Saturday, December 19, 2015

Transforming Higher Education - Steven M. Gillon, Huffington Post

Most Americans are painfully aware of the soaring price of higher education. In 1974, the average annual tuition at a four-year private college stood at a reasonable $2,000. Today, tuition at a private university is roughly $31,000. In 1974, the average cost of a public university was $510. Today, it is $9,000. These increases have far outpaced the rate of inflation. Cost is the number one reason why people do not go to college, and it's the main reason why they drop out. Many of those who do get a degree are saddled with burdensome debt. Student debt now exceeds consumer debt in the United States. It's not surprising that a 2013 Huffington Post poll showed that a majority of Americans -- 62 percent -- believe they cannot afford a public college education. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-m-gillon/transforming-higher-educa_b_8690182.html