Instead the average per semester tuition at public colleges and universities was $6,695 in 2010 " (Evans 1). According to Kim Clark, "To attend an in-state public college for the 2012-2013 academic year, the average overall cost (or "sticker price ") for students who don't receive any financial aid rose 3.8% to a record $22,261. Tuition accounted for about half of that increase. Public university tuition and fees alone rose 4.8% to $8,655. In addition, higher dorm, cafeteria, books and other expenses added significantly to the overall increase. The net price (the cost after scholarships, grants and federal tax benefits) that in-state students at public colleges will pay in 2012 rose 4.6% to an average of $16,510. That's more than twice the rate of inflation, which rose just 2% over the last 12 months " (1). In addition, tuition and fees climbed 4.2% at four-year private schools to an average of $29,056 in 2012, while overall prices rose 4% to $43,289 (Clark 2). Implementing new ways to reduce the cost of college tuition will be beneficial to the majority of the population. These new ways will provide students with a better chance of reaching their goal of attending a fine institution and being able to earn a college degree. College tuition should definitely be lowered in order to help students enroll in the college of their choice without having to develop a significant amount of debt once they graduate. We need to realize why colleges are raising tuition costs, what the effect that rising tuition has on students and their families, and finally find ways to lower the cost of attending a particular college.
It might seem that increasing tuition costs may be more beneficial than harmful to students and the administration of a college or university. People may feel that attending a costly university is directly related to the quality of education that they will be receiving. Many students also feel that even though they may have to attend a particular college that puts them into large amounts of debt, they will be able to receive a better education than what they might have gotten from a smaller, inexpensive school.