As a full-time student responsible for a young child and operating on a tight budget, Reisha Bogan sometimes feels attending Iowa State isn’t worth the struggle.

“[As a low-income student] you have to change your priorities from education to paying for college,” said Bogan, freshman in art and design.

Bogan is not alone. Despite several programs in place to aid them, several low-income students said they are struggling as the cost of attending Iowa State rises.

Japannah Kellogg, program coordinator for Student Support Services, said ISU students’ financial burdens aren’t unique.

In general, colleges are becoming less accessible to low-income students, Kellogg said. He said cuts in grants to students from low-income families are “forcing students to go more and more in debt.”

At its November meeting, the Board of Regents approved another tuition increase for state universities. The increase will raise in-state tuition by $398 per year and out-of-state by $758 per year. Since 2001, tuition at Iowa State has increased 51.6 percent.

While all students must shoulder raises in tuition and the higher cost of living, Kellogg said the burden is much greater for low-income students.

“Low-income students face the same problems that all students face, but the impact is different,” Kellogg said.

A “dual burden” is placed on low-income students when tuition is increased. Kellogg said students from low-income families must work more hours in order to attend college, which may take away from how much time can be spent on their studies.

Low-income students are also often forced to take out more loans, which will impact them for many years following college, he said.

Despite the struggles low-income students face, Kellogg said he believes Iowa State has a “good foundation” set to assist them. The university offers several opportunities that low-income students may turn to for assistance or advice, including the Student Support Services Program, the Academic Success Center, the Office of Minority Student Affairs, the Hixson Scholarship and academic advisers.

Still, Kellogg said the programs are just a start.

“There’s a lot of work to do,” he said.

Larry Ebbers, professor of educational leadership and policy studies, said increased tuition has forced many low-income students to attend community colleges for their first two years of classes.

He said attending community colleges has the advantage of a much lower cost for a comparable education in the first two years of attendance.

After an initial drop in grades after transferring from a community college to a university, Ebbers said students’ grades remain consistent with grades they earned in community college.

He said students who attend community college have “the same or better” graduation rate as students who have attended a state university for all four years.

Joe Hodge, freshman in community and regional planning, said he sometimes questions his choice of colleges when he could attend other universities at a lower cost.

As a low-income and an out-of-state student, Hodge said he faces many challenges. Last year, Hodge said he had to go to extraordinary measures to make ends meet.

“I got to the point where I had two jobs, a full-time schedule and I was dying,” Hodge said.

He said the struggle to find funds to attend Iowa State still consumes most of his time. Hodge said he rarely finds time to eat, and his focus has become how to pay for college rather than doing well in classes.

Brenda Vargas, sophomore in animal ecology, agreed — attending Iowa State presents many difficulties for low-income students.

She said one of her main concerns as a minority is the unequal distribution of scholarship money.

Vargas said she’s not eligible for most scholarships the university offers, and said she feels not enough scholarship money is awarded to low-income minority students.

As a result, Vargas said, it’s difficult to find the money to attend Iowa State. She said it’s often hard for her to focus on learning in an environment when she’s constantly searching for ways to make ends meet.

“I came here to get an education, not to worry how I’m going to pay bills,” Vargas said.