Education is believed to be the greatest equalizer that can be used to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor in any society. Consequently, many parents strive and are determined to provide quality education to their children regardless of the cost and the duration. A college education is even more critical in the modern world there is still competition for the limited job opportunities in the labor market. People with no college education can hardly get a decent job in an organization. Unfortunately, a college education is no longer affordable to millions of people, even in developed countries like the USA due to a significant increase in prices or educational fees. Currently, the colleges are dominated by students from well-to-do families who can afford to pay while children from poor household are forced to drop their education at a high school level. As a result, there is increasing educational disparity, resulting in inequality in society (Maldonado, 2018). College prices should be lowered to reduce educational disparity as everyone will have the opportunity to get a quality education.
According to the report that was released by the National Center for Education Statistics in 2018, the cost of education has increased significantly since the 1980s. Currently, the average cost of a four-year college degree is $104,480, which is expected to increase annually if the government does not address the surging prices (Maldonado, 2018). The cost of a college education is expected to increase by about 2.6% every year (Maldonado, 2018). On the contrary, in the 1980s, the same degree cost could only cost $52,892 based on the adjusted inflation rate (Maldonado, 2018). The statistics show that the cost of college education has more than doubled since the 1980s. Thus, the available data shows that many students from poor households are not able to afford a college education. Many factors have been used to explain the cause of the increasing prices of a college education. One of the significant factors is the growing demand for higher education amid limited resources. A four-year degree was once a luxury as people only needed to secure a high school diploma to get a decent job. However, a college education is now an essential requirement for a person to get a job opportunity in many organizations. At the same time, a college degree is associated with better pay, making its demand to increase significantly. The number of people who are seeking college education is higher than those of institutions of higher learning, leading to increased prices.
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Unfortunately, with increased cost or prices of a college program, only a few people can afford to get a college education. The number of students who are enrolling for college education has reduced substantially over the last five years because of high prices. Based on the survey that was conducted by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center in 2017, the number of college students dropped by about 224,000, which was equivalent to one percent decline (Fain, 2017). At the same time, the number of students who pursued professional college programs dropped by about 24,000 (Fain, 2017). The most affected students are those from poor backgrounds or household who cannot afford to pay the high college fees. A significant number of low-income students are not able to enroll in top-tier colleges, even when they are qualified. Also, many colleges are not willing to enroll low-income students because of the uncertainty of their ability to pay. For instance, a survey that was done by Inside High Education in 2011 found that 35% of colleges are only targeting “full pay” students while they are trying to avoid low-income enrollees (Freedman, 2013). Consequently, about 74% of college students come from rich families, resulting in a high level of inequality and disparity in the education sector (Freedman, 2013). The gap between the low-income and high-income students, therefore, has increased over time and is likely to continue widening. Colleges are increasingly becoming a place for rich students. It is no longer a place where everyone can get the opportunity to attend.
Therefore, the government and education intuitions have the responsibility to lower the cost of education so that it a place where students from both low-income and high-income students can attend. First, college administrators should ensure that they do increase prices beyond the limit. The emerging trend where colleges are raising fees only to attract high-income students should be shunned (Freedman, 2013). College administrators should have the legal and moral responsibility to serve both the poor and the rich in society because everyone deserves to get a quality education. Secondly, the government should make it mandatory for colleges to admit all students so long as they qualify. Importantly, the quarter system should be used to encourage the enrollment of both the poor and the rich in college. Importantly, the government should formulate implement policies that are aimed at reducing the cost of college education. College fees should be subsidized to make it affordable for every student who qualifies. Although college students can access various loans and grants, such programs have not helped in reducing the cost of college education. Many students still cannot afford to go to college because they cannot afford to pay high prices. However, some people maintain that the high cost of college education is justified. They mainly argue that colleges are forced to spend a lot of money in paying for tutors, building and maintaining infrastructure, and providing educational services. Also, the cost of education is in line with the increasing rate of inflation. Although the argument may be valid, education is an equalizer and should be affordable to the majority in any civilized society.
On the other hand, even though I largely agree with the arguments that college education should be lowered, the increasing cost of education is justifiable especially based on the trends in various sectors. Like the cost of college education, other sectors such as health and housing have been experiencing surging prices. Besides, the cost of living is also increasing. Thus, it is normal for the cost of college education to increase. However, parents and students should be cautious when choosing a college and degree programs. They should only select a college and degree program within their financial reach.
In conclusion, increasing college prices are preventing many people from attending colleges while at the same time it enhances inequality in society. Evidence from report and surveys indicate that the cost of college education is now out of reach for many people, particularly students from low-income households. Besides, the number of students who are enrolling for college education has been declining due to the surging prices. To address the college crisis, the government should partner with education stakeholders to reduce the cost of college prices. New educational programs should be initiated that are primarily intended to reduce the cost of education. The society is likely to encounter many challenges if it has high illiteracy level. At the same time, the high cost of college education will bring inequalities and disparity in society. The cost of education should be lowered because every individual deserves to get a quality education.
References
Fain, P. (2017, December 20). Enrollment Slide Continues, at Slower Rate. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/12/20/national-enrollments-decline-sixth- straight-year-slower-rate
Freedman, J. (2013, May 16). Why American Colleges Are Becoming a Force for Inequality. The Atlantic . Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/05/why- American-colleges-are-becoming-a-force-for-inequality/275923/
Maldonado, C. (2018, July 24). Price of College Increasing Almost 8 Times Faster Than Wages. Forbes . Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/camilomaldonado/2018/07/24/price-of-college-increasing- almost-8-times-faster-than-wages/#5b66a6c166c1
