What does it take for a student not just to get into college, but to actually thrive once they’re there?

For many students, getting into college is just the beginning — and believe it or not, the easiest part. Amanda Gewirtz has spent years working to close the gap between enrollment and graduation as the Director of College Success at a large national K–12 charter network that serves historically underserved communities. In that role, she oversees a team focused on helping students not only navigate the academic challenges of college, but also the emotional, logistical, and financial ones — which can be even more daunting.

Amanda’s experience reveals how deeply money shapes a student’s college journey. We spoke with her about the emotional weight of student finances, the barriers low-income and first-generation students face, and what higher ed institutions need to understand about the real lives of the students they serve.

The hidden engine behind college success

When most think about what college success means, they imagine a student walking across the stage to receive their diploma and charting off to the beginnings of their career. For Amanda and her team, this is the ultimate goal. Most of their time is spent coaching students on persistence, or tackling the hurdles in the path of getting the degree. And while academic persistence matters, that’s only part of the equation.

“Success means you earn the degree that you're pursuing. Persistence is a layer underneath that — you have to keep taking classes to ultimately earn the degree.”

Financial stress derails students more than academics

When asked what role finances play in persistence, Amanda doesn’t hesitate.

“I think it's probably like 70% of the questions or concerns students come to us with.”

Financial aid determines where students enroll in the first place, but the financial complexity doesn’t end there. Once they’re in school, many face new hurdles — surprise bills, shifting aid packages, or balances they don’t fully understand.

“Sometimes students don’t even know why they have a balance,” Amanda explains. “Maybe tuition is covered but room and board isn’t. Or it was covered last year and not this year. Every year is a new learning curve.”

Money isn’t just math — it’s emotion

Amanda is quick to highlight the emotional weight that financial stress carries.

“Money equals stress,” she says. “There’s often shame or embarrassment. We’ve had students avoid us for months, only to reach out weeks before a semester starts because they’ve been trying — and failing — to quietly resolve a bill on their own.”

For first-generation college students, the challenge is even greater. Many don’t have family members who can help them interpret a bill or navigate a payment plan. Without that support, confusion turns into avoidance — and avoidance can lead to serious consequences.

“It’s not just that they’re first-gen,” Amanda adds. “Many of their families don’t engage with money in the same way higher-income families do. There’s just less exposure to how to read a bill, how to ask for help.”

When $200 is the difference between debt or degree

One of the most striking moments in our conversation was hearing Amanda describe how a seemingly small unpaid balance — as little as $200 — can derail a student’s entire college journey.

“I’ve seen students stuck for years because of a balance,” she says. “They’re just a few credits away from graduating, but they can’t re-enroll until they pay off a loan they don’t fully understand. It’s heartbreaking.”

In the most extreme cases, a student may be forced to stop attending because of a balance. But the implications don’t end there: they can’t transfer without a transcript, and they can’t access the transcript until the balance is paid. If the debt goes to collections, their credit suffers too.

Colleges can make it easier for students to pay

Amanda believes colleges and universities can do more to support students financially — and it starts with understanding that students want to pay and continue their education.

“Students want to pay their bills and continue in school,” she says. “What can we do to be creative and help them do that?”

She encourages student accounts offices to implement small but impactful changes: offer interest-free payment plans, clear communications, and eliminate confusing jargon.

The goal isn’t just billing — it’s retention. It’s graduation. It’s equity.

Every college decision is a money decision

For most students — especially those from underserved communities — going to college is the largest financial decision they’ve made in their lives.

“It’s so rare that a student can choose a school just based on where their heart wants to go,” Amanda shares. “Especially if they’re first-gen or low-income, the decision is always financial.”

By acknowledging this reality, Amanda says, institutions can better align their support systems with what students actually need — not just academically, but financially and emotionally, too.

“The more we can get that part right, and understand how focused they are on that aspect of their education, the more we can think about the support and education they need, which will help students actually earn their degrees.”

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Amanda Gewirtz is the Director of College Success at a large national K–12 charter school network where she oversees a team of counselors supporting college students across the country. Her work centers on persistence, systems design, and closing financial gaps that threaten to derail student success. She’s passionate about helping students not just get to college — but cross the graduation stage, diploma in hand.