With the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and the government bailout of insurance giant AIG, Wall Street is in a crisis as low interest rates and serial lending comes back to haunt the markets. But as lowly college students, what does it mean for you?[Read More]

For all the tales here and elsewhere about the rising cost of college, cutting back for the sake of cutting back, well, just doesn't cut it. Take for example the Hunt family's ordeal in an article in the Seattle Times today:

"Their cost-saving efforts were tested at the airport, though. One of the suitcases weighed 51 pounds, one pound over the limit. Hunt had to pay a $29 fee. Because of financial concerns, Hunt said, she probably will skip parents weekend in October. And Phillip will not be coming home for Thanksgiving."

More scrimping:

"An MIT father from Long Island instructed his daughter to downsize her possessions so he could drive the family Civic instead of the Honda minivan."

Missing Thanksgiving is unfortunate, but for the five hour drive up to Cambridge, paying a bit extra for gas for more room makes more economical sense. So chill out, parents. In the grand scheme of things, plus four years of tuition, that extra tank of gas today will be far off in the rear view mirror.

A co-op is an education program that combines your studies with paid work experience in a field related to your major or career goals. Unlike a summer or part-time job, a co-op consists of an agreement between you, an employer and your college. It's also a great way to make some cash for school. [Read More]