Why colleges should lower tuition

All institutions and systems must do more to control costs and innovate to make degrees more affordable, and focus on their success rate with students who have traditionally been least likely to complete their programs and degrees. And for those that are ultimately more concerned about their bottom lines than about their students, we should stop the flow of taxpayer dollars. In addition to supporting these needed changes, Congress must do more to protect students from unscrupulous career colleges that deceive students into taking on debt they will never be able to repay and then stick taxpayers with the bill.

We must strengthen, not weaken, accountability in higher education. While urging Congress to act, the Department has taken additional steps in the past year to offer greater safeguards for students and better support for borrowers. The budget continues on the path of helping to ensure that students can attain a postsecondary credential without taking on more debt than they and their families can afford.

It also supports an ongoing shift toward focusing on student outcomes in higher education, and, in particular, completion, so that both students and the nation can thrive in the global economy. As a result, the budget includes proposals to address college access, affordability, and completion:. Toggle navigation U. Department of Education. Student Loans Grants Laws Data. How Do I Find? Low-income students who successfully complete the first year of college should be awarded additional work-study aid in the second year.

The additional funding can serve as a strong incentive to continue their education. And by targeting work-study experiences that provide career-relevant skills, the program can give students a leg up when they enter the job market. Research on student incentives is beginning to show that many students want to do better in college but do not know how. Federal financial aid programs can guide students toward behaviors that make them more likely to succeed such as taking advantage of academic services or attending college skill-building seminars.

David Madland , Nick Bunker. Colin Seeberger Director, Media Relations. Peter Gordon Director, Government Affairs. Download this issue brief pdf Read this issue brief in your web browser Scribd Introduction In a speech at the University of Michigan last month, President Barack Obama outlined his plan to make sure every family in America can afford to send their kids to college—a plan he first unveiled in his most recent State of the Union address. Provide better ways to determine college quality With little other information available about college quality, high price is one of the ways a college can signal to potential students that it offers a high-quality education.

Start scrutinizing how colleges spend federal money In the debate over for-profit colleges, many legislators were outraged that a school would spend the bulk of the federal money it receives on shareholder profits or marketing rather than education. Help students acquire college credit for free Students can engage in college-level learning for free by taking advantage of open courseware, like the resources offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University.

Better information Every day students decide where to apply to school, what to study, and how to pay, with very little information on which to base their decisions.

Mandatory financial aid comparison sheets The model financial aid shopping sheet that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Education Department developed is an excellent tool.

Better communication on student loan repayment The student loan repayment system is surprisingly hard to navigate.

Improving financial aid The president made two big financial aid proposals in his State of the Union address. Rewarding students who succeed in college with additional aid Low-income students who successfully complete the first year of college should be awarded additional work-study aid in the second year. Conditioning aid on behaviors that lead to college completion Research on student incentives is beginning to show that many students want to do better in college but do not know how.

As universities begin the fall semester, their prices and tuition remain the same. This lack of change in tuition is turning out to be problematic for many students. Full college tuition typically comes with multiple features that make the cost worth it.

These are just a few vital reasons that make paying a college tuition worth the expense. Unfortunately, the pandemic has taken away and decreased these interactions with our campus and the people in it, as well as the overall value of our education. It seems as though everything has changed, except tuition that is. John's University. Parnther said paying for enhanced technology infrastructure, faculty training, and internet connectivity has stretched institutions thin.

The spring semester was an emergency response to a pandemic, not intentionally designed remote education. There is a difference between standardized content delivery and an intentionally designed, immersive online experience.

Some colleges have announced plans to freeze tuition for the school year or not increase it in Others have given partial tuition refunds for unused fees. Some colleges have announced plans to freeze tuition for the upcoming school year or not increase it in The private nonprofit — which has more than , online students compared to 3, on-campus students — is also offering full-tuition scholarships to incoming first-year students enrolling on campus.

Florida Gateway College let students enroll in two summer classes for the price of one. But most colleges and universities aren't budging. From the perspective of these schools, they're having the same faculty teach the same classes for the same credits. And of course, the diploma won't be any less valuable if a few of the credits graduates earn were taken online. Because the coronavirus is a temporary issue, Kantrowitz still believes a degree is worth the price tag.