FLORENCE, AL (WAFF) -
The price of a college education is going up. The Board of Trustees at the University of North Alabama approved a nearly nine percent increase in tuition for undergraduates.
One Shoals mother is faced with the challenge of putting her kids through college.
"We're ordinary I think we're just like every other parent that loves their child most parents have children and we need to give them an education and we need to give them everything they possibly can to succeed in life," said Elisa Holm.
Holm is putting her children through college. Five of her six kids are in college and both her and her husband are students themselves. She said it is sometimes hectic and there is always something to spend money on.
With the rising costs of higher education across the country Holm and her family have had to make sacrifices.
"We go without a lot of things we don't have new cars every four years. We never go on vacation. We live in a small home; we buy used books, and we shop consignment," she said.
As tuition increases so does the concern for the future.
"Just this morning it was about 3 o'clock, I couldn't sleep and my husband was up getting ready for work. I'm really afraid that I'm not going to be able to graduate and he pointed out if I put off those two semesters they're just going to raise tuition again," she said.
But student loan debts aside, Holm said it is all going to be worth it in the end.
State budget cuts are forcing schools to get funding elsewhere and more students are relying on loans. School officials said because of that it's taking students an average of five to six years to complete a four year degree.
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