Higher Education Costs

May 1 is rapidly approaching and for many high school seniors, it’s decision time. While many seniors may have already made their college choice, others have yet to decide which school they will ultimately attend.


Imagine the American dream of higher education no longer affordable for many students. For the first time in this country’s history, Americans ages 25-34 are less likely to be better educated than the generation before them. This is the reality for many families as the spiraling cost of college and the economic downturn is causing many families to reconsider not only which type of schools to apply but also whether higher education is even an option.

Consider that college tuition and fees have risen 439 percent from 1982 to 2007 when the average family income has risen only 147 percent during that time according to the National Center for Public Policy and Education.

Families who were counting on investment funds to cover the costs of college are likely to be in a tough predicament. With some family investments shrinking from one third to one half of its value there simply is no longer the option of pricier institutions.

As a result high school seniors are re-evaluating which schools to consider. Parents who may have told junior that he could go wherever he wanted to go are now being forced to limit the schools to which he may want to apply.

Current college students are feeling the pinch as well. Some are faced with either dropping out of college, transferring to a cheaper school, borrowing more to pay the bill or taking on additional part time job(s) to cover college costs.

The winners in this predicament are the state public four year colleges and community colleges as the number of students seeking admission is on the rise, some schools reporting a 25 to 30 percent increase this year alone. In addition to traditional college students seeking cheaper options, unemployed workers are flocking to college for retraining or learning new careers in associate or certification programs.

But even these schools are being affected by a reduction in state support. In California last year at one point was expected to have a 460 million dollar reduction to the state college, university and community college budget to help cover the estimated 42 billon dollar shortfall. Many public institutions have instituted mid year increases in tuition and fees. Increased fees are a virtual guarantee for next year as well while other state schools have instituted caps on enrollment which comes at a time when more students are seeking admission.

With the increase in the number of applications and the possible reduction in the number of spots available, state colleges and universities will become more competitive which means that some students who would have easily been admitted just a year or two ago will likely be out of luck. In addition to applying to more schools, applicants are advised to apply much earlier than the posted deadline as some schools will operate on a first come first serve basis as they meet their enrollment goals.

So what does a high school student do in light of this negativity? There will still be options for students depending upon the family’s financial status, but perhaps not as many as in the past. Prospective students must spend the time to research the cost of a school and find out what financial support the family can provide. Additionally students should apply to a variety of schools, including some that are cheaper and those that have been known to be generous with financial aid. All of this is predicated on the fact that students must have good grades and standardized test scores as those with higher grade point averages and scores will get more aid. Students should also consider applying for scholarships and work part-time to help defray college expenses.

Some may say what difference does it make that the higher education crisis is squeezing the middle class out of higher education options. However we must remember that if we want the United States to remain competitively economically, in research and development, in our infrastructure and in the health care industry, then we must have educated and competent workers. The U.S. was ranked first in the world for the percentage of citizens who have a degree beyond high school. Now we are ranked 10th.

The affordability of higher education is not going to be resolved due to the stimulus package or even when the economy rebounds. It will only continue to worsen. Policy makers, higher education officials and consumers need to come together now to figure out a solution before it’s too late and an entire class of Americans are no longer going to college.