College students in Central Florida face poverty and homelessness

By design, higher education is meant to be difficult, but for students who are couch surfing, sleeping in their cars, or trying to find a place to lay their heads at night, it can be unmanageable. Data on this demographic is scant, but a U.S. Department of Education survey found that at least 8% of college students experience homelessness at one point or another. Another study by researchers from the University of Michigan puts the number closer to 11%. A most conservative estimate means 1.5 to nearly 2 million college students nationwide — tens of thousands in the Sunshine State.