Brittney Wigdorski
Equinox Staff
The question of whether college has become too expensive has been relevant to this generation, and is frequently covered in the media. The cost of education has increasingly gone up for many years now, and college students are starting to have strong opinions on the matter.
Recently a group of education students here at Keene State College were surveyed on their opinions on the cost of college education. Out of 17 students, 94 percent of the students thought that college was in fact, too expensive.
With the upcoming election, some politicians are constantly sharing their ideas to lower the price of education. Students at Keene State also have ideas to provide more affordable education. Elementary education student Ashley Furusa suggested, “Providing a select few free classes to those who cannot afford the school.”
Other students suggested remedies such as making more textbooks available online, fundraising, better financial aid systems, more scholarships, or cutting down on sports. Many students suggested bringing the in and out-of-state tuitions closer together, but how to achieve that is still inconclusive.
Many of the ideas involve the school putting out more money, with less coming in. That brings with it a whole new set of problems, such as if the college can actually be sustainable with the drop in its largest income.
Furusa also said, “Colleges that are more expensive should have more to offer, and meet their expectations with the value they require from families and students.” It is not always about wanting to lower the price, some students just want the schools to use that money to meet their expectations and provide great resources. It is possible that many students are choosing the school that they go to based on the price, and less about the academic programs, location, or resources the school provides.
Through interviewing students, it has also become clear that the cost of school affects where they want to, or can afford to go. 100 percent of the 17 students surveyed said that the price of college directly influenced where they choose to go, or whether or not they could stay for the duration of their degree.
Some students are having to drop out before they finish because they simply cannot stay for the duration. Education student Emma Atlee said, “It’s become more about money and less about the thirst for knowledge.” As far as the cost of education here at Keene State, out of the 16 students that said college was too expensive, 59 percent said that they felt the resources and quality of education at this school was matched with the price of attendance.
Although many think the cost of college is high, most would agree that Keene is up to par with its price. Atlee also said that “I feel supported by my teachers, and I have all the resources I need here at Keene State College.” It seems that Keene is meeting the expectations for at least some students here at the college.
Brittney Wigdorski can be contacted at
bwigdorski@kscequinox.com
