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pegs 6
third dimension
tuesday, march 15, 1977
6
U
u
University life is a merry-go-round of classes, studies,
tests and grades. The riders who stay on for the required
number of rounds have a chance to grab for the magical
ring called a degree. The degree opens the door to the real
world and frees the rider from the dizzying spin.
Some jump off the merry-go-round without a degree.
Of these, most leave forever but a few return. These few
"stopouts" may have left because they were trotting
through school and were trampled by those at a gallop.
Or the ride may have been too expensive. Or they chose
the wrong horse (major).
For whatever reason, the stopouts choose to climb
back into the saddle of university life.
In Preventing Students From Dropping Out by
Alexander W. Astin, a study of entering freshmen in 1968,
it says that of the 35 per cent who left college by 1972
only 5 per cent returned.
The following five UNL students tell why they stopped
out and how they feel about college now. All five said
they retUL.id to college with a determination and a sense
of purpose mat was missing before.
Craig Christiansen, 29, left UNL for one semester as a
sophomore in 1966. He is now a Ph.D. candidate and
UNL botany instructor.
"I probably matured as much in that semester as I had
in the rest of my college career," Christiansen said.
Became disillusioned '
He said he became disillusioned with college and quit
with "every intention of never returning.1" Christiansen
was on a Regents scholarship at the time.
"People who leave are seeking something else other
than what the university is offering," he said. "That se
mester offered me the opportunity to put my own college
career in perspective.
"People who consider credit hours important are
missing the point. People need to be educated outside the
university."
Christensen's outside education came in the form of
returning to Omaha and working in a packing house,
"which is what South Omaha boys do," he said.
"It (working) changed my outlook towards people
outside the academic community," Christiansen said. "I
did well in school and thought this is the center of the
world.
"Just because a person has a college education doesn't
mean the person is 'better'." ,
Similar views
Junior Mary Hagan, 2 1 , expressed similar views. Hagan
did not return to UNL in the fall of 1976. Instead she
lived with her parents in Omaha and worked at a Ramada
Inn reservation center.
She said she hated the work but learned there is more
to a person than what job they do." The people at work
were "more easy-going and enjoyed life."
As a result of this influence Hagan said she is more re
laxed now in school.
"It helped me realize there's more than just school,"
she said. "Before, 1 used to categorize people by school
and work. I don't think it (school) is as important as
everybody makes it."
Time off worth it
Michael Kathrein, a 23-year-old junior accounting
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major, said even through he's a year behind, taking time
off was wroth it.
"Don't be afraid to take time off," he advised. "If
you think it will help, it probably will."
Kathrein attended UNO for two years, and took off
last year to ski in Colorado. He lived in the Winter Park
ski area and worked in a ski shop at night. He spent six
hours a day skiing.
It was hard to leave, he said.
"I told myself before I went out there, By God, no
matter how much fun ycu have, you're going to go back
to school.'
"Now I've got it off my back," Kathrein said, "I feel
like I can go ahead and study. Now I get more out of the
time I put in school."
Debbie Sorrells also found this to be true. Sorrclls, 26,
left Wesleyan University second semester of her freshman
year in 1970. She returned to college at UNL in the
fall of 1975 and majored in computer science. For most
of those five years she worked as a computer programmer
for the State Dept. of Labor.
"I was so surprised when I got back into school at how
differently I looked at the things I was learning," Sorrells
said. "And (I) was really getting something out of it.
Find choices
""When I was going to school before, I was just going
along doing what I was supposed to be doing. It was ex
pected of me. So I didn't think about what 1 wanted.
Being out gave me a chance to find out at least what some
of the choices are in life.
"And now that I'm back in school I know what I
want,"
Mark Felker had time to decide what he wanted while
spending two years on board a nuclear submarine.
The 2 1 -year-old spent 1 00 days at a time with 1 20
people in a submarine "just doing big circles out in the
middle of the ocean. It gave me some time to think," he
said.
After a semester at Peru State College which he said
"seemed like a continuation of high school and that's
not what I wanted," Felker joined the Navy.
Felker travelled on the East and West coasts and in
Europe with the Navy for two years. He was discharged
in January and enrolled at UNL as a sociology major.
"I guess I'm more determined to finish school this
time," he said. I assert myself more than I did before.
I spend a lot of time with the books."
"I feel a lot more independent. . .a lot older."
If you have ever borrowed money, charged something
on a credit card, or taken out a student loan, then you
have been using credit, for a price.
Tuition, books and housing take a bite out of anyone's
budget. When credit starts so do debts. The trick is to
keep up with your bills, yet use credit wisely and to your
own advantage.
One common credit extended to students is a bank
credit card , such as BankAmericard or Master Charge.
According to Bill Kent of the National Bank of Com
merce (NBC), Master Charge and BankAmericard each
have a local franchise that a bank era join and participate
in, and have national recognition. NiiC belongs to the
Master Charge franchise.
Nebraska laws state that a maximum of 18 per cent
interest can be charged on a balance of less than $ 1 ,000,
and a maximum interest of 12 per cent of a balance more
than $1,000.
NBC offers a special student application that is less de
tailed than the usual application. Kent said eligibility
criteria is "not as stiff." It involves the age income, and
job of the applicant. A minimum monthly income of
$200 and a cosigner are required.
The bank credit card buys goods, services and cash
advances.
These cash advances accrue interest immediately, un
like goods and services which have a 25-day interest-free
period after the statement is received. After
the statement is received, one must pay it all or a 5 per
cent minimum monthly payment on the balance.
Trouble comes when payments are neglected and in
terest steadily mounts. If the balance is not paid in full
after 25 days or a minimum payment plan chosen instead,
interest accrues from the charge day.
Another common form of credit is one through the
UNL Office of Scholarships and Financial Aids. A
financial aid adviser, Nancy Wiederspan, said loans are of
three types: a) Federally Insured Student Loans, (FISL);
b) National Direct Student Loan, (NDSL); c) and emer
gency short-term loans and foundation loans,
" Each of these loans has separate stipulations and
requirements and different interest rates and repayment
plans.
Federally Insured Student Loans are set up with an
individual bank, under the bank's stipulations, and are
guaranteed by the federal government as incentives to
make student loans. To qualify, you must carry at least
six academic credits in an accredited college. No financial
need is assessed. Each bank makes its own policy in giving
these loans. The interest rate is seven per cent.
National Direct Student Loans are given according to
financial need, and are loans from the federal government
to the student at 3 per cent interest. Interest does not
accrue until nine months after graduation, giving the stu
dent a chance to establish and find employment.
Emergency short term loans are directed at school
related problems that occur during the school year. The
maximum loan is $300. Interest is six per cent, and if the
loan is delinquent (unpaid when due), there is a $ 1 0 late
