College tuition has increased in price throughout the years and it is only getting higher by the minute. However, the bigger question is why tuition is skyrocketing in this manner. Tuition at a private four year university in 1971 being $1,832 and $428 for a public one per year (Puzzanghera 13A). However, Puzzanghera also points out that tuition has become way out of reach for most student by prices climbing up to $31,231 per year in 2015 (Puzzanghera 13A). Many students may want to attend a prestigious four-year institution but not many of them are actually able to do so as a result of the affluent prices. Those who don’t go to their dream school either end up not attending a higher level institution or attending a community college. Furthermore, …show more content…
This is mostly because colleges often like to attract unexperienced freshmen to the lavish lifestyles with the luxurious amenities that only make the institution look like an extravagant country club. Michael Staton, a partner at Learn Capital, clearly points out that what students are actually “paying for is this mythical large bundle of things that you’re supposed to get” (Ivory Tower). For example, when some universities “have swimming pools, others think about adding them to their campus, and to top that, some schools even have tanning beds available for students” which is quite unnecessary for the student’s learning (Ivory Tower). Unfortunately, these amenities cost a lot, which drives up the price of tuition. Michael Roth, President of Wesleyan University, says that "you give momentum to … when you charge them so much money" and this action gives any student the liberty to demand anything they really want (Ivory Tower). The students are not to blame for demanding prestige and commodities when they are paying these incredibly huge amounts of money just to attend an affluent …show more content…
However, not all administrators make the same salary and some actually are excessively paid. Education works like a pyramid, the higher on the pyramid a person is determines how big their salary is but yet also determines the salaries of those under that person. Jamshed Bharucha, president of Cooper Union, is confronted about his $750,000 salary and his free home (Ivory Tower). Although Bharucha is getting paid this insane amount of money, he made a big mistake by taking “a $175 million loan to construct a new building at 41 Cooper Square” (Ivory Tower). With the construction of this massive building, not only in size but price, Bharucha made Cooper Union a tuition based institution. Higher level education is more like a business between the students and the administrators. In fact, not only are administrators overly paid but they always being hired. According to Robert Zaller, a professor of history at Drexel University, back “In 1975 there was one administrator per 84 students and one academic staff member per 50. By 2005 these ratios were 50 and 21…” (554). The constant expansion of administration not only expands the ratios of administrators per student, but also expand the colleges’ tuitions. By colleges expanding the tuitions they are hurting the middle class and making higher level education available just for the rich. It is not fair for students to have that much weight on
In the essay, “College Consumerism Run Amok” authored by Kevin Carey describe how colleges are careless with their money. Throughout the essay, Kevin Carey explains why normal people think the average price of college tuition has risen across the United States. People believe college tuition is rising because students demand colleges to have “creature comforts”, such as luxury dorms, a fully operational gym, and a climbing wall. Also, that the creation for “creature comforts” in colleges has caused academic standards to decline. Yet, colleges market to students with these amenities instead of showing students comparable statistics: the quality of teaching, scholarships, and academic environment. Kevin Carey, in the end, sums up his idea with
Community colleges and vocational tracks are not wrong about the high cost of traditional higher education. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, one year at a public, four-year institution costs upwards of $23,000 on average, while private institutions will cost nearly $10,000 more on average. Coupled with the fact that prices at public institutions rose 42 percent and private institutions rose 31 percent between 2001 and 2011, it’s not a shock that parents and students alike worry about paying for college. However, this won’t always be the case, as this rise in prices simply cannot continue the way it has. Eventually, people will be unable to pay the price that colleges charge. They will either settle for com...
College is one of the most fundamental institutions in our modern world. It is a place where most of our future politicians, doctors, scientists, and leaders are made. Though, it seems that the price tag that comes with a college education is something that is too hefty for some students. Countless debates go on about whether the price of college should be abolished or whether the cost still is on the students to pay for.
In the article “College is Not a Commodity. Stop treating it like one,” Hunter Rawlings explains how people today believe that college is a commodity, but he argues that it’s the student’s efforts; which gives value to their education. Rawlings states that in recent years college has been looked at in economic terms, lowering its worth to something people must have instead of earn. As a professor Rawlings has learned that the quality of education has nothing to do with the school or the curriculum, but rather the student’s efforts and work ethic. Rawlings explains the idea that the student is in charge of the success of his or her own education, and the professor or school isn’t the main reason why a student performs poorly in a class. Rawlings
Tuition is the cost to take classes at a college or university and is the most expensive part of a college education as it makes up 60 % of the overall price tag (Bashkar and Gopalan). Tuition has become increasingly more expensive over the years and has increased by nearly 500% since 1986, which is far more than inflation or tuition (Willie). The question is, why has there been such a mas...
Imagine only paying for transportation, meals, supplies, room, board for college, and small college fees. This is exactly what other countries like Germany and Sweden are doing. Instead of having students pay an enormous amount for their education, these countries only require an individual to pay for their own basic needs with a small tuition fee as well. It is no surprise that students from the U.S are traveling overseas to get these benefits. In the meantime, colleges in the U.S have only become more expensive each year, and it’s greatly affecting graduating high school students since each student has to find a way to pay for his or her college tuition. The college graduates are then affected because they have to pay for the outrageous debt
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, college tuition and relevant fees have increased by 893 percent (“College costs and the CPI”). 893 percent is a very daunting percentage considering that it has surpassed the rise in the costs of Medicare, food, and housing. As America is trying to pull out of a recession, many students are looking for higher education so they can attain a gratified job. However, their vision is being stained by the dreadful rise in college costs. College tuition is rising beyond inflation. Such an immense rise in tuition has many serious implications for students; for example, fewer students are attending private colleges, fewer students are staying enrolled in college, and fewer students are working in the fields in which they majored in.
The skyrocketing price of college tuition is causing a tremendous concern over whether higher education will be a viable financial concept to the average citizen over the next decades. Some families have opted to explore different means of obtaining a higher education for their children as these costs escalate. There is overwhelming evidence that colleges need to restructure the way they are run because tuition prices are increasing at a rapid rate causing changes in the way students fund their education and in the way the government provides educational subsidies.
Having the college experience is everyone’s dream, especially High School students who are ready to get out into the world and explore. College is very important for furthering someone’s career, but no one thinks about all the costs and the stress that comes along with college. Tuition fees and costs are increasing more and more each year. Now days it feels like you have to be a millionaire just to attend a good college and get a good degree in what you were attending for. There are some students that do not have a lot of money and live on very little things with their parents, but indeed are very smart and have a 4.0 GPA. Those students are the ones that are unable to attend college if they cannot afford it. College tuition is too expensive,
Fighting the cost of college tuition is a hot topic these days. As long as I can remember, tuition has always been a reason why most people don 't pursue their bachelor’s or even associate degree. Today 's society has changed students are fighting for grants, financial aid, and even loans to pay through school. In order to be financially comfortable in the 15th century a college education is a must. It is an everyday battle getting financial support from a college’s administration. Colleges need to be more affordable, obtaining funds less stressful, and colleges must enact policies that condone these principles.
Over the last few decades, college tuitions and fees have increased by over one thousand percent, surpassing every category associated with the cost of living including food and medical. This unprecedented rise in cost has resulted in an avalanche of issues for young and middle-age adults. As, a result of steep student loan amounts, graduates are being forced to move back with their parents, fewer young people are becoming homeowners, they are delaying retirement saving, and are dropping out of college at an alarming rate of nearly fifty percent. With all the controversy surrounding the topic of increasing college cost, the revised income-driven repayment program has been created to help borrowers pay back student loans according to their income.
Vedder explains that universities in general believe that they can raise the price of tuition because due to the increasing amount of government aid to education, most notably student loans, the families haven’t been too concerned with the rising cost of education. He claims that there is a vicious circle in regards to university financing. In the first year, the tuition would be increased and to deal with the political pressure that comes with it, Congress makes student loans more accessible and affordable. As a result of this, the demand for education becomes greater and as such, the colleges are then able to raise prices again which would result in more political pressure and thus, more affordable loans. In order to deal with this growing problem, Vedder believes that the best way to do that would be to simply stop allowing these third parties to give more money when the tuition increases. By doing this, it would make the student more aware of the price of tuition, thus not as likely to enroll at a university with a relatively high cost of tuition.
With the rapid growth of college tuition, it has become an important issue in higher education. College Tuition is simply defined as the charge or fee for instruction, at a private school or a college or a university. Most people agree today that college tuition is too high or that it needs to be completely dismissed. There are some however, that may disagree with the claim about college tuition and state that college tuition is necessary for college growth, and it’s primary purpose is to pay for college expenses to support the institution financially. Research shows that college tuition is too high and that debt has become a standard in America after attending post-secondary school.
Many people all around the world can not afford college. Even though scholar ships are offered it is still difficult for some people to pay their way into college. It is also more difficult to get a scholar ship if a person’s grades are not good. To get a good scholar ship a person needs to make A’s and B’s but no lower. In the article “College Costs More Than You Think” it says, “Freshman say they will finish in four years, but most will be paying tuition for five or six years” (Marcus). The longer a person must stay in college, the more expensive it will become. Tuition is not there only thing that is expensive in college. The article also says, “The average added cost of just one extra year at a four-year public university is $63,718 in tuition fees, books, and living expenses” (Marcus). More and more things get added to the list of things a person must pay for in college. Books alone that a student must have are very expensive. “The National Association of College Stores (NACS) says the average college student will spend $655 on textbooks each year, but with a single textbook easily costing s much as $300” (Kingkade). Three hundred dollars for one textbook is what a person with a high school diploma may make in one week. The more text books a person needs the more money they will have to spend. The cost of dorms are also very expensive. A person must pay a down fee for the dorm and then they
Many significant questions regarding higher education are in relation to its cost, raising fears that higher education has become unaffordable. Education fee for universities and colleges has continuously grown to become one of the largest expense for most students and parents over the years, especially with the never-ending dramatic tuition fee increases resulting from public funding cuts for education by the federal and state governments. Selingo (para 3) reported that higher education cost definitely has a direct impact on access, thus, the frequent increases in cost are logically of great concern to many, including parents, students, and education policymakers. In other words, this has disadvantaged the poor families, resulting in unequal education opportunities for Americans and putting attainment of higher education in danger of becoming a hereditary privilege rather than a right for all people (Selingo para 6).