Your stories, part 3

Our first story comes from Lacy.

I go to a very expensive school, about $47,000 a year. They were generous with scholarships, which cover about half of my education. However, that still leaves about $15-20,000 a year that I have to pull out of nowhere: hello, loans! I plan to graduate with at least $80,000 in loans in 2010. This is really not something anyone should have to deal with. Neither of my parents completed college and this is a very big deal for my family..my parents make about $60,000 a year combined, which may seem like a lot, but isn't when stretched over 5 people, not to mention my loan bills! I am grateful for my work study job at school, but I never even get close to the money limit each year because of lack of hours and low pay rate.. I am lucky to have such supportive, proud parents who will do whatever it takes to get me through school, but there has got to be a limit. My school's administration says they want to make education affordable and accessible to all, but then at the end of the year they send the "adjustment" letters, and tuition just goes up. They need to walk the walk. Something needs to be done. This is no longer acceptable.

Our next story is from Nicole C.

I get a $10,000 a year scholarship, and I do not live on campus, but I am still going to graduate with approximately $55,000 in student loans. The fear of having to repay this bill for the next 20 years keeps me awake at night as I wonder how I will ever afford to own a home, pay for a wedding, and have children. Without the government stepping in to help ambitious college students our economy will never do well because nobody is able to pursue the American Dream if they are starting their lives already tens of thousands of dollars in debt. It is not my fault that my parents did the best they could and yet could still not afford to pay for their three kids to go to college... so why should I suffer? European countries subsidize the education of their civilians and their economy is doing better than ours... coinicidence? I don't think so.

Want to share your story with got tuition? Please e-mail your stories, pictures, and videos to gottuition08@gmail.com.