Invest in making sure all students can attend college
An education, particularly a college education, is the key to getting ahead in this country. In today's economy, a college degree has overtaken the high-school diploma as the minimum requirement for the workforce. But college is becoming ever more expensive -- in much of the country you can buy a house for what it costs to attend an Ivy League university -- and it's harder and harder for middle-class parents to afford. Schools themselves have to control their costs to avoid pricing the middle class out of the market. Government also needs to make sure that college is available to all students who want an education, by providing tax credits for tuition expenses and expanding all forms of financial aid.
What Should be Done?
Provide tax credits for college tuitionIncrease the number of federal grants to studentsOffer free or reduced tuition at state universities for high school students who maintain a certain GPAExpand tax-deferred savings programs to help families save for collegeExpand programs that pay for college if students promise to serve in public service jobs like teaching, law enforcement or public health.Increase overall state spending on higher education
Arguments For This Approach
As a society, we have to invest in higher education: It's the best way of expanding economic and social opportunities. We know that an investment in a college education pays off handsomely in extra earning power. The more students who attend college, the better off our society will be. Middle-class students don't have much of a choice if they want a professional job in today's workforce: They have to find the money for higher education or they simply won't have any job prospects. One of government's primary roles is to ensure the country's economic stability, if not success. If today's employers require college degrees, it is imperative that government do its share to ensure there will be enough future workers.A democracy depends on educated citizens; literate people who can think critically. College is the best place to produce such citizens.
Arguments Against This Approach
This choice overstates the problem. True, private colleges can be quite expensive, but on average, a state college costs less than one-quarter as much. The government should help students pay for college, but it doesn't have to subsidize an Ivy League-level education for everyone, any more than it should subsidize a Mercedes in every garage.Although college is expensive, middle-class families have lots of options to save or borrow for their children's education. Education dollars should be directed toward those students -- the poor -- who haven't been able to scrape together the funds for college. In these days of budget cuts and belt-tightening, precious resources should go to those who need the help the most. It sounds like heresy, but maybe everybody doesn't need to go to college. The country needs electricians, cooks and florists as much as it needs doctors and lawyers. Some technical jobs can be learned at community colleges, but they can also be learned in vocational schools, technical schools or in apprenticeships. By focusing on college, we're promoting a one-size-fits-all educational system.
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Many students want to pursue their college degree because nowadays, it is one of the qualities that being looked by most employer. It’s a plus factor to your career. However, believe it or not, there are actually plenty of high paying jobs that you do not need a college degree for. These aren't always guaranteed, and you do have to work your way up the ladder, but they are out there. We won't tell you not to get a degree – we encourage you to – but we just wanted to let you know that jobs are out there that pay well that don't require a degree. Read more about college degree on http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/2009/02/06/get-by-without-payday....
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