Celebrate with • Balloons • Decorations • Centerpieces • Gift Wrap • Partyware • and Much More FARMINGTON HILLS SOUTHFIELD p. 28946 Orchard Lake Rd. 27831 Southfield Rd. 855-3636 557-8152 HOURS: MON. thru FRI. 10 to 7 • SAT. 10 to 6 • SUN. 10 to 4 to work their way through college. Many still do, at least in part. Almost all colleges maintain lists of part-time job openings for students. An especially good deal is for a student to work directly for the college in exchange for full or partial tuition relief. In addition, most colleges sponsor cooperative education programs in which a student works part-time in a field related to his education. Not surprisingly, the U.S. government of- fers the largest selection of cooperative work/study programs. Depending on the program, a student can work and study simultaneously, work and study during alternate semesters, or work only during the summer months. Finally, every student, regardless of his or her age or income, can take a full-time job directly after high school and attend school at night. Most large corporations, and surprising numbers of smaller firms as well, offer full or partial tuition reimburse- ment as an employment benefit. It is possi- ble, for instance, to take a job as a typist or receptionist at IBM and allow the cor- poration to pay for one's bachelor's degree. So far, so good. But what if a family simply cannot qualify for any of the scholarship, grant, or loan programs? There are still ways to save money on col- lege; and as with most other endeavors, the more money you have to start with, the more you can save. Most colleges, for example, offer benefits to parents willing or able to prepay all four years' tuition at the beginning of the fresh- man year. Johns Hopkins University gua- rantees such parents that tuition will not increase during their child's undergraduate program. If tuition costs continue to rise as fast as they have over the past 15 years, this can result in a savings of several thou- sand dollars to parents able to make the initial investment. Wayne State University has a program for prepayment but cannot guarantee tui- tion won't increase. Also, the state last year initiated the Michigan Educational Trust (MET), which permits 100 percent prepay- ment of tuition at either two- or four-year schools, or a combination of both. Some resourceful parents have opted out of university-sponsored housing and meals and instead bought a condominium or townhouse for the student. The child then shares the house with several roommates, whose rent helps to cover the mortgage payments. Then, when the student grad- uates, the parents sell the house and realize a profit sufficient to recoup part of the preceding four years' tuition expenses. For children attending public univer- sities as out-of-state students, there is another benefit: in many cases, property ownership will qualify the student's parents for in-state status and a substan- tially lower tuition. Several authorities recommend "bun- ching" children whenever possible. Essen- tially, this involves sending as many of one's children as possible to college at the same time. That's not as illogical as it sounds, since the financial aid guidelines look only at income and expenses, not at the number of children in college. Suppose, for example, a family with an income of $45,000 has one child about to enter college and another child two years younger. If the older child goes to college two years before his younger sibling, the parents could face an obligation of $5,000 a year for the first child and $5,000 a year for the second one as well. If both children attend college simultaneously, the required family contribution remains at $5,000 a year, or $2,500 per child. Each child then becomes eligible for more financial aid, and the parents have to pay that cash out for a shorter period of time. Still, for middle-class families, it's not as easy as it sounds, and anyone in that cate- gory who thinks he can send his child to college without making substantial sacri- fices is kidding himself. A good college education can easily cost more than a house, and it can't be paid off over 30 years. Families with more than one child to educate may find their assets substantial- ly depleted and they and their children heavily in debt by the time the latter emerge from college, graduate, or pro- fessional school. The time to start plann- ing a child's education is when the baby leaves the delivery room, and even then, nothing is guaranteed. ❑ 'CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GRADUATIONS DR. SCOTT ERIC RAUB FROM SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES COLLEGE OF OSTEO- PATHIC MEDICINE — NORTH MIAMI, FL LEZLEE MICHELE RAUB FROM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY — SCHOOL OF HUMAN ECOLOGY WITH A B.A. DEGREE IN INTERIOR DESIGN YOU HAVE REWARDED US WITH OVER- WHELMING PRIDE ON YOUR AC- COMPLISHMENTS. WE LOVE YOU BOTH. SANDY, RODNEY, DARRYL, KERRI SYLVETTE, BLANCHE & HONEYp DON'T LET HOUSEHOLD PESTS HOLD YOU HOSTAGE! CALL THE ERADICO PROFESSIONALS! Eradico's safe and proven methods keep your home free of insects, rodents and other pests. Trust Eradico for an honest assessment of your needs and dependable, affordable service. Cockroaches • Ants • Fleas • Bees • Hornets • Wasps • Rats • Mice and any other pests. For a FREE inspection and estimate, Call Today! 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