The following was broadcast on 2/5/11 WABE-FM, Atlanta.

By Mason Gepp

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I am normally a big fan of games, so when I mailed off my college applications, I looked forward to the waiting game. You know, the time between dropping my forms off in the blue postal box and the time when a reply letter comes back from the college. I was really excited, since all I had to do was sit back and wait until the responses were sent to me.

Unfortunately, it turns out I don’t have the patience needed for this game -- not in the slightest. I have heard back from three out of the six schools where I applied, so I am only halfway there. I am feeling plenty of stress and anxiety lately. I’m a good student, so it feels like unnecessary torture. Each college sets their own arbitrary dates for when they feel like notifying applicants. On days when these letters are scheduled to arrive, I find myself rushing home from school to open the mailbox, to find anything but my letter. As a result, the U.S. Postal Service and I have a less than cordial relationship.

My last year of high school will be over soon, so I’m supposed to be suffering from senioritis – where my classmates and I just goof off. But because of this ongoing waiting game, I have not been infected by this yet. That's probably a good thing since I'm keeping my grades up.

When I do go to college next year, I think the only game I’ll feel like playing is baseball– the ball moves a lot faster.

Previously on WABE:

* Crazy About Vampires

* Mom's Voice In My Head

* Brother

By: Dione Lien

When I was in high school thinking about college, the encouragement I got was "You can go anywhere. Money shouldn't be an issue." So when I started working as a college advisor, I imparted the same advice to motivate my students. I could get away with it several years ago, but lately I feel like I'm flat out lying.

What happened to one of my students this school year is a constant reminder that money is an issue. She got into UCLA, but her financial aid wasn't enough to cover her living expenses. She had to move out of the dorms and live with friends. Looking back, I had no idea her financial aid package wasn't going to meet her needs - or that her Mom couldn't make the family contribution.

So now I'm more careful. I have to ask: "Has anyone in your family saved for your college tuition? Is there anyone you can ask to help with expenses?" I find myself running numbers on cost of living, rent, and school fees, which I never did before.

CALIFORNIA- A UC Berkeley professor who’s outside California’s State Capitol said there’s a positive energy infusing today’s protests after a week of tumult within the system.

UCB School of Education Professor Ingrid Seyer-Ochi is at the corner of L Street and 11th just outside California’s State Capitol, participating in today’s rally to defend and advocate for public education. She’s surrounded by a crowd she describes as mostly made up of college students, faculty and some families with young children, carrying signs like “Learning is not a Luxury,” “UC Incorporated,” and “Please Fund My School.” The speeches so far have mostly focused on fee increases and access to higher education, Seyer-Ochi says, with less attention to K-12.

Ochi says her ride up to the Capitol—financed by an individual donor who signed on to back 15 buses from Berkeley to Sacramento—had a “high energy feel,” with students and faculty mingling freely, not always knowing which was which. Faculty members were asked to wear nametags so they’re easily identifiable once they join the crowd, and many are wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the California Faculty Association and California Teachers Association alongside slogans of their own.

WEB EXCLUSIVE

SACRAMENTO-- California colleges and universities have been hit hard by state budget cuts cuts. Fewer classes are being offered, pay cuts for staff and faculty have been handed down, and classes sizes are blooming. In response to all this, protesters against these drastic cuts have held numerous demonstrations across the state at various college campuses.

We spoke with California State Senator Loni Hancock, a member of the State Senate's Education Committee about the budget cuts. Senator Hancock discusses the root of the budget crisis and what steps are being undertaken in Sacramento to address the budget shortfall.

By: Christopher Tiffenson

Year Up is a powerful program in San Francisco that empowers urban talent to reach their potential. Year Up does this by training young people ages 18 to 24 for careers in business and technology and later setting them up with paid internships that provide on-the-job training. The people at Year Up believe that there is an untapped pool of urban talent in the United States. They believe these individuals need to be put in touch with employers and vice versa. This would help employers fill vital roles within their companies and help unemployed youth find jobs. Youth Radio spoke with Year Up' s San Francisco site leader, Phil Robinson to find out more about this program.

Q: How does Year Up change lives?

A: Year Up changes lives by providing participants with the skills necessary to make it in a professional setting and making the link between learning skills and practicing them in a professional setting as a functioning part of a company’s staff. There is a student that completed the Year Up program that is now employed with SalesForce.com (one of Year Up’s corporate partners) and is making over $40,000 a year, living in his own apartment and working on completing his bachelors degree. Prior to his current success this particular person was in six different foster care situations and later was homeless, living in his car.

Q: What is Year Up looking for in an applicant?

A: Year Up is looking for people that are motivated. We want applicants that are committed to empowering themselves and willing to take control of their academic and professional lives. The folks at Year Up believe that once a person is in control of their own professional life then they will be paid fairly for their labor , which in turn leads to a stable personal life.