Why is College Tuition so expensive? Students in our current society are given a basic outline for success in life. Graduate high school, receive a degree from a college or university, and get a job. This basic outline for success has become a very obeyed command. However, more students than ever before are forced to submit to the institution of higher learning. In 2013, 69% of students graduating from a college had an average debt of $28,400, (projectonstudentdebt). Practically forcing the students to be an indentured servant for many years. Why is this figure so high? Many components can be brought forward when asking this question, although the biggest factors are inflation, rising student attendance in colleges, and colleges operating
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are not privately controlled. Colleges like Yale and Harvard obtain most of their money from the endowments given to students by the rich or wealthy who support them, most likely being their parents. (Ehrenburg 36). However other colleges receive money in other ways. They operate on federal standards and receive aid for following these standards The college is allowed to raise its prices due to the validity their name carries. For example, Harvard can set its prices much higher than a community college because of the fame and competition required to attend it0. They are not concerned for the quality of their education, nor the well being of their students who could face large debt. While the demand for a college degree is growing almost exponentially, the capacity for students in college grows at nearly nowhere that rate. Colleges can charge whatever they like because their seats will always be filled. In 1998 students attending colleges that charged less than charged less than $20,000 per year on tuition and room and board was only 5.5%, (Ehrenburg 5). This figure has increased dramatically. Colleges start with low pricing to attract a large audience. The colleges have always been running at maximum capacity. In general, classes are always filled to the maximum capacity. The cost/credit hour can be raised due to limited space in each individual class session. They don’t have to keep their prices low due to other colleges being full as well. The profit of the colleges has come completely at the expense of the students. The average college student spends about $18,000 on tuition and room and board, while only spending $2,100 a year on person expenses.
are not privately controlled. Colleges like Yale and Harvard obtain most of their money from the endowments given to students by the rich or wealthy who support them, most likely being their parents. (Ehrenburg 36). However other colleges receive money in other ways. They operate on federal standards and receive aid for following these standards The college is allowed to raise its prices due to the validity their name carries. For example, Harvard can set its prices much higher than a community college because of the fame and competition required to attend it0. They are not concerned for the quality of their education, nor the well being of their students who could face large debt. While the demand for a college degree is growing almost exponentially, the capacity for students in college grows at nearly nowhere that rate. Colleges can charge whatever they like because their seats will always be filled. In 1998 students attending colleges that charged less than charged less than $20,000 per year on tuition and room and board was only 5.5%, (Ehrenburg 5). This figure has increased dramatically. Colleges start with low pricing to attract a large audience. The colleges have always been running at maximum capacity. In general, classes are always filled to the maximum capacity. The cost/credit hour can be raised due to limited space in each individual class session. They don’t have to keep their prices low due to other colleges being full as well. The profit of the colleges has come completely at the expense of the students. The average college student spends about $18,000 on tuition and room and board, while only spending $2,100 a year on person expenses.