Justin Yamet
Equinox Staff
Today, Keene State College graduates must decide whether they want to continue on to seek higher education such as graduate school or dive into the vast job market.
Founded in 1909, KSC’s motto has always been “Enter to learn, go forth to serve.” Formerly known as Keene Teachers College, the school over the years has gained a reputation as offering a large program for creating future teachers.
Gone are the days when students were able to attend college and find a decent earning job to provide for their families. The 1990s’ economic boom of financial serenity has faded, and today’s generation has a much more sobering reality to contend with.
The United States Department of Labor reported an addition of 171,000 new jobs in October in this months report.
This increased the national unemployment rate by a negligible one tenth of a percent, from 7.8 to 7.9 percent.
In what was a decisive victory for President Obama over Mitt Romney in the election this past Tuesday, many KSC students and college graduates from across the country wonder what the economy will look like in the immediate months ahead.
As many enter a fiercely competitive job market after graduating, the likelihood of finding a profession without going on to higher education has decreased considerably in recent years.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, a non-partisan think tank located in Washington D.C., the unemployment rate amongst those receiving a Bachelor’s Degree was 10.4 percent in 2010, while underemployment, was at 19.8 percent – a signal that graduates are only working part time or are taking jobs much lower than there educational skill level.
This is why it is no surprise that college tuition for the state university of New Hampshire system has risen by six percentage points in this year alone, and for the twenty-third straight year overall.
Overwhelming, many students whether it be freshman or senior face what seems to be insurmountable challenges.
A rising national debt well beyond the trillions, an economy that is still in a recession, and exponential rising tuition costs are just some of the few issues current students face.
Justin Yamet can be contacted at jyamet@keene-equinox.com.