Published: April 23, 2008 11:57 am      

FINANCE: Early strategies can lower college students’ debt

When Stu Ninabuck graduates from St. Norbert College in May, he’ll likely get a job at a salary less than the tuition he paid to pursue his degree.

But while entering the job market with a load of debt is scary, it motivated him to seek out as much financial aid as possible while still in high school.

“It’s scary as hell, but there’s not much you can do,” said Ninabuck, 22, of Bowler, Wis. “I got a lot of free money, but I’m still going to be $40,000 in debt. I don’t know how to pay it off yet.”

With college costs rising faster than most family incomes, some students have no choice but to borrow. About two-thirds of students leave college with student loans, with an average balance of $19,237.

Experts say there are steps they can take to reduce the amount they’ll owe when they graduate.

To start, they should make sure they take full advantage of the federal student-loan program before they take out private loans.

Unsubsidized federal Stafford loans have a fixed rate of 6.8 percent and are available to all students. For subsidized Stafford loans, available for students who can show economic need, the rate is 6 percent for loans taken out after July 1.

Private student loans, which aren’t guaranteed by the federal government, have variable rates that are typically tied to the prime rate or another benchmark. Rates range from about 6 percent to more than 14 percent. While the prime has been falling, rates for many private loans are moving higher.

Ninabuck has two jobs now and has had at least one throughout all four years of college. He’s also donated plasma for money. But he has taken out extra loans so he could have a car and a computer on campus.

Ron Ronnenberg, director of financial aid at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, said students need to define their academic goals: “Why you’re going to college, what kind of degree do you hope to attain, and are you going to realize that at the end of a four- or five-year experience?”

Students and their family also need to educate themselves about the cost of attending college, Ronnenberg said.

When it comes to the financial realities, Ronnenberg said he’s surprised by parents who say, “That’s not what my neighbor said,” or even worse, it’s “my son’s (or daughter’s) responsibility.” The latter might be true, but it’s also an unrealistic expectation, he said.

While parents and students are better informed compared to 10 years ago, Ronnenberg said he still sees students applying to Wisconsin who haven’t taken advantage of scholarships they’d be eligible to receive.

Some of the financial education takes place at the high school level, where counselors can offer advice. But although expenses hang heavy in the background, the discussion isn’t typically about finances, said Reiny Klingeisen, counselor at West De Pere (Wis.) High School.

“Parents don’t ask that much about money,” Klingeisen said.

Sarah Meyer, a freshman at St. Norbert, in De Pere, Wis., is three years from facing the reality of her mounting debt. But she hopes that by pursuing a music degree, she will have a stable financial future.

“One of the reasons I came here is that they have 100 percent placement for music educators,” said Meyer, 18, of Howards Grove, Wis. “And I’m going to get done in four years as opposed to five or five and a half.”

Meyer applied for “a ton of scholarships” while in high school, with counselors and her parents lending a helping hand. She’s worried about the pressure of paying off her debt, but knows she isn’t alone.

“Everyone is in the same boat,” Meyer said.