Where do students go once they have graduated high school? Ask this question to any high school student, and almost always the first thing on their mind is college. Once students have graduated, more often than not they turn to higher education. Having a diploma while searching for a job has many benefits, of course – a higher salary and more opportunity for moving up the career ladder are just a few of the perquisites that come with higher education. However, with the cost of living ever on the rise alongside college tuition rates, can college still be considered a feasible option for students? It seems that college accessibility is not what it used to be; as inflation continues, the cost of college becomes more and more overwhelming, enough
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For the sake of this argument, two-year and four-year public institutions will be discussed the most. In the 2012-2013 academic year, the average cost for tuition, room, and board at 4-year public universities was $17,474 in constant 2012-2013 dollars. Ten years earlier, the average cost was $12,434, meaning that the cost of tuition had risen by 29% in that time period. However, those costs are in adjusted dollars, so the actual difference in cost between academic years is much higher. The cost of tuition, room, and board between the 2002-2003 and 2012-2013 academic years almost doubled with an increase in cost in current dollars of 78%. (Tuition …show more content…
In 2008, the graduation rates for students at traditional schools seeking a bachelor’s degree were 39.5%, at liberal schools 42.5%, and at open schools 27.6%. The rates for students seeking associate’s degrees were 24.4%, 37.6%, and 26.3%, respectively. (Student Success 14) This means that, on average, over 50% of students that are accepted to college, pay tuition, and take out loans never even finish out their degree. More than likely, these dropout rates are a result of unmanageable tuition costs, unmanageable workloads, and unmanageable stress. To add insult to injury, students that have some college but no degree typically earn less than students with just a high school degree or equivalent. (Education Level and Jobs Table 4) Those with a postsecondary non-degree award earn the same as students with a high school degree or equivalent. (Education Level and Jobs Table 3) Job opportunities are another factor to consider when thinking about life after college. With all the emphasis placed on high school students to attend college, one would almost believe that it was impossible to get a job without some kind of college degree. However, this simply is not true; in fact, as of May 2013, there were more jobs held by individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent than by all individuals with any amount of college education, with the former holding 39% of jobs and the latter
For the sake of this argument, two-year and four-year public institutions will be discussed the most. In the 2012-2013 academic year, the average cost for tuition, room, and board at 4-year public universities was $17,474 in constant 2012-2013 dollars. Ten years earlier, the average cost was $12,434, meaning that the cost of tuition had risen by 29% in that time period. However, those costs are in adjusted dollars, so the actual difference in cost between academic years is much higher. The cost of tuition, room, and board between the 2002-2003 and 2012-2013 academic years almost doubled with an increase in cost in current dollars of 78%. (Tuition …show more content…
In 2008, the graduation rates for students at traditional schools seeking a bachelor’s degree were 39.5%, at liberal schools 42.5%, and at open schools 27.6%. The rates for students seeking associate’s degrees were 24.4%, 37.6%, and 26.3%, respectively. (Student Success 14) This means that, on average, over 50% of students that are accepted to college, pay tuition, and take out loans never even finish out their degree. More than likely, these dropout rates are a result of unmanageable tuition costs, unmanageable workloads, and unmanageable stress. To add insult to injury, students that have some college but no degree typically earn less than students with just a high school degree or equivalent. (Education Level and Jobs Table 4) Those with a postsecondary non-degree award earn the same as students with a high school degree or equivalent. (Education Level and Jobs Table 3) Job opportunities are another factor to consider when thinking about life after college. With all the emphasis placed on high school students to attend college, one would almost believe that it was impossible to get a job without some kind of college degree. However, this simply is not true; in fact, as of May 2013, there were more jobs held by individuals with a high school diploma or equivalent than by all individuals with any amount of college education, with the former holding 39% of jobs and the latter