Death, Taxes and Rising College Costs
As each week goes by in Washington, it becomes clearer that a legislative fix is unlikely to solve the college-cost conundrum.
Not only are legislators distracted by pressing issues such as hurricane relief, and the war on terror they appear to have quietly determined that there are other ways to address rising college costs besides the use of a big stick from Congress.
The reality of the college-cost debate is that both sides are stuck. They are stuck in neutral, without a real philosophical direction to head for, and without a legislative vehicle to get there anyway.
Meanwhile, life goes on. Thanks to the baby-boom echo, and the realization by today’s parents of the importance of a college education, a greater number of high school students each year decide to apply to and attend a four-year college or university.
And this simple, raw demand puts upward pressure on college costs, as some schools realize that, no matter what they charge as a sticker price, they will have the bodies to fill their classrooms and residence halls.
There is some legislative action in Washington, but it actually has more to do with how to help students and their families to meet the high cost of college, rather than addressing the core issue of the cost itself.
So student aid dollars are in focus, student loan policies are in debate and college-cost-related tax policies are on the table.
What are we doing about it?
At Explore Colleges, we support more family-friendly education loan policies, pushing for an elimination of the origination fee on student loans and raising the amount that a student can borrow under the federal loan program, thereby beginning to stem at least a bit of the demand for higher priced – and riskier – private-loan alternatives.
And it means that we will continue to support a dramatic increase in Pell Grant funding and many other tried and proven college access programs that have benefited from or been created through the provision of federal dollars.
Kathie Boozer is the founder and president of Explore Colleges, a premier college group tour operator. Explore Colleges’ customized tours help students experience the unique cultures, environments, and opportunities on each campus and inspire them to follow their dreams. Contact Kathie at kboozer@explorecolleges.org
