College is one of the most expensive things that comes up at the poorest time of your life. College can cost anywhere on the upward side of $20,000. In the past few years, college prices have been rising. But how can an 18-year-old possibly afford thousands of dollars worth of schooling while he/she can barely afford a calculator? Everyone’s wallets have been affected by the economic crisis. Jobs are not as easy to come by, and once secured, prices for everything have increased. Car insurance, cell phone bills, and an occasional trip to the mall drain most wallets, as most of us are experiencing. While we should be saving for college, we are just trying to get by with what we already have to pay, and what we are saving just isn’t enough. So what do we do? Do we lower our standards on what college we attend based on how much it will cost? It depends. If you are willing to exert the extra effort in order to either get a scholarship or work and save every penny to afford the college of your choice, all the more power to you. The harder you work for it, the more you will appreciate it. But if you feel you have put enough time and energy into trying to afford college, well, you can hope for the best and if you don’t get in, go somewhere else that isn’t as demanding. We could cling to the hope that we have enough money to get through college with what we already have, which, for the lucky few, is enough. But most of us need to find other means in order to pay the hefty sum. Student loans are becoming more difficult to obtain due to the weakening economy. Banks don’t want to chance losing any more money by giving loans to students whose futures are undetermined. Interest rates are increasing, causing even more problems with student loans. Financial aid is a crucial thing for any student preparing for college. Without it, going to certain preferential colleges might be impossible. Above-average grades need to be maintained, and logically thinking, because the economy is in such a recession, only the best applicants will get financial aid. This being said, even if you do get above-average grades, it seems reasonable to assume that no financial aid is a sure thing. College is going to be difficult for the next several years. Students are going to have to keep up a job accompanied with a student loan and financial aid unless he/she is receiving help from his/her family or other outstanding circumstances. Most of us, though, are going to have a rocky road ahead of us thanks to the dwindling financial state of the country. Just try to keep your head above water while saving for college, and be prepared for a lot of paperwork applying for any cent a bank, college, or organization will throw at you for college.