The Cost of Education

We all know school is expensive. No matter how you slice it, in America, higher education is getting more expensive. Even though President Obama recently introduced a plan to make the first two years of community college free to students, the problem will continue.

[Disclaimer: I was able to get through my undergraduate degree without student loans, but only because my parents are exceptionally generous and planned to help me go to school. Also, my grandparents left me some money when they died, which I put towards school.]

This isn't meant to be a self-indulgent rant. I acknowledge my choices in going to a private school for my BA and abroad for my MA, which is now presenting some pricey hoops to jump through to continue my education/career. And I'm not trying to garner sympathy. I am saying, as many have, this is a serious problem.

For how much we as a culture say we value education, it doesn't show. My generation, and the generations before and after me, have been told we could be anything and do anything we want when we grow up. That hard work and perseverance will get us the jobs of our dreams. That a college education is the ticket to success. The G.I. Bill, passed in 1944, provided for World War II veterans to go to university or obtain vocational education. Since then, college--from community to Ive League--has been the step after high school for a lot of people. I'm not disputing the importance placed on further education. (Although, not every career needs the same kind of preparation and classroom learning is not the best environment for everyone.)

My point is, if we value education so much, why does it cost so much? I'm sure at this point you want to point out that private education always is more expensive and it is a choice. I acknowledge that, but I have a larger point, because state universities are also increasing tuition costs.

As most people go to school, institutions must get bigger, from more buildings to more faculty and staff. And buildings and salaries are not cheap.

One of my favorite TV shows, The West Wing, has a plot line devoted to the cost of college. It starts with this clip, during one of my favorite episodes. Over the course of the next few episodes, spoiler alert, they make part of college tuition a tax deduction. This wouldn't solve problems in the real world. And I'm almost positive the current government would not even consider something like this. But we need a new system. This one is unfair. And costs more than just money. And is seriously broken.

As with all broken things that involve money, there are outside interests that are deeply invested in keeping the status quo. Rich people are greedy. Society could change, and it would be slow, but it would be different. Keeping the student loan system, and how it works and even entire educational system and beliefs thereof is impossible.

Some people might tell me to calm down and wait until my generation is in charge. But I'm telling you no. I'm angry and it is a righteous anger. If I wait for government to change, I will be waiting close to forever. The average age of Congress is 57, and with a 96% incumbency rate, I don't even want to know how long it will take before change can happen. The Occupy Wall Street movement may have had its problems, but it also had a point. We are told to study what we love, but when we do, we are penalized.

The pursuit of knowledge should be exalted. As a society we cannot continue to punish people who want to learn, even if what they study is not "useful". We cannot demand college degrees or graduate degrees for careers that do not need them. We cannot attach an anchor to our future in the form of ever-increasing student debt.