(Nov. 4, 2008) — As the economy begins to falter, students are feeling the pressures of the declining market. Senior Paul Karmiryan is falling under these pressures. He is questioning if he wants to attend USC directly after high school or attend GCC, and then transfer to avoid the excess tuition fees. His parents understand if he decides not to attend a four-year university directly after high school because they trust him to take the right path. “The federal debt forces college tuitions to rise, making it a financial burden to attend college,” said Karmiryan, as he reconsiders his choices. Colleges have no other choice than to raise their tuition to survive during these tough times, which leaves students with a difficult decision to make: to decide if it is worth attending a four-year university or if settling for a community college is a better option. Senior Lilit Nalbandyan, who has her sights set on UCLA, said, “I have worked hard these past four years, and I still plan to go to a university regardless of the price. My college choice is not affected by the economy, only by what majors the college offers.” Although she does not worry about the tuition, she still hopes to receive government aid and loans. It is now even more difficult to apply and receive financial aid due to the limited amount of loans the banks distribute. “There are less grants and scholarships to be issued, so I have to pay more for tuition,” said ASB President Johnny Goukassian, also facing the question of how he is going to pay for college. Most students depend on grants as a shoulder to lean on for tuition aid. Goukassian is also worried about how the budget cuts are going to affect funding for the school. “The budget cuts limit our school activities and do not allow us to hire more teachers,” Goukassian said. The decline of the economy has also put pressure on personal expenses. Students who drive to school are straining their budget with the high gas and insurance costs. A car with a V8 engine costs an average of $80 to fill up each week, forcing students to stretch their budgets to conform to these situations. “Gas is high, and with the economy in such a bad condition, it is hard to tell how it is going to be in the future,” Karmiryan said.