I am a senior economics major heading towards graduation, and am pleased with the opportunities and experiences I’ve had during my four years at SUNY Cortland. I’ve made friends for the rest of my life. While I have had this positive experience, I also took on on multiple student loans. My family felt the financial burden of increased tuition and related expenses as they put both my sister and myself through college.

The value of a higher education is important to me and my family, so I resorted to a handful of student loans to cover a portion of my tuition and textbooks. Aside the student loan debt that I’ve taken on, I also work part-time during the semesters to cover living expenses and the rest of my tuition. On top of working, I have a maxed-out course load, I participate in intramural sports, and have an internship on-campus. My schedule is busy, and worrying about how to afford the rising costs of SUNY Cortland’s tuition and costs has no place in it.