Means to higher education is important in today’s day and age for a variety of reasons. It allows individuals to develop a more comprehensive and diverse outlook on life that can lead to an increase in happiness for oneself as well as those they are surrounded by. Furthermore, as technology continues to grow and eliminate many labor intensive and repetitive jobs, there is increasing demand for jobs that requires skills obtained via higher education. While there is a long way to go before higher education becomes equally accessible to those who desire it, Currently the biggest obstacle preventing students this equal opportunity the price of college tuition. In order to combat the problem, many institutions provide financial aid. There are a variety of scholarship and financial aid opportunities which help provide equal opportunity for those who deserve it. The University of Michigan has just established an initiative known as the Go Blue Guarantee, which essentially provides free instate tuition for families who’s net income falls below 65,000. The initiative has been both heavily praised and criticized by many so in order to determine the value and moral correctness of the initiative, we will analyze its pros and cons through a variety of ideologies. In order to do this, it will be important to acknowledge how the Go Blue Guarantee impacts the students who qualify, as well as those who do not qualify. Furthermore, the implications it has on society outside of the University
There are many controversies that american public education system does more harm than good. In “Against School” by John Taylor Gatto and “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work” by Jean Anyon, explains how school education destructively impacts us. Gatto states his experience as a public school teacher and why he “just can’t do it anymore”. He was tired how the schooling was programmed. He argues how school system are affecting students to be more like “childlike” citizens. Also, Anyon demonstrates her research on how there are many different kind of education depending what “class” you were. She informs us that there is an inequality in “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work”. Both authors depicts the reality and truth, that some people are unable to see. As a student, I’ve also experience this and support how school depicts how we are in the future. Moreover, there are many representations that explains why the american public education systems does more harm than good.
Universities used to be a privilege for most academic students to attend and it was very affordable, but currently the price per year to attend college has drastically increased. For instance, in the “1970’s the average cost was 10,000 dollars a year and today the average cost is 30,000 dollars a year” (CQ Researcher). This is a triple increase in the price per year to attend college. Allowing this increase on college tuition has impacted the student’s attendance rate. This is a significant financial burden for college students and their family. Some believe that college shouldn’t be free because we are risking the value of college education, while others think it should be free because we are trying to avoid having our upcoming generation
Only four students went straight to the workforce, when a century ago, this was not the case. With students now consistently going straight to college after high school, state universities should be free to state residents since we have public high schools. In Kalamazoo, Michigan, students who attend high school in Kalamazoo starting in ninth grade, can have from sixty-five to one hundred percent of their tuition covered (Teicher). This is known as “The Promise.” The Promise guarantees any student from Kalamazoo a scholarship that pays either a majority or all of their tuition (Teicher). This scholarship can be used for any state school, fifteen private schools, and other state schools around the United States that are less than the highest tuition in Michigan (Teicher). Since The Promise’s first wave of scholarships, there has been definite improvements in college attendance. For black students, there has been a three percent rise in college attendance and overall forty-eight percent of scholarship recipients graduate college (Teicher). While this has shown an impact, there certainly are other factors that lead to the fifty-two percent that do not graduate, such as not being taught time management, academic skills, or how to take advantage of their sources (Teicher). Despite this fallback, “The Promise” has definitely started an era of higher college graduation rates and those who lack financial support a method of
It should be common sense that those who work hard in school and achieve academically should be rewarded with the opportunity to attend better universities in our field of study. When Caldwell seeks advice from her friends on Facebook, the issue of attending the University of Wisconsin or Rutgers University is controversial. Although some argue that her son should attend Wisconsin “debt be damned”, others contend that the debt is not worth it and he should settle for Rutgers and transfer later if he desires. My view is that debts should be avoided when possible, but people should not be punished for their achievements in the education system. The harsh costs of further education limit the abilities of many middle class people, such as home ownership, job opportunities, and financial independence. Achievement and success should not be limited by being born into a family that provides a decent standard of living. The middle class is being left behind in the wake of budget cuts and higher tuition because many people earn too much to be considered for need based aid and are also incapable of affording skyrocketing tuition, room and board, and many of the other required expenses of higher education without sacrifice and looming loans. The insights of Deborah Caldwell into the costs of college are disappointing because it is just the story of one family that is facing the expense of a necessary part in a child’s education. The decision to accept financial burden to attend a prestigious program or for financial stability and a mediocre experience is a difficult one that society has forced man to make. The values of a community are reflected in their policies, and many across the country have realized the harm of slashing college aid programs. It is important
In the past fifty years since the inception of the Higher Education Act, federal policies regarding financial aid have expanded in scope, intent, and access. Prior to this landmark legislation, federal intervention and financial support of higher education was minimal, with most of the control lying with individual states. Whereas financial support for higher education was previously directed at institutions, federal financial aid provided funding for individual students, initially as a means for increasing access for underrepresented and disadvantaged populations. The evolution of federal financial aid represents the historical, political, and policy changes during the past five decades and illustrates the gradual shift in societal values
An ongoing key debate today in the United States, the home of the free and country full of opportunities, is whether or not college tuition should be free to all students. In the early 1900s, higher education was encouraged and seen as a “public good”, so it was paid for with increased tax revenues. By the late 1900s though, an argument arose that higher education benefited the individual; therefore, it was considered a “private good” in which the individuals and their families had the pay for it. This relates to the cost of higher education, whether higher education is affordable or not, especially for students from lower-income families. Also, where the responsibility for
As an individual, my thoughts evoke upon this critical subject, and after maturely analyzing the several schemes of insurance, student loans and financial aid, I have found them grossly misleading and illusory tips of receiving an immense amount of cash for college education. It is true, an institution displays their fantasy and glorious programs to educate an individual, but are at the disadvantage to completely support the underprivileged from expenses.
The rising cost of higher education in the United States is a highly concerning issue. Over the past 40 years, the cost of attending a public, four-year university has increased by 270 percent, adjusting for inflation (Long & Riley, 2007). While tuition has significantly increased, Federal Pell Grants, which provide need-based aid to low-income students, have not kept pace with growing costs (Doyle, 2010). At the same time, more emphasis is being placed on merit-based aid programs rather than on need-based aid, seeing as support for programs that award financial aid based on merit has grown more rapidly
Tuition prices are rising exponentially and the current student loan system claims to make college more accessible, yet it is often at the cost of subjecting one's self to crippling debt for the rest of one's life. The unrealistic price of tuition is quickly becoming a moral issue that is poised to destroy the lives of an entire generation. College is, once again, becoming a right reserved only for the wealthy, which will inevitably perpetuate the ever growing chasm between the rich and poor. Poverty exists in the united states on a level that is nearly unparalleled when compared to other first world countries. In terms of both wealth and income distribution we have far more in common with Russia than we do with European nations. The affordability and accessibility of a decent college education plays a pivotal role in attempting to reduce American poverty and various other human rights issues. It will also allow us to remain more competitive in the global market as robotic technologies take over unskilled labor positions. No one should be disqualified from receiving an education and humane existence solely because their parents are not
As the cost of college rises to an astronomical amount, many American’s find themselves faced with inequality once again. Inflation associated with the cost of higher education is now bordering on the ethical question, is a college education, a right or a privilege? With the ever increasing wage gap in America, the middle class and lower class find themselves struggling to gain a college degree. This pondering thought led me to my research question: is it ethical to continually raise the cost of tuition? By researching this topic, I set out to learn the reasoning behind constantly increasing the cost of tuition and if the nation as a whole should have the opportunity to attend college, regardless of income level. My research question is important because it will inform future college students how their tuition money is being spent, why the cost of education is continually rising and if there is anything they can do to counteract the cost of college.
In a world where blue-collar jobs are considered unappealing by many, an increasing amount of individuals have begun to choose to attend college in the hopes of achieving prestigious positions in the white-collar industry. Unfortunately, however, one’s decision to further their education at post-secondary school can have one rather drastic unforeseen consequence: thousands of dollars’ worth of debt. As a result of this growing “epidemic” plaguing college students around the nation, rallying cries for free higher education have begun to spring up throughout the country. But, for as many logical, thought-out arguments that exist in support of free college, there are just as many against it. In fact, as highlighted in Dissent Magazine’s
College students and their families have every right to be outraged at the cost of rising tuition. In today’s society, it is extremely important for one to seek higher education in order to succeed in the world today; this is why college students and their families are doing everything possible to finance the cost of college. An example of this is retired pitcher Don Larsen, of the Brooklyn Dodger, auctioning off the last pitched ball, and the glove he wore that day would pay for his grandchildren’s college education. The rising cost of college tuition is having a costly impact on many students and their families, local employers, and educational institutions (Hicky).
It is no surprise to anyone that America is in a financial crisis, and student debt is becoming a rising conflict in our country. The future of my generation is important, and we need to take the time to set proper standards towards our approach to higher education for future generations. There are many advantages to obtaining a college degree, such as higher annual salaries and a larger pool of careers to pursue. A reoccurring factor today is whether or not higher education should be provided for free in the United States. I strongly oppose liberal views that propose higher education be provided for free nationwide, but support facts that steps should be taken to provide higher education at an affordable rate, and simultaneously focus
One of the most common debates among college students and educators alike is the rising cost of higher education and its implications. This is also a hot topic in politics, as can be seen in recent efforts of the current administration to reduce and eradicate student loans for Americans and to implement better programs and subsidies for students. Today, the cost of a university education and related fees has far surpassed the rate of inflation and the rate of minimum wage, housing prices, and other elements of the consumer price index. In fact, the cost of higher education has increased 12-fold since 1978. Yet, the typical American family’s income has only increased roughly half that much. In fact, in 1970 tuition was just $358 per
If you have children entering high school and are considering sending them to the US for an undergraduate experience, you must read this.You can also read this if you simply wish to be better informed about the way the higher education system works outside India: