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.
Posts Tagged ‘tuition’
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.
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.
Elizabeth Estony, Purchase College
I am a junior getting aAnthropology/Media Studies/Philosophy BA at Purchase College. I work three jobs at school to help my parents pay for my education. My mom and dad also work multiple jobs. I get a scholarship from my Mom’s job, and the steaks are super high to maintain. This means I have to balance three jobs, an internship, and receiving high marks in all my classes which has been one of the most challenging things about attending college. I have experienced issues with affording the non-tution costs of getting my college education. For my majors there are many events off campus we need to attend such as museums, lectures at other colleges, and many books we are required to read. There is a push for professors to use the library’s course reserve where PDF’s can be published and printed. Some professors just refuse to use this resource which is incredibly frustrating because they will require multiple books only available on amazon. I have many required classes that I need to graduate but they meet at the same time every semester. Also many of my professors take leaves, or are spread too thin in their department due to adjunct professors not getting paid livable wages.At my school many of the buildings do not have proper heat or air conditioning, and the President will simply tell us to bundle up. Tiles are missing on pathways, and there are windows that have been broken for several semesters now. I am a tour-guide at Purchase and honestly it can be embarrassing to show aspects of the school that administration refuses to deal with.
Dilpreet Singh, Queensborough Community College
I am a sophomore studying Health Science at Queensborough Community College. I pay for college out of pocket myself and do not receive any form of TAP and the cost has been one of the biggest challenges on campus for me. The class options are also very low, and trying to get in touch with advisement is hard and sometimes takes up to 3 hours just to see someone. The state of the campus is also really bad with elevators that never work. Please make CUNY free!
Chris Rocco, Purchase College
My name is Chris Rocco, I graduated from Purchase College in December of 2015, and am still paying off my student loans. After 8 years, I have barely put a dent in the loan and will most likely be paying for the next decade or more. The cost of tuition in the US is astronomical, and there is no guarantee of a career after graduating. I know many people who barely make ends meet and struggle paying off their loans, and others who didn’t go to college just so that they could avoid the debt that carries over. There are thousands of people in the US who do not have the privilege of attending college due to the high cost associated with it, and it is limiting their potential and preventing them from opportunities. While others are stricken in student loan debt because the schools encourage them to “follow their dreams”. The system is flawed and must be changed.
Savas Apsilos, Purchase College
I am a sophomore and Language and Culture major, and I believe that higher education can benefit from being free given the high costs of essentials like food, care products, opportunities like study abroad programs and classes with certain fees, such as Art + Design courses. My decision to attend Purchase rested significantly on its close proximity to New York City, and I feel like that convenience can be greatly expanded on with more affordable higher education. This way, more students can discover their potential without financial barriers. Secondary education should be a right, not a privilege.
Marihana Heloany Reis, Purchase College
I am a sophomore Political Sciences Major. After graduating I want to get a master’s and a PHD to become a professor. The price of tuition was one of the obstacles that I faced to go back to school. For me, as an immigrant being here by myself, the dream of achieving higher education had to be on hold for more than 4 years, so I could save enough money to be able to afford it, since I could not apply for financial aid. This situation affects many of the population, but especially Latinos and African Americans. If the education was free and funded, I could have already graduated and become one step forward to following my dream. Unaffordable higher education hurts the racialized and marginalized population, a lot of times keeping us in the poverty cycle. I believe in a high quality and free higher education for all.
Maurysha Cuttino, SUNY Cortland
I am Maurysha Cuttino. I am a senior at Suny Cortland hoping to pursue my degree in Professional Writing. I am from Tully NY, and my Assembly Member is John Lemondes and my Senator is Rachel May. I chose a SUNY school for many reasons, mostly for cost and distance.
Though SUNY schools are cheaper they are still a lot of money and put people in a lot of debt. I am a future step-parent, and do help take care of my significant other’s kids. I am always worrying about money problems from school and other costs. I even ran into an issue this semester involving a single class and the possibility I may have to come out of pocket for it. I want to obtain my degree in hopes to develop a better career for myself as well as live my dream. I wish schools were free for those with less money or no family help. I know I could do so much better within classes and school without having to worry about if I’ll have enough money for coal, or if I need to miss a day of class to work an extra shift.
Because of costs and financial concerns, I never got the true college experience that most have in movies. I never got the sports or club experience due to the fact I had to make a living. I work full time overnights in addition to being a student. I think people don’t realize that there is a lot of money going into attending school, such as gas, rent and other priorities. Even food is expensive and when you spend all day on campus without a meal plan since you need to figure out how to eat and maintain your health. People need help and it would be nice to have more of that help.
Brittaney Thomson, Hunter College
My name is Brittaney Thompson, and I am a junior at Hunter College. I major in Psychology and Studio Art. As a student who does not receive financial aid, I have to pay for my education out of pocket. I have to work early in the mornings before attending class. There were times when I could not afford to pay my tuition and I had a hold on my account. This hold prevented me from registering for my classes on time and by the time I got the hold off, the classes I needed were either all full or waitlisted. I usually have to settle for hard classes I did not want to take or classes at late hours.This one semester I had a hold on my account and struggled to get it off in time so I had to miss school. I had to go through the hassle of readmitting to Hunter and that process broke me. My experience with fighting to stay in school was hard, but I could not give up. Thankfully, I am still here. I love attending school but it is hard to enjoy my time because I have to be working tirelessly to be able to afford it. Working before classes not just drains me but also affects my performance. My college experience so far has really scarred me and I hope in the future tuition can be free or at least more affordable.