Education is the only weapon that can be employed to change the world. It is one of the potent weapons that determine the progress and development of a nation. Without an educated population, the dream of a prosperous and developed nation remains elusive. It is no denying the fact that the level and quality of education in the country engenders social, political, and economic development. The low cost of education yields multiple benefits at the national, individual, and societal level and also allows the student to continue education.
The low tuition cost allows the student to get an education or continue their education. Having said that, there are many, especially the number surging among the youth who fail to get an education. One such major hindrance to achieving education is the astronomical rise in college fees. In the 1978-79 period, the cost of attaining education in a private college and public college was 17,680 dollars and 8,250 dollars annually respectively. Since then, the fee has seen an upward trend. In 2008-2009, the cost for a private college was 38,270 dollars whereas in public college the fee was 16,460 dollars. It means that there was a 29 percent rise in tuition fees of private colleges while in public colleges the fee rise was 25 percent. The statistics imply the astronomical rise in college fees. So, what was the impact? Obviously, it creates problems for youth to get a college education, particularly those belonging to lower or middle-income backgrounds. The situation for employed youth worsens as there was a decrease in wages and rise in tuition fee of the colleges. Here, the low tuition college fee will allow tackling this problem more effectively. More students will be able to get themselves enroll in college or get an education.
Another advantage of lowering college fees is that it curbs the power of private schools to use education for the purposes of profit. private colleges have sprouted across the country. As often, private colleges charge more than government colleges pushing the cost high. private colleges to increase their prices and also contributed to the high cost of college fees is not the regularisation of college fees. Multiple studies have shown that one-third of developed countries have regularisation of college fees. They introduced a cap on the college fee which allows students to fight the problem of high tuition fees in college. Nonetheless, the situation prevailing in America is opposed to this. There is no regularisation of college fees which allow private colleges to set their exorbitant prices. This rising trend in fee structure has excluded those students who could have benefitted from the regularisation policy of the state. As a result, only those people who can manage this high cost admit their students to such institutions. So, the non-regularisation of college fees has contributed to the elevating cost of college.
At the national level, the low college feel will foster national development as more students will be able to get an education. In the present era, Initially, on the national level, the results are highly discouraging. The graduation rates have plummeted owing to the high fees. Most families don’t have the resources to see the completion of their education. Instead, they have to find work to support their families. So, the literacy rate that would have gone up would now see a decline. This will directly influence the nation’s development. The country’s development is contingent upon the literacy rate. So, when the latter decline, the former will be automatically influenced in an insidious way. By analyzing this it can be said that low college will boost the literacy rate and in the long run encourage the nation’s development.
Apart from this, a surge in demand for higher education has been observed, especially since the 1980s. Consequently, college fees have spiked. Going to the department of education in America, 20.4 million students were expected to be admitted in the fall of 2017. The numbers shown are 5.3 million more than in the fall of 2000. So this shows that demand for education is growing massively. This shows that having a moderate fee will help to tap this rising demand for education. If such a measure is not taken it leads to the loss of this potential youth.
Now at the individual level, the lowering of prices will lower the stress on those students who are unable to pay for their college fees. If college fee is lowered, it will lead to positive health outcomes. Studies have shown that the stress of high fees is one of the major problems leading to a mental health problem for students.
Another advantage at the individual level will be timely marriages of young. Studies have shown that the delay in marriages is also associated with the spike in college costs. As the idea that education offers a better chance to support each other and manage the cost of the wedding is pervasive, so the nonavailability of education drags on the marriage. It is the reason owing to which average marriage has seen a rise in the last decade or so. Apart from this, lack of education also creates a cultural backlash. As people are uneducated they manifest conservative thoughts. Such factors hamper cultural assimilation and tolerance. So, it will help to tackle these problems that are engendered due to lack of education.
The above discussion has laid bare the advantages of the low college fee by exploring the disadvantages that are produced due to high college fees.
References:- “College Affordability and Completion: Ensuring a Pathway to Opportunity.”
- Hoffower, Hillary. “College is more expensive than it's ever been, and the 5 reasons why suggest it's only going to get worse.” June 2019,
- Whistle, Wesley. “The Benefits Of Free College.”
- Boitnott, John. “Why Is College So Expensive?” March 2020,
- Dickler, Jessica. “Why college tuition keeps rising.” October 2019
- “6 Negative Effects of High Tuition Costs.”
- RYAN, JULIA. “American Schools vs. the World: Expensive, Unequal, Bad at Math.” DECEMBER 2013