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Growing up as a twin, my parents had to pay double for every basic necessity and desire. Now that both my twin sister and I are freshmen at Syracuse University and my parents are dealing with double the tuition, I’m finally noticing the disproportionate strain being a twin in college has on my family.

The current estimated price of attending SU for four years without aid and scholarships is $375,000. For families with two kids, that price can quickly become a financial burden just for the opportunity to receive a quality education at a reputable private institution.

The cost of college tuition has always been a national crisis. Tuition prices have been rising faster than inflation in recent years, making higher education unaffordable for American families.

These prices place a hidden and often overlooked burden on families like mine, or just families that have to send multiple children to school at the same time. I’ve seen firsthand how my dad’s mood changes when the topic comes up and how much he stresses when it comes to paying the bill.

Suddenly, the school I’d always dreamed of attending and the thought of getting into it seems more like a burden.

My dad knew the time for sending my sister and me to college would come. He opened a savings account for both of us when we were born, but he didn’t expect the spike in college tuition to double in 20 years.

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Although my sister and I could’ve attended a college close to home with the benefit of in-state tuition, my parents knew how hard we both worked to attend a good university like SU.

My parents are proud that we’re furthering our education, but I know the cost and distance weigh on them. They work hard to make sure we don’t worry about the money and remind us to focus on learning and enjoying the experience. Because my parents sacrifice so much to keep us educated, I feel motivated to make every effort count.

I’m not saying SU isn’t worth it – I really do love it here, and appreciate professors’ care towards education – but the cost always stays in my mind. Not only am I seeing the effect on my dad, but myself as well. I constantly think, “If I don’t do well, this is all for nothing,” or “If I don’t get straight A’s, I’m wasting my dad’s money.” I spend long hours in the library with little sleep, rarely having time to enjoy the full college experience.

My motivation to succeed is a positive attribute but it’s shifted from “do well so that you can be successful in the future” to “do well so that all this money isn’t for nothing.”

SU could do more to support families like mine. Many universities across the country actually offer sibling scholarships. Wilson College and Howard University, for example, offer scholarships that provide tuition discounts when multiple family members attend together, showing that colleges can ease the financial burden many families face. Larger schools like SU should do the same to recognize the reality that paying two or three full tuition bills at once is often impossible.

Although SU already offers aid and a few other scholarships, this overlooks family structure and the unfair advantage students with high academic achievement face. When twins or triplets attend college, costs hit all at once and many struggle to keep up. Along with this, applying for loans and working long hours to pay off debts isn’t a real solution – it just delays the problem.

The university did not respond to The Daily Orange’s request for comment on offering sibling or twin-specific scholarships.

A sibling-based scholarship wouldn’t replace other financial aid; it would simply recognize the unique challenge families face when paying for multiple college educations at once and make higher education a little fairer for everyone.

Creating these programs can benefit SU as well. It will see higher success rates, more applicants from siblings and a reputation for inclusion and legacy. Helping families with multiple students will not only ease financial stress but also build stronger loyalty to the school.

​​Higher education shouldn’t punish families for having more than one child with dreams. My twin sister and I worked hard to get here and deserve the same chance to succeed as others. Institutions like SU have the power to change that by offering scholarships or aid for siblings in school at the same time.

For many families, that support would mean more than money. It would give us the relief of focusing on what college is supposed to be about: learning, growing and creating a future we’ve worked so hard to reach.

Maria Gertsen is a freshman majoring in marketing and management. She can be reached at mgertsen@syr.edu.

Published on December 8, 2025 at 8:54 pm