This past week I had to register for my classes in the Fall and I went through the same struggle I go through every semester; getting rid of financial holds on my account. This semester I had to find $2,000 before I could even think about coming back to college next year to graduate. Every time this happens I go through the same struggle of applying for loans, searching for cosigners, and getting denied. With the economic crisis we're in, it is becoming an even tougher struggle to pay for school because banks are less willing to approve loans for students with no credit history.

At the same time that I'm trying to find money for school the state is facing a major deficit and is trying to find ways to cut the budget. Education cannot be one of those options. By cutting education you are not only hurting the lives of students who are struggling to fulfill their American dream, but you are hurting the future of the nation by cutting funding for a skilled labor force. While private colleges, like Bethel University that I attend, have higher tuitions than most state schools, it was actually cheaper for me to go to Bethel than the University of Minnesota because of the amount of financial aid I received through state education scholarships. If it weren't for these programs I most likely would not be going to college and would be stuck in a dead end job. It is important that the government doesn't cut education, but actually considers raising funding so that more students can enter the work force with a degree creating a brighter future.