The TN Promise was offered to me during my senior year and I was able to take advantage of this opportunity. Although the TN promise covered most of my payment, textbooks were not included. Paying for textbooks out of pocket was a drop in the ocean compared to what my semester would have cost without financial aid. Without aid, my semester could have cost nearly twenty-six thousand dollars. Where is all this money going? Many colleges and universities use tuition money for things like instructors, academic support, research, scholarships, ancillary businesses, intuitive support, and more. Although financial aid is a lifeline for most students, many cannot receive aid. These students suffer from the burden of debt due to student loans. The debt from these loans harms the economy. A list of other harmful effects follows student loans that further trouble the nation, such as the stress of saving for a home or starting to build credit.