Benefits Of Financing College

Although it seems like a good idea for Montana State University to motivate students toward majoring in subjects where the job market is good, the choice to do so would also have negative effects. Defining an educational path for students would affect ones freedom to dream, develop a loss of educators and students, and create a continual change of job prospects.
Financing college and creating long term debt are concerns for a lot of high school graduates. In some cases students barely manage to make it through those developing years. For someone that does not do well with studying or associating with others, college is not necessarily an option. Those individuals are looking more at learning a trade that will provide them a means to live.
Someone looking to enter college, that does not have a clear distinction of what career they want to pursue, only needs to look at the want ads.
One particular area where applicants are in high demand is the medical field. For every nurse, there could be four or more open prospects. Billings and the State of Montana are not the only areas finding a shortage in applicants for specific job markets. An article in the New York Times, Florida May Reduce Tuition for Select Majors, by Lizette Alvarez states that “university tuition rates be frozen for three years in majors in strategic areas, which would vary depending on supply and demand.” Through this incentive, 12 universities in Florida are being encouraged to freeze tuition for up to 3 years and capping some degrees at $10,000. (para. 6) Montana State University may possibly be looking to follow suit. One way to begin would be to direct students in the direction of the medical field for nursing. Lowering tuition might lead to more high school to college opportunities for students. This may well be a dynamic incentive for mature adults looking for opportunities of personal growth. Lower tuition rates could bring in more
students to the Billings area, especially if the tuition is lower than universities in other cities or states. More students, would mean more able bodies applying for employment at restaurants and retail stores to support themselves while attending the university. This would help put money back into the economy, but may have some adverse effects on the university itself.
Every child dreams of what they are going to be when they grow up. In that idealist state, the cost of a college major and how many years it takes to obtain that dream is not something that comes to play. The dream consists of a profession glorified through TV shows. The career interest may be following in a parent’s footsteps, or a vocation that stirs a passion in the individual. Any one of those situations makes the line of work glamorous and sought after. By directing a student in a certain direction, interest in that career is lost if the learning path is not appealing to them. A student could spend one to two years meeting the requirements of the curriculum for a medical major only to find out they do not have what it takes to be a nurse. Taking away the freedom of choice, also removes the opportunity to pursue a major better suited to an individual’s interest.
Steering students to majors that are more prevalent in the job market could also develop a loss of educators and students.( para.
15) Diverse learning and majors that are not supported by enrollment numbers would be mislaid, and teachers with special areas of expertise would be forced out or required to take on classes they are not categorically proficient in. Another area that might be negatively affected would be sports scholarships. If the university does not support the major in which an athlete is interested in, that player may be lost to another school. With less students paying tuition to support the university, funds would need to originate from other resources. Most state funds, including Montana, are already drained. Local businesses or other financial means would need to be looked at for partnerships in funding. (para. 26)
The job market is continually changing with the times. Montana State University may be focused on the medical field to the point of over saturating employers with applicants. With less job‘s there is less opportunities for advancement. A graduate may have to settle for a lower wage and a lot of establishment’s would no longer have a need for the incentive of a sign on bonus to entice an applicant. This would be a definite disadvantage to the
applicant.
Directing a student toward educational choices where the job market is good, may well be effective if some research is done first. (para. 8) The number of employees hired from graduation to their field of education needs to be determined. Does the job market reflect the lack of qualified applicants, or a lack of applicants that are qualified pursuing those positions? If Montana State University is pushing students in a certain direction there needs to be a concrete reward at the end, otherwise the university has lost the purpose of assisting the job market for Billings.