Essay On Tuition

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College students are wanting the solution for the cost of tuition to attend an institution of higher education. A solution that effectively helps students and their families save money for one of the most expensive things a person will spend money on. Fixed tuition, also known as guaranteed tuition, is slowly growing in the nation and is even a program some states are forced to offer college students. Fixed tuition is one of several solutions against the rising cost of tuition of America’s higher educational institutions. This policy helps college students fight against the steady rising costs of college tuition. Fixed tuition can also help students graduate on time. The policy however does face opposition from those who have concerns over …show more content…

“Fixed or guaranteed tuition policies set a single tuition price for each incoming class that cannot increase for a certain period—usually four years” (Weeden). During the four or five years a student is attending college, the price of tuition that they are paying from when they enter will not change. Tuition will remain the same if the student opts to join the plan, given that it is provided at the school. This is the only plan guaranteed to keep a student’s tuition at a flat rate for their stay at an institution of higher education. “About 320 colleges and universities offered tuition guarantees during the 2012-13 school year, according to an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data done by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators” (Johnson). The plan is gaining popularity and is spreading to many different schools. This policy is relatively young and started in school many people may not have heard of. “Since Summer 1999 Western Illinois University has offered an undergraduate cost guarantee for tuition…” (Tuition and Fees and Other Costs). This university was the first to experiment with the idea of fixed tuition. Fixed tuition programs then soon started to spread to different schools. It first spread to other schools in Illinois and then to colleges in varying states across the nation. Not only did it spread to six states the United States, but it became a mandatory requirement for colleges to offer …show more content…

Fixed tuition helps them budget and hopefully save money for the next four to five years of their lives while in college. “Students say the programs help them hold down costs by allowing them to budget wisely and borrow less” (Johnson). College is an expensive thing everyone is not necessarily prepared for. Between the costs tuition, room and board, food, books, supplies, and miscellaneous things that come up, saving money in the bank can be a very hard thing to do. Two-thirds of today’s college graduates take on debt to complete their degree (Dwyer). With this staggering amount young Americans starting their lives with debt that will take many years to pay off just to go to school is absurd. Fixed tuition is aimed to help counter this problem and stop people from getting these mounds of debt that they will struggle with for years to come. “…Colleges and universities can claim that they are offering parents and students the comfort of knowing exactly how much tuition they will be charged during the student 's tenure at the institution. This peace of mind is of significant value to those facing the prospect of paying ever-increasing tuition costs” (Morphew). This plan is a peace of mind to many people. Knowing how much you will pay from start to finish and the fact that it will never change is a big deal. The cost of everyday life changes all the time and that stresses people out enough. Knowing if

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