by Austin Chou | ILEX Publications Intern | UC Berkeley Class of 2017
Education in America is slowly becoming an unsightly burden. With the ever increasing requirements that jobs require, even a college degree isn’t worth it’s weight anymore. Today, tuition averages a little under $9,000 for an in state student and as much as $22,000 for out of state students. While the economic state gradually regains its former vigor, universities have to deal with cuts that state governments have inflicted upon them. With this, tuition continues to rise making it hard on families. Even with a college education, students today still have a tough time finding jobs that want the enthusiasm of new graduates and the experience of a person whose been in the field.
This difficulty in finding jobs places quite a strain on students with student loans that need to be repaid. In comparison with education in say Europe, US tuition fees are ridiculous. European education averages maybe $1,000 a year for many high quality universities while, as previously mentioned, the US averages $9,000 for an instate student. This radical difference in price is a warning for the US to step back and ask whether it wants to place a greater importance on the education of our youth or per se, the already well-funded military.
On the topic of higher education, Obama has recently sought to invoke a new rating system for universities to determine which colleges “give more bank for the buck”. Those rated higher will subsequently receive more federal aid. With the possible implementation of such a system, schools will have to react accordingly, but will this reaction involve additional tuition increases or will schools lower prices to increase their potential payback rating?
To really consider the efficiency of these colleges, student investments in high school need to be taken into consideration. In the application system for almost all schools, the numbers speak for themselves: GPA, SAT, ACT, etc. Schools look at your scores as an indicator of your future potential. Investing in review schools to help improve your scores is one of the few tangible things a student can do to increase their scores and open up opportunities to choose from; with a high-achieving score, students open up opportunities to view high-tier colleges and scholarships.
Overall, competition in the US gradually increases as more students apply every year. Students are gaining more responsibility in determining their future with the need to consider present and future costs along with maintaining an impressive balance of both activities and grades. With so much on the line, only the best can rise to the top.
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