It took Nic Ramos two days to collect enough singles from "five or six" different bank branches. But he made his point.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-o3Agc9KCI
Want to send a message that you're fed up with the rising cost of college? Do what University of Colorado at Boulder sophomore Nic Ramos did. Pay your tuition in cash. With dollar bills.
Last week, Ramos hauled a 33-pound duffel bag containing $14,309 in dollar bills to his school's bursar's office. In a video detailing his tuition protest, Ramos says he loves Boulder and knows they're doing what they can to keep costs down, "but it is just astronomical that for one semester of school a student has to have that much money just to get an education."
To gather enough $1 bills, Ramos spent two days making withdrawals from "five or six" different bank branches. The experience of collecting the cash and seeing it laid out all in one place made him gain a new appreciation for the sacrifices his family is making for him to go to college.
Boulder spokesman Bronson Hilliard said that while he appreciates the demonstration against the cost to attend the school, the money "is an investment that's worth it down the road."
As expected, the staff at Boulder's bursar's office isn't so appreciative. Ramos says it took about an hour for three employees—who are surely used to swiping credit cards and processing checks—to count the cash. They asked him not to repeat the stunt.
photo (cc) via Flickr user mitch.surprenant
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