Is Higher Education Worth the Price?

Higher education has unfortunately become one of those conversations that make you feel uneasy and anxious. In truth, higher education should be associated with security and freedom, but when tuition costs and student loans enter the picture, that idea falls apart. In “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?”, Hacker and Dreifus point out how common it has become for students to graduate with six figures worth of debt (2010). With that being one of the biggest issues of this topic, students rightfully question the worth of higher education.


The most disadvantaged individuals in these situations are students from low-income families. In articles such as “College Guide for Low Income Students” you can find facts about how the current education system negatively affects this group of students, and it also provides some insight into the unique challenges they face (ASO, 2021). In some of my blogs I like to mention my personal experiences as an international student as we discuss different subjects such as higher education in America. Kosovo, on the other hand, is a developing country, but it provides free higher education to its students. While there are huge differences between these two countries, I wonder why a powerful country like America is unable to provide free education to its low-income students?

The Ivory Tower documentary puts forth ideas around an ideal education. The current education system in America pins down low-income students, when in fact it should serve as a ladder to a better future for them. The financial burden that comes with the college experience makes it impossible for these students to get out of the bad financial situations they are already in. That is why many leaders like Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have come up with plans for free higher education. What Bernie believes is that the American people deserve freedom – true freedom; you are not truly free when you graduate college with hundreds of thousands of dollars in student debt (Bernie, n.d.).

 Another thing that comes along with the pressure of pursuing higher education is picking the right career. “The New Liberal Arts'' article details the significance of decision-making when it comes to picking a career while being challenged by financial struggles, and by also considering the future value and the importance of a chosen degree (Ungar, 2010). With all the planning that I have done for my higher education during the last year, I can say I feel very comfortable with the decisions I have made. I managed to pursue a degree that I am passionate about, but making smart financial decisions was a huge part of this process. So, to answer this module’s question – to me, higher education is not worth the financial aftermath. As students decide to start college, I would advise them to make smart financial choices, taking into consideration the current education system that has such a big say in their future upon graduation.

References

 

Accredited Schools Online. (2021, September 14). College guide for low income students. https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/low-income-students/

Bernie. (n.d). College for all and cancel all student debt. https://berniesanders.com/issues/free-college-cancel-debt/

Hacker, A., Dreifus, C. (July 11, 2010). Are colleges worth the price of admission?. “They say/I say”: the moves that matter in academic writing: with readings / Graff, G., Birkenstein, C., Durst, R.  – 2^nd ed.

Ungar, S. (March 5, 2010). The new liberal arts. “They say/I say”: the moves that matter in academic writing: with readings / Graff, G., Birkenstein, C., Durst, R.  – 2^nd ed.