(written by Val, College Counselor at the Center for College Planning)

Hi bloggers,

I spend a lot of time in my posts focusing on award packages, how to look for funding options and discussing methods for students and families to determine an appropriate amount of student loan dent to incur based on career goals and loan payment amounts.  Today I thought that a different perspective may be helpful not only to incoming college students, but those getting ready to enter the workforce (and with graduation looming, the topic is even more appropriate than usual).

Michael Rubin, author of Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck, writes a blog related to various financial planning topics.  In a recent entry, he specifically discusses what has recently changed for college graduates in their early 20s (compared to those that may have graduated 15 or 20 years ago) and what has always existed among the same demographic. 

I found his references interesting and his tips for handling loan debt sound advice.  He is right.  We can discuss the amount of a healthy loan burden with incoming college students, but for those who have already borrowed the money, all we can do is help them manage their salaries, balance their budgets and advise on methods to cut costs.  But being able to guide students in this manner and put things such as realistic budgets into perspective, we are giving them the tools necessary to make informed financial decisions.

To view the full entry, click here .  I hope that you find his blog as enlightening as I do!

Best,
Val