How much can you afford to contribute to your kid's education? A rule of thumb to help you decide: Please make sure that your own oxygen mask is secured and fastened before assisting your child.
For a growing number of U.S. college graduates, a diploma marks the beginning of financial difficulties. The Education Department says those who were scheduled to begin paying back their student loans in 2007 were 52% more likely to default within two years compared with those who left college two years earlier.
Just because the aid is there to help pay for a private college doesn't mean it's worth paying more for. And the feeble arguments for shelling out for private schools are far from convincing.



