According to recent statistics, the average cost of attending college has increased drastically over the last two decades. 

Chapman juniors and seniors, both getting prepared for life after high school, are well aware of this 

Senior Jaslyn Bell said that the rising costs are frustrating.

“I think it’s ridiculous just how much inflation has increased the prices,” she said. 

One option for students is student loans, but those come with hefty and variable interest rates, and students are wary of them. 

“It’s outrageous because they expect students to pay a lot in a year, and it’s forcing people to take out student loans when they really shouldn’t have to,” senior Ella Hollis said. 

“From the beginning, I told myself, I don’t wanna take out student loans, but if it’s not too much money from the government, I don’t think it could be that harmful,” senior Jory Aho said.

For most students, scholarships and grants are key. Aho, for example, is planning to attend Clemson and applied for a scholarship that would cover his tuition. 

Hollis said she has applied for local scholarships.

“I just applied for all of the local scholarships that Chapman offered and a lot of scholarships in Spartanburg that were made available to me,” she said.