China's Voice
How have increased tuition fees impacted you and your family?:
Fall 2011 was my first semester at San Francisco State University as i transferred as a junior from Santa Rosa Junior College. I didn't know what to expect for my first semester, i knew that it would be tough commuting for an hour both ways and i knew it would be more expensive but i didn't realize how much it would ultimately cost me. First and foremost i was told my entire life that i would receive Veteran's Aid (which would cover the cost of tuition completely) from my father who was a Marine, if i went to a CSU, however a month before school started i found out that i personally made too much money the previous year to qualify for Veteran's Aid so i would not receive the benefits, the lady at the office simply responded with "try working less this year so you qualify for it next year"?!?!?! Working less is not going to get me to school this year?!?! So banking on the fact i was going o receive this aid i didn't save any money for college. Anyways, I started out as a full time student taking classes only Tuesday and Thursdays to keep the commuting cost down as i didn't receive any financial aid and my student loan didn't cover all of the increased tuition so i had to somehow come up with the money and pay the $842 difference. This $842 difference and the $400 a month it cost to commute, put me in over my head in debt i had to not only find a 2nd job, i was working over 60 hours a week and looking for a third job. Too much time devoted to working to pay for school was time lost for school and studying. I ended up having to drop all classes except for one but still had to pay for a full time residency because i dropped the classes late and received Withdrawals.Well at least i paid the remainder of my tuition in time to register for the following semester, my GPA just fell below a 1.50 and now i'm on academic probation and at risk of being kicked out. Yes i have the years tuition paid off so that's the only reason i'm still a continuing student but if the tuition increases significantly next year i will be the first person to drop out. I will not let money break my soul and limit my success in school anymore. I can no longer work 60+ hours a week and try to be a successful student. I want to graduate with honor's like i did at my junior college not an average GPA, because i didn't have the time to dedicate to classes.
What are you studying at SF State and what do you hope to do once you graduate?:
I am an art and art history major. I plan on pursuing a master's in art history specializing in Ancient Greece and Rome and finding a career within that field.
China G., 20 Santa Rosa
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