Lailah G. Akita states that “You begin to live when you commit your life to a cause higher than yourself. You must learn to depend on divine power for the fulfillment of a higher calling.” People have desire in every perspective of their life, physical, spiritual and material. Modern adolescents not only demand material life, but also the promotion of their spiritual life. To reach a higher spiritual realm, more and more high school seniors are choosing to extend their academic lives: going to college to learn more and improve their knowledge for the future. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The utopian purpose of higher education is to acquire invisible power, knowledge, and the pursuit of truth. However, parents and students have found that the higher they want to reach, the more they have to spend. Not just time, but also money. The cost of college is a big issue for most U.S. families. It restricts entry to the college, but it also honors wisdom. Have you heard about someone's success without going to college, someone who dropped out of college due to financial failure, or someone who suffered unemployment after graduation? Many people wonder, “Is going to college worth it?” It really depends. It depends on personal experience, talent, family background, how you define success and opportunities. But, for the most part, a college education is worth it. As we all know, colleges offering undergraduate programs are classified into four main groups: in-district two-year publics, in-state four-year publics, out-of-state four-year publics. -of four-year state and private non-profit entities. Two-year public district colleges are the cheapest of all colleges, while four-year private schools are the most expensive. Based on College Board data, “In 2016-17, the average published price of tuition and fees for in-state students enrolled full-time at public four-year colleges and universities is $9,650 in 2016-17, $230 (2.4% before adjusting for inflation) higher than in 2015-2016.” (“Trends in College Prices 2016” 9). meals, books and parking are not included. The total cost of college is much more than the tuition itself. For example, a local Nebraska resident must pay approximately $21,310.00 for a school year, a cost that includes tuition. of $5,184.00 (“College Cost Calculator” 1). In other words, tuition accounts for only one-fifth of total college expenses. Additionally, people are affected by the fact that tuition generally increases from year to year year (“Trends in College Pricing 2016” 14). Coupled with the trend of increasing the average 3.5% annual tuition rate at public universities, the median household income in the United States has increased on average only 0.4% annually. Rising tuition is keeping middle- and low-income families out of college. The unaffordable price of higher education pushes those families into a dead end where they can either forgo or finance higher education. What is influencing the increase in tuition fees? First of all, the type of school explained previously. Secondly, enrollment. According to the College Board: “In 2015, 82% of high school graduates in the highest income quintile (above $100,010) enrolled in college immediately, compared to 62% of those in themiddle income quintile (from 37,000 to 60,300 dollars) and 58% of those in the lowest income quintile (below 20,582 dollars)” (Ma 3). Although enrollment rates have been increasing in recent years, the gap between rich and poor is driving students away from universities. The third major factor is rising faculty salaries, particularly the average salaries of full-time faculty at private institutions. They increased from $67,684 to $88,228 in 30 years (“Trends in College Pricing 2016” 33). Teacher salaries represent only a small part of university expenses, and it is a mandatory expense because it demonstrates respect for knowledge. People have nothing to do with this fixed cost. After knowing that the cost of college is increasing, we need to figure out if the cost is affordable. Many families have been saving money for college since their children were born. In addition to family funding and personal income, there are grants, scholarships and work programs (“Trends in Student Aid 2016” 7) that can help prospective students realize their dreams. Additionally, there are many students who choose to borrow through loans. Grants are “free money” that are usually awarded by the federal and state governments to qualified individuals under certain conditions. Grants can be found and applied for easily on the Internet. Some grants, such as federal need-based grants, do not require scholarship essays. According to data from “Trends in Student Aid 2016,” total federal aid to college students increased from $20.6 billion (in 2015 dollars) in 2005-2006 to $41.7 billion in 2015-2016, after peaking at $51.9 billion in 2010-2011. Total federal student loans increased 25 percent between 2005-06 and 2015-16, growing 62 percent in the first five years, but decreasing 23 percent between 2010-11 and 2015-16. (“Trends in Student Aid 2016” 3) It is obvious that federal aid is increasing to keep more students in college and debt-free. The federal government knows the importance of education, so it invests money in grants. This is a good call for current college students. People in debt can repay their loans by following the federal government's guidelines. It depends on personal decisions, but paying for college in full is no longer impossible. There are people who work and study at the same time through federal programs. The work program is called Federal Work-Study (FWS). This program helps students find part-time work and receive a wage no less than minimum wage. Students must be employed by the institution itself; a federal, state, or local public agency; a private non-profit organization; or a private, for-profit organization. Institutions must use at least 7% of their work-study allocation to support students working in community service jobs, including: reading tutors for preschool or elementary school-aged children; mathematics tutor for students enrolled in elementary school through eighth grade; literacy tutors in a family literacy project carrying out family literacy activities; or emergency preparedness and response. (“Federal” 1). The federal work-study program benefits both the government and students. The federal government uses college students' knowledge to develop the economy, discover new technologies, build infrastructure, and students can be employed in formal jobs to pay for their college. This is a win-win for everyone. Most families will contribute a large portion of the tuition for thecollege. Upper-middle class families tend to send their children to private institutions. They usually have already prepared college money for their children. They can afford about 39% of their children's tuition, while parents of public college students can usually afford only 16% (“Trends in College Pricing 2016” 22-23). Parents from low-income families are concerned about the equity of educational resources. They also want to send their children to an affordable institution that can change their children's lives and eventually place them in high society. It's a new reason why it's difficult to choose a college for parents and students who can afford a nice public university but not a private college. Family support, government grants, scholarships, there are so many ways students can pay for their college. Will the profit cover the investment? Higher education benefits not only individuals but also society as a whole. Recent data shows that the educational level of individuals has shifted from people who did not finish high school or even attended any school to increasingly having Bachelor's degrees. (But 14). These people are changing the world, they are helping the world with high technology. They are transforming the American economy from a work-based economy to a knowledge-based economy. Most adults with college degrees believe they can earn more if they can finish a four-year college. It is true? “In 2015, the median earnings of college graduates without advanced degrees who worked full time were $24,600 (67%) higher than those of high school graduates. College graduates paid approximately $6,900 (91%) more in taxes and took home $17,700 (61%) more in after-tax income than high school graduates” (Ma 17). From big data it is clear and certain that people will earn more if they obtain a higher diploma. If someone wants to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for four years, they will pay $85,240 total. Based on your average after-tax income, you can recoup your tuition in at least three years. In contrast, someone without a high school diploma cannot earn even half the earnings of a bachelor. But this problem is much more complicated. College students can work part-time jobs but will lose four years of opportunities to earn money in the workforce. “The average four-year college graduate who enrolls at age 18 and graduates in four years can expect to earn enough compared to the average high school graduate by age 34 to make up for having been out of the workforce for four years and to pay the full amount of tuition, fees, books and supplies without any subsidy. (Ma 18). Attending university actually slows down the process of accumulating student capital. They spend more time and money on education for at least 2 years without making huge profits. Usually, people who choose to attend a graduate program will have a full-time job after their 22nd birthday. They waste four years and lose money in exchange for good investment opportunities. Even if they earn more money than those who did not attend college, it takes them a long time to reach the economic level of others. It takes longer to recover lost earnings as the years spent in school also increase (Ma 19). It affects some high school students, especially those who want quick money. Additionally, some students choose to take a gap year or even two years to work on financing their college. There is always something beyond “return”. More people.