College Needs to be about Education for All, Not Profit
February 11, 2021
A prevalent issue facing our nation today is student debt. In fall of 2019, 19.9 million students were enrolled in US colleges. Most graduates from high school continue on to college, and thousands of them can’t afford many schools that have tuition–which can reach up to $75,000 a year.
We are fortunate enough to have programs providing students with financial aid, yet still after that, many kids have to take out loans. After graduating from college on top of the stress that comes with hoping to secure a job, some graduates are starting their lives already thousands of dollars in debt. Some students may even go on to getting more degrees, such as their Masters, or even Doctorate, which only add on to the staggering loans these students have from college.
This is an issue that calls for not only reform, but compromise.
Obviously, going to college for free hypothetically sounds great, but in reality is much more complicated as taxes would sky rocket. I believe that the college board is a flawed system, that cares less about students receiving a proper education, and more about how much money they can make from tuition fees.
The Laurie Laughlin scandal is a perfect example of this. How is it fair that Olivia Jade was admitted to the University of Southern California solely because her SAT scores were fixed. Her mother was only able to do this because of their extreme wealth. Meanwhile, lots of students in America can’t afford tutoring, and we all know standardized tests aren’t an accurate representation of intelligence.
Furthermore, when looking at Tulane admissions this year, almost all early decision applicants were accepted and most early action applicants were declined, even if they were extremely qualified for the school. The reasoning behind this? Money.
Early decision students are committed to Tulane, ensuring Tulane that if they accept these applicants, they will receive their money. Meanwhile, early action students don’t necessarily have to choose Tulane, thus the school gave most of its spots to early decision applicants for money purposes.
This flawed system needs immense reform, as even with financial aid and scholarships, students are still drowning in debt because the focus has reverted to less on education and more on profit.
Ultimately, I believe research needs to be done regarding the tuition required for each school and where this money is going, as this is an issue that needs to be discussed more frequently.
Loading ...
Jenna Petrie • Feb 12, 2021 at 12:57 pm
College tuition is something that definitely holds people back from attending the colleges that they desire to go to, even the ones that will give them the best opportunities. This a very important and interesting topic that will continue to affect several students as time goes on.
Kaileigh Letourneau • Feb 12, 2021 at 12:55 pm
Really well said. Even FAFSA does not give a lot of money to people depending on their parent’s earnings. I think a lot of people do not focus on the cost of college as much as they should. Certain colleges will make you pay more than what was provided for specific majors. Very good article and really helpful for seniors and juniors.
kellin burr • Feb 12, 2021 at 9:08 am
This is such a big issue and you did a great job explaining it.
mm • Feb 11, 2021 at 12:46 pm
public colleges should but private colleges should be allowed to operate at a profit.
adviser • Feb 11, 2021 at 12:19 pm
Thanks for pointing this problem out, Ani, and for doing so in such a clear way. As colleges get more and more expensive and jobs require advanced degrees, I agree that we need to think about the people who are left carrying these debts for the rest of their lives.