Not being able to afford college is no laughing matter when students aren’t able to continue their education due to budget cuts.
Over the years, California along with other states have suffered cuts to education and lots of students can feel the pain of budget cutting.
“Budget cuts are ruining student’s dreams,” Brandon Lewis, 22, kinesiology major said.
Drop out rates and the decline in students attending universities have lowered over the last few years according to an article in The New York Times.
According to Huffington Post article, enrollment numbers for students in California’s community colleges are at the lowest in 20 years due to the extreme slash of the higher educations budget cuts. 
“The budget cuts make it harder to get financial aid. This discourages students from pursuing a higher education,” Lewis said.
The University of California and California State Universities have lost millions due to budget cuts in the past years relaid by an article from USA Today.
While the UC and CSU systems are suffering from the budget cuts, so are the community colleges. Staff and instructors of community colleges have been taken the budget cuts as well as students.
Since budgets for the community college system decreased, so have the number of students attending.
“Having to buy books, pay bills and all of that on top of students not getting financial help makes it hard,” Krystal Murphy, 19, communications major said. “So many people want to quit.”
It can be frustrating when it comes to not having the financial means to pursue a higher education, so many individuals drop out and work full-time to save up money. Most get stuck in that work flow and find it hard to start back going to school.
“I know a lot of people who attended college but had to drop out cause financial aid wasn’t helping. They just started to work and have no time anymore for an education,” Murphy said.
According to Huffington Post article, 600,000 Californians are unable to access the resources to further their education so many will not be able to access better paying job that require a degree. Thus putting a barrier between classes making it harder to jump start the economy after the recession.
“Even if you don’t have he financial ability to go to school, you should always find a way,” Trabion Maefau, 19, marking major said
Although there are hurdles students have to get over when it comes to budget cuts and financial hardships, many feel that those things shouldn’t be the reason to keep students from attending college.
“You got to work hard if you want to be successful in life. You got to have an education,” Maefau said. “Without education you will go no where.”