Study: College kids struggling with bills, paying for the basics - Melanie Mizenk, Times-Leader

According to a new study, many community college students who have to balance jobs, families and studies often struggle with bills and basic necessities. Researchers at the Wisconsin HOPE Lab, at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, surveyed more than 4,000 undergraduate students at 10 community colleges in Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New York, California, New Jersey, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Montgomery County Community College, in Blue Bell, represented Pennsylvania. In the study, researchers concluded that 20 percent are going hungry and 13 percent are homeless. The study said a growing number of low-income undergraduates experience food and housing insecurity, even with assistance from the government, like a Pell Grant — a student aid program to help students with college costs — which, at it’s inception, covered the full costs of attending community college. http://timesleader.com/news/local/500638/study-college-kids-struggling-with-bills-paying-for-the-basics