This undergrad rings up groceries and Big Macs to stay in college

This is part of NBC News’ Checkbook Chronicles, a series of profiles looking at the financial realities of everyday Americans and the challenges they face.

This is part of NBC News’ Checkbook Chronicles, a series of profiles looking at the financial realities of everyday Americans and the challenges they face.

Romona Smith nearly dropped out of college twice since enrolling in 2022.The first time, she was about to call it quits after extra shifts at McDonald’s failed to cover her more than $2,000 in out-of-pocket costs at Tennessee State University. Pell grants and Title III loans had funded most of the Seattle native’s $11,800-per-semester out-of-state tuition, but she was coming up short for the rest until a school adviser connected her with vital grant money.

And in January, she almost missed out on her sophomore spring, unable to scrape together the $350 for her flight back to Nashville until an uncle came through with $200.

“Me working wasn’t enough,” said Smith, who described the latter experience as strengthening her resolve. “I was not going to stay home,” she recalled telling herself. “I’m going back to college if it’s the last thing I do.”

Primary source of income: Working full time for $20 an hour at a McDonald’s in Corona, California, over the summer. Once back in Nashville this fall, she’ll return to her part-time job as a clerk at a Kroger grocery store making $16.25 an hour, aiming for at least 32 hours per week.

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/undergrad-rings-groceries-big-macs-stay-college-rcna162530

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