Money College: Maximize the student tax rebate

College is a cozy ideological cocoon, where inflation is measured by the quality of bar specials and where tomorrow never comes. Death and taxes may loom far outside the bubble, but debt (or at least significant costs) are part of the mix for almost everyone between 18 and 22.

There's always one guy who calculates the cost per hour of classroom instruction ($68.98 at Loyola University Chicago, in case you were wondering), while others cower and refuse to think of the debt they've accumulated. Tax season offers a further haven from reality. After all, there's nothing more gratifying than a fat, Technicolor check from the U.S. Treasury.

Of course, the best strategy for maximizing your refund is to not get one at all, calculating your proper deduction and avoiding that interest-free loan to Uncle Sam.