PHOENIX -- The stumbling economy is having a dramatic effect on college students, according to career counselors.

Students in Arizona are losing their jobs and getting collection notices in the mail, according to Bill Dilgard, the head of Phoenix College's Career Services Department, Phoenix television news station KPHO reported.

Some Students Days Away From Homelessness

"We're getting five to seven people who are coming in per day who are a week to a month (away) from being homeless," Dilgard said.

College counselors also said they find themselves answering more questions about the economy than education.

Counselor Fred Amador said he spends his days counseling unemployed students and students who are in school to find new careeres.

"There have been a lot of people that have been laid off this year because of the economy," Amador said. "Also, students are really looking for retraining because the careers they have are really going away."

Dilgard said many of the jobs that students once took have been outsourced.

"(Take) call center jobs -- they have moved on to other countries," he said. "They are not going to come back."

Community colleges fill a need, especially now, Dilgard said, but they need more government financing.

Education leaders are looking for some sort of "education stimulus" package to come out of Washington next year to make it easier for people to get the schooling they need to get back into the workforce.