Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Batch 3: Free write - Tuition For Everybody



The problem is tuition cost have sky rocketed and more student are having difficulties getting into college because they do not have the financial means.  Here are some ideas of how we can make it so all who want a college education have a better chance of achieving that goal, without major structural changes we can’t make it happen, but we can start.  Paying students to go to high school, creating a network of employers who work with colleges to pay tuition for students, and recreating John Edward’s college for everyone program will all help to make tuition more affordable to students who want to attend college. 
The college for everyone program will offer one year free for students willing to take part-time jobs, more grants awarded to continuing second, third, and forth year student, and make tuition affordable to all those who want to go to college.

A College for everyone program already exists.  The program works with college summit and North Carolinas Universities and community colleges, to pay for the first year of tuition, fees, and books for college students who agree to work part time.  Student must also complete coursework that prepare them for further education, and stay out of trouble.  The projected college going rate has increased form 54% before the program to 74% today.

Recreating this program, that already exists in North Carolina and expanding it to other parts of the country would help to make college tuition more affordable for everyone.  An estimated 200,000 college qualified graduated fail to attend college each year.  This Program would ensure those qualified and those who want to go to college can.  The program is intended to encourage poor students to go to college the goal is to get a foot in the door and ultimately be successful.
 
Another way to reduce tuition costs is to pay student to go to high school.  Allow students to earn money for tuition by working at their high school education. It need not be exclusively money for college, but programs that gave a higher wage for students who put at least some of their money in to a "tuition savings account" would provide a base of dedicated money for college and would also provide students an incentive to go to college in order to get the most for their working dollars.

Finally, the last way to make college more affordable to students create a network of employers who work with colleges to pay tuition for students working for them while in college. Ideally this network should at least include community based organizations funded by foundation and corporate sponsorship programs, it should also include corporate and apprentice based employment that provided students applicable life and career skills.

High School student are shocked by high tuition costs and scared of student debt with a college for everyone program, pay student to go to high school, and  creating a network of employers who work with colleges to pay tuition accomplishes many positives, but most importantly it get more kids to strive and attend college.


1 comment:

  1. Hi Tayla,

    Thank you so much for discussing a topic which often gets overlooked. I fully agree that tuition costs are rising exponentially, having a direct impact on students' ability to attend post-secondary institutions. I was not aware of North Carolina's innovative program for college students - a step in the right direction. In order for a transformational shift in the education system, both parties (Democrats and Republicans) will have to come together and put partisan loyalties aside. I question whether this is possible. Hopefully this will subside and future generations will have more options to finance their postsecondary tuition.

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