Splicetoday

On Campus
Jul 29, 2008, 12:53PM

What's An Education Worth?

With the cost of food continuing to rise some students are relying on food stamps to get by. The problem is worse at less pretigious state schools like St. Cloud State in Minnesota, where economically marginalized people are struggling to get ahead.

According to a recent AP article, grocery prices have increased by 5 percent over the course of the year. Necessities such as bread and milk have escalated by more than 30 percent.

The economy is plummeting, making it a challenge to find a job and afford to pay for essentials. On top of attending classes and studying for tests, students have to discover a way to pay for rent, gasoline, and groceries.

To be approved for food stamps, students must qualify for a state or federally funded work-study program, work a minimum of 20 hours a week and have a child under the age of 12, among other requirements.

After their freshmen year, St. Cloud State University students do not have to receive a meal plan, which leaves them purchasing more bags of groceries on a more frequent basis.

For the students whose parents' do not supply them with extra spending money, sometimes a food shelf is the only way in which they can feed themselves.

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