GoFundMe used to help offset cost for college

FORT OGLETHORPE, Georgia (WDEF) – Student loan debt continues to increase and more than half of college students say they can no longer afford their tuition costs according to a study by OneClass.

However, a first-year college student from Fort Oglethorpe is attacking college tuition from a different angle.

Isis Cantrell is a first-generation college student from Fort Oglethorpe. She has been accepted to Barnard College of Columbia University.

Despite earning some scholarships, the problem now is paying for school. She comes from a low-income family whose mom lost her job during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My mom lost her job. My dad actually got it and was out of work for two weeks and so it was just a lot happening at once and her family never really had the opportunity to actually have a mass savings. So we were in a bad position, to begin with, and then Covid hit and we were just like we have to have some help we can’t do this by ourselves,” said Cantrell.

Cantrell turned to GoFundMe to raise money so she can pay for her dream of going to college instead of taking out a lot of student loans.

“I am willing to take them out I just want to take out as little as possible because my intention is to go to law school, get my law degree, do as much pro bono work as I can, and just get back as much as possible. And obviously, when you’re crushing debt you kind of have to avoid going that route and take some jobs you don’t necessarily want to,” said Cantrell.

She has almost reached her goal but isn’t quite there yet.

“We’ve raised almost 12,000 which is really really awesome. Our goal for the first year was 19 K and that would cover everything. For now, I’m able to attend my first year which is super awesome and I’m incredibly grateful for I straight up could not have done this without go fund me and the community around me. We’re still worried about the following years but I have hope,” said Cantrell.

If you would like to donate you can do so here.