|
While attending college has always been a major expense for students, public university tuition rates have recently increased by double-digit percentages in some states, making college especially hard to afford for middle-class students and families.
Tuitions on the rise at public and private colleges
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Students at the University of California at Berkeley protest a 32 percent tuition hike proposed in 2010. |
|
|
State budgets have been hit hard by the recession. Rising unemployment and falling housing prices have meant less revenue from income, sales and property taxes. Because states have to balance their budgets, they have been forced to make dramatic cuts in spending, and public funds for state universities have been an easy target.
California, a state that has become notorious for its budget woes, was the site of mass student protests in 2009 when lawmakers proposed a 32 percent tuition hike for the university system. Now, the system is preparing to absorb another $50 million in budget cuts, which could mean more tuition increases in coming years.
In Pennsylvania, legislators are discussing cutting higher education funding by as much as $54 million, which could spell a 30 percent tuition hike for students.
Private colleges seek to bolster financial aid
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Private colleges like McDaniel College in Westminster, Md. often offer help to students who can't afford to pay the steep tuition price. |
|
|
The ability of state universities to attract students with lower costs also worries private universities, which almost always have higher tuition rates.
According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees at a public, four-year university is $7,605 for in-state students and $11,990 for out-of-state students. Private, four-year colleges charge on average $27,293 per year in tuition and fees, but many top $40,000.
To become more affordable, private universities are increasingly offering students discounts on the tuition “sticker price” through financial aid packages. At McDaniel College, a small, private school in Westminster, Md., annual tuition is $33,280, a price tag out of reach for most students.
"That's how much it is, but that's not how much we pay," McDaniel student Lindsey Wilson told public radio program Marketplace. "I don't know anyone here who hasn't gotten financial aid."
Often, private universities must cut programs or increase rates for families who can afford the full cost in order to provide financial aid to students who need it.
Focus on careers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Some students are adjusting what they look for in a college since the recession has decreased the number of available jobs. |
|
|
The nation’s unemployment rate is at 8.8 percent, with nearly one in nine people out of work. Students are more concerned than ever about a college’s potential to help them land a job after graduation. In a survey conducted by the online scholarship search engine FastWeb, 68 percent of college applicants said the state of the economy had “greatly” or “somewhat” influenced their application decisions -- an 8 percent increase over 2009.
In the poll, 94 percent said the quality of the program in their major was an important factor in their college decision, while 93 percent cited the “value” of education as critical. More than 90 percent of students said employment opportunities after college were a major factor in their decision.
The NewsHour interviewed four recent college graduates who were having a hard time finding work after earning their diplomas. While all of them said they were glad they attended college, some said they would have pursued a more “practical” course of study if they had known about the economic situation upon graduation. None anticipated how challenging life would be after getting a college degree.
“This is what they've told you...after college you get a job and you start your life,” said Evan Melillo, who graduated in 2009 with a history major and a double minor in political science and philosophy. “I guess that fairytale is a little bit...you know, it's not quite as advertised."
Still, research shows that college graduates earn, on average, about $20,000 a year more than those who only have a high school diploma. College graduates also tend to get higher quality jobs with benefits and have the chance to earn advanced degrees, which offer even greater earning potential.
|
I think we've been witnessing violence for years, whether in reality through the media or through video games, and I don't think that's a first-hand effect.
