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Mary Nguyen has $10,000 (and growing) in college debt. Does she regret it? Not a bit. Does she worry about paying it back? Yes. She taught herself the college financial aid process.

Each school has unique attributes to offer prospective students. Virginia is home to more than 40 residential colleges and universities, including some of the most historic institutions in the country.

Area campuses generate news all the time, with new programs, construction, awards and initiatives. Here is a roundup of news items submitted by the schools profiled in this section:

Students, schools finding more funding, cutting costs to cope with financial woes.

Waiting until the last minute to apply for college isn’t an option in today’s competitive world. In fact, it’s wise to start the admission process in your sophomore or junior year of high school.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 63 percent of all undergraduates enrolled in U.S. schools and colleges in 2003-04 received some type of financial aid. About $82 billion in loans, grants and other assistance from the U.S. Department of Education will benefit more than 10 million students.