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Adjustment 101:When kids come home for the holidays Gabrielle Russon Orlando Sentinel
Monica Wacks, who had arrived home from college, texted her mother: Can you go to the grocery store?. The first-year University of Central Florida student rattled off what she wanted: protein bread, organic macaroni and cheese, Swiss cheese and raspberries. “I’m busy, but you could go to the grocery store yourself,” reminded her mother, Sharon Wacks. Monica’s next question: Can I have some money? So the awkward dance had begun as young people, liberated at college, must return to their childhood homes for the holidays and live again with their parents. The dynamics can easily turn into a power struggle, said Karen Hofmann, the director of UCF’s Counseling and Psychological Services. Hofmann recommends parents and their children sit down early and talk about the expectations about curfews and other issues over the holidays. Both sides should aim to be flexible and compromise. “It’s part of growing up. There’s a loss and a gain _ a loss of what things once were but you’re also now developing an adult relationship, which can be very exciting,” Hofmann said. Hofmann, the mother of a Florida Atlantic University sophomore, remembers the occasional culture clash when her own daughter came home for the holidays last year. It was 3 a.m., and the family had returned home from a holiday trip to North Carolina. Hofmann’s daughter asked
whether she could go see her friends. “In my mind, it was extreme and in her mind, it felt like a very reasonable request,” Hofmann said. Her daughter ended up staying home. For Sharon Wacks, a Jupiter, Fla., mom who sent the baby of the family to UCF this year, it sometimes felt like Monica was split in two worlds: one of complete helplessness and another of adult independence. Weeks earlier, Monica was rear-ended in a crash that broke her nose and damaged her car. She was 18, old enough to sign the surgery consent form at the hospital, old enough to sign a contract for a lawyer. Yet why can’t she put the dishes in the dishwasher? asked Sharon Wacks, who focused on her lifestyle business and went on a trip with her husband for the first time in years while Monica was in school. Monica Wacks was different, too. She seemed more confident, more sure of herself. “It’s kind of like you jockey around,” said Sharon Wacks. “You have to shuffle a little bit. They realize they’ve changed; you’ve realized you’ve changed.” She wondered what it was like in the homes of the other college students returning back. “Have you noticed you’ve all changed since they first left for college?” Sharon Wacks posted in a Facebook group for UCF parents who routinely ask questions about where the safest student housing is or what to do if their child is sick. Within 45 minutes, other parents chimed in, complaining how their homes now looked like
hurricane disaster zones or how they were tired of being hit up for money. “I’m gonna have to beg on the corners to get thru the 2nd semester,” one sarcastic mother wrote. A few marveled at how their children were unexpectedly confident in the kitchen or seemed so mature. Charlene West was amazed at how much time her son had spent sleeping or watching “South Park” on TV in his pajamas at her Jacksonville home. UCF freshman Alexander “A.J.” Mitchell had crashed after passing all his classes, including his grueling chemistry exam. West was a no-nonsense mom. When Mitchell complained about being broke _ he spent most of his money on food _ West told him to find some handyman jobs. Her house, her rules. “He knows he can go do things because he was 18. He just had to realize he can’t do that at home because he’s 18,” West said. She joked she didn’t sound particularly motherly when she named her favorite thing about having her son home. Finally, somebody to sweep the steps and give the three dogs a bath. But Mitchell _ who had always helped his single mother out by doing his own laundry and mowing the yard _ said he didn’t mind. At least now, he had the freedom to go out without his mother calling to check in, like she did in high school. His mother stocked the kitchen with fruit and rib-eye steak just for him.
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Planning the perfect graduation party Karen Deer
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
A graduation party is a day that celebrates a pivotal moment in your life. It’s also a day you want your child to remember. From the invites to the decorations to the food, a lot of planning and preparation goes into the perfect graduation party, and it can be overwhelming if not organized. Try a basic checklist. It will help you cover the necessities for any graduation celebration. Set your date three to six months in advance. Start spreading the word to family and friends so they can mark it on their calendars. Most middle school and high school students get out of school the end of May, so consider planning an early June party. One thing to remember: Many families with younger children, plan weekend summer getaways, so the earlier the better. Your college grad party could be scheduled as early as May. But if the grad is taking summer classes to complete a degree, an August graduation party could be the answer. Besides a wedding, this could be the second most expensive party you plan for your child. Set a dollar amount and stick to it.
If you opt for a home party, make sure you can accommodate your guests with plenty of seating. A tent placed outdoors with additional seating can be a good idea. Check with schools and churches in your area to see if they rent tables and chairs. If you’re a member, you may receive discounted rental prices. Other locations include: City and county parks often have pavilions that can be reserved for group events. Apartment and subdivision party rooms—If a friend or relative lives in an apartment complex or a private subdivision, they may have a clubhouse or party room available for residents. Usually, there is a fee for rental, but it might be minimal. Restaurants—If you don’t think there will be enough room in your home, call around to area restaurants for party rooms. Many restaurants can accommodate small and large parties, and it could be less work for you. Bowling lanes_This could be an option for a younger graduation party. Consider renting the entire place and have a bowling party. Health clubs—Some clubs have party rooms. If you’re a member you could receive a discounted rate.
Banquet facilities—Local banquet halls can accommodate small parties. “Rates are cheaper on Friday evenings, during the day on Saturdays, and all day Sunday,” says Matt Casalone, owner of Genesis Banquet in St. Louis County. “Weddings occur on Saturday nights, and that’s prime time,” he adds. Send invites out around the time of graduation, or at least three weeks before the graduation party. Choose a theme in the early stages of planning. With a little thought, you can match your invites, decorations and the type of food to your theme. Popular grad themes include: sports themed, a Luau-themed party, a sail-away party (for the college grad relocating to another city), Westernthemed and more. Pizza parties are fun for younger kids. You can set up your delivery service at different times to have hot pizzas served throughout your party. Mexican-themed parties are also on high on the list for graduation parties. Your menu can be decided once you’ve chosen your theme. For example, if you choose an all-star baseball-themed graduation party, think ballpark food. The menu can be as simple as roasted hot dogs, brats and a nachos station complete with
a crock pot filled with hot shredded beef. Fill bowls with peanuts and set out boxes of cracker jacks. The No. 1 choice is a graduation cake. If you choose a custom cake, talk to the baker to bring in a special design to match your theme. Cupcakes and cake pops in school colors are fun for the younger crowd. If you dare to be different, try chilled crepes filled with fruit. They can be prepared ahead of time, and removed from the refrigerator as needed. Besides the basic fun party decorations such as balloons and streamers, photo walls are the new rage. This is an easy process. Dig out photos of your child from birth to present day. Get creative by arranging the photos on a wall. Family and friends can reminisce about the good old days. Or, try a collage photo frame. Create a centerpiece for the food table. We designed a quick and easy style by filling a photo frame vase with glass pebbles and inserting a photo of the grad. Vases available at amazon. com and zulily.com We talked with owner and lead party consultant Simcha Lourie of Simcha’s Events in Creve Coeur, Mo. (simchasevents.com). She offered some expert advice for planning your
graduation party: How much food should a hostess prepare for a graduation party?— Most importantly, you don’t want to run out of food. Rather than focusing on having large quantities, I like having a large variety to give guests plenty to choose from. I recommend 10 to 12 different items, mixed between appetizers and entrees, both hot and cold options. Is one large sheet cake enough?— I’m all about variety and convenience for guests. You can offer a quarter- or half-sheet cake if you want to have a congratulatory message on it, and then complement it with miniature dessert bites, mini cupcakes or fresh fruit kebabs. Or, hire a gelato cart to come to your house, which you can arrange for about $3 a person. It will make an impact on your guests. What about finger foods?—At a graduation party, your guests will want to walk around to socialize. Because you may not have seats for everyone, consider what can be enjoyed on a cocktail-size plate while also having a drink nearby. Smaller, bite-size food items that are easier to eat are preferable than anything that requires utensils. Chicken wings, for example, can be messy and leave guests with the bones.
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Essential skills for college freshmen Markia A. Holt
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
As I confidently waltzed into my dorm for my freshman year of college, with my new-found independence and debt in tow, I felt ready to conquer the world. Other than to check in, I refused to call my mother for any issues; I pridefully decided that if I had any problems I would solve them myself. I was horribly mistaken. I found myself calling my mom about everything from learning how to make do with limited resources to how to handle the dreaded financial aid office and even how to remove a nail polish stain from a comforter. “Most students have been in the same district for 12 years and struggle with the unknown,” said Julie Kampschroeder, counselor at Pattonville High School and the new St. Louis Graduates High School to College Center. “Students are often unaware of certain procedures and professor expectations. I would advise any first-year student to take advantage of Residence Advisers and college counselors because they are trained to help students with these concerns.” As opposed to relying on Google and phoning Mom 24/7, these are a few life lessons that every parent should ensure their child knows before sending him or her off into the great unknown. TIME MANAGEMENT Transitioning from high school to college, it is imperative that your student know how to schedule his or her free time effectively. Using a planner consistently will help him or her keep a track of classes, meetings and study time. Students can also use their smartphones as a scheduling tool. Some great apps are available to help you avoid the pitfalls of procrastination: iStudiez Pro—Students can include course schedules, plan study sessions, and input assignment deadlines, among other things (available on iOs). Outliner—This app allows you to organize your thoughts, tasks, and to-do lists. Outliner uses Dropbox so that students can share their information from any computer or webenabled device (available on iOs and Android). Trello—Trello takes a productive approach to studying and
collaborating with your peers. This app helps you plan an entire project from the beginning stages to the final product. FINANCIAL AFFAIRS If the recent recession taught us anything, it’s that credit card debt can get you in trouble. “Young adults need to know that they will be targeted by credit card companies,” Cheryl Bohlen, Finance Park Manager at Junior Achievement, said. “Know how credit works and how it can affect your future buying power.” Students should also learn to budget and prioritize their expenses. Many free online tools and templates are available to students and parents. Also, be sure your child knows how to use an ATM, balance a checkbook and pay her or his own bills. LAUNDRY Some students seem to wait until Thanksgiving break for Mom to do all of their laundry. “While visiting my daughter (at college) I noticed that one of the biggest issues for students was knowing how to do laundry properly; there were a lot of kids walking around with discolored clothing,” said Lisa Bobbit, whose daughter Jordan goes to Belloit College in Wisconsin. Go over the basics of color sorting, the correct temperature, and when and how much detergent to use. Many students are concerned about storing their laundry and other items in such a compact space as a dorm room. “Vertical storage is essential for small spaces. Mount shelves on the wall, use shoe organizers on the backs of doors, add an extra hanging bar in the closet,” said Jodi Granok, owner of Organizing Magic in University City, Mo. “Loft the bed and use the space underneath for a study zone. If at all possible, only bring one season’s worth of clothing at a time and rotate during the year.” CAR MAINTENANCE Your teen should know the basic operations of a car and how it functions. Some basic tasks to know are: how to pump gas, how to check the oil level and washer fluid, how to jumpstart a car and how to change a tire. “Prior to going away for school you should get the oil
changed, check the fluid levels, and just have a general inspection done,” said Peter Huey, owner of STL Auto Advocates in St. Louis. “Also, a first aid kit, window cleaner and blanket are items you should always keep in your vehicle.” Young adults should also know how to book a flight, navigate a map and decipher public transportation schedules. COOKING Even if your child has a meal plan, he or she should know how to prepare a simple meal such as spaghetti. How to cook poultry, knife-handling, and microwave safety are just a few other important skills. “Some tools and cookware you should have in your beginners kit are: cutlery, a skillet and a cookie sheet,” said Sally Burns of Dierbergs School of Cooking. Don’t forget to teach them safe storage for leftovers and proper clean-up. For example, a week-old pizza is not edible. “Going out to eat is a social experience,” said Anne Cori owner of the Kitchen Conservatory. “Many students won’t cook because they don’t think they have the time, but there are many dishes that aren’t time-consuming. Experiment and try new things. That’s how you learn.” HEALTH AND SAFETY Students are more susceptible to chronic illness because of the close living quarters of the residence halls, says Dr. Douglas Carlson, professor of pediatrics at Washington University. “It’s important to take precautions such as washing your hands and not exposing yourself to others if you are sick.” Dorms are a breeding ground for bacteria. Changing your sheets, staying up to date on vaccinations and cleaning your room frequently are great ways to prevent the spread of germs. Poor immune systems lead to more illness. To combat this, be sure to get plenty of rest and exercise and eat healthily. Sending your child off to school can be one of the most frightening yet rewarding moments of your life—and theirs. “Don’t smother them; talking every day is not realistic,” said Bobbit. “You can always talk on the phone, Skype, and most schools have a parent weekend. You have to know that you prepared your child 17 or 18 years for this and that they are ready.”
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Making the grade in dorm cooking Jackie Burrell
Contra Costa Times
There’s more to the college experience than fascinating lectures, frat parties and pricey textbooks. There’s all that ramen, for one thing. Mom and Dad may have paid for a dorm meal plan, but dining hall hours don’t always jibe with student schedules or tastes, for that matter. Many students find themselves on the wrong side of campus, or still in class, when the cafeteria closes. Late night study sessions require refueling. And a pizza-based diet gets old— and fattening—quickly. So here are some fresh cooking ideas that will be equally at home at the big U or in harried noncollege households, too. Start, says Belmont, Calif., chef Gigi Gaggero, by identifying what’s available and developing a repertoire of easy to prepare dishes. These days, that’s easy to do. People’s love affair with local, seasonal fare means farmers markets are popping up not just in urban centers, but on college campuses too, from UC Davis to the College of San Mateo’s twiceweekly market, where students
were encouraged to “Shake Your Pom Poms”—as in pomegranates —last week. San Jose State University and UC Berkeley students can stroll to farmers’ markets mere blocks off campus. A well-stocked dorm closet allows students to turn their produce finds into Caprese salads, bruschetta and similar simple fare without so much as a microwave oven. Tip: don’t store the laundry detergent near the cooking supplies or your Caprese salad will taste like Tide. But basic cookware—such as the measuring spoons, mixing bowl and cutting board included in San Jose State’s “Spartan Survival Kit”—make gourmet pursuits easy, even in a dorm setting. San Jose college students can purchase their kits, which also include a frying pan, sauce pot and cookie sheet for apartment dwellers, as part of the university’s Healthy Campus initiative. But the biggest challenges for would-be dorm chefs are aromas and appliance restrictions, says Gaggero, who teaches college cooking classes at her Kids Culinary Adventures school in Belmont. Be kind to your roommates, she says. Don’t cook fish, whip
up homemade pickled kimchee or burn the popcorn in the microwave. As for appliances, read the fine print on your housing contract first. Mini-fridges are allowed everywhere, but the rules on microwaves, crockpots, rice cookers and George Foreman grills vary from dorm to dorm. “We had an open kitchen where we could cook for ourselves on weekends,” says 2009 Stanford grad Molly Gerth, who lives in San Francisco now. “I learned how to make an omelet for the first time from more experienced friends when we cooked brunch for ourselves on Sundays. And some of my friends’ favorite snacks were Annie’s macaroni and cheese and deluxe quesadillas with all the fixings.” Those are good choices, says Gaggero, and many dorms have a communal kitchen. Or you can “borrow” a friend’s apartment stove during a study session to cook a week’s worth of baked potatoes or pasta. “Cook a week’s worth of spaghetti, penne or rigatoni,” she says. “Drain it and toss it in a little bit of olive oil, then portion control it into baggies.” Reheat it in the microwave and
add store-bought sauce; toss it with butter, garlic and fresh herbs; or top it with cooked, shredded chicken. That pasta can also be served cold, garnished with fresh veggies and tossed with an Asian peanut or sesame dressing. Baked potatoes are also a reliable standby. Try splitting and stuffing them with cheese and broccoli, before zapping them in the microwave. Of course, many vegetables can be cooked in their entirety in the microwave. Karen Rogers graduated from UC Berkeley last year, but the Berkeley resident still remembers slicing eggplant, drizzling it with olive oil, salt and a pinch of garlic powder. “It was simple, healthy, and only required seven minutes in the microwave,” she says. “Another favorite was sweet potatoes sweetened with brown sugar and dabbled with butter. All I had to do was poke the sweet potatoes with a fork and pop them in the oven for 10 minutes before they were soft.” At Marin’s What’s Cooking school, Michelle Stern teaches groups of off-to-college teens to make an entire Mediterranean meal of lemony, egg-laced
Avgolemono soup, Greek salad, hummus and pita, using nothing more than a blender and a rice cooker. “They love the soup,” she says. “It’s a combination of flavors they haven’t necessarily had before. The egg adds a lot of protein and creaminess, and the orzo gives it some bulk. It feels really filling and nurturing.” Of course, there are caveats, too. Make sure your minifridge is cold enough to keep milk and meat safely chilled. Don’t use a chicken-spattered cutting board to dice your vegetables. And avoid setting the building on fire. One unfortunate Stanford student made headlines after his late night egg roll frying session set off his campus apartment’s fire sprinklers in 2008. The resulting flood cascaded down three floors, according to the college newspaper, the Stanford Daily. Use a microwave or rice cooker, says Stern. They’re safer. And they turn themselves off. Any final tips? Every dorm room needs a little greenery, says Gaggero. Instead of a fern, put a pot of basil on the window sill. It’s yummier.
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Communication with roommates is the key Elizabeth Fox
The Philadelphia Inquirer
As anyone who has ever possessed a single square foot of space knows, decorating matters. Even those who profess not to care really want their abodes to look attractive, be comfortable, and feel like home. Under the best of circumstances, that can be difficult. So imagine the strain of working to organize and decorate a shoebox of a room with people who live far away _ people you may not even know. Ah, college! Not just the harbinger of academic challenges and new social pressures, it offers the bonus struggle of the dorm room. As someone gearing up for yet another year of the higher-education experience, I’m in a position to understand. My future residence is a two-room triple, with three desks, three beds, and startlingly little closet space. Other than that, I’m fuzzy on the details, as are my two roommates, one from California, one from Texas. Compounding the problem is the fact that my college is on the West Coast, which makes it virtually impossible for me to toss my belongings into the car and drive them to campus. Plus, my Texas roommate has packed up for the summer, leaving only the brief message: “I’m in Paris. I will buy posters.” So when my California roomie, Caitlin Crandell, called to say she was taking a break from Santa Barbara’s beaches to visit me in Philadelphia (I know, I was surprised, too), I immediately thought, “Oh, good! Now we have time to plan our room!” University of Pennsylvania sophomore Lua O’Brien understands wanting to sort out the decor issues in advance. “My roommates are all coming up early, and we’re going to go shopping together,” she said. She will share an on-campus apartment with three girls. “Posters, furniture, and cooking
stuff, like a George Foreman grill, we’ll do together.” Rachel Frank, 19, who goes to the University of Michigan, said she and her roommate are talking about decorating now. “We planned a little bit before we left school. She already had a refrigerator and a microwave, so I am doing the TV and DVD player,” Frank said. “We’re discussing how we want to do our beds because it’s building-block furniture, so you can do it lots of different ways.” Some are thinking bigger than just shopping at Ikea. “We’re all getting there pretty early, so we’ll go trash-picking together in the ritzy parts of the city, like Hyde Park,” said Dana Kaplan-Angle, a sophomore at Northwestern University, near Chicago. And though she hasn’t talked much with her four suitemates, who live as far away as Washington state, she’s begun planning her own single bedroom by mocking up its life-size dimensions in blue tape on her living room floor. “I’ve been hanging out in my phantom room so I can see how big it is,” she said with a laugh. “It’s small.” Some students haven’t made much progress at all Chris Pittman, a freshman at the University of Delaware, won’t find out who his roommate is until later this month, leaving him floundering on the decorating front. And Katherine O’Brien, a freshman at the University of Southern California, has found her Los Angeles roommate frustratingly unresponsive. “I’ve been trying to talk to her or message her online about decorating, but I don’t think she’s even interested in it,” she said, sighing. All around, there’s worry about differences in taste. “I’m really into different religions,” Katherine O’Brien said. “Like, I have a Ganesh mask and a couple Buddhas and a cross that I’ve always wanted to hang up together, but I don’t know how my roommate feels about all that stuff.”
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For many, student loans just ‘a part of life’ Jill Harkins
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Emily Tarnow, a senior at the University of Pittsburgh who plans to start a career in marketing after graduation, tries to keep her worry about her $35,000 student debt in check. “I think student loans have become a part of life. You just have to come to terms with it,” she said. Undergraduate student loans are as common as Ms. Tarnow believes. About 70 percent of the undergraduate class of 2013 at public or private non-profit colleges took out loans at an average of $28,000 per borrower, according to the Project on Student Debt at The Institute for College Access & Success. The first step in seeking a loan is submitting as early as possible the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA and available online at fafsa.ed.gov. This form, which is free to file, is required to receive federal student loans, typically the lowest cost option. Federal loans are preferable over private loans from banks or other financial institutions because their interest rates are lower and the repayment process is more lenient. Each type of federal loan has its own conditions and limits. Federal Perkins loans offer the best deal, with no interest accumulating while in school and a low fixed interest rate after graduation. These loans, which always have an interest rate of 5 percent, are offered only to extremely financially needy students and are generally distributed to students on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligible students can borrow up to $5,500 per year in Perkins loans. The cumulative limit is $27,500. Students must begin repaying Perkins loans nine months after graduation.
The next best option is federal Stafford loans, sometimes called Direct loans. Subsidized Stafford loans, on which the interest doesn’t accumulate while the student is in school, are available to undergraduates considered to have need. Unsubsidized Stafford loans are offered to students of all income levels. Interest accumulates on the loan while the student is in school. The amount that can be borrowed in Stafford loans varies by year in school, with up to $5,500 possible the first year, including no more than $3,500 in subsidized loans. The cumulative limit on Stafford loans is $31,000 for dependent students, including up to $23,000 in subsidized loans. Stafford loans currently have a fixed interest rate of 4.66 percent for undergraduates, but the rate for new loans will change in the summer and is often higher than the rate for Perkins loans. Students must begin repaying Stafford loans six months after graduation. Mark Kantrowitz, senior vice president and publisher of edvisors.com, recommends exhausting the federal student loan limit before turning to other loans, such as the federal Parent PLUS loans through which parents take on debt to finance their children’s education. Parent PLUS loans currently have an interest rate of 7.21 percent. Such loans are unlimited up to the cost of the institution minus other aid already received, but they have a less flexible repayment than the other federal loan programs do. If parents are denied a PLUS loan because they fail the required adverse credit check, the student becomes eligible to borrow an additional $26,500 in unsubsidized Stafford loans beyond the $31,000 limit.
Once all federal options are exhausted, students then can consider whether private loans are appropriate. Private loans in the parent’s name usually have lower interest rates than private loans in the student’s name, which Mr. Kantrowitz considers a last resort. If private loans are necessary, Mr. Kantrowitz advises being careful to choose a private loan that offers a fixed interest rate rather than a variable one, which can be deceivingly low but increase drastically over the life of the loan. Andrew McLaughlin, who graduated from Pitt in April with $65,000 in student debt and is now an account executive with Yelp in New York City, took out private loans from Sallie Mae and Discover Financial to cover the gap between the cost of his five-year education and his federal loan limit. The high monthly payments have kept him from such luxuries as an apartment without roommates. He isn’t the only one affected: His older sister, Jill McLaughlin of Philadelphia, cosigned for two of his private loans, making her just as responsible for the debt as Mr. McLaughlin is. This increases her debt-toincome ratio, a factor in obtaining a home mortgage, even though she is not making the monthly payments herself. Private lenders require co-signers for about 90 percent of undergraduate applicants. Mr. Kantrowitz suggests parents who borrow privately or co-sign for their child’s private loans purchase a life insurance policy -- if it is not included with the loan -- to avoid being left with their child’s debt in the event of a tragedy. Just because loans are available doesn’t mean the student needs to use them. Mr.
Kantrowitz suggests that students may be overspending if their parents are dipping into PLUS loans or if they accept the additional offered Stafford loans if their parents are denied, as doing so puts students past the average debt per borrower of $28,000. Howard Hair of Carmichaels, who took out PLUS loans for his two daughters to attend Pitt and West Virginia University, said, “The fact that you can punch a few buttons, sign your name and get so much money makes it easy to send your kid away to a school that’s too expensive.” Natalie Wilson, director of financial aid at Carlow University, agrees that Mr. Kantrowitz’ suggestion is a good rule of thumb in theory, but she said at private institutions like hers, “some families don’t have enough money saved to write a check to cover the balance.” Ms. Wilson said that such advice is important, though, “because it gets student borrowers to start thinking about their future and the consequences of loans early on.” Mr. Kantrowitz suggested that total student loan debt at graduation should be less than the borrower’s starting annual salary, thus allowing the student to repay the loans in 10 years. This presents a problem for financially independent students with desired professions that aren’t particularly lucrative. Mr. Kantrowitz said that such college students have two options: pursue high paying careers or attend less expensive colleges. Otherwise, these students can face long-term financial challenges. “In 20 years, your kids will need loans, and you’ll still be up to your eyebrows in debt and won’t be able to help them. It affects the next generation,” said Mr. Kantrowitz.
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Not your average freshman Mark Tupper
Herald and Review
On most days during recent Illini spring football practices, a man has been sitting quietly inside the recruiting lounge, peering through the ground-level windows that face back out from the north end zone at Memorial Stadium. He watches without emotion and if you didn’t recognize the face, you’d never know he is one of the more famous players in Illini football history. Jeff George is 47 now and he still looks very much like the young man who left Illinois to become the first overall pick in the 1990 National Football League draft. His NFL career was a bit star-crossed, but during 12 seasons with five teams he threw for more than 27,000 yards and 154 touchdowns. He’s back at Illinois these days monitoring the progress of his son, Jeff George Jr. Like his father, Jeff George Jr. played at Indianapolis Warren Central High School where he led the team to the 2013 Class 6A state championship (his dad led the same school to the state title in 1986). But that’s where the similarities stop. Jeff Sr., built his reputation on a rocket arm. Jeff Jr., on the other hand, throws with more finesse and appears to be more mobile. Watching the youngster perform at a recent practice, Jeff George Sr., smiled when asked about his progress. “He’s a freshman,” he said. “He’s learning a lot.”
George, who like his father stands 6-foot-3, may be learning more than he expected. Right now, he’s the No. 3 QB behind starter Wes Lunt and backup Chayce Crouch. Another true freshman, Champaign’s Jimmy Fitzgerald, is No. 4, mainly because he is limited this spring following knee surgery that shortened his senior high school season. “If we played today, Jeff would be No. 3,” head coach Tim Beckman confirmed after practice on Monday. “For a young man who is experiencing his first semester with us, he shows maturity,” Beckman said. “He shows a knack for the game and he understands it well.” Offensive coordinator Bill Cubit has huddled up with Jeff George Sr., more than once to talk about the Illini offense and about his expectations for quarterback play. That could be an awkward moment, addressing a man who once threw for more than 4,000 yards in an NFL season. But Cubit said just the opposite has been true. “Jeff has been unbelievable,” Cubit said. “He’s been great through the whole process. He stays off to the side and he’s supportive. It’s kind of been a privilege for me to talk with him because I like the way he handles things. “He gets it and I’d much rather have (Jeff Jr.) coached by a guy like Jeff George than some other guys who are out there now. You watch his release and
the way he throws the ball, you can tell he’s had a good teacher.” Early in their conversations Cubit and Jeff George Sr. found common ground. When Cubit took over as head coach at Western Michigan, some of the offensive components he used and the terminology he employed were borrowed from John Mackovic’s offense at the University of Texas. It was Mackovic’s offense Jeff George Sr. ran during his two seasons at Illinois. “I was talking to Jeff and I said, ‘We call this protection Ray,’ and he said, ‘Oh, that’s what we called it.’ That was pretty cool.” Ideally, Lunt would stay healthy and use his big arm to move the Illini offense from early September to late November. But Lunt has had his share of injuries, which brings the backups into play. That’s how Reilly O’Toole emerged to help Illinois reach a bowl game last season. Should Lunt go down, Crouch—a redshirt freshman from Ohio—would become No. 1 and George would rise to No. 2. That puts him one sprained ankle away from taking over the Illini offense. George may not be ready for that yet, but Cubit likes the way he’s progressing. “I saw him in 7-on-7 drills when he was here for a camp and I told him today that he’s so much different than he was then,” Cubit said. “He has great mechanics. But skill-wise and smartness and how much he cares, he’s pretty good.”
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