A Game of College

Can you get into college, finish a bachelor’s degree and avoid taking on too much debt? Play along and find out.

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Reporting by Delece Smith-Barrow, Felicia Mello and Jon Marcus. Illustrations by Josh Kramer. Design and development by John Osborn D'Agostino.

Graduate debt-free?

It’s your junior year of high school, and you want to go to college. You’ve heard your salary can be a lot higher if you have a bachelor’s degree, but getting into a good school is difficult and finishing college is even harder. Plus, school can be pricey, so you want to ensure you’ll get a good education with little to no debt.

Pick your character traits and try to graduate without any student debt. What you pick will affect the difficulty. On mobile, choose your answers by swiping in the direction of the shown arrow.

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Build Your Character

Your family’s income will be one of the biggest factors affecting your college journey. Tuition and fees, room and board, books and other costs can add up to thousands of dollars per year. Low-income students often receive a fraction of the financial aid needed to cover these expenses. The quality of your high school and whether your parents earned a degree can also affect your chances, determining whether you have the preparation and information for the admissions process and to succeed in college. Race plays a role, too. Students of color are underrepresented at colleges and universities with the most resources and overrepresented at less elite institutions with fewer supports to help them succeed.

Parental Income

Parental Education

Race/Ethnicity

High School

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