Calif. Students Struggle With College Costs

Inside Higher Ed

A majority of college students in California believe that college costs and balancing school with work inhibit their ability to succeed, according to initial survey findings released Thursday by the California Student Aid Commission.

This is the first time in more than a decade that the commission has conducted the Student Expense and Resources Survey (SEARS), which provides data that help determine Cal Grant and other state financial aid eligibility.

Of the 15,000 respondents to the survey, 31 percent said the largest obstacle in college is balancing school and work, while 33 percent said it was the cost of college. About one-third of respondents also reported grappling with food and housing insecurity…. (continue reading)