How the College Bubble Will Pop

Education in America is one of the most important issues that face our nation. If the education in America is not thought of one of most serious issues we face, our nation as a whole will fall. There are many debates and they seemly extend to all walks of life. The debates range from the decline in education, school vouchers, and the no child left behind law. As a nation, the United States is ranked above others. We must search for that solution to all of the pro’s and con’s in education. The solution should allow all walks of life to excel in the education realm. After all, the children of today will be the leaders of tomorrow.

After reading the introduction and first chapter of The American Dream and The Public School, I don’t know whether to be more encouraged, more determined, more excited to be a teacher in a time where the future of public education needs strong student advocates, or to be terrified as I am reminded of the ever-growing disparities for children based on their socioeconomic standing, race, and ethnicity. Though strongly backing the project II topic my group presented in explaining how those who are morally educated well become better, more productive members of society, the authors of these chapters reminded me that for all the lip service Americans give to this topic, they do little to back it. I certainly agree that a good educational base generates

The United States of America used to be known as one of the greatest countries to be apart of. From the jobs to the economy to education people loved to be apart of the American culture. The problem many Americans are facing today is poor education. Since America is viewed as a high profile country many people have prominent expectations on what they are receiving, specifically the education. The fact is that there are major problems with all levels of the education system today. Starting with early education, teachers are quick to say children needs to be medicated or put into special education. Proceeding to the general or high school education where kids are graduating but not prepared for what’s after. Lastly how higher education or college can hardly be afforded in today’s society. As a result of the failing education system, many parents blame the child or society when in actuality the failing system is corrupted by some teachers, lack of preparation, and lack of affordability in higher education.

Increased tuitions are results of a variety of factors. Shrinkage of state budget and low endowments cause by the recession forcing colleges to make up the cost somehow (Lee). The government has increased their support during the recession. For example, in the form of Pell Grants which doubled over the years. Andrew Kelly, director of the Center on Higher Education Reform at the American Enterprise Institute, writes “... the increase of federal spending has been completely eroded by the rising tuition prices”(Bidwell). Higher tuition defeats the purpose of the federal government increasing their support.

To have a hope for the future, we first have to start now. Education is vital to success. However, some Americans cannot afford the education they deserve. Some are not even given the opportunity to express their individual rights. The United States as an overall country has great potential, and we should use that to help ourselves as well as other countries.

In Glenn Harlan Reynolds broadside response, The Higher Education Bubble, he writes that the costs of college is rising year after year. Many families are putting themselves into unnecessary debt in order to send their students to college. This pattern has repeated many times throughout the years and Reynolds refers to this as a higher education bubble. Students feel that because everyone else is going into debt it must be okay. In many cases, colleges are not helping the matter. They see that there are those desiring a higher education and are willing to do anything to attain what they (the college) has to offer. By and large they are not improving what they offer. They are not as concerned about the education as they

“College Prices Soar Again!” “Budget Cuts Cause Even Higher Tuition!” “Higher Education Now Even Less Affordable” These are all statements that have been seen all over the media: newspapers, magazines, television, and radio. (3 SV: SV) Rising college tuition in America has been a problem for years. Many students drop out after a single year due to the pricey costs of tuition. The rapid rise can be attributed to many aspects of the economy, not just a single source. There have also been some propositions of how costs could be lowered, but these have yet to be seen. The United States has gone into a tuition crisis.

In recent decades, student loan debt has increased dramatically causing a so-called, “education bubble”. This ‘education bubble’ is essentially the ‘housing bubble’ within higher education. The Federal Government, like those in the housing market crash in 2008, are lending money to those who receive a low income and can not afford college. According to The Weekly Standard, “the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports that during the past decade, student loan debt has nearly tripled and the number of students with debt has risen by 70 percent” (Cochrane). The Federal Government needs to decrease the amount of loans they are giving out in order to prevent another crash within our economy. As a senior in high school who will not be receiving

In 1976, the average cost to attend a four year public university was $2,175; today, the average cost to attend a four year public university is $25,000 (Snyder). This means it is 1150% more expensive to go to college in The United States today than it was 30 years ago. This obviously would create a problem on how we as people are going to pay for our higher education. Today college has become almost a necessity to have a satisfactory life, and with these rising prices some individuals believe student loans are the only option. There are many reasons as to why the prices have risen, but the one undeniable fact is that this has created a problem within our country. Which, is known as the student debt crisis, and it has been on the rise the past couple years. This problem is affecting people all around the United States, and is causing multitude of problems for them all because they wanted to pursue higher education. Wanting to better your opportunities by bettering yourself is not something that needs to be punished, and sadly that is what is happening. This problem is something that needs to be fixed for the sake of Americans and our economy, but will also take time and a multitude of steps to correct.

Furthermore, tuition annual rate has an outrageous inflation relationship with time. In Josh Mitchell and Andrea Fuller Wall Street Journal it states, “Among the four-year schools in the Journal's analysis, the average increase in tuition and fees was greater than 75% in the past decade, outpacing inflation.” (pp9). As college tuition continue to increase, the more individuals will be in debt. While the importance of a higher education increases the chances of becoming successful, more people will gravitate towards higher education knowing that loans will always be an option and having the idea that debt is normal to ensure a stable future. Not only will this start to affect individuals but the government will eventually suffer. Wight Martindale Jr states, “…too much money spent, too little achieved.” (Martindale), this explains how higher education can bring one a tremendous amount of debt with a bunch of stress. He also talks about how it is a bubble, this is a bubble that many students hate to be in. This bubble is known for being unable to burst which is a problem for multiple students because college shouldn’t be about money and stress. The more money the government give out and not receive as much in and they borrow from different countries, the country will stay in debt itself.

In 1958, the National Defense Education Act provided college students up to one thousand dollars a year in loans, but the average annual loan was actually only five hundred dollars or less because students could afford the rest of tuition on their own. Interest began at three percent a year after graduation and could usually be paid off in ten years. (Good 590-591) These statistics are a far cry from today’s, with student loan debt surpassing one trillion dollars and many graduates paying off loans well into middle age. As a result of the government shelling out billions of dollars in loans and inflation, colleges have had to increase their tuitions thus creating a college “bubble”. In the past year or so many political leaders have proposed plans to pay for two years of community college, such as President Obama, or for a full four years, such as Bernie Sanders, a frontrunner for the democratic candidacy. Even states like Tennessee,

Everyone has a dream or a goal of what they want to be when they grow up. Yet it is up to each individual to live up to their dreams and accomplish them. In order to help accomplish them, education is needed. In the United States, the education system is ranked towards the bottom of the ladder in standardized test score rankings. How can this be? It is because the education system is taken for granted. In other countries that outrank the United States, education is not readily available to just anyone. In many cases, it is unaffordable for families to send their children to school, so they instead send them to work in factories and other means of employment. In the United States, education is free to all, thanks to taxes, and even in some cases colleges can be easily affordable through financial aid, scholarships, and loans. Residents of other countries often come or strive to come here to get an education. America has the most universities than any other nation. People who arrive here to learn from overseas appreciate what is being offered here because they know they are better off here than back at home. On the other hand, people from my age group often dread going to school and look for any excuse to cut class. There are so many opportunities in America,

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela. Without education, there is simply no telling of what this world would be like. There wouldn’t be doctors, lawyers, businesses etc. Life and everything around us would be fatuous. Schools and education give us a plan in life and help guide us. Throughout the years education has changed tremendously. It had its improvements throughout the decades, and it also has had its falters as well. Education in America is an issue in this country and it definitely needs to be tweaked and improved. Education is what makes us people who we are and what we will be. Nelson Mandela had it right, there is no weapon more powerful than education.

In today’s society we have grown up where education has become an important role in many of our lives.Everyone talks about the importance of getting an education and how being well educated opens the door for many opportunities. For as long as I can remember I have always been told by my friends and family to take advantage of the education I get to not take it for granted as many wish they would have the opportunity to go to school. Both my parents grew up in guatemala where they completed some of their high school education they came to the United States in the early 90’s. They first arrived in the United States not knowing any english and up to this date they aren’t fluent in the language but are now able to understand some of the basics and speak very little.

We have all heard the expression that “education is the key to success.”. It makes sense, right? The more education you have, the more successful you will be. In some ways that is true. The education we get prepares us for our future and our future outcomes. After all, there is a direct correlation between education and social economic reward and that people with high education usually live happier, healthier, and wealthier lives. Those individuals who obtain higher education and the skills that they learn will later lead the individual to work in high-status and high-paying jobs. We assume that they make an astonishing amount of money and everyone lives happily ever after right? In our world today the “American Dream” is lost, is just that, a dream. We are taught that if you “play by the rules, work hard, apply yourself and do well in school and that will open doors for you,” and you will be successful and all that other crap we are told in school , TV, news, radio and practically everywhere else. Although everyone deserves the right to education and the “key to success” the truth of the matter is that education inequalities exist and not everyone is getting the same level of education or the same opportunities either. The group in America that obtains the best education is the upper class while the lower class students are left with lower odds of education.