College costs

Winter 2010

A sinking economy sparks scholarships

Two years ago, Lou Pepper watched the bank he once managed become the largest bank failure in U.S. history.

Pepper, a former Washington State University regent, had retired from Washington Mutual in the early 1990s when the bank was sound. But then a pattern of rapid growth and risky lending led to the collapse.

The former CEO felt helpless as each day brought more negative news. “People had been building this bank for 115 years, damn good people,” says Pepper, leaning forward in his chair in the small first-floor office of his home on Skagit Bay. And many of them were losing their savings, their … » More …

Winter 2006

Book burden

It’s not news to anyone that textbooks are among a student’s biggest expenses. But some of us have figured ways around paying the high prices.

This fall, I coaxed my freshman sister, Kaytee, into sharing her book for the human development class we are taking together. The two of us were able to outsmart the system by buying just one heavy hardback for a steep $90. It didn’t take much to convince her: I promised she could keep it in her dorm room and explained that we were helping our parents, who usually pay for our books.

I’ve come a long way from my freshman … » More …

Fall 2008

If you don’t ask…

Tiffany Ludka ‘04 has a piece of advice for students with big bills: It never hurts to ask for help.

During her first year of medical school at the University of Washington, the Colfax native hit on the idea of asking the medical community in her hometown to consider paying some of her medical school bills if she agreed to go into practice there. She’d known for a long time that she wanted to practice in a small town, preferably the one she grew up in.

Colfax, 13 miles north of Pullman, has a bustling downtown and is the county seat, but with a … » More …

Fall 2008

The Higher Costs of College

When it comes to paying the tuition, creative savvy may be a Cougar characteristic. Some do the expected—sell blood at the plasma center in Pullman, offer themselves up for psychology studies on campus, and find jobs either at the university or at a local restaurant. Others, over history, have been even more creative. » More ...