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Four Year College Education

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The steady increase in the cost of receiving a college education is a major problem that faces this generation, which affects many teenagers, young adults, and our society as a whole. Overall, four year college completion rates are falling and graduate’s lifestyles are drastically changing. In recent years, the cost of a four year college has doubled in cost; however the quality of education received has not. According to PEW, 38% of college presidents, the people who should have the most faith in our higher education system, believe that it is heading in the wrong direction. (PEW) Many students spend an average of six years at a four year institution, and leave owing an average of $25,250 in debt. This may not sound like a lot, however …show more content…
High tuition rates overall have not affected how many students head to college, but they are playing a big role in how many people drop out partway through their college education. For many students, the costs of receiving a college education can often become too much to bear, especially if a parent or the student loses a job. “As American families respond to the demands of the labor market, they will need a system of paying for higher education that is up to the task. The current system, however, is showing signs of strain. Tuition at both public and private institutions has increased sharply, while the federal grant and loan programs intended to aid low-income youth have failed to keep pace.” (Kane) A study by Complete College America found that more than 40% of public college students attend part-time, possibly to work while attending school and only a quarter of these part-time students will ever graduate. Rates are not so great for full-time students either, with only 60% completing their bachelor’s degree within eight years. Furthermore, rising college costs have not necessarily driven students away from pursuing a degree; however, many are reaching that goal in a new way. Community colleges have seen a steady increase in enrollment as economic troubles and exponentially growing tuition fees have put traditional four year universities out of many students reach. “A key reason for the rise in two-year college enrollment was society’s growing commitment to creating equality of opportunity in higher education during the 1960s. Educators foresaw that in the late 1960s and early 1970s the “baby boom” generation would attend college, and the existing system could not accommodate it. Community colleges could thus serve the dual purpose of allowing states to preserve the quality of the four-year institutions while not having to exclude individuals from higher education.”

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