Homelessness In College Essay

Many young people in America want to achieve a higher education, but often are unable to because they lack the assistance and support needed. Oftentimes, homeless youth aren’t aware they qualify for a higher education as they access the government resources. Without this knowledge, obtaining a higher education must seem far out of reach. I believe a college student who is homeless upon entry or becomes homeless during college can graduate if they access the resources available to them. What causes a college student to become homeless? Becoming homeless during college can happen for number of reasons including being unable to continue paying expenses for housing and food. The gap between minimum wage and housing costs continues to grow which makes it difficult for one to keep their home. …show more content…
Occasionally, some institutions are not able to provide dorm residence. In that case, most colleges can point a student in a direction for temporary housing in the community or a government-based institution can provide grants to help cover a variety of living costs. Temporary housing can be very beneficial during term breaks, including summer, when a student doesn’t have anywhere to call home and can no longer stay on campus for that duration of time until school starts again. On-campus and off-campus resources are available for any students in need of food. Some colleges like Michigan State University, have food banks and pantries put together by the community for those students facing homelessness (“Help For Homeless College Students”). Dining halls will often have left-overs or students who didn’t use their entire meal plan. These can then be given to anyone who is unable to afford food. If neither of these are an option, there are generally many options in the area that can provide meals for free or at a low