IS COLLEGE TUITION TOO HIGH?
The worth of a college education varies vastly depending on what students get per dollar. Initially I had set out to prove to prove that it is worth having a college education, but my thesis changed in regards to what one would call worth having. “Statistics about future earnings potential coupled with the more complex world we live in have convinced millions that the true and only pathway to success in life is receiving a college education.” (Anonymous, 2015) Which is true for grand majority of the people, especially those living in growing economies instead of developed nations. But, ever increasing tuition fees and job insecurities of today steer more and more people away from private big name universities. Therefore, in this paper I will make the point of not having that private university education to leap into a debt-free future.
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Based on US data, back in the mid 70’s a median household income was just under $13.000, a new home was around $36.000 and private college costs were around $2.000. Fast forwarding to 2015, we see the median income has increased to $52.000 for an American family, a house costs about two thirds of 70’s, college education however have risen over five folds at a minimum to $10.300 with some costing as much as $50.000 (Davidson, 2015, para.2) This has created such a financial problem for the society that, US Government is proposing a new bill called College for All Act that will make junior colleges available to all citizens at zero cost with funding coming from the Wall Street earnings and alike.(Anonymous, 2015, para.7) Families forgoing their retirement plans to pay for their children’s college education may have a chance with programs like
Getting a “good” job is not straightforward as it used to be. In past generations, someone in an entry-level position could work their way up the ladder simply through hard work and determination; whether or not one had credentials or a diploma mattered very little. This is not the case today. Higher education is now critical to obtaining a better job because the demand for skilled labor is rising. For this reason, the value that a degree offers is higher than that of one’s actual intelligence or merit. Furthermore, workers without college degrees will quickly be outpaced in position and salary by degree
When one thinks of going to college, what usually comes to mind is the amount of time and money achieving a higher education requires. Many people often question whether or not seeking an education after high school is worth all the effort. Although going to college may sometimes seem difficult and unnecessary, it has been proven to be an important, beneficial chapter of young adults’ lives. The value of a college education is extremely profitable to one’s life and career due to the job opportunities it offers, the skills it allows you to learn, and the benefits it can result in later on in life.
Some people think that getting a college education is not really a good idea anymore. According to Abel and Deitz, “In recent years, students have been paying more to attend college and earning less upon graduation—trends that have led many observers to question whether a college education remains a good investment” (2014, p. 1). If the student cannot find a job that pays a decent amount of money, after graduation why should the government ‘fund it?. College costs are rising each year. Future generations may not be able to go to college because tuition will be too high. But Abel and Deitz
Whether or not a college education is worth the money is controversial topic. Some people believe that going to college worth a better life. Other challenge this position, claiming that it is time and money wasting. However, the value of college is apparent, deciding whether it is worthwhile means weighing the value against the cost of attending. Although both sides of this issue has merit, it seems clear that a college education is a worthwhile investment because it is a means of gain knowledge, higher pay and stable future.
The average college student will graduate with 37,173 dollars’ worth of debt and 40 percent of college students will drop out. (Cite should everyone go to college) Despite this, higher education typically allows an individual to follow their passion and make a living off it. In addition, college provides an intrinsic value that enlightens the individual. Although higher education requires a large investment that may not return its original value, I contend that this investment provides one the ability to typically earn significantly more money and pursue their passion.
Attending college is costly; however, it is often worth the price. That being said, going into college after high school instead of the working world does provide an opportunity cost. By attending a four-year private institution, such as Franklin College, $40,405 is needed to cover the expenses of tuition, room and board, books, and transportation. Over the course of four years, that total sums up to $161,620. While this figure is without scholarship, grant, or financial aid money accounted for, attending college will still lead to a deficit even if college is completely covered by aid. This is due to the fact that income potential is quite limited while attending college; full-time employment combined with full-time schooling is impractical.
Newly college graduates are struggling to find work. Others, on the other hand are accepting jobs offers for which they feel overqualified. Student debt has exceeded over$1 trillion. These facts are enough to make a series of questions about whether a college education is still worth it or not. A brand new set of income statistics answers these questions clearly: College is worth attending, whether you want to believe it or not.
Over the past decade, it has become evident to the students of the United States that in order to attain a well paying job they must seek a higher education. The higher education, usually a college or university, is practically required in order to succeed. To be able to attend these schools and receive a degree in a specific field it means money, and often a lot of it. For students, the need for a degree is strong, but the cost of going to college may stand in the way of a successful future. Each year the expense of college rises, resulting in the need for students to take out loans. Many students expect to immediately get a job after graduation, however, in more recent years the chances for college graduates to get a well paying job
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
As the price to attend college increases throughout the years many young adults are experiencing increasing difficulty in being able to pay for such an endeavor and many more are beginning to question whether or not it’s worth the price due to the faltering of the economy. The price tag may be the most common concern about getting a college education but another important factor that many students consider when applying for college is how much time they will need to devote to school. Many prospective students think that the time spent in a college math class is a waste when they are majoring in the arts. This results in many students deciding against getting a college education in favor for finding a source of income to support themselves and due to the lack of employment opportunities available today the decision to choose an income over an education is really a matter of survival. However, this is the beginning of a slippery slope that can easily lead to a population that is severely lacking in education which can lead to a disaster in a country where the nations populace are the ones making decisions with their vote. I believe it is time to make education not only cheaper, but more accessible to more people across the country by eliminating course requirements and majors in order to allow students to seek out an education that is tailored to the subject they are seeking to pursue. Doing so will not only result in a lower cost of college by eliminating useless and
Have you ever wondered how much some of our nation’s top college presidents earn as compensations? If not, then the CNN documentary Ivory Tower is a good starting point. The continual increase of college tuition and student loans has made headlines in the news recently, mostly because of the alarming amount of student debt in the United States. According to the College Board, in 2010, students graduated from college owing an average of $25,250 in student loans; the highest amount ever. Needless to say that we are way pass this amount as of January 2016. As it stands, student debt is more than $1.2 Trillion dollars, higher than both credit card debt and auto loans. It is, thus, not surprising that the issue of the cost of a college education is at the forefront in this year’s presidential primaries. Democrat frontrunner Hillary Clinton is proposing a “debt-free tuition” and her opponent, Bernie Sanders, is offering “free tuition” for college students. If they are not being just being “politicians” and remain true to their words, then like Europe, college education in the United States will be, for the most part free. However, if they fail to fulfill their promises, then God help America. In light of this, if the current trends in the unemployment rates among recent college graduates and the ever-increasing student loan debts are anything to go by, then a college education is not worth the cost.
In the first article, “The Cost of College: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow” written by Mike Patton in 2015, the main idea is that as education costs have soared over the past few decades, fewer students can afford a college education. Furthermore, if the education
I will discuss what the value of a college education means to me. A higher education will give me many physical benefits such as economic stability, a better quality of life for my family, more career choices, better job security, set a good example for my children at the same time, a college education will also give me many intangible benefits such as boosting my self-confidence, helping me to learn specialized knowledge, thinking critically, bringing me in contact with different people, learning better communication skill and being part of a team. It is something that will serve me well throughout my career and life. So, what is the value of college education to me? After I sat down and took some time to carefully consider what a college
Some of the most incredible advancements the human race have made have been in the past century. We have sent men to the moon, improved communication systems, and made the largest technological advancements since the invention of the wheel. In 1946, the first official computer, named ENIAC, was made. It weighed 100,000 pounds, and all it was used for were various calculations. That was only 69 years ago, but now computers can be found everywhere in developed nations. In less than one decade, we have progressed from a 100,000 pound computer to handheld computers that weigh less a pound and can be used for numerous different tasks. It is crazy to think that the simple luxuries that our generation have become accustom to were not normal for our parents or grandparents. An increase in education is the reason we have been able to progress in such an accelerated way. The value of a college education lies in its ability to allow individuals to grow academically, by expanding their knowledge of various subjects, and socially, by being exposed to many different characters and beliefs. These skills ensure that they will have a better future because they will be advancing faster than those who chose other paths. A four year college education, although not for everyone, can push young adults in the right direction.
The price of going to college is rising whichever angle you view it at, and everyone should agree that the cost must be brought down. No matter which field of study you’re in there still a cost, the discussion relies on resembled information that supports the writers’ specific claims. Searching for information on this particular topic Shapiro Library found 461,073 peer-reviewed articles, but with Scholarly and Peer-Review articles, the number dwindled to 236,894. Most of the letters were speaking of tuition cost in the United States, but there may not be reliable or thoroughly evidence. It is important to lay out and examine information because you don’t want unreliable information. College is the surest path into the middle class, but should