Anonymous said...

I come from a home where my both my parents don't work. My mom since immigrating to the US has always been to sick to work. My father was injured in a work related accident nearly 13 years ago and has been unable to work ever since. While growing up, to provide for myself I worked numerous jobs after school and otherwise. I've done this since I was 13. Since I've worked for so long, for so many years, my income is factored in to my financial aid. In fact, my package includes no parent contribution but rather, I am solely responsible for the cost of my education. Though the amount is not as tremendous as I expect many other students pay, it's often large when considering that other expenses need to be factored it as well.
If I were paying just for tuition, my summer earnings would suffice. However, clothing, food, books, etc. consume a large portion of my wages. I do not have the luxury of having my parents finance many expenses. They try the best they can but in large part it depends on me. I think the University neglects this point. As such, I am often limited by what I can do during summer months. Essentially, rather than pursuing internships, as they are mostly unpaid, I have no other choice but to work. This severely limits my ability to pursue my aspirations and career interests.