For many high school seniors, the first day back isn’t just the start of a new school year; it’s the start of major, life-changing decisions.
Some will head straight into the workforce, others to college. But for those choosing college, a bigger question looms: how to pay for it. And with tuition costs climbing, most families are struggling to answer that question.
One local student shared her journey of balancing her dreams with the realities of affording them.
At 17, Graycen Andrews is starting her senior year at Liberty High School, but her focus goes beyond prom or graduation. She’s already mapping out her next chapter.
“I want to be a nurse because I think I like helping people, because a lot of people don’t have a good experience with birth, or it can be traumatic, and nurses really make that experience better for them,” said Andrews.
Andrews hopes to attend UNC or UVA and is already thinking about how to pay for it.
“I work eight-hour shifts from 3-11 p.m. It can be difficult during the school year, trying to keep up my grades while working to save money for college.”
According to the Education Data Initiative, more than 70% of students say they’re stressed about college costs. Andrews, like more than half of U.S. families, is counting on scholarships.
“I’m trying to keep up my grades, so that’ll put me as a better candidate for a lot of scholarships,” Andrews explained. “I have a plan to just apply to as many as I can and get as many as I can as well.”
At many schools across the state, conversations about career prep start early. And for some incoming high school seniors with dreams of attending college, those dreams come with an increasing price tag.
The Education Data Initiative says in-state tuition and fees in Virginia now average more than $24,000 a year. Add room and board, and it can top $30,000 a year. For the 2022-2023 school year, the average student graduated with roughly $29,000 in student debt, according to CollegeBoard.
Shelley Andrews says the family believes her stepdaughter has a good chance at scholarships, but that may not be enough.
“I think we would then assess what taking out loans would look like for the remainder of what we, you know, couldn’t contribute towards and then go from there,” Shelley said.
With her own savings, scholarship applications and her family’s support, Andrews is determined to make college a reality.
“I would say it’s going to be stressful for sure,” Graycen said. “[I’m] just looking at the bigger picture and taking it one day at a time.”
“We blinked our eyes and now we’re here and she’s starting her senior year… we’re so proud of her and she is going to do great things," Shelley said.