The SkyRocketing Cost of College

 Argument & Counterargument The current price of college and the rate that it is rising is unreasonable for young adults to have to pay back, and there should be more programs to aid students in paying these back.  An opposing view is that  the price of college education is justifiable, since you are paying for a degree that you will most likely use for the rest of your life. Some also say that it is worth the price because “higher enrollment has brought an expansion of financial-aid programs, a need to increase budgets for faculty pay and on-campus student services, and a decline in financial support from state governments” (Hoffower 1). While this is true, the price of college is still rising at an alarming rate. Since it has risen at such a fast pace, most older adults do not understand the struggles that current-day college students go through. With tuition prices so high, millennials are currently facing unique struggles that previous generations did not deal w...

 My case is to demonstrate how rapidly the tuition prices of college have increased, specifically by comparing them to the increase of house prices.  The tuition prices have skyrocketed at an alarming pace. Since 1978, tuition prices and fees have increased by 1,120%.  These education costs have grown faster than most things, including the costs of houses.  This is unrealistic amount for a college student to pay back, and the price of education has grown faster than the inflation rate. This helps support my argument that the tuition prices are exceedingly high, and it is not an easily attainable price for young adults to have to pay. 

 1.Visual:   This is the book, Family Values: Between Neoliberalism and the New Social Conservatism, written by Melinda Cooper 2. Citation: Cooper, Melinda. “In Loco Parentis.” Family Values: between Neoliberalism and the New Social Conservatism , by Melinda Cooper, Zone Books, 2019. 3. Summary: In the specific article, In Loco Parentis, Cooper explains the importance of "human capital" and why education should be viewed as an important investment that is needed to be mad by our society. Cooper also explains the stresses of student debt on families and how it specifically affects them. 4. Author: The author of this book is Melinda Cooper. Cooper graduated from the University of Paris in 2001, and is now a professor in the school of Social and Political Science at the University of Sydney, Australia. By studying and teaching Social Sciences, Cooper is educated and has enough knowledge to write a book about student debt.  5. Key Terms: - "human capital": the skills, k...

 A concept that strongly helps me analyze and explain my project is the concept of "human capital". The source that has helped me the most with this concept is Melinda Cooper's, "In Loco Parentis". Human capital is the skills that each individual has and how it helps the society or world that they live in. I am using the concept of human capital to help my project by using it in terms of education costs. To help defend why tuition costs should be lowered, I use the need for human capital. Cooper writes how " spending on human services such as an education should be considered an investment rather than an act of consumption". By investing in the education of the population of America, we are actually creating a better and more educated society, which will help everyone overall.

  I am using this graph to help my presentation. This graph depicts the cost of college in the United States, from 1971 to 2019. It shows how much it has increased, and that it has by 145%. This helps for my presentation by giving information on the rising costs of college, and helps support my argument that the price has become too high. 

 Research Question: With the college tuition costs always skyrocketing, many students struggle financing their way through college. What are some ways that we can make college more affordable for all? What are some proposed plans to help this issue? Who is benefiting from these high tuition costs, and would there be serious financial repercussions from lowering them? Works Cited: Dvorkin, Eli|Bowles. “Deeper in Debt: For-Profit Schools Driving Student Loan Default in New       York State. Data Brief.” Center for an Urban Future , Center for an Urban Future. 120       Wall Street 20th Floor, New York, NY 10005. Tel: 212-479-3341; Fax: 212-344-6457; Web Site:                   Http://Www.nycfuture.org, 30 Nov. 2018, eric.ed.gov/?id=ED592759.  Hansen, Kiese|Shaw. “How States Can Solve the Student Debt Crisis: A Framework for       Reducing Student Debt Burdens for Pr...