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By: Sarai Murdock
Over the last decades, the average cost of college tuition has increased. Many students are not only in debt but go into college without financial knowledge on how to build wealth.
Receiving a college education can take careers to the next level and provide an environment for students to improve their knowledge and skills in their field of choice. However, the education system has many unsolved flaws, one being the financial impact that college can have on families’. This make’s people question whether college is worth the cost.
According to NORC experts, 75% of Americans don’t attend college because they can’t afford it. This results in only high and middle-class students getting to pursue their dreams while the rest are forced to struggle.
Raycardo Ray, a sophomore at Cleveland State University, agrees. “I definitely think that if it was more obtainable for people that more people would go. I feel like a lot of people do look at it and just go ‘Oh that’s a big number’ so they choose not to, and that can deter a lot of people from really chasing their dreams.” He suggests that the education system should be more supportive when it comes to student debt, and consider loan forgiveness. “Even if it was just 50% of student loans, I feel like that would do wonders for a lot of people.”
“I’m coming somewhere to get my education but, yet, I don’t know what I’m bout to eat tonight. It shouldn’t have to be a choice of if I’m gonna eat, or if I’m gonna go to class. Am I gonna eat or do I have to buy this book?” said Kendra Drake, a Cleveland Institute of Arts junior.
Specific demographics are often most targeted when it comes to accessibility. In previous years, black and brown students were discriminated against by the government to keep them from obtaining the same education as their white peers. Many colleges/universities raised their tuition to keep black and brown students from having access to higher education. Many universities were free for white students only up until protests began to be held by black activists. When Ronald Reagan was elected governor of California in 1966, he proposed to the University of California to start charging tuition to “get rid of undesirables.”
This Discrimination has carried a generational effect on black and brown families. In recent years, more schools are making an effort to provide specific financial programs to people of color and first-generation college students.
Dylan Pinkins, a sophomore at Case Western Reserve University, feels that while there are still racist individuals trying to prevent black and brown students from obtaining a higher education, as a community, we have to hold ourselves accountable for our internalized issues. “If we’re not united as people and we’re not trying to make change ourselves, I don’t believe we should expect other people to do it for us,” he says. “We need to stop promoting this idea that the struggle is something that’s worth it. That we shouldn’t be trying to make sure every one of our kids has the chance to succeed in life.”
Being in a new environment can be very beneficial to students. Leah Woodson, a first-year sophomore at Cleveland State University, created a black-led majorette team at her PWI called The Vikingettes. She talks about how she doesn’t believe our differences or social struggles should get in the way of our goals. “I like to bring my own culture to these PWIs so it’s not over fluctuated with the associates that come with PWIs,” Woodson says. “I wanted to have a platform where I can have ladies who can perform and get the thing done but at the same time you can go outside and do community service.”
Adding on to the issue, when a student is forced to go to a more low-funded school this also makes it hard for them. “From an economic perspective, there just has to be more funding,” says Dylan Pinkins. He mentions how students are already spending a lot of money on school just to have poor eating options, a lack of laundry resources, and a lack of career resources and programs. He feels that if people are going to spend so much money, they should be properly benefiting from it.
Abby Adams, a senior at Case Western Reserve University, adds that all students should be able to build their financial knowledge in college, as well as learn other post-grad skills. She suggests that colleges should include more financial and life skill classes for all students. “Just making sure that everybody is kinda on an equal plane field of knowing how to take care of themselves in that practical aspect once they get out of school, or else it’s something you have to seek out for yourself and a lot of people either don’t have time to do that, don’t think to do that, or have the privilege of never having to do that. And so I think if that was just something that was required of all of us, that would be really helpful.”
While there are many scholarships and financial aid opportunities granted to students, there is still heavy evidence that proves that the financial aspects of college are far too extreme. With some changes to the education system, college can become more accessible to students of different backgrounds allowing for our society to see more success.
Sarai Murdock, born in New York and raised in Cleveland, is a local journalist, multi-disciplinary artist, and the young author of Bully Free Zone: How to Stand Up for Yourself.