Worth Every Penny
A college education is expensive. Nobody knows that more than the students who foot the bill. Through their eyes, The Bee will look at how they contend with the expenses in a series of stories over the next few months.
Median household income in the Central Valley: $51,000.
Cost of one year in college: Anywhere from $8,000 to $20,000.
For many families, the equation doesn't add up.
Sticker shock doesn't zap just people looking for new cars or homes. Experts agree a college degree is the most significant investment people can make.
Adults with a bachelor's degree earned an average of $51,554 in 2004, while those with a high school diploma averaged $28,645, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
But many valley families think the cost is beyond their means.
Enter the financial aid market -- help from the federal and state governments, colleges that waive fees, hundreds of community groups and businesses offering scholarships, and public and private loan companies.
Most college students don't end up paying the sticker price. More than half receive some form of financial aid, according to the Census Bureau.
Take Brenda Ramirez, a sophomore at the University of California at Merced who gets no financial help from her parents. She works two jobs and receives various forms of financial aid.
"Don't let your financial situation make you think you can't go to school," she advises. "Although college is expensive, people are out there giving out money for people willing to go to school."
Though not every high school graduate needs to go to college, the rate of those who do locally lags far behind the state.
Several area organizations have launched efforts aimed at increasing the number of valley residents going to college.
Fewer than 15 percent of 25- to 64-year-olds in the area have a bachelor's degree or higher, half the state average, according to the Campaign for College Opportunity.
Improving these numbers will require making sure people know about local community colleges and universities, are qualified for college-level work, and can afford it.
Starting today and over the next several months, The Bee will follow Ramirez and four other students to show how they pay for college, whether it's searching for scholarships, competing for grants, working at on-campus or off-campus jobs, relying on help from their families, or taking out loans. They'll open their books so we can see how they manage the costs.
Regardless of how much tuition and fees are increasing, there are ways to finance the college dream, and these students have found them.
Bee staff writer Michelle Hatfield can be reached at mhatfield@modbee.com or 578-2339.
NAOMI ADAMS
AGE: 19
FAMILY: From Stockton, oldest of three, lives in Turlock
HOBBIES: Avid volleyball player, rides horses, attends church
MAJOR: California State University, Stanislaus, sophomore studying communications with an emphasis in speech pathology
WHY COLLEGE? "I knew that going to college would help me out in the future, help me get a better job, go where I wanted to go in life, do the things that I wanted to do. Also, I saw how college helped my parents in life."
CAREER GOALS: Wants to open own practice in speech pathology
SHOW ME THE MONEY: Works part time on campus in enrollment services office under the federal work-study program; receives Cal Grant; parents are able to help with some of Adams' expenses; saves money from summer jobs to tide her over throughout school year. "It's really important for me to have the financial aid I do have. Tuition's not so bad, but people forget about rent, books, food."
BLANCA BLANCO
AGE: 19
FAMILY: From Modesto, never knew dad, mom died of a brain aneurysm six years ago, youngest of six, lives in Ceres
HOBBIES: Spends free time with church friends and family
MAJOR: Second-year student at Modesto Junior College, plans to transfer to Stanislaus State in the fall to study sociology
WHY COLLEGE? First female among her sisters and aunts to go to college. "I've seen how my family's lived. We're always struggling. I don't want to live that way. I don't want to struggle for food. … I want to give my kids what I didn't have."
CAREER GOALS: Wants to go into counseling
SHOW ME THE MONEY: Works part time on campus in the financial aid office under work-study; federal and state grants; fee waiver; lots of financial support from older brother. "This would not be possible without help. My brother would get another job and pay everything -- and he would do that. But I wouldn't want that."
JESSE DIAZ
AGE: 37
FAMILY: From Patterson, single dad of two children, ages 5 and 7, lives in Modesto
HOBBIES: Studying, studying and studying. Diaz visits his mom in Patterson when he has time and can afford it; he takes his two children to the pizza parlor, movies and the park.
MAJOR: Started taking classes at MJC in 2003, is in his first semester of MJC's nursing program
WHY COLLEGE? He left an $80,000-a-year job working on a Toyota assembly line in the Bay Area to go back to school. Diaz wanted something closer to his children and with more job security.
CAREER GOALS: Emergency room nurse
SHOW ME THE MONEY: Receives financial support from Stanislaus County for food, day care and other expenses so he doesn't have to work while going to school; works at MJC's health center one day a week; receives fee waiver, and federal and state grants. "When I'm studying, I'm afraid the kids are growing up too fast and I'm going to miss it. It's a tug-of-war. Sometimes I don't know what to do. There is light at the end of the tunnel. All that sacrifice I'm going through will mean a better life for my kids."
BRENDA RAMIREZ
AGE: 19
FAMILY: From Fresno, second of six children, lives in Merced
HOBBIES: At UC Merced, Ramirez serves as student government senator, student activities director and volunteers in the university police department's mentor program; hangs out with friends; frequently travels home to Fresno.
MAJOR: Sophomore studying psychology
WHY COLLEGE? She said she received little motivation from her mother and stepfather, but her uncle encouraged her college dreams. She wants to be a role model for her siblings. "It's like a train, you're all hooked together. If you go one way, they'll follow."
CAREER GOALS: Physician's assistant in psychology. "In my family, I was the adult in my house. My parents were always coming to me with their problems. … I'm good at listening to people and giving advice, and I thought 'I should get paid for this!' "
SHOW ME THE MONEY: Works on campus four hours a week in the cafeteria in the work-study program; has a part-time job with a realty-marketing business; received three federal and state grants and one scholarship; gets no financial help from parents. "I'm not married. I don't have kids. I have the time to put into school. I don't have any excuse. The government is willing to help me out."
DEVONTE RUFF
AGE: 19
FAMILY: From Oakland, youngest of 11 children, lives in Merced
HOBBIES: At UC Merced, Ruff is a member of the singing group FLO and Dance Coalition.
MAJOR: Sophomore studying biology
WHY COLLEGE? "I knew I wanted to be a doctor of some sort. I didn't want to go from job to job. I want to make enough money to take care of my family."
CAREER GOALS: Ruff is interested in surgery but said he doesn't want to deal with critical areas such as the brain or heart. He's looking into gastrointestinal.
SHOW ME THE MONEY: Gives campus tours 16 hours a week as part of work-study program; receives state and UC Merced grants; took out a $3,500 loan this year; gets minimal help from family. "Growing up, the vibe was, 'As a kid from Oakland, are you really going to go to college?' "
This story was originally published January 2, 2008 at 3:33 PM with the headline "Worth Every Penny."