TOPIC: Regulating College Tuition ©
In this country, there has been a high price put on education. This is especially true if one’s chosen educational institution is not in the state in which they reside. An in-state college tuition for a state school is about one third the amount of an out-of-state’s, or a private school’s tuition. It is unknown to a large majority why these price differences occur.
This topic really burns deep inside me. I am directly affected by this ridiculous situation that college hopefuls all of the country are facing: high college tuition. My father is against paying three times more for an out-of-sate school than for the same education I would get more cheaply in-state, therefore he wants to send me to SUNY Binghamton. I don’t blame him for this, I blame the system and the government. I feel that the federal government has not done its job in making higher education easily available to all. The government should lower its standards for stipends, giving more families help.
MOTIVATION: I chose this topic because this is a very personal issue in my life. Also, I am very much other directed. Generally, helping people in need is important to me. I think that most students around the country are in the same position that I am in and are probably willing to join me in my cause. After all, if they help me help them then our goal is more easily reachable.
This topic is important because its effects are reaching millions of students throughout the U.S. Education can never be the way it should be, cheap and accessible, unless this problem of overwhelming college tuition is solved. I think that this is a realistic goal because so many people are affected.
Readers should care about this topic because education and financial stability are two foundational areas of life. In the current situation, both are in extreme jeopardy. High tuition can cause students to not get the proper education, and should they pay the extra money for that education, they risk loosing money or repaying loans for years to come.
The evidence that I have clearly supports my cause. The average cost for a New York State high school student to attend a public state school in the year 2003 is $10,000.00. The average cost for a New York State high school student to attend an out-of-state or an in-state private college is $30,000.00. It is quite clear that a substantial difference in cost exists.
This topic promises to help people understand a few things. Firstly, I am going to clarify why these price differences exist. Secondly, I want to spread the word that something needs to change and inform people how we can make the change. Ultimately, until people realize the problem and how to fix it, nothing can be done.
QUESTIONS:
1. Has there always been such a difference is tuition cost between public and private schools?
2. Have in-state colleges always been dramatically cheaper?
3. Does the government provide aid that does not have to be repaid?
4. How does financial aid work? And how is it allotted?
5. Are families who send more than one student to college receiving any extra aid?
6. Why do private colleges ask for so much money?
7. How much profit are schools making?
RELATED QUESTIONS:
1. Does the government give public schools money?
2. Are most families willing to pay the extra money for an out-of-state or private school?
ANTICIPATED ANSWERS:
I think that the difference is cost has always existed. I will do some research on tuition costs of both private/out-of-state and public/in-state schools. While the costs may have been closer to each other at some point in history, I anticipate discovering that state governments give the state schools money, allowing the schools to charge less of a tuition. In terms of students whose families pay the extra, I think that most of those families are well endowed, and not using to much financial aid to stay afloat. I believe that private schools have higher tuition because they do not receive money from the government.
PROPOSED CLAUSE:
This semester, I expect to enlighten families and students throughout the US via letters, protests and web postings. I think I can start the movement, helping people organize and unite against schools and their tuition. I will need to do lots of research. I will look into a variety of schools tuition and look into how they came to be. I want to see how much profit schools are actually making by charging so much. I will need to contact school officers, the various deans of the different disciplines and discuss the money requirement for each department for successful operation.
To make a difference, I will need to put in a great amount of effort in tackling the mystery of the college tuition. I will need to speak to people in high places, and make all my information publicly known. The most important aspect of my cause is having the public acquire the same knowledge that I will. Once I have other people on my side, I can really begin to make a difference.
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