With most of the world economy trying to recover from the reeling affect of the global recession over the past two years, a new education concept seems to be emerging. In recent times, authors like Jennifer Epstein and Lamar Alexander have posted articles on websites, such as USAToday.com and Newsweek.com explaining how giving newer opportunities to students to finish their four year bachelor’s degree within three years will prove extremely beneficial.
While both the authors sport similar sentiments, we will take into consideration those as projected by Jennifer Epstein. The article is a comprehensive piece explaining how most students will benefit from the introduction of three-year courses within universities, especially in terms of monetary benefits. While most of the arguments presented by the author in favor of three-year degrees stand valid, it may be taken into account that some of the crucial aspects with regards to the education system remain untouched and unexplored. If these few unexplored facets were to be considered, I am sure the conclusion of the author’s article might have differed alternately. In the counter-arguments I present further on in the paper, I will explore how introduction of three- year degree courses would rather mar the entire purpose of higher education and how the students will relatively suffer intermittently if subjected to the said change. However, to be fair to our opponent, we will first consider and reflect upon the points mentioned by her.
Jennifer Epstein is of the view that with the downturn in economy, it has become extremely difficult for the college students to manage to pay for the college fees. Further, with incessantly rising costs, the entire task of meeting the expense of a coll...
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...ly well students remain as a minority.
If one does not take into account the arguments mentioned above, the future workforce of America looks incompetent. Without the proper education and training that can only be provided to them through a thorough education process involving the entire four years’ rigorous training, the students of today and the workforce of tomorrow will face grave imperils. This will in turn affect the entire nation’s future as well. Therefore, I suggest that before taking any major resolution, the policy makers and educators should take all these factors in account.
Works Cited
Jennifer Epstein. "More colleges offering 3-year degrees." USAToday 11 Mar. 2010:
Lamar Alexander. "The Three-Year Solution." NewsWeek 17 Oct. 2009:
Valerie Strauss. "Colleges Consider 3-Year Degrees To Save Undergrads Time, Money." Washingtonpost, 2009.
Education comes at a high price for this generation and not just financially. Going to college can give students plenty of debt with no promise of a job in return, which can set a student father back on their course of life. Young adults trying to start their lives by going to college encounter many setbacks. Today the average cost for a private university is $25...
Bruni begins by describing the golden promise of college as it appeared for baby boomers. In that time getting into college and completing a degree was enough to be successful. He acknowledges that this idealized vision of college may be inaccurate, however, he asserts that the issue is far more “complicated” than it once was. Bruni makes use of a recent (2012) debate over student loan interest rates in the U.S. to explore the issues surrounding college education today. While rising student debt is certainly part of the problem he suggests that the issue extends beyond that. College is now a “luxury item with newly uncertain returns” (Bruni). While rising costs make college a luxury item that not everyone will be able to afford, even those who can and do manage to go to college are not guaranteed success.
A look back at the institution of education over the past 20 years will reveal that once upon a time a bachelor’s degree was long since considered the marker of ultimate success, the highest level of achievement that one could make in their lives. In those days, if for some reason you failed to march across the stage on graduation day after an epic, four-year stretch of high tuition, long nights studying, and unrelenting professors that found great joy in riding your back, then you had indeed failed at life.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, college tuition and relevant fees have increased by 893 percent (“College costs and the CPI”). 893 percent is a very daunting percentage considering that it has surpassed the rise in the costs of Medicare, food, and housing. As America is trying to pull out of a recession, many students are looking for higher education so they can attain a gratified job. However, their vision is being stained by the dreadful rise in college costs. College tuition is rising beyond inflation. Such an immense rise in tuition has many serious implications for students; for example, fewer students are attending private colleges, fewer students are staying enrolled in college, and fewer students are working in the fields in which they majored in.
Since the 1980’s the cost of attending colleges have increased rapidly. Rising costs of for Medicare, highways and prisons have caused many states to reduce a percentage of their budget for higher education. Colleges and Universities currently face a very serious challenge:
There is no escaping the fact that the cost of college tuition continues to rise in the United States each year. To make it worse, having a college degree is no longer an option, but a requirement in today’s society. According to data gathered by the College Board, total costs at public four-year institutions rose more rapidly between 2003-04 and 2013-14 than they did during either of the two preceding decades (Collegeboard.com). Students are pressured to continue into higher education, but yet, the increasing costs of books and tuition make us think twice. Sometimes, some of these students have to leave with their education partially finished, leaving them with crushing debts.
backgrounds, is greater than ever, access and opportunity in American higher education is more complex and a lot less optimistic. Also, the majority of jobs requiring a college education doubled over the past 40 years (Carnevale, Smith, Strohl, 2010). While half of all people from high-income families have a bachelor’s degree by age 25, just
For those who wish to have children in the future, imagine putting ten dollars a week aside from now until they turned eighteen. That money would hardly accumulate up to even a portion of the costs for just a single year of higher education. In the article, “America’s Most Overrated Product: The Bachelor’s Degree”, an essay from the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2008, author Marty Nemko discusses all aspects that should be considered before pursuing a serious interest in educational institutions. Being a current student at a four-year institution it concerns me for not only myself but also fellow peers if we are making the right decision. The costs of higher education are increasing drastically along with the amount of Americans in debt from student loans. The value of a bachelor degree is declining and students are faced with the question, do the benefits of a collegiate education out weigh the costs?
As with many achievements in life, obtaining a college degree presents itself as a valuable asset in life by offering many economic opportunities. According to Abel and Deitz, “The economic benefits of a college
Going to four a year college directly after high school would cost a fortune amount of money. Before high school’s graduation even comes close, parents and students already find themselves in a marketing environment to look for higher education. The estimate cost of four year university is from thirty to sixty thousand each year. It is impossible for an average 18 year old high school graduate student to hold up these tuition fees on their own. Without the help from wealthy parents or government loans, four years university educations are considered luxury-dreams for high school graduates. Even though many people assume they would able to save a great amount of time and get better jobs by going directly to a four year university, it is not a realistic assumption. According to Kevin Carey, director of the Education Policy Program at the New America Foundation, a large and growing number of graduates are having trouble paying their loans for tuition fees as well as worthless degrees has became a signification topic. Leaving qualities and results of four years education undecided, it is a great deal of effort to find a job in nowadays economy. In fact, there isn’t a bridge to go directly from four years university to a job.
The skyrocketing price of college tuition is causing a tremendous concern over whether higher education will be a viable financial concept to the average citizen over the next decades. Some families have opted to explore different means of obtaining a higher education for their children as these costs escalate. There is overwhelming evidence that colleges need to restructure the way they are run because tuition prices are increasing at a rapid rate causing changes in the way students fund their education and in the way the government provides educational subsidies.
College preparation is not the only area in which schools are failing students. According to Achieve, Inc. (2005), 39% of high school graduates in the workforce say that they have deficiencies. When asked about being prepared for future jobs, forty-six percent say that they are deficient in the skills needed. These shortcomings in the education system will escalate when in the next 10 years, 80% of job openings will require education or training past the high school level (Achieve, 2010). One third of jobs will require a bachelor’s degree. Lower educational attainment is a national problem. Competing countries now boast more workers with associates degree...
With the rapid growth of college tuition, it has become an important issue in higher education. College Tuition is simply defined as the charge or fee for instruction, at a private school or a college or a university. Most people agree today that college tuition is too high or that it needs to be completely dismissed. There are some however, that may disagree with the claim about college tuition and state that college tuition is necessary for college growth, and it’s primary purpose is to pay for college expenses to support the institution financially. Research shows that college tuition is too high and that debt has become a standard in America after attending post-secondary school.
Slowinski, J. (Jan/Feb 2002). What will the future of education look like? Book Report, 20(4), 18-20. Retrieved November 10, 2003, from Academic Search/Ebsco.
As the late Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” When it comes to the topic of higher education and if it is worthwhile, strong opinions come into play. Many people believe that higher education is valuable because there are undeniable benefits from the time put forth in college and beyond. On the other hand, some people also believe that college is not for everyone, and all career paths do not require a college degree. Higher education is a valuable tool from which the benefits can been seen in future salaries, personal growth, and in opportunities that arise.