Credit card maxed out lately? If you answered yes, you're not alone-according to an article published in USA Today, student credit card debt is on the rise.

The article reports that, "the average undergraduate carried $3,173 in credit card debt last year, the highest level since Sallie Mae began collecting this data in 1998. In 2004, the last time the study was done, students carried an average of $2,169 in card debt."

The article cites the rising cost of education alongside the fact that many private lenders are giving out fewer loans, resulting in students turning to their cards to pay for college expenses, as a possible cause behind this surge.

Katherine Fico, a Sacred Heart University junior, said she has been experiencing the strain of debt due to educational expenses recently.

"With the cost of textbooks and other general supplies alone, I've been having to cut back a lot on other things just so I can keep my card's balance down as low as possible," said Fico.

The report also finds that not only is credit card debt in general on the rise, but the higher the grade level of the student, the higher his or her debt.

Senior Kristen Walsh, affirms this finding with her personal experiences as a cardholder.

"I've definitely found that it's been harder and harder to keep my credit card balance down since freshmen year. I think that when people start college, they usually have some money saved up so, for awhile, they use that to pay off their cards, but that eventually runs out so then it turns into a game of catch up," said Walsh.

Julie Savino, Sacred Heart University's dean of financial assistance, said in response to this report, "students and their families should think twice before pulling out a credit card to cover educational expenses.

In fact, students should think hard before using credit cards for anything except an emergency.

"Students and their families have been using credit cards to pay educational expenses for 'convenience' or because expenses happened to sneak up them.

Students have been using credit cards (easy access by lenders) for more than a decade," said Savino.

She admits though that the current environment has made things more difficult with higher interest rates and stipulations on credit cards and, of course, the fact that there have been fewer loans being approved by private lenders.

And most of us are well aware of what happens when massive credit cards debt meets undergraduate student.

"There are far too many cases of maxed out credit limits, poor credit ratings, and unapproved educational loans for students before they even have the chance to walk across the stage and accept their degrees," said Savino.

There are options for Sacred Heart students to help them avoid finding themselves in this situation.

Savino encourages students and their families to consider government loans for educational expenses, as both the state and the federal governments "are making them more widely available."

She also encourages undergraduates and their families to get in touch with those private lenders who are dedicated to financing education and hence more likely to grant a student loan.

The best advice Savino has for Sacred Heart students is to seek out the help of the school's financial assistance department.

"The Office of Student Financial Assistance wants to help you get through an often overwhelming, web of applications and approvals," said Savino.

She sends out a reminder to students saying, "If you have not filed your FAFSA, do it.

There are options, but we cannot get them to you unless you get us your paperwork."

Savino also suggests that students should meet with financial assistance to discuss any private loans they might be considering before they commit themselves to one. She believes that it is important that students are aware of how a credit rating can affect their ability to borrow before they attempt to do so.

Taking advantage of the university's work-study program along with getting a summer job are both good ways to help students secure money to pay for books, supplies, transportation and other minor personal needs.

In addition, Savino suggests that students research and apply for academic and merit based scholarships which can also help to lessen the burden of college expenses.