I am a freshman at Brooklyn College. I had started college back in 2010 and stopped due to work taking precedence. Working on large commercial city projects, I had very little time to focus on my schoolwork. However, due to the cost-effective nature of the CUNY system and the high return on investment I’d get from attending Brooklyn College, I thought I’d give it another go and get my Bachelor’s in Political Science and Psychology. While I do believe I am getting a valuable education, I’ve recently had to deal with unease and uncertainty about my financial aid getting approved, which has made me unable to fully focus on my studies. Every moment I was ruminating about the possibility of being forced to leave school and be unable to come back unless I was to pay almost four thousand dollars out of pocket. I believe that school should not cost as much as it does. The high tuition only creates barriers for people to get an education and limits the number of educated people who could make effective contributions to society, such as creating jobs.
Andrew Ackie
Melissa Queliz
I am a senior at Brooklyn College. I started going to Brooklyn College in Fall 2024 to pursue a degree in Political Science. I had gone to a SUNY previously to study illustration, and took a break after graduating. During this break, I realized that I had a passion for current affairs, the exploitation happening in the global south, and the current global climate. Knowing that CUNY, specifically Brooklyn College, was nearby, had a strong political science program, and was the most affordable option, I decided this was the place for me. I believe that I am getting a good return on investment for this degree for several reasons. The political science degree is rather small, meaning that there is more individualized focus from faculty who are heavily invested in the information that they teach. There is also a great focus on diversity and student life; there are many groups and resources for students that contribute to my success and overall well-being, such as NYPIRG. I feel like I am a part of a blossoming community that wants me to succeed. If I did not have to worry about tuition, I would have started school earlier and would not have to work as hard while in school. I also would have been a full-time student for a longer period, as while I was a full-time student, I could not work and had issues with financial insecurity. Financial aid should not be just about merit, but it should be about the fundamental need for education to become a well-rounded individual and excel in life.
Duncan Higgins
I am a junior at SUNY New Paltz. My major is history, and when I graduate, I want to go into policymaking as a career. I pay for college out of pocket, and the biggest challenge in paying has been around the costs of food and textbooks. I also see a need for increased funding from the state for SUNY counseling offices and infrastructure on campus. Counseling offices typically close early and don’t account for student flexibility. Renovations on campus have made accessibility to certain buildings more difficult, and there have also been instances where appliances such as card readers or the elevators have stopped working in dormitories, blocking access to things such as the kitchen or laundry rooms.
Travon Peters, College of Staten Island
I am a senior at the College of Staten Island, studying English. When I graduate, I hope to become a speech language pathologist. I pay for college with TAP and other financial aid, but that does not cover the full cost of attending college. Since my mom is the only one working in my household, I have also taken on side jobs and I try to get as much overtime as possible, but when other expenses come up, it becomes challenging to keep up with everything. It is difficult to balance work and school at the same time. Even with financial aid, there are still a lot of out-of-pocket costs that I need to manage on my own. I believe that the TAP award amount should be increased to better support students who are trying to stay in school and manage financial challenges. I am part of the ASAP program, and the MetroCard they provide really helps, but it still doesn’t cover everything. Since CSI removed the direct bus to campus, commuting has become even more difficult. It takes me about three hours to get to school and back. Those long rides add extra stress and costs. During the semester, I often have to make tough decisions between buying a textbook or covering my daily expenses. Being in a single-income household makes it hard to keep up with everything, and even though programs like ASAP make a difference, there’s still a big gap between what students actually need and what we can afford. I think more needs to be done to help commuter students. Traveling across boroughs every day can be exhausting and expensive, and not everyone has easy access to resources on campus. Providing more transportation support or commuter assistance would take a lot of stress off students who are trying to balance everything at once. Additionally, class offerings have been a challenge for me at CSI. One of the biggest problems is that classes fill up really quickly, especially during the off-semester or when you’re trying to fit your schedule around work. Sometimes the times that are left don’t match with my availability, so I end up taking classes that are harder to manage just to stay on track. Campus infrastructure at CSI could also be improved, overall the campus is decent, but there are areas that could be better. Some classrooms and buildings feel outdated, and the elevators or computers don’t always work properly. When things like that happen, it slows down learning and makes the environment less motivating. The computers in the labs can be slow or outdated, which makes it hard to complete assignments on time, especially when you’re trying to balance class, work, and a long commute. Sometimes, small things, like technical problems or limited resources, make the learning experience more stressful than it needs to be. Keeping the facilities well-maintained would really help students feel more supported and comfortable on campus.
Samantha Ortiz, Hunter College
I’m a junior at Hunter College majoring in Art History & Arts Management and Leadership, looking to work in the non profit and for profit arts in NYC. I pay for college with FAFSA, TAP, Pell Grant with the rest by working while going to school. The size of TAP has been an issue for me because I have to pay a lot due to my parents income but they do not contribute to my colleges fees at all. I am a first generation student and its difficult to not grow in an environment that does not prioritize studying. I have fair fares which cuts my fare rate in half but its still money taken away from school fees.This semester i bought a textbook that was almost $300 and I still had to buy other books.And for food,I rarely eat as I do not qualify for food stamps if I live with my parents even if I pay for my own things. This is the reality of many students in New York City. Advisement is not well suited for directing students to the proper places and often set a student back. I’ve been taking matters into my own hands regarding assistance with campus resources and my degree path. The buildings are dilapidated. There are nasty water leaks on one floor and broken tables in equipment on the next.In a class,a chair was broken and when I sat it stabbed me in the leg because metal was jutting out.In the womens restroons there are missing ceiling tiles and actual tiles in the bathrooms inside and over the stalls which make me worry that someone may have purposely done that or purposely not fixed it for nefarious reasons. The state of these buildings does not strike me with the joy that one should have when walking into college.
Shifa Giash, City College of NY
I’m a communications major and I hope to work in marketing one day. I pay for college through financial aid and government loans. The thing I struggle with most about the cost of college is definitely paying for living costs while in school as the aid does not cover dorming for things like transit and food costs.
Genesis Ramos, City College of NY
I am a sophomore studying digital design, I hope to get a job in animation. I pay for my tuition through financial aid. I am the first in my family to go to college and it’s a little stressful as I feel there’s a lot of pressure to be better than the people in my family as I’m a first generation. Some of my biggest financial costs have been paying for transportation, food and textbooks which is where I have to spend a lot of the money I earn working. I also have issues with our escalators and elevators often not working.
Isaac Johnson, SUNY Purchase
I am a senior studying liberal studies looking to get into business. I pay for my tuition with financial aid, loans and paying out of pocket. I would like to extend the years and money that is allowed to to be received from TAP. For example students who are in college a little longer than the regular 4-5 years aren’t allowed to receive some financial aid. Everything has been a big challenge for me due to the fact that I don’t receive certain financial aid programs and is paying out of pocket while being a full time student athlete. Transportation, food, textbooks all cost a lot of money while I am still paying for my tuition on my own.
Matthieu Rodrigues, SUNY Purchase
I’m a senior majoring in sociology still figuring things out. I pay for college by paying out of pocket and working while I’m in school. I think the eligibility for TAP should be way less strict and more accessible. One of my biggest challenges paying for college is the timing in when you have to pay. I always pay my semester fee late causing me to miss out on opportunities on classes I want to take.
Marina Misic, SUNY Purchase
I am a political science major, and after graduation, I look to pursue higher education whether that be a graduate degree or a degree in law. Within my career, I would like to do something revolving around human rights advocacy. I am lucky enough that the Excelsior scholarship as well as a few others helped me receive an education tuition free. I have worked in the retail sector for over 2 years now and I work from 20-40+ hours a week depending on the time of the year and my availability. I have received funds from TAP, I would just like to make it accessible for more students and to cover more of the expenses. My biggest challenge when paying for college was paying the full cost of the tuition outright for my first semester, with the scholarships I was supposed to receive only giving me a refund at the end of the semester. As a commuter, I live at home with my single mother and we both work to pay our rent and afford all of our necessities. Recently the used car I had paid in full, broke down in the middle of the road and it was not salvageable. To make sure I had a reliable means of transportation to school and work, I had to get another used car from a dealership and I now have an additional 230 dollar monthly expense for 6 years. I have dealt with the problem of not having enough class options. Attending a school where the conservatories are the most funded, as a political science major, our program only has 2 full-time faculty, one of whom had taken the spring semester off for a sabbatical. As a result of this, the professors are very limited in what they can teach and none of the classes that were listed in my requirements for U.S. Politics and Law Courses were offered and my professor even brought up her concerns regarding this.The overall lack of accessibility for disabled people regarding the issues with the elevator in the humanities building and various other dormitories are big issues on campus. Another issue I had was that I was walking to class on a cold day and I did not realize that there was ice because my path was not closed off and was covered in snow. The ice caused me to trip and hurt my ankle pretty badly, and after 3 weeks I still have pain in my joint because of it. I really would want a more accessible and better-maintained campus to avoid any other injuries.