“How Expensive Is It to Raise Kids in This Day & Age” Part 3

After high school seniors graduate, they have the option of furthering their education, and the 2009 US Census Bureau estimated that 15.9 million students are taking advantage of this and are currently enrolled in colleges and universities across the country.

In the final part of her series, "How Expensive Is It to Raise Kids in This Day and Age," WHIZ’s Emily Baird discovers parents may not have as big a role as you might think when it comes to paying for higher education.

"The latest trend is a lot of students have been doing it on their own, and it’s up to the students to take the initiative, " says Muskingum County Community Foudation College Access Programs Director, Heather Sands.

But that’s not always the case. The Gibson family, of Zanesville, says it was a shared effort.

"We just all sort of pulled together. We each did what we could, " says Grant.

Tuition at colleges and universities can put a dent in the savings account, especially with tuition continuing to rise.

Sands says tuition at Muskingum University, in New Concord, is about 19 thousand dollars a year. Tuition at Ohio University in Athens is about nine thousand dollars a year, and tuition at the out-of-state school, West Viriginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia is about 16,500 dollars a year, but that doesn’t include room and board, which can be anywhere from five thousand to 10 thousand dollars in additional expenses.

"You also have your books. You’re gonna have a cost associated with books. Your travel expenses, whether you live on campus versus off-campus. So, even if you’re attending a local college, you’re still going to have the cost associated with traveling back and forth. Also, to get to college and prepare for it, you’re going to have costs before that even in high school, taking the act test and sat test, " says Sands.

Sands says the Muskingum County Community Foundation will waive ACT and SAT fees if you take part in its prep classes for the exams.

She also says when it comes to financial aid for furthered education, students have two helpful options: filling out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms, or FAFSA, and applying for scholarships.

"There’s more scholarship dollars for students in Muskingum County than any other county in Southeastern Ohio, " says Sands.

Yet, Sands says if you choose to go to an out-of-state school, you may have a tougher time.

"A lot of those students that attend out-of-state colleges, they are not necessarily eligible for a lot of local scholarships or some state, national scholarships, " says Sands.

After students go to college and receive their degrees, they are on their way to making a living for themselves, but do parents ever stop helping out financially?

"We were always trying to help financially wherever we could, " says Grant.

And the Gibsons says they have some tips that have helped them over the years.

"You just share and make things last as long as possible, " says Grant.

"When raising a family, two things that money can’t buy that are very important is a lot of prayer and a huge sense of humor, " says Sherrie.

I’m Emily Baird for WHIZ News.