| With the recession affecting everything from what we | | | | students actively utilize them, though, they'll remain as |
| eat to where we vacation, it's no surprise that higher | | | | dormant as an unemployed graduate. |
| education has not escaped impact from the current | | | | In addition to pouncing-upon their school's unique |
| economy. College costs have skyrocketed in recent | | | | resources, students should back away from the |
| years, and post-graduation jobs are fewer and further | | | | temptation to overspend while doing it. A four-year |
| between. As a result, many students and parents | | | | college education has become unimaginably expensive, |
| have started to reformulate college in a way that | | | | and both students and their parents would be wise to |
| considers both strategy and adaptability. | | | | combine creativity and sacrifice in order to foot the bill. |
| As many have already discovered, making the college | | | | Thankfully, today's students have plenty of options |
| experience "recession-proof" is no blow-off course. It | | | | when it comes to college financing: they can attend a |
| requires intense planning, consistent effort, and a | | | | community college for one or two years before |
| willingness to make sacrifices and delay gratification. | | | | attending a four-year school, they can live at home for |
| However, with the proper preparation and the right | | | | a few years and commute to class, or they can |
| attitude, degree-seekers can work to minimize the | | | | benefit from the generous scholarships offered at |
| effects of the economic downturn upon their | | | | less-prestigious universities, to name just a few. |
| educational goals. | | | | Of course, all money-saving options involve sacrifice |
| As any high school guidance counselor will be quick to | | | | and delayed gratification. Fortunately, college students |
| remind, planning ahead is invaluable. Before students | | | | need a healthy dose of both anyway, so cutting costs |
| even leave high school, they should have an action | | | | produces more than just a monetary gain. Students |
| plan for college. Which college will they attend? How | | | | learn how to live within their means, and also how to |
| will they pay for school? In what subject will they | | | | work and wait before welcoming success. |
| major? Of course, the responses are probably quite | | | | Perhaps the most important thing students can do to |
| obvious to most college-bound teens and their parents. | | | | recession-proof college the college experience is to |
| Still, many set off for school lacking concrete answers, | | | | play up their own strengths. When deciding upon a |
| assuming things will simply work themselves out within | | | | college major and career path, students should always |
| four years. | | | | keep in mind what they're best at. Given the current |
| In this economy, that assumption is a recipe for | | | | dearth of jobs, many students and parents are |
| collegiate disaster. Lacking life experience, young adults | | | | tempted to pick a random "practical" major, such as |
| must know what they're doing before making the | | | | accounting or engineering, to guarantee future |
| expensive leap into postsecondary education. The end | | | | employment. |
| goals (timely graduation, a job) must be kept in mind | | | | Few things in life are that easy, and post-grad success |
| from the very beginning. | | | | is certainly not one of them. Savvy students should |
| By the time they graduate high school, students should | | | | first choose what they enjoy, what they're good at, |
| know the following: what their interests are, where their | | | | and what they're genuinely interested in. Then, they |
| aptitudes lie, what their realistic career expectations | | | | should devise a plan to make that major as practical |
| are, and what path of college study will incorporate all | | | | as possible. To use a clichéd example, an art |
| three for the lowest possible cost. | | | | lover shouldn't toss artistic dreams aside in favor of |
| During the first few weeks of classes, students should | | | | the corporate world (itself no guarantee of success |
| try to carve out some time to familiarize themselves | | | | these days). Instead, he or she should engage those in |
| with university resources. While four years may seem | | | | the department in an ongoing conversation about |
| like an eternity to an eighteen-year-old, time flies when | | | | realism. |
| you're having (too much) fun. Before many students | | | | If students pursue only what they like, without any |
| know it, graduation is upon them, and they're busy | | | | plans for pragmatism, they're likely to be economic |
| sending out party invitations instead of resumes. | | | | victims instead of victors. However, if a student isn't |
| Therefore, one of the most recession-busting habits a | | | | truly vested in their major, they likely won't have the |
| student can adopt is to take thorough advantage of | | | | motivation to thrive anyhow. |
| school services. | | | | The college experience has changed significantly in |
| Making use of school support is like voting in Chicago: | | | | recent years; there is no longer a traditional path all |
| one must do it early and often in order to get results. | | | | students must follow. As a result, despite even the |
| From interview preparation to resume review to | | | | worst effects of the recession, today's students are |
| formal networking, colleges and universities offer a | | | | freer than ever to pursue a plan that works for them. |
| tremendous array of employment resources. Unless | | | | |