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Teen Binge Drinking on Downward Trend But Still a Problem

By U.S. News & World Report

The teen drinking giveaways are everywhere: the red Solo cups, the Snapchat photos of embarrassing selfies and the more-than-conspicuous headaches and vomiting. Though the number of teens who drink is declining, it remains a problem, especially when it comes to binge drinking, or downing more than five drinks within a couple hours.

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that 1 in 6 high school students are binge drinkers, and one-third drank alcohol within the previous 30 days. In 2010, underage drinking was a $24.3 billion problem for the U.S.

Drinking among high school students has declined over the years: from 50.8 percent in 1991 to 44.7 percent in 2007, followed by a sharp drop to 32.8 percent in 2015, according to the report.But more than half of these teens — 57.8 percent — were binge drinkers, according to the CDC report. And 43.8 percent of these binge drinkers gulped down eight or more drinks back-to-back.

Moving forward, the Community Preventive Services Task Force suggests “increasing alcohol taxes, regulating alcohol outlet density, and having commercial host liability laws” to curb drinking excessively, according to the report. “Moreover, given the association between youth exposure to alcohol advertising and underage drinking, monitoring and reducing youth exposure to alcohol advertising through the implementation of ‘no-buy’ lists (i.e., lists of television programming that risk overexposing youth to alcohol advertising based on the industry’s self-regulatory alcohol marketing guidelines) might also help reduce underage drinking.”

As for the right time for parents to talk about drinking with teens, it could depend on something as obvious as where they live. “I do think that you probably have to start having this conversation by the beginning of high school, but that could be different in some areas,” Dr. Gail Saltz, a clinical psychiatry professor at New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell Medical College, told CNN. “You have to know your community. That may even be a middle school conversation depending on what kids are doing and how fast the crowd is moving.”

Drinking at a young age could spell issues for teens in their adult lives. “The reality is, brains are still developing and drinking before the age 15 or 16 has a very high correlation with developing a problem with alcohol abuse and addiction and that is probably because the brain is really still developing,” Saltz also told CNN.

Drinking too much causes around 4,300 deaths a year among those under 21, the CDC estimates.

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Teen Binge Drinking on Downward Trend But Still a Problem originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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