On Being a Student, a Mom and Disabled in America

I hope and pray that the problems that are eating up our economy will not start chewing on educational finances. If it does, this will be the downfall of our country.
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The global credit crisis has hit Wall Street and Main Street. But you know what's next. University Avenue.

Financing an education is difficult enough. But when you count on financial aid from family, schools and the government, you start to worry about how the economy is impacting them. Rightfully so.

The credit crisis may keep college students off campuses around the country.

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By StudentMom

In this election season, I am concerned about many issues because I am a multi-faceted woman. I am a student, a single mom, and disabled. I am mostly concerned about the economy, education, and health care, for the obvious reasons. I am very concerned that the issues in the economy are going to spill over into federal financial aid, leaving our society with no way for students to attend university.

In these days, the number of adult students attending college is rising, and for the large majority of us, it is imperative that we have the funding we need in order to attend college. Universities need to be reigned in on the cost to attend! Their ability to continue to raise the cost of a college education must be stopped before no one is able to attend. A large majority of students at my school are recipients of federal financial aid, and I think that says too much about universities' ability to raise tuition on a yearly basis. Schools have now made the cost to attend so high that more students need federal aid than those who do not. We have got to find a way to stop this before it becomes impossible for us to send our children to college!

I am in school in order to find a way to get back into the work force. Being disabled and a single mother, I am working as hard as I can to finish my education in order to do this. It is impossible to raise a child on the paltry amount of Social Security Disability that I draw from the points I earned during my past work record! I felt the urgency to do something to ensure that my child will have the best education he can get, urgency to finish my degree in order to be able to feed my child well, clothe him well and give him a fair chance at life. I hope to become a teacher on the university level and to help to incorporate women's history into the general education of elementary and secondary school levels. I want to make a difference in the life of my own child and that of our society. In order to do this, I must have the ability to finish my education, and in order to do that, I must have the financial aid that I need.

I hope and pray that the problems that are eating up our economy will not start chewing on educational finances. For if it does, I feel this will be the downfall of our country into another era of "Dark Ages. "

Tell us about your experiences with education, financial aid and the issues you want addressed during the election on Tokoni.

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