As higher education costs continue to rise, both the government and universities are looking for ways to make it easier for students to afford college.
That’s good news for those looking to enroll in college – but it’s important to know that many of the initiatives taking place at the federal, state and local level have not yet been completely ironed out.
The high cost of college reached a flashpoint recently in New York City when the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, a school that had offered a free education to students since 1859, decided to start charging tuition in fall 2014.
After a student protest that lasted 65 days, students and the school reached a tentative agreement, although the details of the plan still must be worked out, according to an article in Rolling Stone magazine.
Across the country, education and political leaders are working out different approaches to the tuition increase issue. The issue hits every student in the pocketbook: the National Center for Education Statistics, which is part of the U.S. Department of Education, reported that the cost of undergraduate tuition, room and board at public universities increased 42% between the 2000-2001 and 2010-2011 school years.
According to CourseSmart, an e-text provider, the cost of higher education has increased 1,120% since 1979.
Plans to address the issue are various.
In Oregon, the state legislature has officially started to investigate a plan, called “Pay It Forward, Pay It Back,” which would allow students to attend college without paying if they agree to pay 3% of their annual income back to the university for 20 years after graduating.
Another method of combating costs is moving through school faster. Many universities now offer accelerated courses that allow students to learn a semester’s worth of material in just six to eight weeks.
Another method being employed by students themselves is to attend a cheaper community college for the first two years, then move up to the university level for the junior and senior years. Not only are community colleges typically cheaper than four-year universities, but students also often live at home, saving on boarding costs.
Another approach is to lock in tuition rates, something that is done by a few colleges, according to Bankrate.com. These colleges allow you to pay the same tuition for every year of college that you paid your freshman year. Those schools include: Baylor University; Centenary College in Louisiana; Concordia University in Illinois; Hardin-Simmons University in Texas; Urbana University in Ohio; the University of Charleston in Virginia; and Pace University in New York City.
Additionally, President Barack Obama has proposed a program by which the federal government will offer federal aid to states that cut tuition costs to public schools and also reward colleges that lower tuition costs and serve lower-income students.
Please Leave A Comment
Related posts:
President Obama Unveils Plans to Reduce Education Costs
Lowering The Cost of College Tuition – States Attacking College Costs
In-State Tuition Freeze for New Hampshire Universities
GI Tuition Fairness Act Promises Lower College Costs for Vets
Study Shows the Impact of Student Loans on Tuition Increases