Let’s face it, college is expensive. It almost doesn’t matter where you go, the cost of attendance will be monumental. Tuition prices and the cost of college continue to rise year after year — and if you don’t believe me, look up any college or university, and the history of their tuition prices over the last few years, because I can promise you there is an increase.
It’s been said that sometime long before we were born, a summer’s worth of full-time work at minimum wage would more than pay for your college education. Now, that dream is almost completely impossible— even if you’re only going to a state university. More than two-thirds of those that have recently graduated have debt.
The above graph shows the maximum amount of money a student can make working full time over the summer at minimum wage, versus the price of a four year college. It’s obvious that there is no way to pay for the entire cost of college on your own — the numbers just don’t add up. There is almost no plausible, even with extensive financial aid, for an average student fresh out of high school to pay for even one year at any four year college.
All of these problems have forced students to reconsider what it is they want to go to college for. Your decision on what you’re going to major in in college has become less about what field you enjoy the most, but more on what major is going to make the most money. It’s killing the idea of the American Dream, because kids can no longer just work hard to make their way through college, but have to face thousands upon thousands of dollars of debt to achieve even a bachelor’s degree (which, we’ve all been told, is needed to get any decent-paying job).
I’m not saying that college tuition needs to be absolutely free, because we’ve all heard the problems that would come along with that: the decrease in value of a bachelor’s degree, the increase in competition to get into college, etc. But there is definitely a problem with the fact that there is almost no way for us as students to pay for college without taking out some kind of loan is ridiculous. Even working only part time is a struggle for college students now, because of the workload of college. In my opinion, I find it almost impossible to work the hours I used to work while I was in high school in college without my grades suffering. I’m saying that the cost of college could use some cuts. It’s a struggle for almost every family to send their child to college, and education shouldn’t be unaccessible.
I personally am terrified about the amount of debt I know that I will be facing following the years after I graduate. When we live in a country where a four year degree is almost required to make a suitable living, then it shouldn’t be almost impossible to obtain it. The idea of making college completely free — while very desirable — is understandably difficult with the price that college has risen to. While I know that I will likely never see it in my lifetime, for my children, I would love to know that they are capable of pursuing a career — based on more than what will bring in the highest salary, and not have to worry about the same kind of debt that I did.
