In “The Growing College Gap”, author Tamara Draut suggests that in spite the growth of high school graduates pushing forward with plans of higher educational goals, socioeconomic situations play a role in college access and achievement among class and race. Draut validates this claim by explaining “When student aid is focused on merit rather than need, it tends to go to students from families who can already afford college tuition…The same can’t be said for need-based aid. The availability of grant aid has a big influence on whether lower-income students will enroll in college at all” (382-383). Draut’s position is that many lower income students are not able to attend college due to the shift in funding from need-based aid to merit-based aid. …show more content…
This in turn forces them to obtain loans to fill the void or go to a school they can afford such as community colleges. Further clarifying, Draut testifies, “Another 168,000 college-qualified students don’t enroll in any college at all. Unmet need has forced low- and moderate-income families to abandon the most successful recipe for obtaining a college degree: full-time on-campus study” (384). Draut explains this further with the decline of federal aid for students to attend a 4 year college they many choose the cheaper alternative. For some, community colleges may be the only affordable option with the flexibility to work a full time job. Unfortunately this adds to the tussle between working a paying job, and going to school, and the schooling is dropped as a result or they just don’t …show more content…
For most lower class families, the hopes of getting financial aid to attend college is pretty slim because they all too often make over the allotted amount based on certain criteria, and most families are over extended with their finances as it is to be able to apply for loans. The young adults can’t get the loans without the parent’s help, so they have to wait until they reach a certain age and that’s why in my opinion, there are so many 25 year old or older students attending college so they can get the loans on their own, or hopefully make enough money out of high school to pay for
Students are constantly spending money over the course of four years or longer, on so many things from tuition, to dorm rooms, textbooks, and the basic needs like food and water. Many college students are coming straight out of high school. Some of them had jobs, and others did not. If I knew that I had to spend so much money, on everything, right away. I would’ve started working when I was five. Fortunately, I have parents who pay for my tuition, and help me pay for textbooks, and other things I need. But some people don’t have parents who can support their college education, or if they have paid, the cost might build up, and they can no longer afford to pay for school. So they have to withdraw or dropout. This also goes with a small part as to why I believe that college dropout rates are high, like I said, it gets too expensive for people that they can no longer attend college, without going into major debt. Gutting also talks about how, college students get these unrealistic ideas of what college life is from movies, and television shows, making it look like a dream place to go. Don’t get me wrong college can be an amazing time and place to experience new things, but the over exaggeration from the movies and
people agree with the state that Liz borrows from Thomas Jefferson, "Everybody should have an education proportional to their life,"(Addison 256). Unfortunately, the average income between rich and poor in America is not accurate, everyone supposed to become somebody in life; college gives opportunity to everyone who wants to do so, to become whatever they want, and at any age with a low cost. as much as the income level between rich and poor in America stays unbalanced; college will always be there to gives opportunity to people who want to learn, but cannot afford to attend university. Liz Addison points out an example in the article. It describes “a college application essay workshop for low-income students” (Addison 256). This is suitable for low-income students, but it doesn’t mention an education at universities. People who go to community college have a lot trouble to find jobs which can allow them to pay their debt after graduate. However, in university you are more likely to find and job and be able to pay your
The idea of freedom and equal opportunity that America was built on has sadly been lost and replaced with a system of quality education only being accessible by the wealthy. In-state college tuition should be free for all students meeting admission requirements, allowing students from the full spectrum of economic backgrounds to have the same opportunity to receive the same education. The incidence of poverty in the U.S. is directly linked to educational level. When a college degree is earned, income levels rise (College Board). The best use of federal government anti-poverty funds is not another welfare or assistance program; it is to make college education affordable for everyone.
Not everyone can afford it . Some just don't meet requirements. But now everyone needs to go to college and get a bachelor’s degree or higher . The world is becoming too competitive with everyone seeking a well paying job that even offers health benefits . People can be influenced to go to college because of the money . The world has become of money . Everything is money . We need money to live with no struggle in this Economy . People are also influenced by their dreams , their family , or just fod the experience . Whatever influences a person to go college they need to go
Many are expecting college to be expensive. They worry about how much they can afford and having to make payment arrangements. Some go as far as to think only rich people can afford to go to college. There is a thought that you have to have good credit to get a loan that takes forever to pay back. Many are not aware of the programs that are o...
Morosely, people hitting poverty level are truly given zero opportunities to advance their education. In America, it 's not common that the A+ education is given to you. It 's not entirely easy to land the greatest job ever with just a high school diploma. But, the cost of college has made the difference between having a job that pays well, and having a job that pays immensely for people living in poverty. Poor people are frequently unable to pay for housing, food, childcare, health care, and education. The cost of living per month for a single, childless person in America is $2,372. Galbraith stresses importance of improving housing across the nation.(Galbraith 405) With unemployment rates remaining high, jobs are hard to find in the current economy. Even if people can find work, this does not automatically provide an escape from
According to Leonhardt, many people who drop out usually plan to go back eventually to get their degrees, but very few actually do. According to “Access to Attainment”, approximately 65% of all job openings will require postsecondary education by the year 2020 and “many of the long-standing programs and policies designed to foster access no longer supports the needs of today’s students” (Miller, et al. 5). The availability of higher education to the public has greatly changed over time, and thus the system and the programs must adapt as well to continue providing the best access and opportunities possible to individuals. “….a college education matters much more now than it once did” (Leonhardt). Lower-class students coming from low-income high schools might not have the same opportunities for learning as their upper-class counterparts, and as a result they are less likely to be accepted to elite universities. The education system is beneficial for many but it is flawed as well, especially in preparing high schoolers for college, which has the potential to greatly impact their
Ever since high school, all students are told about the many different financial options available to them to help pay for their college education. However, there are also students who are told that they are available for additional aid because they are considered to be underprivileged. For students like me, the term “underprivileged” is placed on them early on in schools and will continue to follow them for most of their undergraduate career. I am able to relate to this article because I am considered to be an underprivileged student. For as long as I can remember, I have been identified as such and for a while I got made fun of because I was labeled as being underprivileged. I know what it feels like as a child to be ostracized just and having to deal with the label as a college student can be just as embarrassing at times. While the additional funds that are available may be helpful for an already struggling college student to pay for courses; the term “underprivileged” itself can be damaging to the students emotionally. As the Phoenix newspaper editor, Natasha Rodriguez, expresses in her article “Who Are You Calling Underprivileged,” (p. 206) colleges often label students as being “underprivileged” based off of their lower income, their backgrounds, or even their ethnicity. Rodriguez points out that though the assistance is appreciated, being called underprivileged or told that you have lived an “underprivileged” life could invoke a lot of different emotions in a student. Rodriguez then goes on to question the use of the term “underprivileged” by colleges and why another word should be adopted to identify students in need. She argues that colleges should adopt a phrase similar to “students in n...
Steve Cohen shows the disparity between the rising cost of college and a family’s capability to afford it. Cohen explains “Tuition has risen almost 1,200 percent in the last 35 years, and the sticker price for many four-year private colleges and out-of-state public universities exceeds $250,000.” Moreover, he goes on to say that even at public universities, it is about $80,000 for four years for tuition and other college related expenses. Later in his article, Cohen explains how this leaves middle-class families in a very uncomfortable situation. The parents or other money-making entities in the household want their student to go to college and earn a degree, but now there can be an element of stress in figuring out how the fees will be paid for. Furth...
The number of low-income students enrolled as undergraduates in U.S. colleges and universities, has grown over the past 35 years (NCES, 2007a). For example, the number of low-income students entering college immediately following high school has increased by over 60 percent since 1970 (Mortenson, 2007). Although it may appear
Everyone knows that person from high school that just wasn’t cut out for college. It’s not a bad thing by any means, but if you’re thinking about heading off to college like many American teenagers often do, think about this: going to college can be a waste of both your time and your money. I’m not the first to say it, and I sure as hell won’t be the last. In Stephanie Owen and Isabel Sawhill’s essay, Should Everyone Go to College?, the two authors take a strong economic approach to justify going to college. Owen, an ex- senior research assistant at Brookings’ Center on Children and Families and current research associate at the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan center for research on the problems of urban communities, and Sawhill, the co-director
Going to college and furthering someone’s future career is a very important part of life.. Making the choice of going to college or not going to college could affect someone for the rest of their life, If a student decides to go to college after high school they will be in debt for many years after they graduate college. “Over the past decade, tuition and fees have risen much faster than inflation and outpaced the cost of housing and health care” (Blumenstyk). Blumenstyk is showing how outrageous the cost of college tuition has become. Whether it is for a University or a Community college either one. Most people spend their whole lives being in debt just because of buying a house and now they will have the burden of paying off their college tuition as well. They may keep getting a bill in the mail that most of them will hate looking at, and also putting down that much money each month for their payment. While college does create the opportunity of increased pay and better jobs, it should not mean students are required to pay all the money they earn back the college. At that point people may as well not go to a
There are so many students who would extremely grateful to attend any four year institution but can’t because of the lack of funds. College life can be very stressful, and the process can is very frustrating to most students the first two years. When the cost of college tuition is compared to the 21 century financial economy the cost does not make sense, because for a middle-class family it is impossible to afford sending their child to any four-year institution. It hard for students to graduate with the stress to pay-off hundreds and thousands of dollars in loans. Going to college is stressful enough without the need to worry about how we’re going to pay for it and what other costs will continue to rise with getting a degree afterwards. With the current increase of unemployment rate and the thought of going to college seems like a farfetched goal. Many people choice not to attend a four year institution, because they did receive a scholarship or enough government funding. Having a college background is very important for professional growth, it will eventually limit career opportunities. My stand point is, you may not leave college doing the same thing you began with but the life experience is endless. College experience not only gives knowledge that builds you into a better person by giving a broader erosion. With the cost of tuition increasing will hurt our generation, by causing physical and mental stress but in the end it will all pay off. Not all colleges are for the blame; some of the blame is our economy and other factors play a big roll. As students we need to be aware of all our resources offered, such as Pell Grants, and government scholarships. For example, the some states will pay for a student’s college if they graduate high school with a GPA of 3.5 or higher. There are many states that are willing to pay for all or some of college tuition only if students are willing to use
But what’s more important? Saving money orapplying to college? So here we ask ourselves on more time, is college worth it? Of course, it is.The more colleges you apply for, the better. Expanding your college options are better thanlimiting yourself with a budget.The cost of tests and applications may be high, but that is nothing compared to how muchcollege really costs. In college, you’re not just paying for the opportunity to learn. You arepaying for books, to rooming, to the grass you step on, and to the air you breathe. A student withno subsidizing means to pay for college can find themselves amidst a nightmare when findingout how much college costs. The cost is so high that an “average of $29,400” (Webber 2) isexpected for a single student’s loans. College tuition, is not lenient, and you know it’s bad whenalmost former president Barack Obama mentioned and “criticized the rising rate of collegetuition” (Gutmann 136). The average cost of college can “range from $3,000 to more than$32,000” (How Much Will College Cost Me? 1). And for low-income students? The statisticssay that “only 52 percent of low-income students enrolled in a…college immediately upongraduating” (Elliot 26). The game is not in the favor of low-income students. In fact, collegecosts plus lack of monetary. See, they need jobs to pay for college, but without college, thechances at a good paying job are slim. And so, some never see the end of
A college education is worth the time and money. According to the website Bureau of Labor Statistics statistic graph [Unemployment rates and earnings by educational attainment, 2016], it describes annual income gaps based on what educational level that people have. The result of the analysis demonstrates that people who have a bachelor degree earn more than four hundred dollars weekly as compare to people who do not have any degrees, and the gap will be enlarged to approximately twenty one thousands dollars in terms of a year. In fact, not only for international students, but also local students, attending a college for two years before getting transferred to a university is very common and economical way to get the bachelor degree. Also,