It’s no secret that the cost of secondary education has been steadily rising. Betterment through college is becoming more and more difficult for students who can no longer afford the endeavor. This is especially true of private institutions, like our own DU, as these are funded primarily on tuition and donations.
The problem is, with the rising cost of tuition and other fees, there has not been an equal rise in financial aid. Tuition has risen 5.2% annually since the early 90s, but financial aid has remained consistent. In 2015 the average student graduated with $35,000 student debt, as opposed to $16,928 fifteen years earlier. Tuition continues to rise, yet the assistance available to students is clearly insufficient. The promise once made that students who work hard can find a place at university is becoming more and more distant.
This past spring, after students received their acceptance letters, they were quoted the price of $62,345. This was the price from the year before, and while it was steep, they were able to make a workable financial plan for the next four years, and plan to attend.
The entire process was confusing, but became even more so when costs were set for fall quarter of this year. Cost of attendance had risen to $65,448, a difference of $3,103. This can also be thought of as a student’s entire earnings for nearly 4 months. If prices continue to raise at this rate, every DU student can expect to pay $12,412 more than originally estimated over the course of their educational career.
This would be fine if scholarships rose in proportion to this increase, but what was once $22,000 remained $22,000, what was once $3,000 remained $3,000, and so forth. DU offers seven levels of merit scholarships ranging from $15,000 – $25,000 (with $3,000 of each of these going to housing) and various amounts of need-based aid where necessary.
Why is that? Working students didn’t receive raises, and their customers certainly didn’t tip any better. College savings didn’t begin multiplying faster since tuition had gone up. Need-based financial aid is designed to fill the gap between what the student can pay and what the institution requires to run. Not only did this gap widen, but it opened underneath students who had already committed to attendance.
This is not to say all students would not have applied and selected this school had they known. Many people and their families are able to make it work.
Not every student can say that. Too many of them are left to look upon their exceptional transcripts and exceptionally high bill, and feel defeat.
While the price of college will continue to rise regardless, there is no reason why the price of assistance should not rise to meet it. We should make a conscious effort to make our community accessible to anyone willing to earn their place here, and fulfill the promise of a greater future handed down from years before. Instead of widening the gap between those who can afford an education and those who need one to better their future, let us build a bridge and strengthen our community as we do so.
