Recent attendance numbers at local universities have shown an increasing number of new graduates (and even past graduates) enrolling back into school for advanced degrees or specialty training. Most of this comes from the lack of jobs for new grads, and it seems to be a good way to pass the time during our economic downturn. But is this really a smart way to spend a period of low employment?

A few days ago, I was digging through the NPR Talk of the Nation archives when I discovered one–featuring NYC-based writer, Melody Serafino–that I found particularly interesting. The topic was Melody’s article in News Week a few months back, Subsidized in the City, which touches on the fact that a good majority of twenty-somethings still receive significant funds from their parents to pay for rent, utilities, and superfluous spending.