship money provided.
Did she use
Family money?
Pell Grants?
Student loans?
Work her way through? I have not heard about any waitressing gigs, retail jobs, etc...
Mysterious benefactor(s)?

Inquiring minds want to know

[MNDemNY]

1. She worked "the pole".

[CK_John]

2. Sounds more like a CIA training program. n/t