“Affordability Strikes Concern”…says State Representative
September 19,2023
This was my first ever article, the task was to find something you cared about, that others can relate to. Journalism covers a lot of heavy topics, but that is because that’s what makes the news; it is quite sad, but in a twisted way, a sad story becomes more popular than a happy one. I know people may never read this article, but should anyone come across it, Thank You.
UNCA students say the rising costs of college are causing a drop in the attendance rate.
“One in four working learners is simultaneously attending full-time college while holding down a full-time job,” said Financial Aid Counselor Vicki McElheny at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
The sense of living with financial comfort diminishes as the minimum wage barely covers the cost of living, according to a researcher in the Centre for Development and Environment at the University of Bern
The minimum wage does not provide a living wage for most American families. A small family would need at least two minimum-wage jobs at full-time to make a living. Said the researcher.
Along with minimum wage not being livable, the total cost of living and the rate of attendance have significantly changed.
“The cost of living in the town of Asheville and Buncombe County is massive, the prices of living on campus are pretty competitive compared to off-campus, and that gets complicated,” said North Carolina state representative Lindsey Prather of Buncombe County.
“Post-secondary enrollment has gone down by about 1.23 million undergraduates and 1.11 million total enrollment, both undergraduate and graduate, compared to fall 2019.”The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center officials said.
Students say they go to college or post-secondary school to increase their knowledge and to be more successful.
“I attend college to know to make a change in the world, by bettering myself and expanding what I know, I will be more successful in this process,” Kenyon Taylor, a senior at UNCA, said.
Students say they have felt the pressure of having to go to school to be
successful in their lives.
“We have been drilling into students’ heads that everyone has to go to a 4-year residential university, and there is no way you can be successful in life without going to a 4-year residential university. I worry about the one-size-fits-all approach. There are a ton of options,” said Prather
The average cost of tuition and fees has increased from $11,350 per year for a full-time student in 2016, to $1,7566.50 per year in 2022, according to UNCA’s tuition and fees records
“We know the cost of college has increased, and that is not just due to inflation, it’s due to a ton of factors, one of those factors being, we have increased concerns about mental health. Students’ mental health will continue to be a concern, so building in those wrap-around services outside of the classroom costs money,” said Prather.
Students say the increase in cost is causing more concerns about being more financially stable.
“College is very expensive in the United States, and while it’s necessary for many jobs, only the upper and middle classes can afford it. Certain demographics are also less likely to be able to afford college, which leads to a further wealth gap within the US,” Taylor said
This poses another challenge as “70% of jobs will be requiring some college education or postsecondary schooling by 2027,” according to McElheny.
While there may be no way to avoid having students work full-time as well as attend school full-time, there are a few ways to help reduce the cost of attendance for students, she said.
“One of the options increasing in popularity would be the community college transfer track. We have one of the best community college systems in the country in North Carolina, and it certainly can help with affordability,” Prather said.
McElheny recommended working with a company that offers tuition assistance, always filling out the FAFSA, and looking for private grants as well as institutional or private scholarships.
McElheny also advised looking in depth when preparing for college or any form of secondary school.
“Financial literacy and budgeting are key, explore every possible way of financial aid, and be responsible with your loans,” McElheny said.
“My advice to future students would be to complete their general education classes and any other classes they can at a community college or early college. I attended an early college and got most of my general classes completed and some required math and science courses out of the way,” Taylor said.
