A lot like Angela Rye I did not qualify for financial assistance when I started college. No, I didn't have a car but I was told that I would have to get loans to pay for classes. That was just the beginning though. Like many freshman I needed to learn to balance freedom, fun, and academics. The classes I failed I doubled up on so I could graduate "on time". Student loans only cover so much so between credit cards to pay for books and pulling double shifts I was able to pay for classes.
I graduated University of South Alabama in December 2011 and I still have $60,000 in student loans. I can't even begin to imagine how to pay these loans. In a town hall style meeting at Howard University, Angela Rye tackled the topic of student loan debt.