Jeanette Juachi, a high school senior, who has been granted admission at Cal State Dominguez Hills; however, with her mother unemployed and her deceased father, she has been left with the burden to meet her annual student obligation. She tirelessly works as a cashier at a supermarket, after her long day at school. The price of tuition has been rapidly increasing over the past few years; therefore, many families are questioning whether college is worth the cost and hassle for those 4 years. While a college degree can lead to a more lucrative and fulfilling career, it can also engender a huge financial burden that can encumber graduates for many years to come.…
The Washington State constitution dictates “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste or sex.” All children have the right to an education, however unlike other states, within the Washington State constitution it is made a “paramount duty”. In 1976, following a failure to pass a levy by Seattle School District, Seattle School District argued that this wasn’t the case. The Doran decision in the late 70’s found that Washington State was violating its constitutional law in not providing adequate funds to public education. The McCleary case took it further and argued that Washington State needs to do more than cover a percentage within a school budget but fully fund public education and real changes need to be made. These changes were the laws ESHB 2261 and SHB 2776 which required such things as lower class sizes, fully funded kindergarten and highly capable programs, increased credits for high school, increased instructional hours and new funding levels to be established by the 2018 school year. As of December 2012 the findings were that the state was not making adequate progress towards making the 2018 deadline and that inequities in funding still existed. This paper will examine the funding inequities in Washington State public education and identify both the impact and some possible alternative or solutions. The three main reasons contributing to funding inequities that will be examined are; an overreliance on local funding, grandfathering of levy lids, and discrepancy in teacher salary dependent on school district.…
Everyone who wants to go to college is often faced with the same fact, how will I pay? Students often go with the options of taking loans, after much consideration and research, research sometimes based on essays written by authors. Even though Carey and Wilson both address the debt college could put someone in. Wilson provides a more convincing argument due to the fact that he gives more information on statistics of student loans, more information about loans, and an unbiased opinion.…
Wilson begins with stating a possible “…national crisis: Student loan borrowing that is threatening the financial future of today’s college students” (256). In other words, Wilson’s statement issues that student loans are beginning to get out of control. On the other hand, many other people borrow an acceptable amount of money, are able to repay it, and become a better person by getting a college education. According to Wilson, “More often, the problem among students who go heavily into debt is that they are determined to attend their dream college, no matter the cost” (257). Wilson’s point is that it may be the college itself that is In Robin Wilson’s article A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely, Wilson compares on how even though student loans can get out of control; they do not have to affect the rest of a person’s life. Wilson begins with stating a possible “…national crisis: Student loan borrowing that is threatening the financial future of today’s college students” (256). In other words, Wilson’s statement issues that student loans are beginning to get out of…
College debt is pretty much inevitable for anyone wanting to have an education after high school. I, and most teenagers, do indeed want to go onto college but are scared away by the high cost. I know my family and I are definitely freaked out about the high cost of college. These students, including myself, shouldn’t be scared away so easily, as the high tuition isn’t so high at all. Colleges now have what would be called a sticker price. The first number you see is the sticker price, and what you don’t see is all of the deductions you can make to it.…
Wilson uses specific examples to enhance her argument that not all college graduates leave drowning in debt, and that most pay off loans quietly and without complaint. She tells several stories of real people who graduated college with substantial debt but were able to adjust and manage their debt and move on with their lives. When Wilson tells the story of the outspoken lawyer that accumulated over $100,000 in loan debt and his argument to have the government relieve him of his debt, she is using him as an example to lead into her argument. The lawyer is one of many college graduates that argue that the system is flawed and unfair to those who have to pay them off for the rest of their lives. Wilson disagrees with these people and uses several examples to prove her opinion. She quotes Michael S. McPherson as saying “There are some really poignant, painful stories… But they aren’t the typical American experience” (257). Wilson also tells the story of Jill McCusker, who graduated with $30,000 in debt. She says that McCusker simply adjusted her plan and lived at home for a while longer while paying off her loans. She is proving her point that it is possible to pay off your debt and continue with your life. Lastly, Wilson points out the huge difference between undergraduate debt and professional-school debt. She says that professional-school debt is “typically much, much higher” (259). Wilson does well at supporting…
“The decision to borrow to attend college often amounts to a “financial disaster”. “Most people borrow a reasonable amount of money, they pay it back, and they are better for having gone to college”, says McPherson in the Reading of Robin Wilson. But then Wilson states “Why do some students borrow more than $40,000 for a bachelor’s degree when average borrowing is only half that?” The decisions of borrowing money only end up a financial disaster depending on the college student. If the college student takes a loan and flunks the college course, they will end up taking up another loan for the same course again. Wasting time and making them having to pay more loan money in the…
“In Debt We Trust America” was an incredibly eye-opening video for me. Family and friends constantly warn me of the dangers of debt, but I was unaware of just how much of a problem it is. For me, one of the most informational, or perhaps motivational parts of the video, was the portion on students in college. Constant increases in college tuition are putting a more drastic burden on college students and their families. In the video, it mentioned that the…
Robin Wilson had quite a compelling article, showing the potential contrast with the debt vs. the quality of life and stability a degree can provide. Wilson overall points show that the American dream we are all striving for has changed. She is able to demonstrate this through the use of several anecdotes. Wilson interviews with various professionals to see how they use these degrees to better themselves. In doing so she highlights various pros and cons of having a college education vs. the amount of debt they are now responsible for.…
“It’s just extremely disappointing and aggravating to have paid all that money and have nothing to show for it other than debt.” proclaimed Michelle Polyakov, an English graduate from Drake University. Polyakov obviously feels that college is not worth the cost and that all someone has to show for the education is debt. College has been deemed, by some, that it is not worth the cost because of the financial loss, the future job security, and the need for “blue collar” jobs. Finances, job security, and the need for manual laborers are all major factors in the debate of college and its cost. The reason being is because not all people are meant to go to college, or their situation just isn’t ideal. College is a privilege, and not every job requires you to have a higher form of learning, but most do. By viewing the debt of a student after graduation, the job security of graduates, and the need for manual laborers, one can infer that college is not worth the cost.…
Today’s world is controlled by money, which means students should begin to develop skills in financial literacy. In becoming financially literate, students learn how to manage and invest money, how to budget money, how to handle debt and how to prepare for their future. Although many students may believe they understand financial literacy, they will find themselves struggling and in debt. Some students believe that the only way to pay for school is through loans, however, there are multiple ways in which school can be paid for. School can be paid for through federal aid loans and grants, scholarships and work study programs. When I…
Walter E. Williams article, “Is college worth it? (August 2008) explains that college leaves students in debt. He show that there is possible trauma and poor self esteem for the students that attend college and fail. Walter E. Williams serves on the faculty of George Mason University who serves a professor of…
Robin Wilson states that students who get student loans, go to college, and graduate are better off than the ones who don’t go to college at all. Especially the ones who end up with high paying jobs. In her article “A lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely.” She talks about students who attend college and take out student loans. A great student can be one that ends up in the most debt, and a not so great student could be one that doesn’t have to pay back as much. It all depends on how wise you are with money. Wilson talks about how students take out more than they need, they spend the money on unnecessary things such as clothes or video games, these students will be the ones that will spend the rest of their lives paying back their loans. About eight percent of american students borrow at least double the national average, these students are borrowing more than they need. Some students choose defer their student loan payments, one of the major problems with this is the interest rates will go up, therefore, putting the student farther and farther into debt.…
Nance-Nash, S. (2012, June). Dreams Vs. Debt: Older College Students Discuss The Value of Going Back To School. Retrieved September 2013, from http://www.forbes.com…
Most students today either have their tuition paid for by their parents or receive grant funding or a loan. What makes her second point successful is that other students can find inspiration in learning that she paid her own way through college. What makes her third claim successful is that many students often take their education for granted because it is not their money being wasted if they fail a class. The weakness in Neal-Richardson’s claim is that she should not hold everyone up to her standard and consider everyone who chooses to accept their parents’ financial assistance as…