Blogging for Change

Economy calls for a change in college plans

by Kim McGrigg on
8/17/2009
in Managing Student Loans

One-third of students are changing their college plans because of the economy according to the 2009 Back to College survey. The nationwide survey, conducted by Money Management International, measured the toll of the economy on students’ plans for attending and paying for college.

Tuition, room, and board for the average undergraduate student in the 2007 to 2008 school year cost $11,578 at a public institution ($29,915 at a private school) according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. That price, combined with the sluggish economy, is too much for one-third of survey respondents.

One-third of respondents say they are changing their college plans. Of those who say they are changing their plans for college, 38 percent plan to attend a less expensive school, 35 percent plan to go to a community college to complete basic courses, and 31 percent have decided to attend school closer to home. Four percent of students are postponing college and, shockingly, eight percent have decided not to attend school at all.

Students are shouldering more of the financial burden. Parents, less able to offer financial assistance than in years past, are passing the financial responsibility on to students. Of those surveyed, 86 percent believe students should apply for scholarships and/or grants to fund college costs.

Amber Collins, a sophomore at Louisiana State University, is a recipient of the Bill Gates Scholarship, which offers students as much as $50,000 a year to pay for school and living expenses. Collins took advantage of FastWeb.com, a site that uses students’ demographic and educational information to match them to scholarships and grants they are eligible to receive. Collins says she worked hard for her scholarship in high school, “I earned a 3.5 GPA, got involved in a great internship, and focused on my future so I could attend the college I wanted without worrying about money.”

For students who want the freedom to attend the college they want in the current economy, striving for academic excellence in high school and setting clear goals for the future should be a top priority. There are many options available to help students and their parents pay for school – the key is to do the research. 

Kim McGrigg is the former Manager of Community and Media Relations for MMI.

Recommended Articles

College girl on a laptop
Student Loan Counseling
Need more help tackling your student loan debt? MMI offers student loan counseling for any borrower in need of information and advice.
Learn More
Learn more
  • Better Business Bureau A+ rating Better Business Bureau
    MMI is proud to have achieved an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), a nonprofit organization focused on promoting and improving marketplace trust. The BBB investigates charges of fraud against both consumers and businesses, sets standards for truthfulness in advertising, and evaluates the trustworthiness of businesses and charities, providing a score from A+ (highest) to F (lowest).
  • Financial Counseling Association of America Financial Counseling Association of America
    MMI is a proud member of the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA), a national association representing financial counseling companies that provide consumer credit counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling, bankruptcy counseling, debt management, and various financial education services.
  • Trustpilot Trustpilot
    MMI is rated as “Excellent” (4.9/5) by reviewers on Trustpilot, a global, online consumer review platform dedicated to openness and transparency. Since 2007, Trustpilot has received over 116 million customer reviews for nearly 500,000 different websites and businesses. See what others are saying about the work we do.
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development - Equal Housing Opportunity Department of Housing and Urban Development
    MMI is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide consumer housing counseling. The mission of HUD is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD provides support services directly and through approved, local agencies like MMI.
  • Council on Accreditation Council On Accreditation
    MMI is proudly accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), an international, independent, nonprofit, human service accrediting organization. COA’s thorough, peer-reviewed accreditation process is designed to ensure that organizations like MMI are providing the highest standard of service and support for clients and employees alike.
  • National Foundation for Credit Counseling National Foundation for Credit Counseling
    MMI is a longstanding member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®), the nation’s largest nonprofit financial counseling organization. Founded in 1951, the NFCC’s mission is to promote financially responsible behavior and help member organizations like MMI deliver the highest-quality financial education and counseling services.