Reid Varda

Mrs. Theiss
Honors English II
1st Period
9/30/16
The Price of Attending College
By: Reid Varda

In the modern era, there has been an astronomical increase in the cost of attending universities

across the country. Because college is an important aspect of peoples lives and careers, and the rise in

tuition is causing concern, many people are looking for reasons as to why this phenomenon is occurring.

While most people tend to blame inflation, researchers show that the price of college has risen abundantly

higher than that of standard inflation. However the main reason is due to the fact that the colleges would

wish the rich to pay more, while the poor given a greater opportunity. This becomes a grand issue because

it begs the question, is a college tuition worth the time and debt?

Ever since 1971, college tuition costs have been rising, and at a surprisingly alarming rate. In fact

since then, the price of college has rose an astonishing 1000+%, which all seems a bit ludicrous. Back in

1975 the average cost to attend a public, in-state university for 4 years (with room/board and fees) was

around $7,833 in terms of modern general inflation. Comparatively the average cost for the same situation

in 2015 was around $19,548. But why, exactly, is that a problem? (Trends in Higher Education; 2016)

So, what makes the rising cost of attending college such a big concern for students and their

families. In theory, the cost of college would go up regardless, because of inflation. That is true, but it should

be nowhere near the cost of what it is today. Since the late 70s, the price of college has been rising on

average more than 6% above the rise of general inflation. Back in 1971, Harvard universitys tuition cost

was around $2,600. Comparatively in 2015 the cost to attend harvard was $45,278, more than 17 times the

amount in 1971. Oddly enough though, if tuition had followed the trend of general inflation, 2015s tuition

would be at $15,189, a significant difference between the actual cost it is today. (Schoen, John W.; 2015)

The severe rise in college costs also begs the question, how are families coping with the mess? So,

with the increase in tuition, it makes it harder for families to pay the cost of sending their children to college.
Reid Varda

Again in theory the rise of college costs would follow the rate of annual income so that it would be easier to

pay for the expenses. Wrong again it would seem. The average rise in median household income has risen

by a factor of 6.5 in the past 40 years. In the same time frame, the price of in-state college has risen by a

factor of 15 and by a factor of 24 for out-of-state. So, clearly the rise of college tuitions, and the lack of rise

in median household income, has made it much, much harder for families to pay for college. (Schoen, John

W.; 2016)

The rise in college has forced many families to go the route of using student loans. These dont

always work out in the long run because they often cost more than they are worth. In the U.S, there is about

$1.26 trillion in student loan debt, accumulating over 43.3 million students. Most students graduate college

with about $37,172 in debt which they are forced to pay with monthly payments of $203 or more. This can

be difficult for out-of-college students to pay off considering that the average student makes around

$50,000, annually, right out of college. Eventually, students could turn to other loans to pay off student

loans, and it can turn into a vicious payment cycle. (Josuweit, Andy; 2016)

Clearly all of these facts are evidence of a severe problem in the rising of college tuitions, but what

can the average american do to help themselves or others. The first way one can help themselves is by

going to a in-state school, considering that they are much cheaper to attend than out-of-state. Another

possibility for students is to attend foreign colleges, specifically in Europe. In particular, in Germany, they

offer tuition free college to U.S and international students. The basic requirements for this program are a

good testing score on the european version of SAT/ACT and a proof that students can pay for their stay

there with a minimum amount of money. However, the minimum annual necessity is much less than tuition

costs in the U.S and is attracting many students.

Since, the U.S is currently in a presidential election cycle, another way that college tuition worries

could be solved is through the election of a new president. Hillary Clinton has spoken out on her stance on

college education saying that she wishes to lower the cost of a higher education and would continue to

support financial aid programs. These programs will be able to help students and their families cover tuition
Reid Varda

costs so they get the necessary help they need. The republican front-runner, Donald Trump has not spoken

out on his views of education so voters can only assume what his stance is.

In conclusion, since college prices have been raising, it has been harder to pay for college, does not

make it more beneficial to go to college, and even has students questioning its necessity. In total, the whole

system needs a change, or people need to just get smarter about their choices of college.
Reid Varda

Works Cited

Josuweit, Andy. "U.S. Student Loan Debt Statistics for 2016 | Student Loan Hero." Student Loan

Hero. Student Loan Hero, 30 June 2016. Web. 29 Sept. 2016.

<https://studentloanhero.com/student-loan-debt-statistics/>.

Poppick, Susie. "Here's What the Average Grad Makes Right Out of College." Time. Time, 22

Apr. 2015. Web. 29 Sept. 2016. <http://time.com/money/3829776/heres-what-the-average-

grad-makes-right-out-of-college/>.

Schoen, John W. "The Real Reasons a College Degree Costs so Much."CNBC. Getty Images, 16

June 2015. Web. 29 Sept. 2016. <http://www.cnbc.com/2015/06/16/why-college-costs-are-so-

high-and-rising.html>.

"Tuition and Fees and Room and Board over Time, 1975-76 to 2015-16, Selected Years." Trends

in Higher Education. College Board, 2016. Web. 29 Sept. 2016.

<https://trends.collegeboard.org/college-pricing/figures-tables/tuition-and-fees-and-room-and-

board-over-time-1975-76-2015-16-selected-years>.