Overlook The Benefits Of College Education

An education is one of the most important tools a person can acquire. It gives them the skills and abilities to obtain a job, earn a wage, and then use that wage to better their lives and the lives of their loved ones. However, due to the seemingly exponential increase in the costs of obtaining a college degree, students are either being driven away entirely from earning a degree or taking out student loans which cripple their financial prospects well after graduation. Without question, the increasing national student loan debt is one of the most pressing economic issues the United States is dealing with, as students who are debt ridden are not able to consume and invest in the economy. Therefore, many politicians and students are calling

With the ever-increasing tuition and ever-tighten federal student aid, the number of students relying on student loan to fund a college education hits a historical peak. According to a survey conducted by an independent and nonprofit organization, two-thirds of college seniors graduated with loans in 2010, and each of them carried an average of $25,250 in debt. (Reed et. al., par. 2). My research question will focus on the profound effect of education debt on American college graduates’ lives, and my thesis statement will concentrate on the view that the education policymakers should improve financial aid programs and minimize the risks and adverse consequences of student loan borrowing.

The U.S. is home to some of the greatest colleges and universities in the world. But with an overwhelming 1.3 million students graduating with an average student loan debt of $29,000 each and with youth unemployment elevated, the question of whether or not college tuition is worth the money arises (The Institute for College Access & Success, 2013). Higher education faces intimidating challenges: continually rising costs, access and completion problems, constant changing of technology, and responsibility pressures from state and federal officials. But no challenge is more intimidating than the fundamental question that many Americans face to ask themselves, "Is college worth the cost?" As a result of the economic turn down, many students who graduate are not finding well-paying jobs, either within their field of study or not.

There is no escaping the fact that the cost of college tuition continues to rise in the United States each year. To make it worse, having a college degree is no longer an option, but a requirement in today’s society. According to data gathered by the College Board, total costs at public four-year institutions rose more rapidly between 2003-04 and 2013-14 than they did during either of the two preceding decades (Collegeboard.com). Students are pressured to continue into higher education but yet, the increasing costs of books and tuition make us think about twice. Sometimes, some of these students have to leave with their education partially finished, leaving them with crushing debts. It is important to find the means to prevent these

Colleges are noticing a drop in students’ interest in a higher education, because it forces them to fall into poverty. Obtaining a higher education is a dream of many working class citizens, but the price to go to a choice college is not available economically. The majority of students use some type of student loan, they have become the norm for attending college (Johnston, Roten 24). College is becoming unaffordable to many lower class students. With tuition prices this high, students are backing out of school and looking for jobs that only require a high school diploma. Student loans should help people, but it is only hurting them because they feel like they can never repay it. Especially since student debt continues to rise. “Student loan debt rose by 328 percent from $241 million in 2003 to $1.08 trillion in 2013, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York” (Johnston, Roten 25).

Student loan debt in the United States is expanding unrestricted each year. There are 36 million Americans today, holding over $740 billion dollars in student loan debt. (U.S. 2013) The current student loan system is intended to open doors to economic prosperity for those who could not otherwise afford to go to college. Research suggests that the unintended consequence of too much available student credit is real people losing prosperity and languishing in debt for extended periods of their lives. Reducing or eliminating the availability of student loans would have a tremendous impact on improving the lives of Americans. If things continue the way they are now, American’s will soon find college, and its implied ticket to economic

In 2016, college grads graduated with an average of $37,172 in student loan debt. This is a 6% increase from the previous year, and the rates increase as colleges become more expensive. Going to a University or College is looked upon as a luxury or a privilege nowadays. Good paying jobs that supply good living standards are requiring at least a bachelor’s degree to be considered for hiring. Any persons, including college students, should not be forced to live with, be pressured by, or be under the control of student loan debt. Student loan debt has been proven to have an impact on a person’s mental health. It keeps the less fortunate from having a chance to prosper in a competitive workforce, and the system that provides financial aid (FAFSA) doesn’t always meet a person’s needs completely. College should be an earned right for those who have stuck through the education process as an adolescent.

According to statistical data released by the Institute for College Access and Success, nearly two-thirds of the total number of students graduating from American institutions of higher learning is leaving school with some level of debt (Dwyer, Mccloud, & Hodson, 2012). As revealed by the data projections, learners who are average borrows are graduating with a debt of an upwards of $ 26,000 in debt. With the total count of the debt crossing the $ 1.3 trillion mark, the issue is alarming and needs swift action before it worsens. While the average American believes that a degree is a pathway to a successful life in America, the burden of debt combined with the lessening educational and financial returns are frustrating American graduates,

College students, much like the rest of the population, become informed about what will affect them personally. Student loan debt is something that should concern students entering the realm of attending a university. $1.44 trillion is currently owed by U.S. college students and student loans affect over forty million Americans. These numbers intimidate and scare incoming college students, sometimes keeping them from fulfilling their full potential as a scholar. Education should not be threatened by financial hardships and barriers, rather a student’s integrity and willingness to learn. Student loan debt makes lives of college bound students, college attendees, and college graduates more stressful than it already is, especially for those who have not planned ahead or are not necessarily affluent. These issues cause many to question the worth of a college education.

These are bleak statistics, especially considering student loan debt is the second-largest growing category of debt in the US. Until a solution is found, it could quickly outpace credit card debt, which is number one on the list of debt. Graduating college is often viewed as a rite of passage for students into the real world as adults, and having that much debt saddled on their shoulders can be very detrimental. There’s an incredible pressure to find employment and make money immediately so as not to miss a loan payment. Students may have to sacrifice dream jobs and careers for the immediate financial compensation of something else. However, all hope is not lost. I believe that by restoring funding from the government, encouraging alternative options, and making books cheaper, college can be made affordable once again.

With the increase of college tuition, many students and their families are struggling to afford college and repay its debt. Over “44.2 million Americans have and are struggling to pay off student loan debt” (Student Loan Hero). There are ways to afford college, such as scholarships, loans, and grants. Unfortunately, not all students qualify for these types of financial aid. There are still “up to 40 percent of low-income students who are accepted to college in the spring [that] never make it to the first day of class in the fall.” (The Hechinger Report).

The idea of taking the opportunity to receive a higher education has been a social norm in American society for centuries. People aspire to reach certain goals in their career path, and one of the roads that must be taken is the road through college. Whether it is within the field of science, business, etc., people learn the required knowledge that they must attain in order to contribute to society and the economy. However, all of this information comes with a price that adds up over time due to student loans.

These days, going to college is hailed to be the solution, the key to making something of oneself in life. It is celebrated as a part of life that will make a person successful and rich later on. A degree is essential to making one’s way up the 21st century economy. College is meant to give people a chance at the American Dream – an education, a job, money, and quite possibly a spouse. But is that promise too good to be true? With the ridiculous price tag on college today, anything less would be criminal. Unfortunately, colleges do not guarantee an education, and yet still leave students with debt in the ten thousands, which ends up negatively affecting their job opportunities, mortgage, family, well-being, retirement, and future in general. By forcing those who pursue higher education to enter the working world with crippling debt, student loans are destroying the American Dream, leaving graduates with limited and undesirable choices in all aspects of life.

In America, approximately two-thirds of all college students graduated with student loan debt in 2014 (Liscomb,). High college tuitions have affected many students and will continue to hurt more students like me in the following years. As a sophomore thinking about college and tuitions, the costs and requirements put families and students under a great deal of pressure and concerns for the future of these students. High college tuition is a tremendous issue that has caused many students to graduate with thousands of dollars in debt, this situation can be resolved by expanding student aids and scholarships as well as stopping the annual rise of tuitions.

The cost of tuition for higher education is quickly rising. Over half of college freshmen show some concern with how to pay for college. This is the highest this number has been since 1971 (Marill and O’Leary 64-66, 93). The amount of college graduate debt has been rapidly increasing also. With limited jobs available because of the high unemployment rate, college graduates find themselves staying in debt even longer. Although grants and financial aid are available to students, students still struggle to pay for their college tuition. Higher education costs are prohibitively expensive because the state’s revenue is low, the unemployment rate is high, and graduates cannot pay off their student loans.