College May Become Unaffordable for Most in U.S.

[tony hipchest]

the title is misleading. it should read- "...WILL become unaffordable for most...", (then again, ive only been following this trend since 1990).

its all part of the master plan where the rich get richer and the poor become poorer (and the middle class slowly evaporates).

anyways great study (data taken from 1982-2007), with impressive stats and a nice little graph comparing the rise of tuition to medical care, median family income, and consumer price index.


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/ed...e.html?_r=1&em

The rising cost of college — even before the recession — threatens to put higher education out of reach for most Americans, according to the biennial report from the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

Over all, the report found, published college tuition and fees increased 439 percent from 1982 to 2007, adjusted for inflation, while median family income rose 147 percent. Student borrowing has more than doubled in the last decade, and students from lower-income families, on average, get smaller grants from the colleges they attend than students from more affluent families.

“If we go on this way for another 25 years, we won’t have an affordable system of higher education,” said Patrick M. Callan, president of the center, a nonpartisan organization that promotes access to higher education.

“When we come out of the recession,” Mr. Callan added, “we’re really going to be in jeopardy, because the educational gap between our work force and the rest of the world will make it very hard to be competitive. Already, we’re one of the few countries where 25- to 34-year-olds are less educated than older workers.”

Although college enrollment has continued to rise in recent years, Mr. Callan said, it is not clear how long that can continue.

“The middle class has been financing it through debt,” he said. “The scenario has been that families that have a history of sending kids to college will do whatever if takes, even if that means a huge amount of debt.”

But low-income students, he said, will be less able to afford college. Already, he said, the strains are clear.

The report, “Measuring Up 2008,” is one of the few to compare net college costs — that is, a year’s tuition, fees, room and board, minus financial aid — against median family income. Those findings are stark. Last year, the net cost at a four-year public university amounted to 28 percent of the median family income, while a four-year private university cost 76 percent of the median family income.

The share of income required to pay for college, even with financial aid, has been growing especially fast for lower-income families, the report found.

Among the poorest families — those with incomes in the lowest 20 percent — the net cost of a year at a public university was 55 percent of median income, up from 39 percent in 1999-2000. At community colleges, long seen as a safety net, that cost was 49 percent of the poorest families’ median income last year, up from 40 percent in 1999-2000.

The likelihood of large tuition increases next year is especially worrying, Mr. Callan said. “Most governors’ budgets don’t come out until January, but what we’re seeing so far is Florida talking about a 15 percent increase, Washington State talking about a 20 percent increase , and California with a mixture of budget cuts and enrollment cuts,” he said.

geeze, usually tuition only goes up 7-10% every year.

[xfl2001fan]

Is it any wonder that we're amongst the "most stupidest" of the super power countries?

Combine this with constant standardized testing...and we find that our society is more concerned about short term success...without regard to long term effects/failures in regards to education.

For that matter, that applies to most everything that we do as a society. Sad.

[revefsreleets]

Akron had a plan to lease the sewer system to a private firm for a hundred years, and to use the proceeds to underwrite, or in some cases, completely subsidize local kids college tuitions as long as they went to Akron U or a local community college. The plan had many merits, but too many loopholes and strings attached to pass, but I expect to see more and more initiatives like this as a way to bridge the gap. Other than helping people afford college, it also had the nice side benefit of slowing the "brain drain" of recent grads heading to the South and Southwest...

[RunWillieRun]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

the title is misleading. it should read- "...WILL become unaffordable for most...", (then again, ive only been following this trend since 1990).

its all part of the master plan where the rich get richer and the poor become poorer (and the middle class slowly evaporates).

anyways great study (data taken from 1982-2007), with impressive stats and a nice little graph comparing the rise of tuition to medical care, median family income, and consumer price index.


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/ed...e.html?_r=1&em



geeze, usually tuition only goes up 7-10% every year.

I just don't understand...aren't the vast majority of colleges/universities run by academics (i.e. liberals)? Why would these people be part of the "master plan where the rich get richer and the poor become poorer?"

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by RunWillieRun

I just don't understand...aren't the vast majority of colleges/universities run by academics (i.e. liberals)? Why would these people be part of the "master plan where the rich get richer and the poor become poorer?"

Well, there's a good question.

[Preacher]

I think instead of head directly to conspiracy theories, maybe people should look at the normal costs of running a school.

What has happened to healthcare? The school has to pay healthcare for all their employees, or they don't get good employees and faculty. The Students pay that.

What has happened to energy bills? The schools have to have energy, or they don't have class, not to mention the increase in the energy usage in the dorms. the students pay the increase

What has happened in the area of electronic media? Colleges have had to revamp computers, networks, add IT departments, etc. All those things have a VERY short life span, including massive software licenses which must be renewed (though discounted). However, that ALSO means training for entire IT departments and training for all other departments. Who pays for all of that? Students.

The massive increase in knowledge and shrinking world has brought brand new disciplines. 40 years ago, I dare you to find quantam physics, computer science departments, intercultural communication departments, etc. etc. In order to have those, you must have PhD's running the departments and teaching for the most part (some non-Ph.D's are ok, if they have made a significant contribution to the area), however, those are the very departments which are in vogue in the business world, so it takes MONEY to bring them into academics. Who pays for all those knew programs and professors to teach them? Students.

Master plan? Nope. Just the reality of competing in a modern age.

BTW, the problem with our countries' education isn't the colleges, it is the grammar and secondary schools.

[The Patriot]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

College May Become Unaffordable for Most in U.S.

I'm pretty sure that's how it was originally designed to be.

[drizze99]

Well, I am fortunate to live in a state that still has a great university at an affordable cost.

University of Delaware (now made well known by Joe Flacco) only costs us 8K/year for in state residents. Of course that does not include housing but for a family that is on a tight budget, it is a fantastic school known for its engineering program. We have Catholic High Schools that cost more per year!

[GBMelBlount]

You also may want to look into why public schools are TWICE as expensive as private schools in many cases and have MUCH poorer test results on average....

[SteelersMongol]

This not so good news matters to the future international students who who wants study in the states as well. I know some of you might think "Why would we worry about foreign students, when what's most important is our kids?", which is true, but I'm telling you financially they make pretty investments from the overseas, & culturally it opens the eyes of many.