The Price Of College Education

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.

The problem, of course, is that the cost of college tuition has skyrocketed. Students and their families are getting buried deeper and deeper in debt trying to pay for college. Public universities, once havens of affordable, quality college education, have been hit the hardest. Almost every state in America has cut, and/or is cutting funding for higher education (Ortiz 1). It’s a problem that has quickly become a national crisis. The cost of college is very high compared to how the economy has been and how wages and financial aid have not risen with the cost of tuition. This makes it harder for students to graduate and brings a lot of stress to their lives. Without the funding that is needed many students drop out or take a longer time finishing

College tuition is a subject that I am certain is on every college student's mind. The current cost of college has become so outrageously high and so students are graduating college with what you think is a feeling of excitement for their lives starting, when in reality they are entering a pool of stress due to high amounts of debt and no job guarantees. With that being said overly expensive College Tuition is merely taking away opportunities from potential students. According to Collegefactual.com, you will see that 20 years ago the average college tuition for a student at any University was around $6,285 for the room, board, and tuition. Today, according to Niche.com, the average tuition for almost any college is over $30,000 for those same things. Today, this isn't even offered for those same colleges, we don’t even know what is actually causing the raising tuition. At this point in time, we are paying for the name. Just like clothing, we pay more for the “high end” (a.k.a the college name) items. This is an issue that not only affects college students, but people who want a good education. College tuition should be lowered because the average student debt is too high, FAFSA results can be misleading and not high enough, and there is not enough access to college for deserving students.

College tuition is too high. Since the demand for an education and the supply of schools are both high, cost should be low. What we see,

A lot of people will argue, that college is too expensive. Not everyone can go to college, for financial reasons. Also, they may get into college, but end up having to leave because they cannot afford the remaining balances; or, they received financial aid, but end up having to take out loans they are going to be paying back forever. It is like once they graduate they will be working mostly to pay off their student loan debt. This also discourages some students. In some cases, they will not even take the initiative to try because it is so costly. I do not understand why it cost so much to want to better yourself, and possibly put us in debt for the rest of our life just to receive a higher education. Not only has the cost of college risen over a period of time, but it continues to go up. Yes, they have alternatives for paying student debts, but what if you do not qualify? Lastly, you are not guaranteed a job just because you graduate and have a college degree(s).

The trend continues with the skyrocketing prices of college tuitions. This is not an uncommon issue the days of college tuition being affordable are slowly fading into the past. This conundrum has brought to light the idea of using tax money to help pay tuition. This idea has vast potential, but can it reach its potential.

The cost of college is becoming outrageous because they are rising tuition, trying to make their campus more appealing to the students that attend as well as incoming students, and government loans have astronomical interest rates. Students are having to come up with all of the money themselves. It is hurting the students after they graduate because they are in so much debt before they even start their career. Some students wonder if going to college is worth it or if finishing high school would be enough for them. The amount of debt students are accumulating by going to college makes others wonder if they want to start a career already thousands of dollars in debt. Going to college may seem like a no brainer for some, but others struggle with the thought of “being in the red” right out of college and trying to find a high paying job that will help them pay back their loans and borrowed money, especially in the economy now.

Inflation has been driving college prices up since high school graduates are looking to attend college. Over 50 percent more graduates are looking to enroll in college than twenty years ago even though the college-aged population has remained the same. Therefore, because there is a high demand for colleges and not enough space in high name colleges, these colleges are able to raise their tuition, and students have no option but to pay for it. This is how inflation works when “you artificially inflate the demand for something and don’t let supply adjust, prices will go up” (Gobry). Currently, the overwhelming demand for a college education has allowed colleges to drive up their prices.

College is one of the most fundamental institutions in our modern world. It’s a place where children go to further their education and where most of our future doctors, politicians, and scientists are made. Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon for changing the world.” In the past several years, rates are increasing higher than inflation and becoming even more unobtainable for families. College should be more affordable for the following three reasons. First off, student debt should be less of an issue. Secondly, a more educated country would increase the country’s economy and it would give us social benefits. After people graduate from college, if their degree warrants filling a necessary void in the workplace,

From 1978 to 2013, college tuition costs rose by 1,120 % in America. College costs are the highest in history and more students are going to college than ever before. Most people push for free tuition for all community colleges and universities; however that is not a viable request Someone is going to have to foot the bill in the end. Multiple nations around the globe are also having difficulty finding a functioning price tag for a college degree.

Students are expected to pay thousands of dollars in order to get higher education, yet aren’t able to get a decent paying job without any experience. Students don’t just have to pay for school, some are also expected to pay for transportation, clothes, and basic survival needs. Since the cost of living seems to always be increasing, the cost of higher education should decrease in order to better the lives of the lower and middle class citizens.

When dealing with a problem, the best approach towards solving is to find and fix the root of the problem. So why is college tuition, so high? One reason is the loss of state funding. The lucky generation are the baby boomers in how they benefited from state funding which made it easier to attend college (Campos). Colleges relied heavily on state funding and they had to find a way to make up for all the money they stopped receiving. The best solution was to raise tuition every year and this sparked the inflation that millions of people deal with every year. Tuition used to be affordable and more people were able to graduate as a result. So now that people are forced to pay much more in tuition, it’s safe to assume that every bit of that extra money is being used to enhance students’ education. Sadly this is false and here’s the reason why. The maintenance and supervision of a college is handled by college administrators. Several years ago, there were not a handful of administrators that worked present on campus, but as time progressed more and more administrators were being hired. These administrators get paid very well and its part of the reason why tuition is high (Ginsberg). Overall, tuition has reached an all-time high and without a doubt this causes a lot of struggles for students and parents.

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

Everyone can clearly see that tuition is starting to up and up with no real reasons why. Many cannot afford to go to college since scholarships and such only go so far; even if a student achieves a fully paying scholarship, which only means the coast of the courses, not necessarily everything needed. Computers, printers, books, room and board, food, car, clothing, school supplies and so much more are needed for college. With each passing item on the list, it become more and more expensive, which can prove to make anyone cringe at the end of the bill.

The cost of higher education is constantly rising and does not look to be stopping anytime soon. However, many individuals are concerned about the increasing cost and have little understanding as to why these costs are increasing despite the increasing revenue stream of many colleges and universities. Additionally, taking in consideration the current cost compared to the past 5 to 10 years is very important when addressing this issue. As the cost of a college degree increases it is becoming harder and harder for the average American family to afford going to college. There are several things to be considered and discussed in this paper including; why is a college education important? What factors have been driving the large rise in tuition