Grads facing a tough job market

1. The faltering economy
is causing college-
bound high school
seniors to reconsider
their futures.
Money has become
a huge factor in
choosing a college
— and a major.
By LAUREN MATEER
COUNCIL ROCK NORTH
I
t’s no secret that the parents of
college-bound seniors are wor-
ried about money. Everyone is
worried about money in today’s
economic climate.
However, if you’re about to send
your kid to a school that is going to
cost $20,000 to $50,000 a year, espe-
cially if you have more than one col-
lege-age or soon-to-be college-age
child, it’s likely that you’re particularly
worried.
Although some kids have dream
schools that they want to go to no
matter what the cost, many parents
are hoping that their children will
choose less-expensive universities, or
lower their college costs with jobs or
by living at home.
Guess what? The kids are doing their
best to oblige. We don’t want to end up
drowning in debt as soon as we graduate.
Many kids are deciding on cheaper schools
Economy
or schools where they can get scholarships.
Some are even changing their prospective
majors because of the economic situation.
forcing new
I applied to 10 schools, more than the aver-
age person. As far as the price tag, these 10
schools are as varied as their location, size, etc.
lifestyle for
At one of these schools, I could most likely
receive a full ride because of National Merit. At
another, if I am accepted, I’m not expecting any-
rabid pop-
thing and would have to pay almost $50,000 a
year.
Right now, I’m most interested in a school that
culture geek
has offered me a partial scholarship. Many other By WILLIAM HUBBELL
teens are going in the same direction, some even giv- CENTRAL BUCKS EAST
F
ing up their first-choice school in favor of a cheaper or me and thousands of other
school they like less. high school seniors getting
Some students, such as Council Rock North senior ready to graduate, money has
Robin Kutner, decided to choose a school that gave her a become a very important issue.
big scholarship (luckily, it was her first choice anyway,) but Not only do we need to save for
other students are giving up first choices in favor of finan- college, but we need to do so in a ter-
cial help. rible economic climate. For me, this
Nhi Tran, a senior at Council transition from spending my money
Tell us Rock North, says, “OK, so I love like it’s tokens for Chuck E. Cheese to
saving most of it has been jarring. I’ve
your biggest Johns Hopkins. Even withtuition and
absolutely insane $40,000
its
had to change my spending habits,
financial worry. scarce financial aid, I haven’t been
considering that (a)
I am in love. But and as a result, my entire way of life
has been affected.
www.Bucksreality.com accepted yet, and (b) the economy, I Take entertain-
don’t really know if I want to go anymore. ment, for instance.
“It sucks, but I don’t want to be 50 and paying off my I’d say more than
student loans. So it’s basically either go to a mediocre half of the money I
school and graduate debt-free — which is actually pretty spend is on enter-
phenomenal, right? — or go to my dream school and tainment; comics,
drown in financial problems later on down the road.” books, records and
Other students agree. Fellow North senior Katie Bienas videogames account
is worried that “our generation is going to have so much for much of the
debt from the deficit and stuff already.” She doesn’t want $3,000 I spent last
to also have to deal with college debt, while others, like year (movies aren’t a
senior Elizabeth Rademacher, didn’t even bother applying problem, because my
to some more-expensive schools. parents have Netflix
“It’s kind of sad to think that I haven’t sent in some of and I work at a the-
those apps because I know that it wouldn’t be financially ater).
feasible for me to attend those schools,” she said. “It’s pret- The problem I have with these
ty depressing to think that, even if I’ve worked hard, I still things is that I like to collect them. I
might not get to go to my dream school because of some- keep comic books and videogames
thing like money.” perfectly organized, like I’m going to
North student Natalie Chernicoff agrees. “I’m going to have a vault of entertainment one day
start by doing at least a year at BCCC, and then I’ll transfer for geeks like me to frolic in, where
to another school to get my bachelor’s . . . the money my nobody will ever have to go outside
parents had counted on using to send me to college is no and nacho cheese will flow like milk
longer there.” and honey in the promised land.
See COLLEGE, Page D2 Naturally, saving money in this area
has been a lesson in separating one’s
self from material possessions.
Suddenly, the library has become
my new best friend. Going to the
COURIER TIMES / THE INTELLIGENCER library is like a nicotine patch for con-
sumerism — I still get to watch my
Enter our
Life
movies, listen to CDs and read
teen art comics, but I’m not wasting any
Also in
money and I’m not collecting any-
contest! thing.
By the way, did you know you can
find pretty much anything on the
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2009 D library’s online database and pick it
up at whatever branch you choose?
See MONEY, Page D2
REALITY EDITOR ANDY VINEBERG: 215-949-4135 ARTIST TOM RASKI: 215-949-5744 E-MAIL BACKTALK@PHILLYBURBS.COM WRITE REALITY, C/O COURIER TIMES, 8400 RT. 13, LEVITTOWN, PA 19057