Standout campaigns include Khalil Bridges’ College Fund and E-Jayy!.. “From COMPTON 2 HARVARD!”
The guidebook also offers students advice to help them create a catchy GoFundMe page to raise funding for college.
Tips for a successful GoFundMe for tuition include:
1. Sharing accomplishments and hard work
2. Adding expenses, such as a laptop or books, as “wish list” items
3. Spreading the word to friends and family
4. Posting frequent updates and photos
5. Showing appreciation for friends and family who offer support
GoFundMe attributes tuition campaigns’ success to the rising cost of college and the challenges many families face as they struggle to help their children pay for higher education. Student loan reform has dominated discussions in the past few years, with many lawmakers advocating for a reformed system that would not burden students with crippling debt upon graduation.
Tuition is not the only expensive part of the college experience. The Urban Institute issued a January 2017 report noting that skyrocketing living expenses contribute to declining college affordability:
1. Room and board charges at four-year colleges have outpaced inflation, doubling since 1980 (in
inflation-adjusted dollars)
2. Living costs have contributed to declining college affordability
3. Room charges have increased more than board charges at both public and private colleges
4. Room prices and market rents have converged in recent years
5. Room and board charges do not capture living costs faced by off-campus students
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