College: Is it Still worth it?

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Elementary school, middle school, high school, college―that’s how we’re told our education careers should go. After college you go on and get a job based on the degree you received. Seems simple right? According to Erik Lowe in his Seattle Times article “Keep Washington’s College Tuition Affordable,” he informs that people in his generation are the first to be less educated than their parents, in the United States. He explains that this is due to the high cost of tuition followed by a huge amount of student loan debt. Lowe believes that there needs to be a significant change in the country’s higher education systems (in reference to the tuition costs) or the decline of college attendance will continue. There needs to be a decrease of college tuition because as it currently is, many people are unable to go to college due to the cost and if they do, they are loaded with debt and faced with the daunting task of finding a job.
For most families with teenagers applying for colleges there is one main question―what will it cost us? According to The College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2013–2014 school year was $30,094 at private colleges, $8,893 for state residents at public colleges, and $22,203 for out-of-state residents attending public universities. Although these numbers are averages, the actual costs of colleges are widely varied. A sad truth about this is that many students and their families don’t even know where all their money is going. Normally the money is paying for tuition; fees; housing and meals; books and school supplies; and personal and transportation expenses. As showed in the average cost of college, usually a school has a lower tuition for in-state residents and a vastly higher tuition for ou...

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...e American Prospect. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
"EDITORIAL: College tuition is too high." Philadelphia Inquirer. 13 Jan. 2013. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
Ellison, Chris. “Lower Tuition Rates Do Not Ensure Less Student Debt.” The Oswegonian. 10 Nov. 2011. Web. 12. Mar. 2014.
Lowe, Erik. “Keep Washington’s Tuition Affordable.” The Seattle Times. 23 Jan. 2009. Web. 6 Mar. 2014.
Meyer, Ron. "It's the price of tuition that hurts; Interest rates aren't all that's wrong about college costs." Washington Times.12 Aug. 2013. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
Vance, J.D. "The college trap: our higher-education system hurts the poor." National Review 27 Jan. 2014. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
College Board, The. “What’s The Price Tag For a College Education?” College Data. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.

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