By Rachel Lee, Sports Editor of WRHS The Banner

Prom dress: $100. Cost of cap and gown: $50. Graduation vacation: $1,500. Memories of an amazing high school career: Priceless. What's the next step? College! Tuition: $40,000?! The idea of college, the dorm room, the parties, and the experience is the most exciting part of planning your future. However, in the quest to find that perfect university, the expanding price tag of colleges is daunting to almost every college-bound student. What is the deal with this blossoming of the tuition bucks? What about those of us who have a problem with getting those needs-based scholarships? What's a senior to do?

During the first few months of my senior year, I was busy browsing around to different colleges and universities. The options were limitless, that is until I came across the cost of these schools. Finding the perfect place to spend my next few years was exhilarating, but at a price nearing $50,000, the elation wore off and the stress of scholarships and loans set in. Instead of feeling full of anticipation for college, I began to have nightmares of mounting loan payments.

Some people are questioning the growing amount it costs for kids to go to college these days. Inflation and the increasing cost of living is a factor. Tuition is increased to afford higher salaries for professors, administrators and other daily costs of running a college. However, some school's prices have had amplify prices of over 7 percent. People are demanding explanations for these enormous increases.

Though the price of attending a college for the next four years becomes affordable for students through scholarships and grants, there are those who are stuck in a financial limbo. Needs-based scholarships are offered to students whose family's annual earnings range in the lower levels financially. Students whose parent's are available to pay for the full cost of four years at college are lucky enough to not stress over payments. Then there are those students whose parents make enough (this decided by FAFSA and the college boards) to pay for tuition, but in reality must make a house and car payments instead of tuition. These students find it difficult to pay for mounting numbers of tuition, living costs, books, and extra-curricular costs in college. They rely on independent scholarships or merit-based awards, which are exceedingly smaller than those offered to need-based cases.

When I imagine waking up to an amazing college atmosphere and the incredible courses I will be taking next year, I am optimistic and excited about heading off next year, but like me, there are countless seniors who are worried about the ridiculous cost of higher education and the ways in which they can afford their dream school.