Many people wish to seek a good education at a school, but they just don’t have the means when college tuition in the U.S. ranges from $15,000-$80,000+. Some reasons for this issue are that college is overly expensive, or they just lack the resources. Unfortunately, many teens in the United States have so much potential, but they simply cannot afford to go to school because of the incredibly huge price.
Some may say that need-based financial aid will solve the problem, but in some cases, financial aid won’t cover the next couple of years of the school term. Moreover, some families do not qualify for financial aid but still cannot afford rising tuition. If we lowered the cost by a reasonable amount and offered financial aid at the same time, it could be possible for kids with low backgrounds to receive the proper education they have yearned for.
In 2013, it was reported that only 34% of college students in America were Black and Hispanic (U.S. Department of Education). The numbers have been improving over time, but there is still a gap between white students and these two groups. Concerns over increasing access to higher education for students of color matter because diversity is an important concept to have in a school community. Doing so also creates a healthy society and helps expand student awareness of others’ cultures worldwide. Furthermore, new discoveries are to be made when new ideas are shared amongst the class. Nonetheless, some colleges are limited to the same ethnic groups. It can be rare to find students of color, particularly Black and Latino students, at campuses including the University of Wisconsin-Stout and South Dakota State University, which host 88.1% and 89.9% white students, respectively (Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall Street). This issue could be because of the large ethnicity gap in certain states, perhaps because students never received the resources to help prepare them for college, or because of the huge tuition fees. There is evidence that these price differentials are dissuading students of color from high-cost fields like engineering and medicine, which require years of grad school that further compound the high tuition. Additionally, this bias could mean that Black and Hispanic students are being dissuaded from studying in certain fields and are thereby relegated to study and major in other, lower-cost fields, causing a disparity in the number of professionals of color in the highest-cost careers.
If more people could afford college, more people would probably attend. More people going to college can lead to a more educated population. It has been proved that a more informed public can lead to higher political participation, thereby improving the public’s economic prospects and democratic integrity. With more people involved in a society, there is more opportunity for positive change as more voices are heard, and we can move society forward much faster.
With the high tuition fees, students are often under significant pressure to perform well in college. They know that their parents are paying a plethora of money, and they urgently want to pay them back with good grades. However, some students negatively face this pressure. They will become overwhelmed, which may lead to mental issues like depression. This is especially true for students who are not able to perform well. If we can lower the tuition, we could eliminate some of the pressure on the students. This may result in more focus on school and reduce the risk for mental struggles.
In conclusion, lowering tuition has its pros and cons. Some schools are already starting to lower the tuition fees. The added pressure of the pandemic, which has caused many Americans to lose their jobs and therefore not earn as much money to afford college, has opened the doors to make college more affordable. The decrease in intuition could pay dividends for schools by increasing enrollment rates and decreasing acceptance rates. Lowering the cost of college has gained widespread support over the last couple of years; state governments are starting to cut tuition. Every student has a right to a quality education. It is time for private institutions to follow suit so we can address education inequities and thrive as a diverse and inclusive society.
- Tessa
- United States