Sometimes we treat college like we treat that pile of dirty dishes in the sink- "I'll get to it. I just don't feel like doing it right now." Especially when we still have to do just one last GED test, or a boring class with a 29 year-old textbook is standing in the way of getting those last three credits needed to graduate high school.

But here's a reality check from the New York Times. The cost of a college education is going UP like a grumpy old man and an Asian cub scout in a balloon house. Click the link to play with the Times' college cost calculator tool, and get an estimate of how much a university education costs now vs. a few years in the future.

Bonus: Researching tuition costs gives you another good excuse to ignore those crusty-ass dishes.