Low-income students grapple with deferring college dreams 

I decided to work full time instead of taking classes this year. My parents lost their job and my mom has cancer. And her treatment isn't covered. This only lead me to work and let my siblings continue school. It's emotional hard to let my dream go for a year but I rather work to have food, a bed, a home to come back every night! Especially for my parents and my siblings. I know I'll be able to go back to school and finish what I started.

My parents sent me to college in South Africa because its free there. College is free in a majority of the world. Yet in America its a business. its ridiculous.

Here’s an idea. How about colleges lowering tuition? Especially as more and more studies show that a 4 year degree isn’t the gold standard it once was for many students.

I'm a first gen college student and I already feel the pressure from this pandemic. It's like carry blankets that keeps getting heavier because water is being added.

Cant wait for the Netflix Documentary called "College: The Biggest Scam in America"

it's really crazy how parents depend so much on their kids when they have already SO much on their shoulders I can relate and it does take a heavy toll physical and especially mentally that's we wanna go to school to help just help 😢

Damn I’ve never seen a comment section that hated poor people so much

It’s more unfortunate you need more than just 4 year undergraduate degree

the college I applied to put me on the waitlist... then a month later I get a message if I want to donate to students struggling... umm.. i'll pass..

Damn, that's crazy. The rona really doing all this. Shoutout to my man in the video though. My man getting that WORK, getting that degree. Out of all his family, he the first one to get a degree.

I sincerely wish them all the best. I can 1000% relate to the struggle. Life is a test. I’m rooting for all of them

Teachers: "We know these are hard times and school may not be the first on your mind HOWEVER-" They're assigning more than usual because we're at home. A lot of students are working and can't spend time on homework.

To have the burden of "you are my only hope" is so stressful.

what about refund partial tuition to students since partially of the tuition is to pay the access to the facilities. yet, we don't even get to see the facilities, why would we have to pay it? is this like some new type of corruption?

I have been working full time, and doing collage full time for 2 years now. I graduate in 2 months. It has been hard trying to balance life these past 2 years, but it can be done. Dont give up!

As much as I want children and feel pressured at times... stories like this remind me why I won't until me and my partner can comfortably care for ourselves and and at least one other.. I can't relay on the possible potential of a child making it financially. Even if it happens.. not fair to them.

I just graduated college this semester. I’m trying to start my own business. If I can’t find a job, I’m making my own job.

It going to be alright. The schools will be desperate for students. And tuition prices should be declining it a matter of classical economics. I hope these students and family survive this adversity. Many unemployed starving intellectuals professors and students.

Welcome to the grind. It’s a lonely place

FORCE THEM TO REDUCE TUITION, they depend on that influx of income, PROTEST, refuse, email presidents, Chancellors, don't let them win

I'm low income and I am debt-free and 6 months ahead on all of my bills right now. It is all about how you manage your money. I know a dentist who is $1M in debt. He makes a lot, but he makes less than me a month after all his bills.

I am in low income student and I can say that colleges don’t work at all for us. It’s like investing the money we already don’t have for a “chance” at having a job that will pay all that spent money back. Go to community college and transfer cus I can tell you now the college hype gets played out when you already don’t have money as it is compared to students who’s parents can just pay for all their children’s bills.

Thank God I got my Bachelor’s Degree last year. My university almost got me to be in 2020 but I took the risk of doing 6 classes per semester and finished right on time. I’m heartbroken for the class of 2020 and the incoming freshman because all their rite of passage traditions are cancelled because of this pandemic. It’s devastating that current students now have to face the difficult decision to continue their education or take a year off to save money.

I graduated in 2014 and finally started taking college classes last summer and I couldn’t imagine stopping now. Going to college in the USA is a luxury.

Higher education only works when you choose the right degree ( engineering, finance, computer science, etc.). It is almost impossible to get these jobs unless you have a degree and the right college under your resume. I have seen so many people who choose a non-practical degree and make the same amount of money as high school grads. The best thing I did was to go to community college first, go to a state school, and choose a practical degree.

I’m so lucky that my parents are healthcare workers. If it weren’t for that I would be taking a gap year and going back whenever I was financially stable enough

Thank you, abc...it is so important to see how all of this has impacted different people....

I love how all of these college segments include everybody but transfer students

No point in going to Ivy League if you don't get to network with people. Home testing and classes limits your college experience.

I cried for these young people and my own college bound daughter. 😥😥😥

He's the first one in his family to get a college degree,. Translation. He's in Debt up to his eye balls. Thanks

I graduated hs in 2015 and graduated community college last year. Started university this year. Kinda sucks but im blessed to at least have gotten my associates degree

This message is for any college student that is facing hardship and setbacks during this time just know that you’re educated is important and it is okay to take a year off or a semester off of college to work. Society has placed pressures on students to go straight into college and to graduate early 20s with a bachelors degree. Sometimes this is not always the case for other students that maybe have a bit of opportunity than others.

Im an essential worker and a student

Make college free ! The ish is too expensive anyway. Now they want to cater to the rich , these students don't deserve this ... It's all. About the dollar smh ....man screw this

First gen student here, came in as a Mexican immigrant. Took me 10 YEARS to earn my BA. Did it bit by bit, working here and there! Couldn’t believe when I graduated!! Best feeling ever!

Good luck to every single one of these students. Keep your head up.

We can't go to college or work but thank goodness all the reporters can travel freely to report as if they were immune so they can tell the rest of us to stay at home.

I have sympathy for all of the college students featured. There is a lot of pressure for first generation college students to succeed. College should NOT be as expensive as it is. Another problem our American society faces.

The students who really struggle are the ones who push harder to finish school, so they can provide for their families later. I struggled SO HARD at school as a working mother, but that is exactly what pushed me to finish. Once I got my new (better paying) job, I even decided to go BACK and do even more schooling so I can make more pay. I never want to struggle for money the way I did before. Hardships are motivation.

Target pays 14 an hour wtf is she even going on about minimum wage for?

It's sad that the lobbyists, governments, and other self serving interests have done so much to make college unattainable/excessively expensive for those who seek to go. Many people will say you don't need to go to college to get a good job, its a waste of $ etc. However, what about for those who want to go? Further, what will happen to the competitive advantage of our country if people in droves forego college because they simply can't afford it? Other countries, were college is affordable, are going to lap us and our GDP is going to go down the toilet. It's funny that so many people in industry and government cry that we don't have enough qualified people to do specific types of jobs, however the cost of getting a graduate degree is out of the reach of most and many employers won't help pay for it. The government and schools also need to put programs in place to bring down the cost of education through online education and colleges/universities that are more affordable (most middle class students and their families don't care about having their kids live in dorms that resemble luxury condos and stadiums with sky boxes!).

For us first gen students, our parents view us as their retirement plan...

It's best to start a business in high school don't wait to graduate or after college. Start as soon as you can and have the time.

Debating whether or not I should go back to school for the fall. I suffer from a chronic disease and am due to get chemo around the time we head back to school. I go to Ohio State and social distancing seems like something that is impossible to enforce at such a large institution

Really interesting

I'm a first gen college student. I haven't received Financial aid because since I live by myself and work full time I, "make to much money", so that leaves me two choices, work and pay for all of it myself. Which I'm sure some of you may know working full time and going to school full time as a STEM student is real difficult or live in the streets (literally) so I could get help lol Get over it, life isn't fair sometimes, work full time and go to school full time if you must. Will you have a life? You, still can but you have to sacrifice a little more. So tired of all these people giving that, "my parents are immigrants and I'm a first gen college student so you must pay for my school", bullshit. So much complaining going on, it's embarrassing.

5:44 i hope he makes it

DON'T QUIT DON'T QUIT DON'T QUIT.... I AM SCREAMING THIS AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS!!!! IN FOUR YEARS YOU CAN EITHER HAVE A DEGREE OR NOT.

That’s horrible I feel bad for them, they drop out because they can not focus that’s gotta be hard. I totally understand those teens Good thing I don’t go to school anymore!!! I’m done I’m 28 years old now or going to be 28 this year!!! That’s amazing they’re helping their parents. Wish teens did this long ago even before the virus. They just took them for granted everything fior granted I thought now they’re stepping up they see what their parents did for them so they’re paying it forward. How nice extremely cooooool Love that people do this. How can you want to help when you can’t see that the people throw live actually needs help and needs you by they’re side, teens never were not last year anyway. This is soooo cooooool and nice to see

Army, Navy, airforce, Marines

The military will pay for college.

Good luck to all these Brave young souls... Y'all have the right.Mindset!💪🏾💪🏾

I had my kids almost 4 years ago and I had to pause on college. I was finally going back to finish my nursing degree in the fall. But now I don't know if that will happen. I dont know if my daughter will be going to prek this fall. Fml

I'm fgli and international, those videos give me goosebumps

Not a hate reply here... but, loosing is part of life and we all have to deal with loosing in life , no matter how unfair it Feels. Adapting and recreating a new situation for yourself is what has to be done.

I would probably need to work as well as working because my father is not young and I believe he will retire soon. I took this semester off before this pandemic due to other issues not financially, I’ve met my share of not finding drive and passion anymore. And I wanted to occupy myself and enrolled in classes to better myself and I hated it since it was online. I prefer in person classes it’s much better and I’m scared I will be in online classes as the fall comes along and possibly my aid being taken away. I don’t even know for sure my passion in life so this pandemic has heightened my fears and caused more psychological damage then before. I still wish I stayed in my college that I didn’t like this semester but I made that choice so now I’m dealing with it which I have been months before this pandemic and will still do so

Check out Berea College.

It's fine though. Spend a year working.....save up. And then your future college bills will be less severe! 👍👍👍

Income inequality is from a debt base money system not more expensive education ..we need a new monetary system

Life is tough. Income inequality is real. Blue collar workers are being eliminated due to AI.

great post

It is not that big of a deal!! Get the paper, get your job, and make enough to be able to have more control over your finances. Hopefully that degree came with financial literacy or else what is the point? There is people with no degree at all making millions of dollars.

I’m security rn doing my homework hoping it while all work out I feel y’all but college it is never easy in any situation or everyone would do it .

College is something we don't prepare kids for well enough. We should allow kids to explore their lives more in High School instead of forcing them to one system. A lot of these young adults have no idea what they want to become or the outlook of their desired job. Another sad truth is that this terrible economy is what yall agreed to occur when you ask or agree for longer shelter in place orders. The bank isn't going to care that you "helped save the world" by sheltering in place when they reposses your home or your vehicle. The deferred payments doesn't mean you don't have to pay them, you still pay them at a later time. Unfortanley, your job isn't going to hand out "deferred pay checks". Many families barely make enough to live off of in normal circumstances. Now they are going to have to use a 1 month check at the end of this to cover 3 months or more of deferred payments.

God bless you kids!!.❤...keep going!!...you inspire us ALL!!💫

Reporter needed to clear her throat before she started talking in the beginning. 😭 that bothered me, I had to skip to the story!😂

It is hard to have a full-time job and go to school but, it worth every moment of it, you'll can make it once you put whatever end goal as your focus nothing can't stop you, I started college 5 years ago, I got my Associates degree in Medical Assistant and now I have 1 week left in my Bachelor's in Human Services, part in school and online while having a full-time 12 hour job, I know that it can be challenging and difficult but cry if you have to but never give up. #povertyisnotanoption

A college degree hasn’t been worth it since the 90s. The bachelor degree is overflowed. There’s is no value in a 4 year college degree anymore when everyone has one. People need to realize there are other careers/jobs that pay (plumber, real estate agent, hair dresser etc.) you don’t always have to go to college! When your in high school they will never mention other alternatives to college, like trade school. People are out here going into crippling debt (the cost is almost a house sometimes) just to get a degree that they will never find a job in. Only go for stem and medical field related careers.

Online classes under isolation can be grueling. Even worse when you live with people that bicker about politics all the time and the neighbor's dog won't shut up.

I hope this helps. CUNY community colleges in NYC offer a program called ASAP they pay your tuition for FREE. I hope he gets to read this.

While we're printing money - why not ?

If I could do it all over again....I’d wait until I was in my late 20s to early 30s to start college, not right after high school. I went to a 4-year university that was close to home. 75% of my tuition was covered by scholarships. The rest was covered by loans. I saved room and board money because I commuted to campus from home. My college freshman year was 2005. At that time, my parents were already struggling financially. Their hours were reduced and money was tight. I had to get a part time job to help ends meet. Instead of focusing on my education, studying and doing research like all other students were doing, I had to work and do my homework after 10pm. Life at home was unstable and I had no space or time to study. My grades suffered as a result, but I was afraid to quit college. I graduated in 2009 with blah GPA of 3.1 and no job prospects that could’ve used my major. At that time, many companies were not hiring and were laying off workers. It was just a horrible time to go to college. ☹️

Blue collar jobs are the ones that are most suffering during the pandemic, all the white collar jobs (stem jobs that can be worked from home) are the ones that are still able to work and have an income, unless if you consider delivering food.........

poor kids, the dream of college is fake, once you're there you will see, regardless of community, vocational, state, private-ivy league, the experience is now what people think, its all business, with some decent experiences.

Dont run up those student loans!!!!! DEBT IS A TRAP

There are a lot of great paying jobs that don’t require a college education. If your willing to work hard and develop a skill.

itz aight...

Glad I am a essential worker .

I really don’t want a professional opinion from those that graduated from mostly online classes.

Universities will NEVER be free, a degree will never be easy to get. That's why I am starting my own job.

2:50 Yeah, ok boomer. If everyone and their mom gets a 4 college degree, then all you are doing is shifting the norm from high school to college. The only difference now is that people will be pay out of their butt to send their kids or themselves to college to not come out ahead but not fall behind. We should be telling them to pursue USEFUL 2 year degrees or trade schools, not a 4 year college for a liberal arts degree. For instance a nursing degree can also be done not only as a 4 year degree but a 2 year associates; and the pay is pretty good compared to a lot of 4 year degrees.

Online college classes will be just as popular as on campus by 2030 but I believe even if you graduated college years ago you should still up skill and learn new things (use tools like EDX, Coursera and other online MOOC’s) to be versatile in this ever changing world 🌍💯

Man why college gots to cost different fo errybody. My parents work hard and make a good living. They ain’t tryna pay full price fo my education. They was like naw playa it eitha military or get a schola ship.

cull the bloated administrator rolls, scale back the needless campus infrastructure plans, and for gods sake support technical/associates/2-year degrees which give access to good paying mid-wage jobs (IT networking, health care, manufacturing, etc)

My advice is dont go if you have no money! Dont go for degrees that wont get you a job. Be smart! If youre poor dont go to drown yourself in a whole of dept! Safe if you have to take your time if you really want to go. I wish i knew all of this when i started school.

only 21% will finish their 4 yrs degree within 6 years

The chirping sound is the smoke detector. Change the battery

These people need and deserve help.

College is a scam. There are no guarantees jobs after college. You might end up working again at McDonald's. Only people that need college are people looking into getting into a profession which is a doctor , teachers, scientist, rocket scientist, engineer, lawyers ,judges, etc. For these careers college is necessary. For those that feel there is more than college Follow your passions and you'll get to your life purpose. You'll be able to make money of your passions by starting a business and becoming your own boss. For example if your like to learn to bake. Go on RU-vid and start making cakes practice and repetition is a must. Don't give up after failing. Consider it one step closer to glory. Once you get good at baking start telling your friends and family they'll gladly help you by buying a cake. Also another example is by Starting a carwash business you'll have the freedom to work on your own hours. Everything your thinking of learning is on RU-vid. Don't listen to your parents follow your inner voice to do that or to learn how to do a certain thing that interests you.

Some of the excuses are weak. I understand if a student decides to take a break to help the family business that was affected by the shutdown, but a student that says they're not going back because they don't feel like it...that is a stupid personal decision. Many college students have taken online courses and graduated prior to this virus, how is this any different for those who have to switch from the fixed classroom to online? College is not for everyone. That is a reality. Some people are not smart enough to obtain skilled jobs. That is not the responsibility of government. And the "Income Inequality" BS is unrealistic as well. If you don't think you are getting paid according to your perceived worth, find another job.

I’m graduating this term

Look I live in Canada I'm an immigrant here Since 15 I have 3 businesses and dropped out of college If you have wits Ull get to ur rainbow at the end Highest education or not

A 2 year degree in cybersecurity is all you will need to get a good paying job

Ivy League online courses lmao; waste of money

nothing new ongoing for years

Why not go to college in Finland

UBI Now

started my own NGO in South Afirca to enforce thbe african human rights ysstme

This is when you step up as a young man