Let's face it: You have so much going on with classes, huge reading assignments, papers, and exams while you're in school that it's hard enough to find time to sleep, let alone hold a job at the same time. That's why thousands of college students look to pad their school-year finances with a summer job that will bring in enough money from June through August to help get them through the next year.

But with everyone chasing the same camp counselor and ice-cream-shop positions, finding a summer job isn't always easy. The key is to (1) think outside the box and (2) be willing to take those jobs that nobody else wants.

For some ideas to get you going, we've put together this list of 10 overlooked summer job alternatives that can put cash in your pocket all summer long.

1) Yardwork

Why you overlooked it: Being out in the hot sun cutting lawns or fixing fences sounds sweaty, boring, uncomfortable, and, well ... hot.

Why you should reconsider: People who pay students to do things like this are typically old (they can't do it themselves) and have lots of money, which they're often happy to pay you for doing a good job. Bring your iPod to pass the time and plenty of sunscreen to ward off the skin cancer, so you can tan safe while you're working outside.

To get started, just run off a few fliers with your name and phone number and put them on bulletin boards at senior centers and grocery stores. Or better yet, go door to door.

2) Teacher's Aide

Why you overlooked it: Go back to school? You just spent nine months in school, waiting to get out.

Why you should reconsider: Being a summer teacher's aide usually means typing up syllabi and helping put together lesson plans or lectures for the next semester. The work's not that hard, you're probably going to be sitting in an air-conditioned office, and you can sometimes even earn credits toward your degree.

3) Data Entry

Why you overlooked it: Sitting in front of a computer screen is the last thing you want to do after weeks of typing up term papers and cramming for finals.

Why you should reconsider: Places that need to hire people just to enter their masses of data into a computer system generally have lots of customers - which can mean juicy paychecks. If you can do simple, repetitive, auto-pilot tasks in an air-conditioned cubicle, you could rake in anywhere from $10-$14 an hour.

Check job postings on Craigslist, browse the classifieds in your local papers and alternative weeklies, and stop by local insurance companies and doctors offices to ask if they're looking for data entry staff. You'll usually find lots of opportunities.

4) Amusement Parks

Why you overlooked it: You'd rather hang out at an amusement park during the summer than work at one.

Why you should reconsider: Besides some pretty decent hourly pay, many amusement parks offer bonus perks to their employees. These can include free passes for you and your friends to use on your days off, discounts on food and games, and sometimes even scholarship opportunities. And being able to hit the water slides and roller coasters for free during the summer totally beats having to deal with angry customers at Wal-Mart.

5) Opening Pools

Why you overlooked it: Overlooked what? You swim in pools, you don't know how they got there.

Why you should reconsider: Opening pools is one of the highest-paying summer jobs out there. If you can get yourself hired by a pool opening business, you might take home $100-$200 a day, even if you only spend four hours working. Some days will be busier and harder than others, but working outside with a team and a boombox will usually be a lot more laid back than being cooped up in a suit behind the shoelace-and-wallet counter at the local department store.

6) Pet Stores

Why you overlooked it: You don't have a pet.

Why you should reconsider: Unlike huge retail stores (where half the city's college population will be desperately applying all at once), pet stores are smaller, off-the-radar, and often on the lookout for a quick helping hand. Your most challenging tasks will normally be bathing dogs, stocking cans of food, and helping customers find toys for their pets. Does summer work get much easier than that?

7) Landscaping

Why you overlooked it: Manual labor. Enough said.

Why you should reconsider: Since jobs that involve manual labor don't exactly appeal to a broad group of people, there can be a lot of opportunities for those who don't mind jumping in and getting their hands dirty. Landscapers, in particular, are often eager to bring in a few young bodies. If you don't mind spending a few months working with your hands, just flip through your phone book, and you'll find plenty of landscapers to call.

8) Washing Windows

Why you overlooked it: See number 7.

Why you should reconsider: According to an employment counselor that spoke with The West Island Gazette, many students walk away from unglamorous jobs like landscaping and window washing that seem too menial ("Plenty of Summer Jobs Out There - If You Know Where to Look"). So you can either compete with the herd, or take advantage of the opportunities that open up to you when everyone else is stampeding in another direction. Do these manual-labor jobs well, and you'll usually build up a loyal clientele that will ask for your summer services whenever you're available.

9) Washing Cars

Why you overlooked it: See number 8.

Why you should reconsider: If you're the entrepreneurial type, you can make a killing with this. There are large numbers of people who prefer a hand wash over a conveyor-belt machine wash and who are willing to pay a little extra for the personalized care of a hand wash. Ask a nearby gas station or grocery store if you can set up in their parking lot. Unless there are permit or insurance issues, these places should be totally cool with it, and if you can afford soap and sponges, you can be in business the very next day.

10) Door-to-Door Fundraising

Why you overlooked it: The idea of getting paid only if you collect donations - no matter how many hours you work - doesn't sit well with you.

Why you should reconsider: Environmentalist groups and medical charities will often train you extensively and pair you with an experienced fundraiser before sending you out on your own. If you pay attention and diligently apply what they teach you, you could be bringing home anywhere from $200-$500 a week. True, there's the drawback that you'll be giving up the security of a guaranteed paycheck. But on the flip side, if you've got the sales mojo, you can really rake it in.