This story about creative financing for college ran over the weekend in my local paper. The article does a great job of outlining some of the financial challenges families are facing in the midst of this country’s economic crisis. It was good to see that staying in school is still a priority for the two families featured in the piece, but rather heart-wrenching to read the real life stats. For example, did you know that, across the board, the value of savings in 529 Plans has dropped 21% over the past year? And the market drop isn’t just hitting parents who were saving for their kids’ future. It is also hitting universities and their endowment plans, which are a major source of funding for university-based aid like scholarships and tuition reductions. The article cites ...