The key to living a comfortable life in today’s world is having a college education. Life has gotten much harder and the job market has become more competitive without a four year degree. Having to work two or three jobs and both parents of the home working to put food on the table. People are barely making it with a bachelor’s degree now and are finding themselves needing a master’s degree to get a better job. College tuition has been increasing at a steady rate. Many students are finding themselves not having equal opportunity to attend college due the high tuition cost. A large number of students that do attend find themselves with a huge amount of student loans to pay. Colleges have raised their tuition greatly, created unequal opportunity and create loans that take years to pay back. The tuition for college has skyrocketed. “For the past quarter-century, the cost of higher education has grown 440%, according to the National Center for Public Policy and Education, nearly four times the rate of inflation and double the rate of health care cost increases” (Lataif). Inflation raises every year and tuition keeps getting more expensive as if it needs to be ahead. Some states have had their tuition raised more than others. Smith gives an example, that in the 2007/2008 fiscal year the state of Nevada raised tuitions in the state’s public universities by 10.9%, while the Boulder Campus for the University of Colorado raised their tuition by 14.6%. Rates of tuition increase
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.
College is a dream that almost every American wants to come true, however, with the extreme rise in the costs of tuition it is a dream that has quickly turned into a nightmare. “Tuition at a private university is now roughly three times as expensive as it was in 1974, costing an average of $31,000 a year; public tuition, at $9,000, has risen nearly four times,” (Davidson). “For the average American household that doesn 't receive a lot of financial aid, higher education is simply out of reach,” (Davidson). That is why many students have begun questioning the worth of a college degree and if the amount of debt that is received upon exiting college is all for the better. And considering that costs have risen much faster than the rate of inflation, many are starting to believe that college just isn 't necessary any more. However, according to White, economically, the answer would still be a yes. “While unemployment rates for new grads and experienced workers alike have fluctuated throughout the recession and recovery, the earnings premium that college-and advanced-degree holders enjoy over their peers who didn 't attend college has remained relatively stable, and in some instances, grown, according to the report that was released this week,” (White). A study was shown that many college grads are able to get earnings that are significantly higher than those who did not get enough education or only hold a high school diploma (White). Even
Today college tuition prices are rising. Paying for college can often be a stressful responsibility. A college education is very important for many students, but when stressing on how to pay for college gets in the way, it becomes more of a burden. Kim Clark effectively states the rising prices of college tuition in her article, “The Surprising Causes of Those College Tuition Hikes.” Clark states that the cost of attending a public university, even after subtracting out aid and inflation, rose more than fifteen percent in the last
One of the culprits hindering higher education for Americans is the tuition rates. A report by the Delta Cost Project indicates that if tuition had grown in pace with inflation, the average tuition at in-state public colleges would only have been $2,052 in 2010. The actual price of tuition was around $7,500, and it is increasing at around 5% per year, about twice as fast as the rate of inflation. Whereas everything else in the economy doubles in cost about every 32 years, college costs have been doubling around every 15 years. In a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, titled How the Changing Market Structure of U.S. Higher Education Explains College, the author, Caroline Hoxby, states that universities have little incentive
There have been arguments when discussing the price of attending college. The main argument that we have is whether college tuition is too expensive or not. Over the last few decades the college tuition rates have increased drastically, but is a rate increase necessarily a good or bad thing. I personally believe that the cost to attend college is too expensive especially for low and middle-income families. There are many reasons why tuition could be considered too expensive they include, rise of tuition, little financial aid, and lack of college savings to name a few. The first reason why college tuition is considered too expensive is the continuing rise of tuition itself. Between the years 1973 to 2008 tuition for a four-year increased
Most people would agree that getting a degree would make life easier as opposed to ending education with a high school diploma. With the shortage of career opportunities, jobs are becoming more competitive and most require higher education. College has become necessary and so consequently, it has become more expensive. While loans have made it possible for nearly anyone to attend college, because they are given too easily, the costs of college has increased even more. A cycle of giving loans and raising tuition is created and as a result college students are burdened with a colossal amount of debt. The issues of student debt go beyond affecting graduates’ lives and begin to cripple many areas of the economy, as well as hinder forward mobility.
Third, a college degree is not the best option for everybody because it creates debt. College isn’t cheap and various colleges across the nation are raising their tuition up because of the availability of federal of student aid. Therefore, this results in an increasing amount of debt for many students. Many students are struggling to pay off their student debt. According to article Student Debt Tom Price states, “A majority of college graduates are leaving school owing more than $25,000, and nearly 7 million have defaulted on their student loans—student debt nationwide totals almost $1.3 trillion”. That is roughly half of the nation of college graduates who owe back student debt. Tuition is so high that many students cannot afford to pay it. Therefore, they have to take out student loans and although a person may have a full-time or part-time job it is still harder to pay back the loans on time. For example, Jasmin Johnson explains how she owes more than $65,000 in student debt, and she’s still a year away from graduating. Tuition is so high that many students cannot afford to pay it. Johnson explains “she couldn’t afford the cost and to keep up with her studies while working full time to pay her bills”. For this reason, we see that it is a burden to pay back student loans while maintaining other priorities. Eventually, this leads to debt. There has been a high percentage of college students who cannot pay back their students loans. According to Bridget Terry Long essay, she states, “we have reached an enrollment level in which a small percentage translates into thousands and thousands of students each year. And that is a problem that cannot be ignored.”(46) She points out that not enough people make enough money to afford college. Therefore, many people can’t pay their debt back and there should be action taken against this so that college can be affordable for everyone. As the cost of tuition, fees, and room and board increases then students will have more loans to pay. According to the article Student Debt, the chart displays that nearly “10 percent of universities have increased their tuition of $20,000 or more. Debt has become a big issue for every college student. It results in other issues such as,
Statistics exhibit that majority of people are unable to pay for their further education. Pew Social and Demographic Trends state, “A majority of Americans (57%) say the higher education system in the United States fails to provide students with a good value for the money they and their families spend.” Tuition rates for colleges hyperbolizes its values comparatively to the money families spend. It also proclaims, “An even larger majority- 75%- says college is too expensive for most Americans to afford.” College snatch away the money of American families at a value too high and too much for the average family to spend. Not only does college seize the money many family don’t have to begin with, but it forces families to go into debt. Working extreme hours and trying to pay for college wearies the family’s way of living. According to Pew Social and Demographic Trends, “A record share of students are leaving college with a substantial debt burden… about half say that paying off that debt made it harder to pay other bills… about a quarter say it has had an impact on their career choices.” Debts triggers a person to change their profession and causes hardships to their life in the future. High tuition rates and debts stir students away from college and jobs that they truly want. College acquire families money at an
In today’s society there is a lot of pressure on the current generation of students to go to college so they can get a high paying job. Students have two options: go to college to get a bachelor’s degree (or an even higher level degree) and go into tons of debt or, don’t pursue a college degree and avoid debt but not be able to have the lifestyle or career they might desire. The current debt of students today is higher than it has ever been. “Most students are graduating with average debts of over $24,000” (Jackson 535). Student debt not only hurts the borrowers by delaying the students’ life but the debt can also hurt the economy.
An essay on Issues and Controversies states, "the college degree remains the most important credential associated with the American ideal of upward mobility" ("Value of a College Degree"). This has become the central focus of people wanting a career and a future, but when going to attend college, the price is so high, that the only option for those wanting their education is taking out student loans. Student loans should be there to help students who cannot pay for their entire education, not hurt them. According to Christine Armario, four- year university prices have increased 15% between 2008- 2010 ( "Average Cost of Four- Year University up 15%"). This means that students are going to be paying more for an average college education that is necessary to get a job in the field that interests that student. Student loans seem to be the only option for students who want and need a college level education to begin or further their careers, so why are student loans so hard to pay
In today’s generation society pushes you to go to college. Throughout middle school and especially high school, educators, guardians, and friends are always asking students where they’re going to college and what their plans are. Students are pressured into choosing a college and a profession at such a young age and students will often change their mind part way through. Through, that entire time students are squandering their opportunity, as well as spending so much cash. College is far more costly than students and guardians think and they don’t realize debt will form and money will become an issue. College is expensive now, but the price of college goes up every year. Tuition needs to be brought down for college students, so they don't need to battle paying their bills and taxes, while additionally staying out of debt.
The cause of the large tuition prices is elusive. Colleges are unwilling to discuss where much of this tax-free revenue is spent. (Lemann, 45) Colleges usually place the blame of the increases on congressional budget cutters, stingy state legislatures, government regulators and parents who demand more costly student health and recreational services. Seldom spoken of are declining teaching loads, nonproductive research, growing financial aid programs, bloated administrative hierarchies, "celebrity" salaries for professorial stars, and inflated course offerings. (Elfin, 91) Administrators fail to see a limit on available capital, and seem to believe the cost can just be continually handed down to students without any consequences.
In the last 30 years the inflation of tuition and other college costs has risen at an astounding rate. If you take a look at Stanford University you will find that their tuition has grown from about $6,000 dollars in 1980 to over $40,000 in 2012. If other products followed those inflation rates common groceries, like milk, would be close to $15. I don’t know about you, but to me that is absolutely ridiculous. This growing problem can most easily be seen in the large universities like the before mentioned Stanford. The problem of rising college costs has been around for a while, but in recent years it has gotten to a point where it is no longer possible to ignore. It is just getting worse and worse with each passing year with the prices going nowhere but up. The problem of the cost of higher education needs to be solved as soon as possible
I pay for my own college tuition and fees and all the expenses that my parents can not afford to pay for themselves because they don’t work. I pay the house rent, buy all the weekly groceries, as well as pay for the necessary things, such as gas and food that I eat out. I am a completely independent man, so it’s hard for me for pay all of my college tuition. Every semester I have to pay $7,000, which is a lot considering the fact that I basically run my family. Apart from college tuition, I have to pay for all the books that are required by professors in each of my classes. I take five classes every semester, and a book costs around $150-$200, so if I have to buy a book for every class, it would be $1,000. That would make my educational expense
College prices are rapidly rising; public four-year college tuitions are rising at an average of 5.6% every year, while public two-year college tuitions are