A recent study found that 56% of college students would struggle to cover a $500 unexpected expense. Something as seemingly minor as a car repair can derail a student’s education.
Tyler Hawkins knows this firsthand. Last year, while driving to class at Florida State University, his car’s brakes suddenly failed. Thankfully, he wasn’t injured, but he had no money to pay for repairs. Despite working 20–30 hours a week while carrying a full-time course load, he was barely making ends meet. Without transportation, he couldn’t get to class or to work.
Tyler’s experience is far from unique. By one estimate, three in five college students lack stable housing or consistent access to food. A 2022 survey found that 77% of Floridians who left college without completing a credential cited financial problems as the primary reason…