APRIL 22, 2009

Unexpected Bargain Hunting

I love a good bargain. There are few things in life that make me as happy as getting a great deal on something I know is worth more than I’m paying for it. Websites like Craigslist and eBay make this challenge a lot easier, and I try to find deals on everything I buy. If you told me I could get a better deal on anything, I’d investigate it.

One place I never considered looking for a deal: college. According to The New York Times, because of the crazy economy, the anxiety people have about paying for school is at an “unprecedented high.” Because of the worrying, more students are sending in applications to less-expensive public colleges instead of private colleges.  As a result, public schools are saturated with record numbers of applications. But Americans have always had financial troubles– what suddenly makes the situation so different that enrollment numbers are changing?

I think the real culprit is uncertainty. People worry about what they can’t control, and before, money was the only obstacle standing between them and an education from a private college. Now it’s not just money– it’s mass job loss and the continuous emphasis on basic needs and reduced spending from the media, family, and friends. Panic has set in and we are now thinking differently: why pay thousands of extra dollars when it may not make a difference in the long-run? People are scared to set themselves up for years of drowning in student loan debt after they wear their cap and gown.

Some may disagree with the idea of abandoning your dream school and settling for something that is less stressful on your bank account. Frankly, I think it makes complete sense. It’s better than postponing school or choosing not to go to school at all. I also think that people get too wrapped up the excitement of choosing the colleges that their friends are going to or getting into the top “party school” in their state. After all, college is about learning, and many public schools have programs that are as competitive — if not more so — than the private school a couple of hours away.