Why People Can No Longer Afford the College Price Tag
A Look Into Why College is Only Getting More Costly
As our seniors prepare to leave high school behind and consider pursuing higher education, they are faced with one question, “Which college will I attend?” Looking through the costs of tuition, the only logical follow-up question is, “Why is college so expensive?” which this article seeks to answer.
Higher education in the United States is far different from the rest of the world. In the U.S., we see college not only as a way to receive a degree but also as an important chapter in our lives. Many see college as a place to find themselves, explore new possibilities, experiment, and establish some independence from their guardians before entering the workforce.
Dormitories, stadiums, courts, gyms, and more are all amenities universities try to offer to entice those looking for the “college experience.”
All of these features cost money, and that cost is reflected in the tuition. With an increasing number of people looking to get a higher education, the demand for college and universities increases; especially if that university is prestigious or desirable. With higher demand, universities increase tuition costs.
What do those colleges and universities do with that extra tuition money? A majority of colleges and universities are non-profit, meaning they must reinvest tuition money back into their school. Money made from increased tuition is used to improve facilities or increase the capacity of the campus to meet the increasing demand.
While the cost of expanding college facilities and classes is partly to blame for high tuition costs; funding, or lack thereof, there is another culprit. Non-profit colleges also receive financial support from state and federal governments. Funding to non-profit colleges and universities has remained stagnant or decreased in recent years, especially following the 2008 recession.
To accommodate more students, colleges look to find more funding to pay for their growing number of staff and instructors. If the government is not providing those funds, then the cost is passed onto the students in the form of increasingly expensive tuition.
