The early signing of Dan Owens to Ashland University in Ohio brought up a subject near and dear to me: finance.
With an athletic scholarship, athletes have the opportunity to have at least a portion of their college education paid for. The best way to ensure a solid future, I believe, and not just because I have been told a million times, is to get a college education.
Athletic scholarships obviously are not available to everyone, so finding scholarships can be tricky.
I am here to encourage high school and college students who have found their way to this column, to spend time researching into what scholarships are available to them.
Personally, I remember plenty of times where I would find scholarships online only to dig deeper and find out I was ineligible for whatever reason. I know that can be very discouraging, but you should give it a try.
As the economy continues a ‘downward spiral,? there are things happening to keep a valuable college diploma out of your hands. The most obvious one you will see, if you were to compare tuition bills in the past years, tuition is on the rise.
In my time at Oakland University, is tuition increased more than 20 percent from 2001-?06. The figure might not sound like much, but that amounts to hundreds of dollars more, per class, plus late fees if the amount is not paid in full.
Textbooks cost money, and no matter how hard you search on the Internet and at the used textbook place, you will have to buy new books every once in a while.
Luckily while I was in school, books for journalism and communications courses were typically paperbacks, often available used.
However, there are science and math courses where students are assigned the biggest and thickest hardcover books, equalling more money out of your pocket. Textbook manufacturers are in the business to profit too, something seen in several seemingly unnecessary reissues of texts required by professors.
The last thing I should mention is interest rates. Student loans, also available for students plowing their way through a college career, can have a variable interest rate, so watch out.
I recommend to borrowers that they ensure paying some, if not most of their interest accrued while in college, an option available on a monthly interest statement.
So hopefully, in this time of college madness for high school seniors, they have a few minutes to sit down with this paper. Again, just take the time to try.
Even if you think there isn’t anything out there for you, you might surprise yourself.