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With less federal aid, college students' dreams slip away.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service

| June 17, 2002 | O'Neill, James M. | COPYRIGHT 2002 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)Copyright

PHILADELPHIA _ Philadelphia teenager Yalitza Berrios was wowed by the campus of Neumann College _ then elated when the four-year school made a spot for her in its freshman class. That put Berrios a huge step closer to her dream _ being the first college graduate in her family.

But a formidable stumbling block soon tripped her up.

Money. Or, in Berrios' case, the lack of it.

Short $5,400 her freshman year _ even after government and institutional grants _ Berrios reluctantly took out student loans while precariously juggling school and jobs. Within a year, the effort proved overwhelming.

While low-income students have always struggled with college bills, financial and political forces are now making it harder than ever for them to get a college degree _ a key to higher-paying jobs.

To avoid soaring loan debt, they are working long hours, taking courses part time, and commuting to college rather than living on campus _ compromises that actually reduce their chances of earning that coveted degree.

Researchers argue that unless Congress renews its commitment to student grants based on need, the gap between graduates from wealthy and graduates from lower-income families will further widen, robbing the nation of educated workers vital to a knowledge-based economy.

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