College is becoming more expensive while the nation’s financial woes haven’t eased. So the proposition of sending a child away for four years of school has become even more daunting for McHenry County families.

On average, a year of tuition, room and board at a state college costs $13,600 per year. At Northwestern and the University of Chicago, it costs more than $60,000. For four years, that adds up to more than $240,000, with no guarantee of a job upon graduation. Those numbers, however, do not mean that hope is lost.

The key for families and students is to be prepared.