Houstonians Face Significant Financial Barriers to College.

Lack of money is the main reason low- and moderate-income students do not go to college.
Tuition and fees at Texas's 4-year public universities have doubled since 1999. Many working families simply cannot afford them.
Thousands of Houston families have a hard time finding the extra funds even for HCC's relatively modest tuition and fees (70% less than that of universities).
Many teenagers from low-income families skip college to go directly into jobs that may offer few long-term opportunities. Those who do enroll in college often feel more pressure to drop out.

If Houston students do not obtain a higher education, they and their families may remain forever amount the working poor.