For-profit colleges

How does the rising cost of college tuition affect us? Every year thousands of students attend a college or university, usually of their choice, with the goal of achieving a higher education and to better their future. The cost of attending college is too high and it needs to go down; there needs to be more scholarship and grant opportunities. The high cost of attending college is a major reason that students aren’t able to achieve higher education; others take this as a challenge and it is motivation for them to work harder to achieve their goal. One might ask why would someone want to spend money to receive more education and miss out on more years of work that they could’ve performed?

Web. 12 Dec. 2013. "Worth The Cost." University Business 14.7 (2011): 2. Academic Search Premier.

6 Feb. 2014. KIPLINGER, KNIGHT. "Should Athletes Share In Their School's Profits?." Kiplinger's Personal Finance 66.3 (2012): 11. Academic Search Premier.

Too often families and/or students are faced with the difficult choice of securing loans to finance an education. Colleges across the United States are in a fierce competitive race to attract the brightest students as well as a superior faculty. Earning “higher” rankings attract more applicants and in turn provides more revenue for campus spending. Public as well as private universities are using marketing techniques as strategies to increase enrollment. Families wish to send their children to the “top” universities and are often lured by stellar professors, advanced research facilities, updated housing facilities, and superior sports facilities.

“Here’s How Much Big Time College Athletes Should Be Getting Paid.” Business Insider. Business Insider Inc., 20 Mar. 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.

The expansion of higher education has created a belief that a student will not be successful in life with graduating from top-notch colleges. However, acquiring the needed education does not erase the possibility of failure. In reality, approximately 4% of high school graduates are unemployed if they do not continue their education (Reaping 17). Though the unemployment rate is considerably low, having a college education does lower the probability of being unemployed. In order to maintain a career with a high paying salary against the mass competition, deciding which type of education to pursue is a key factor.

Since 2004 the tuition of college has risen by nearly 60% (Tuition and Fees by Sector and State over Time 2013). College is getting increasingly expensive while finding jobs is getting more difficult. Some people are beginning to think college is not worth the cost. With the way the economy and job market have been changing some degrees may be not as useful as others. I plan to major in Computer engineering and programming at either Texas A&M, UT Austin, or UT Arlington.

The more people with a college education, the better. The cause for a decrease in people with a college education is the rise in college costs and this effects people’s lives drastically financially. Big college costs often drive people away from the college they want to go to or drive people away from college altogether. The big college costs plus the college debt is probably really terrifying to many students. Although college can be scary for some people because of the costs or the classes and the new experience, it would later be for their advantage.

One year at the prestigious Yale University will cost an average of $38,300 (collegeboard.com). Many students who deserve to go to this school may miss out because of the cost and lack of financial aid. The rising cost of college may put higher education out of reach for the average American. This paper will look into the reasons behind the steady rise in prices, the legitimacy of a college education, and why recent graduates are struggling to find jobs in this tough economy. A college education is now as necessary for success as a high school education was in the 1970’s according to the job industry.

"Strengthening Our Economy Through College for All." How Valuable Is a College Degree?, edited by Noël Merino, Greenhaven Press, 2016. At Issue. Opposing Viewpoints In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010971206/OVIC?u=gtechclg&sid=OVIC&xid=8069ee6d. Accessed 27 Mar.