This quote by John F. Kennedy has a lot more meaning to me now that I am attending college. Going to an institution of higher education not only affects those students attending, but also our country as a whole and the society we live in.

Having the privilege to attend college in America is something we, as Americans, must strive to maintain and make better. Unfortunately, there are some Americans who don’t believe going to college will bring any sort of benefit to them or to our society.

In a recent conversation with my sister, I asked her if she was thinking about going back to school. She had just received a promotion at her job, and things were looking up for her. She has never attended any sort of educational institution after graduating from high school other than a few years at a hair school. To answer my question, she ranted about how college is unnecessary for the betterment of her life.

“If the government wants me to go to college, then they should pay me to go, not the other way around,” my sister said.

This conversation set my mind in motion. I don’t believe college is something the government is forcing people to do. The government forces you to attend kindergarten up until your senior year of high school. You attend a college or university if you choose to do so.

On the other hand, I can see where my sister gets her logic. Sometimes it seems as though the government has its dirty hands in every aspect of society, including institutions of higher education. Expending so much time and energy for a letter on a piece of paper may feel tedious and superfluous, making the stresses of college not worth the effort on occasion.

I am guilty of having these feelings countless times throughout each semester. But I have something to say to my sister and to all of you: Being college educated is something to be proud of.

To read the rest of this story from the Dixie Sun, click here.

Alex Wallen was one of two young women recognized at this year’s St. Lucia celebration this past weekend. Every Christmas season, the Swedish Society celebrates St. Lucia, an angel like woman symbolizing light and sustenance.

Wearing the saint’s crown symbolizes charity, thoughtfulness, hope — and new opportunities to serve. Those who graduate from the traditional program, work hard to reach this point. And Wallen, in particular has had more than her share of challenges.

Wallen has spent the better part of 19 years fighting to stabilize her body’s chemistry. “It can actually be life threatening for her,” family physician Rebecca Levine said. “Many times, she has come close to having a bad outcome.”

Though she looks as normal as other students attending the College of Eastern Utah, Alex’s own immune system attacks and destroys the body’s glands. Her parathyroid that regulates calcium and other minerals was the first to go. By age 11 the adrenal gland was destroyed — a disorder called Addison’s disease.

For this entire article from the Deseret News, click here.

When many families prepare for financing a child’s college education, they base their plan on the expectation that their child can graduate in four years. However, the time to graduation may be longer. This can mean a significantly higher total cost for a college education.

The U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) tracked the progress of first-time students seeking a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and attending a four-year institution full-time in the 2000-01 school year. It found that only 36 percent of these students graduated from college within four years. And only 57.5 percent of undergraduates who began that year had attained a degree or certificate six years later, in 2007.
Evaluate the likelihood that your child can graduate in four years. Ask yourself:

• Is my child a good student who works hard in school and is serious about an education?
• How clearly defined are my child’s goals?
• Does the college offer advising services for scheduling required classes, so my child can take the ones needed to graduate on time?

Then sit down to make a realistic financial plan. Try to anticipate your costs if you feel your child may need to an extra year or two to complete a degree.

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Today, however, Ms. Munna, a 26-year-old graduate of New York University, has nearly $100,000 in student loan debt from her four years in college, and affording the full monthly payments would be a struggle. For much of the time since her 2005 graduation, she’s been enrolled in night school, which allows her to defer loan payments.

For full story click here

From the price of tuition and laptops to books and bars, tracking expenses in college can amount to a second major. Just ask today’s college students–which is what we did.

We reached out to a group of current college students to hear what they have to say about managing money at their schools. They share ways students at their schools struggle with spending, and offer up a bit of advice for incoming freshmen.

For full story, click here

First, hold yourself accountable. It doesn’t matter where you go to school, if you don’t do the homework and study, you won’t be getting what you are paying for. Nobody-not your teachers, not your parents, not the dean of students-is more responsible for your success or failure more than you are. I suggest doing the math and figuring out how much each classroom hour costs; that alone was motivation enough for me to not skip classes when I was in college (each classroom hour was approximately $167 by my reckoning). Maximize your tuition dollars by taking yourself and your education seriously.

Second, look at your choice of schools. You’ll pay about three to four times as much if you go to an out-of-state public institution than you would if you were a resident, so check out Utah’s colleges and universities for programs and majors that interest you. Also keep in mind that community colleges are excellent places to start off your education, particularly if you plan on transferring from a local community college to one of the state colleges. Most transfer programs are very smooth.

Third, be prepared to sacrifice. This could be applicable in many realms of the college experience. I am well aware that sacrifice isn’t a particularly enjoyable or popular lifestyle option, but as someone who ate her share of Ramen noodles during college, I can tell you that the payoff afterwards is worth it. I have not had to eat Ramen noodles out of economic necessity in the 3+ years since I graduated. This comes into play when talking about Cost of Attendance, which factors in things like room and board. If you can save yourself money on the room and board by giving up non-necessities, you’ll ultimately be reducing your overall price tag for college.

Fourth, have a plan. Students who go into college with a definite plan typically graduate more quickly than students who enter higher education without a specific direction. This means that if you have a plan, you’ll most likely save yourself tuition for extra classes or semesters by not switching majors or tracks.

Fifth, challenge yourself BEFORE college. Students who complete a rigorous course of study such as the Utah Scholars program during high school are much more likely to graduate with a four-year college degree than their counterparts. Taking challenging classes in high school better prepares students for the stresses and difficulty level of college work. And realistically, you can only capitalize on your education if you have a credential to show for it, so graduation really is a lynchpin here.

And finally, do the legwork. If you take the time to look for scholarships (try the search on UtahFutures) and apply for grants (start by filling out the FAFSA), you may be able to get some of the price of college paid for you. Keep in mind that many renewable scholarships (the ones that you can use for longer than just one year) are contingent upon having a high GPA and meeting standards such as Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

Be creative! You can find other ways of saving on college. For instance, if you start a savings account while you are young and it accrues interest, that interest is helping you save on your investment. Good luck!

In order to understand the EFC, you need to first understand “COA,” or Cost of Attendance. Every college has a cost of attendance, which includes tuition, fees, room and board, books, transportation, and many other miscellaneous things such as a computer and childcare for dependents. To give an example, the University of Utah’s website lists the main components of COA (for a Utah resident):

• Tuition and Mandatory fees: $4,864
• Books and Supplies: $1,080
• Room and Board for students living at home or with relatives: $3,420
• Room and Board for students living off campus: $9,360
• Room and Board for students living on campus:  varies depending on accomodations
• Total for a student living off-campus: $15,304

So basically, the COA encompasses a reasonable living cost for a year (or 9 months, depending on the school) while a student is in school.

Moving on to the EFC…this includes a total of monetary or other forms of support equivalent to the dollar amount listed. So for a student with a COA of $15,304, if a family is required to contribute between 22 and 47 cents on the dollar (a typical range depending on family income and size), that would make the EFC $3,367 to $7,192, respectively. See what I mean about sticker shock?

But don’t panic! The EFC isn’t necessarily the amount of cash that families are required to shell out at the beginning of the year to pay tuition, it’s the amount of support expected throughout the year. So, if parents buy a student’s groceries, that counts as part of the EFC. If the family helps the student cover moving expenses or rent, or loan the student a car, or buy the student a laptop for homework, those all are considered part of the EFC.

The reason it’s important to know all of this is that when you’re making decisions about where to attend school, you need to find the best fit for you, and the best value for your family. This includes being able to compare financial aid award letters, and to really know what you’re looking at! For more resources on demystifying award letters, check out Finaid.org’s helpful article.