The average amounts of tuition rates have increased dramatically.
Tuition used to be viewed as an investment, not a gigantic hurdle of expenses. It is now a greater challenge for students and families to afford, even with the help of financial aid.
Graduating high school seniors tackle the decision of where to further their education without fully understanding the best economical choice.
The state of Pennsylvania, for example, consists of 130 colleges and universities with 323 private licensed career and technical training institutes. However, the thousands of other possible out-of-state schools stretching from coast to coast widen opportunities.
Out-of-state tuition, though, can shockingly cost nearly three times more.
Pennsylvania students attending West Virginia University pay far more than West Virginia residents. The average cost per year (two semesters) of an in-state West Virginia resident attendance is $5,674 versus the out-of-state resident tuition of $17,844.
The current room and board rate is $8,142 and the average estimated books and supplies cost comes to $572.
“It is unfortunate that I am from Jefferson, Pennsylvania, and live closer to WVU than most universities in my own state,” says Allicia Basinger, a West Virginia University graduate. “I have a large amount of student loans to repay and I do it on my own.”
Several years ago, young adults were faced with two major choices after graduating from high school: further their education or get a job.
Today, however, students are more likely to do both.
Receiving a college education is nothing like Old School with Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn. There are not as many crazy stories about drinking at frat parties until the sun rises, techno raves that make your ears bleed and opening an endless bar tab.
Students are forced to work more because of the rising prices of attendance. The amount of students attending school full-time and working full-time has practically doubled since the 1980s.
“I served tables four days a week and went to school full time,” said Basinger. “It was exhausting.”
Choosing a school should be seen as shopping for an opportunity that will lead to a future, not a dark hole of economic struggles.
Basinger, like several other students and graduates, struggles to make ends meet while drowning in student loans.
“If there was an in-state price for a certain mile radius of out-of-state students, I would not be in so much debt,” said Basinger.