The cost of a college education will continue to rise, so for most students, paying for school outright is just not possible. However, financial aid and student loans can be daunting and confusing. Consider this advice from Citibank to keep your education loan habits responsible.

“Even with savings, gifts from family, and scholarships and grants, you may find that you need additional funding to pay for your higher education. Student loans can make up the difference between what you have and what you need to make your college dream a reality. Unlike scholarships and grants, however, borrowed money must be repaid, most often with interest, regardless of whether you complete your education or not.

Borrow Only What You Need
While you may qualify for more, borrow only the amount you need. Loans are your responsibility and you are expected to repay them. When you repay your loan on time, you create and build an excellent credit history. This will help you in your future when making purchases such as a car or a home.

Here are some helpful points to consider:

• Estimate the amount of debt you can afford – don’t get in over your head.
• Understand your borrowing agreement fully – including all interest calculations.
• Stay on schedule – remember your excellent credit history is at stake.

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Counselors have known for a long time that eating disorders are a real threat facing high schoolers (especially females) and that victims of eating disorders sometimes look to their peers in ’support’ or ‘motivation’ for their unhealthy habits. In the early 2000s, pro-anorexia (or pro-ana) sites cropped up all over the Internet, providing an outlet of motivation, tips and tricks to fuel their disorders. These sites were soon banned, but some people are concerned that the rise in social networking sites like facebook.com and myspace.com may provide a new outlet for pro-ana groups. Kristi Eaton explores this issue in Current magazine for Newsweek.

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A high school senior was fighting back tears in her guidance counselor’s office. Despite her 92 average, the girl had been rejected by her top three college choices. Another senior, already clad in a new Northwestern T-shirt, interrupted to give his counselor a thumbs-up. He was in.

And so it has gone over the last few weeks, as colleges send their decisions and counselors console, cheer up and otherwise try to help this year’s seniors navigate the end of the admissions process.

“It’s a bittersweet time,” said Susan Buchman, a counselor at Byram Hills High School in Armonk. “You get some kids who are ecstatic because they got into their first choice school, and then there are disappointments. And you get parents who are very upset. They were hoping their kid was going to get into a certain school so that they could put the sticker on the car.” Read the rest of this entry »