by Helen Wheatley

While preparing for the start of college in the fall, St. Teresa’s Academy seniors are exploring ways to make college tuition more affordable. According to The College Board, the price of college is doubling every nine years, and tuition prices are rising faster than inflation. At this rate, many people are having trouble affording the expenses of a college education.

Merriam-Webster states that scholarships are grants or payments made to support a student’s education, awarded on the basis of academic or other achievement, while financial aid is any grant, loan, or paid employment offered to help a student meet his/her college expenses.

According to The College Board, statistics show that the level of education a person receives correlates directly with the level of salary they later earn. So, how are people making the college dream a reality?

Senior Madison Fitzgerald will be attending Vanderbilt University in the fall and has received financial aid, which includes her participation in a work-study program the school offers. Fitzgerald also applied for scholarships.

“I applied for financial aid at every school… I also applied for scholarships,” Fitzgerald said. “I know I applied for a few full ride scholarships through Vanderbilt, which I didn’t get, but they’re still good options to try to get them.”

Mother of three college-aged boys Susan Johnson says that she has opened 529 accounts for each of her four children. According to Johnson, a 529 account is a tax free college savings account, with money that can only be used for college education.

“If you start saving when they’re born and save modestly each month, you’ll have enough for their tuition by the time they turn eighteen,” Johnson said.

Private college consultant Jim Heryer advises that students work hard on their academics while in high school in order to make the college selection process easier, and to increase chances of receiving scholarships.

“If you can put together a plan to gradually increase your grade point average and do as well as you can on the SAT or ACT … then you can get yourself in the driver’s seat for searching for merit based aid,” Heryer said.

Students are also finding that staying at home for college may just be the best option. STA alumna Meaghan Coble is a freshman at University of Missouri-Kansas City, and lived at home her first year.

“I just thought about how much the dorms cost and I was like oh, it’s so much better to stay home, I’m literally like five blocks away,” Coble said. “I get fed, you know free food, laundry, yeah it’s great.”

Coble acknowledges that some may not find living with family ideal, but that she “still feels like she’s in college” while she’s living at home. However, for some, the search for the right college within a reasonable price range is difficult.

According to Heryer, it seems that the most important thing for students is to plan their strategy in high school in order to prepare for the expenses of college.

“Tuition is what it is,” Heryer said. “The more long range planning you can have as you enter your high school years, the better off you’re gonna be.”