College students came together today and protested education budget cuts and the raise of tuition fees for next semester at the steps of the Capitol.

With signs in hand and rain slickers on, college students from all over California shouted and created a television studio set to make their voices heard.

The crowd grew to more than 200 students as the protest went on.

Alicia Merven, a student from UC San Diego, said the students wore rain slickers to represent the gloomy days to come if the budget is cut.

With a projected 4 percent raise in fees for undergraduate students and 19 percent raise for graduate students, many students are afraid that they aren’t going to be able to afford to go to college, something that once was free to students.

“Not only will the governor raise fees but he is also proposing to cut grants that most of us depend on to go to college,” Najera said.

“We are tired of the government not putting education first, so we are taking a stand today,” Najera said.

Yasmine Bikul can be reached at [email protected].