An Op-Ed piece.

According to FinAid, College tuition rates increase at about twice the rate of general inflation, a shocking discrepancy that affects more than a few high school students. This alarming trend is increasing the difficulty of paying for school, pushing many potential students’ goal of attending college out of reach. In addition, unlike previous eras, a college degree is now essentially mandatory for most entry-level careers, due to the job market’s heightened competition in a time of economical struggle. The outrageous price of college tuition leads to increased social stratification and a lack of economical mobility in America.

Kids raised in a low-to-middle socioeconomic class face struggles that accumulate and perpetuate one another throughout their academic careers and lives. Brilliance and ambition are practically irrelevant if students have neither the money for college nor the guidance for applying. Smart kids miss out on educational opportunities during and after high school; later, those same kids cannot obtain desirable careers in the workforce, which degrades the intelligence, potential, and strength of the entire country.

High school kids and their families who lack the funds to pay for college face a number of disadvantages preceding any serious consideration of applying. Kids who work to support themselves and their families have less time to focus on school than kids who are not under financial strain. The same kids may also have the disadvantage of having less encouragement to go to college and less guidance in terms of applying to college. There is also the unfortunate reality that high schools in lower-income areas cannot adequately educate students due to a lack of funding and support from the government.

Achievement tests such as the SATs are a standard unit of measurement for college admissions. However, succeeding on the SATs requires knowledge of the test’s format more than knowledge itself. Privileged students have the option of paying for classes, books, and tutors to achieve high SAT scores. Additionally, according to Library Index, minority students generally score lower on the SATs than white students, which further demonstrates the discrepancy between different races and socioeconomic classes of students. Thankfully, some colleges have begun to take these discrepancies into consideration when considering applicants’ SAT scores.

The average annual tuition of a public, four-year college is $7,020, and $26,273 for a four-year private university, according to CollegeBoard. Taking inflation into account over four years’ time, this adds up to between $31,770 and $118,902, amounts that are simply out of reach for a growing number of students. Universities acknowledge the rising cost of tuition, but point to the possibility of receiving financial aid. While the National Center for Education Statistics reports that a little under half of enrolled undergraduates receive financial aid, the average amount of aid received was $9,100 for the 2007-2008 school year, which barely makes a dent in covering the overall tuition cost.

How do colleges justify spiking tuition prices at twice the inflation rate? How is increased tuition improving education, if at all? The Center for College Affordability reports that over the past twenty years, colleges have doubled their support staff, while enrollment has increased only 40%. The amount of faculty and administrators has also increased by about 50% each, which new technology and sustainability-related positions may partially account for. Furthermore, many colleges place emphasis on building impressive dormitories and recreational facilities. However, colleges should focus on education and increasing productivity amongst their current staff instead of hiring specialists to the extent of making education unattainable for students nationwide.

Many of us became disillusioned to the American Dream long ago, but the climbing discrepancy between college tuition costs and qualified students is appalling. As the economy falls, competition rises, both for college applicants and in the job market. Every year fewer students are able to afford a college education, limiting the social and financial mobility of their entire lives.