blog 9

The cost of higher education is a rising problem in America and it is one that especially effects us. For those that choose to pursue a college degree, it comes at a steep price. As government monetary aid to American universities cut back, these colleges started raising tuition prices. Community college, public and private universities all have exponentially shot up their price tags. Now a days more people are attending college in the US than ever before, making the job market more competitive. Therefore degrees have less value. For example job X usually takes qualified applicants with bachelor degrees, now with an influx of people with these bachelors, you now need a masters to acquire this desired job X. 

The notion of creating free tuition for community college for a B- grade is great in the idea that people unable to afford college will get a chance to get a better job with a 2 year degree rather than having to get a job that requires no higher ed. The biggest problem with this is that the bar will rise and standards will climb. More than likely, ten times more people will have these 2 year degrees making the job market much more competitive. This will put more pressure on people with 4 year degrees and it will bump up in this manner. Therefore I do not think this is a good idea because of the expectation of new higher standards and new norms will be formed. However I do feel that college prices need to go way down. 

For example, if you work hard enough through high school to get into Duke, that is some accomplishment. A prestigious school with highly regarded programs, and an incredible cost. Duke is not known to give much financial support. The cost of Duke is roughly 62,000 a year. If you are pursuing a 4 year degree you will come out a quarter of a million dollars in debt. But most jobs and professions now require at least a masters. Add 1-2 years. What about graduate school? If you have student debt of close to half a million dollars how will that ever get paid off? Student loans build up credit for young people so will that get destroyed too? Any young American trying to attend their dream school and land their dream job should not have a lifetime worth of loans to pay off. 

I know the financial aspect is one of the leading reasons Binghamton is my first choice, A great school, and at a somewhat affordable price of about 22 grand. I did apply to some private schools that go for about 50-60 grand. Most of these schools give a maximum of 20k to their elite incoming freshman. So that is still 30 thousand to attend a school. So Binghamton still remains my first choice compared to some of these schools that have lowered their price for me. 

So if the costs continue to rise, will it be that only the already rich can continue to send their kids to private traditional universities? 

I find a passion in this issue because I am looking either to become a physicians assistant or a full fledged doctor one day. Both require plenty of schooling. Yes, both will hopefully pay well for me one day, but I have important decisions to make because the amount of money coming from my parents, myself, and my future self through loans can get out of hand.