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Boston Students Protest Spiraling Education Costs

About 200 Northeastern University students gathered on campus Wednesday to protest what they say is corporate control of government and spiraling education costs.

The drum-playing and chanting students met Wednesday as part of nationwide student walkouts in support of the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City.

Northeastern student Bryan MacCormack said banks and investment firms have too much control over the future of students.

"Debt is held by the banks, our loans are held by the banks, our endowment, our tuition is invested by our own trustees, who invest it in their own companies," he said.

Victoria Porell said students are saddled with heavy debt even as it's becoming increasingly difficult to land a job in their fields.

Student Andrea Gordillo said the disparity between rich and poor is widening. Gordillo said the nation is facing major problems such as the solvency of Social Security and it will be left to her generation to fix it.

The students planned a walk to Dewey Square to join other students and nurses union members at an afternoon rally at the Occupy Boston demonstration site. The Massachusetts Nurses Association asked its members to join protests when they can.

With reporting by the Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom

This program aired on October 5, 2011. The audio for this program is not available.

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