College education is costing more every year making it very difficult for a student to attend both public and private colleges/universities:
A staggering statistics from the National Center for Educational Statistics stated that between 2001 and 2011 the cost of education went up 42% in the United States for public education. The percentage was a little less for the private not-for-profit institutions with an increase of 31%. The increase was dramatically lower for the private for-profit institutions with only a 5% increase from 2001 to 2011.
This cost was the average tuition, room and board inflation-adjusted prices for the full-time student.
These are cold hard facts when one is considering higher education in this day and age. Depending where you live in the United States, the cost of college education can be affordable or it can be very expensive for the middle class. I say this because if you are poor, you will get more help from the government provided you have done well academically and you can demonstrate a lot of need. The middle class is constantly being strangled financially in this economic environment.
Can the middle class and poor students get a college education to better their situation in this country? Conquering the cost of college education
The answer is emphatically, yes. No matter how expensive the cost of education gets, it is worth the investment in the long run for many reasons that I don’t have to explain. As the cost of college education becomes more expensive, parents and students need to look closely at their home state colleges and universities. If your state system is getting out of control with their price tag, you need to look at states with great public education at a reasonable cost.
These great public institutions with great price tags seems to be located in the southern part of the US, mid Atlantic states, and the mid west.
Most American students attend public colleges and public universities, and I am asking you to approach your college search process with open mind without geographical restriction. An affordable education may be two states away or clearly across the country. You will have to do your research to find these institutions and they tend to be in areas with lower cost of living.
Is there any relief in sight for this population that is being strangled by the high cost of college education along with the high cost living? Conquering the cost of college education
The answer is No. With each generation, the cost of education is naturally going to become more expensive because that is the way it is. As the cost of living rises, so will the cost of education. In the early 1970’s, the cost of education at a public state college was approximately $3,000 a year for everything and by early 1990’s it was around $8,000 a year for everything (in MA). The cost of education rose at a close proximity to the cost of living in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s but currently for the most part, it is out pacing the cost of living.
This deviation from the cost of living is strangling most middle class families financially when it comes to financing their children’s education.
The latest survey from the College Board tells us that a moderate budget for the school year of 2012/2013 at a public institution was $22,261 for everything and at private institutions it was $43,289 for everything. There is no end in sight for this gradual increase every year and the only remedy is to shop wiser. The cost of college education is mainly tuition and fees but in most cases, it will include housing, meals, books, school supplies, personal and transportation. This all depends if you live on campus or live at home.
The cost of a college education can be overwhelming but college comes at different levels of cost and there are ways to lower your cost of attendance with the use of financial aid and scholarships. Another way to lower your cost of attendance is to attend your local community college for the first two years and finish your junior and senior year at a four-year institution. You can also commute to school by living at home, which will eliminate room and board. Don’t let the price tag of a college/university deter you from applying if the institution is a good fit for you. Apply and see if the financial aid package can bring down the price to where you can afford to attend that particular institution with little help from your parents.
