High Cost of Tuition Causing Decreased
College Enrollment

From LoveToKnow College

For many, the high cost of tuition causing decreased college enrollment is not just a news headline; it is a real life letdown. Why do colleges raise the cost of tuition? Is there anything that can really be done to stop it? How do you know when the tuition has gone too high for you to afford? This article will cover these topics and more so that you won't have to be a part of the next headline stating, "High cost of tuition causing decreased college enrollment."

Why Do Schools Raise Their Tuition Rates?

Often, students ask themselves why a college needs to raise its tuition. For students enrolled in private institutions with tuitions already over $30,000, it can be especially hard to figure out why a school would need even more money. However, just like students have college costs, so do colleges. Colleges need money in order to have each of the following:

  • Sports teams
  • Building maintenance
  • Electricity
  • Teacher salaries
  • Landscaping
  • Cafeteria workers
  • Plumbers to make bathrooms flow
  • Admissions staff
  • Gas in maintenance vehicles
  • Financial aid departments
  • Telephones
  • Mail service
  • Many, many more departments, supplies and services

Each school has a certain amount of costs and in the case of many schools, tuition only covers a certain percentage of this budget. Schools generally require donations from private donors, alumni, and others to cover all operating costs. For public colleges and universities, government subsidies help fund the school's daily operations. Schools also rely on any revenue produced through school stores, shops or food locations.

Can It Be Stopped?

As stated above, tuition only covers a percentage of a college's operating costs. While a tuition raise is often inevitable, many schools alert students and alumni to financial problems long before tuition is increased. For example, many colleges have telephone-based student workers trying to rouse donations from alumni, students and student parents. In fact, for many schools, operating costs can be covered by this type of donation. Other schools will often run fundraisers.

Is College Too Expensive For You To Enroll?

For students looking to enroll in college, rising tuition can be a concern. Many schools seem expensive enough that it's hard to imagine paying more for an education. How can you tell if tuition rising would affect your enrollment?

In general, students needs to weigh what they will be getting from a school versus how much it will cost. When the balance is right, students should feel they are academically fulfilled at the same time their wallets are. Students should also contemplate if a rise in tuition would affect this balance. If tuition were to raise $1,000, would you still be getting the best education for your money? If this is not the case, you may want to reconsider your choice to enroll in said institution. If you already attend an institution where this balance has been thrown off for you, it may be time to consider transferring schools.

High Cost of Tuition Causing Decreased College Enrollment

In 2007, 67.2 percent of college graduates enrolled in a college for the next term after graduation. Women were slightly more likely than men to enroll. However, in the past few years, college costs have risen dramatically due to increased prices in many other parts of the economy. The gas used in vehicles has cost more. Electricity bills in college dorms have risen. As a result, many colleges have needed to raise their tuition to face these increased costs.

However, the bright side to this dark cloud is that many schools still maintain the same academic standards. The raise in tuition is primarily meant to keep academics a top concern. For some, a lull in enrollment can be seen as a good thing. It means smaller class sizes, more individual attention in classrooms and less crowded campuses.


No matter how high college tuition rises, the most important thing to remember is that there is a school out there appropriately priced for everyone who wants to attend college. The hard part should be finding that school, not paying for it.



 


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