College students who were already struggling are having an even more difficult time because of the economic downturn the US is experiencing. Some college students opt to stand and wait in food-pantry lines. Others have given up drinking soda or going out to eat. Some are even avoiding using their cars and substituting alternate means of transportation like buses or subways.
Many students have begun to notice that prices have gone up in many different areas. Rent, food, and basic utilities begin three of the most important to the struggling student, and making it a lot harder to get by these days. Recently, some universities have even opened up food banks on campus for the growing number of students who are struggling to make ends meet.
College faculties have been seeing an increase in the number of students who are in need of the basic necessities, precipitating the opening of food banks for students in several parts of the country. Other universities have already had food banks in place for a number of years, but have seen a significant increase in the number of students utilizing the food bank programs over the past year. In fact, the food banks have become so popular, that some universities and community colleges are having trouble keeping up with demand.
Anytime there is a recession, financial need increases and schools that rely on state support are likely to see costs rise even more. Accordingly, some state universities are increasing their annual tuition by ten to thirteen percent. Also, the fact that many parents are losing their jobs means that more and more students are having to become self-reliant and are asking for more aid from their schools to help them complete their education.
Financial experts say the number of students who are applying for aid from their colleges because of “special circumstances” has increased by as much as thirty percent over the course of the past year, as the unemployment rate has risen. Of course, the rising unemployment rate doesn’t just affect the parents of students, but also students themselves. Many college students work low-paying part-time jobs, and these can be the first to be cut when a company’s financial situation takes a turn for the worst.
Around the country, colleges are implementing special programs to help students struggling to get by and complete their education. Some colleges are even using a “deferred payment program,” while others are offering free services or special help to students who would otherwise have to drop out of school.
