The Standard Student Situation


NAME: Hartley Mikus
AGE: 22
GRADE: Ohio University senior
MAJOR: Journalism/public relations
GRADUATION: March 2007
DEBT UPON GRADUATION: $9-$10,000




Hartley, a soon-to-be graduate of Ohio University, obtains a debt close to the national average of $15,000 for those graduating with a bachelor’s degree from a four-year public university (obtained from the American Council on Education). She would owe much more if she weren’t receiving scholarship assistance totaling about $1,500 a quarter. These include the Dean’s Scholarship, the Valedictorian Scholarship and the Anonymous Scholarship from the Scripps College of Communication. However, the university is denying her one-third of her hard-earned scholarship money this year because she is graduating early (another way to jip Hartley out of an earned chunk of money).

Hartley is not letting her college experience go to waste, however. She is very involved on campus. She is a Scripps Student Ambassador, is involved in PRSSA (she was president of the organization last year), is a member of ODK (a national leadership honor society for college students), as well as a few volunteer programs. She also has a couple jobs on campus – one at Ohio University Communications and Marketing and another as a fitness assistant at Ping Recreation Center. While she uses these job opportunities to improve her portfolio, she also needs the money for weekly living expenses.

Her parents are helping as much as they can – paying interest on her loans so she will only have flat fees to deal with after graduation. But, Hartley still has to deal with most of the weekly expenses. She pays for part of her tuition, all of her books, some of her living expenses, and any other odds and ends.

An excelling student and campus/community leader, Hartley still worries about securing a desirable job after she graduates and wonders if she will have the ability to pay her loans off before they accumulate too much interest.

After graduation, she plans to move where her first job is and begin her life in the real world. She wishes to obtain a corporate public relations job in the United States, but other than that, she is not limiting herself geographically.

So, amidst her debt, does Hartley foresee a bright future?

“I do, well I certainly hope I do anyway, otherwise what have I been doing the last few years,” she said.

“But in all seriousness, yes I do see a bright future. The first part of the future will probably be filled with Ramen and macaroni and cheese, but I am prepared to make the necessary sacrifices to have a more profitable career later down the road.”

Her general outlook on loans isn’t so peachy.

“I think more scholarships should be available for students who excel on the college level. I think serious debts and loans affect students for 10-20 years after they graduate. I am not looking forward to getting my first paycheck and immediately decreasing the figure by half to start the 'paying-back' process.”

* This photo was taken in Hartley’s house in Athens by a roommate.