As long as her parents can remember, 13-year-old Katie Hart has been talking about going t
The best way to prepare is to start saving early. A new law passed last year makes that easier for some families. So-called 529 plans allow parents to sock away funds in federal-tax-free-investment, accounts, as long as the money is used for "qualified education expenses" like tuition, room and board. The plans aren't for everyone. For tax reasons, some lower and middle-income families may be better off choosing other investments. But saving is vital.
Aid packages usually come in some combination of grants, loans and jobs. These days 60 percent of all aid comes in the form. of low-interest loans. All students are eligible for "unsubsidized" federal Stafford loans, which let them defer interest payments until after graduation. Students who can demonstrate need can also qualify for federal Perkins loans or "subsidized" Staffords, where the government pays the interest during school.
Traditional scholarships, academic or athletic, are still a part of many families' planning. Mack Reiter, a 17-year-old national wrestling champion, gets so many recruiting letters he throws most away. He'll almost certainly get a free ride. Without it, "we would really be in a bind," says his mother, Janet. For everyone else,it's worth the effort to pick through local and national scholarship offerings, which can be found on Web sites like collegeboard, com.
What does the author intend to illustrate with the example of the Harts?
A.The difficulty of paying the tuition.
B.The increasing tuition in the university.
C.The far-sight of the parents.
D.The promising future of Katie.