Phoenix Chassin

UWRT 1103-014

1.
Kamenetz, Anya. “Making Sure College Is Worth The Cost.” NPR, NPR, 11 Sept. 2015,
https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/09/11/438876441/making-sure-college-is-worth-the-
cost.
2. The author of the article Making Sure College Is Worth The Cost is Anya Kamenetz.
Kamenetz is an author who focuses on higher education and its cost in many of her published
books and articles. She has written articles for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and
NPR. Kamenetz is currently the lead education correspondent for NPR and focuses many of the
articles featured on NPR around the topic of higher education. This article in particular
referenced multiple studies and reports when posing the question of the value of a college
education to the audience.

3. In her article, Kamenetz takes the experiences shared by a small group of students who
graduated from Montgomery County and applies statistics taken from other studies in order to
pose the question: is college worth the cost? Kamenetz presents studies that share the opinion
that debt is a major influencer of a student’s choice when considering a college and, more
importantly, when searching for a job. Studies from Gallup and The New York Times are
referenced in order to support the opinions shared by the small group about college debt.
Kamenetz choose only to provide studies that supported the opinions of the small group and
only shared the overall response from her group. While Kamenetz does not explicitly state
herself that college is not worth the cost, all the evidence that she provides point to the idea that
it is not.

4. This article agrees with much of the other articles I have read. Many show the cost of living
and cost of college to be growing at a higher rate than wages, leading to the conclusion that
college is not worth the cost. None of the articles, including Kamenetz’s, take the whole picture
into account when making claims, meaning that an overall conclusion can not be drawn.

5. “Research shows [college debt] can influence new grads to take a job that's not as great a fit.
It has ripple effects on savings, living on your own, getting married, starting a business, buying a
house and a car. Even mental and physical health.” (Kamenetz 7)
“But nine out of 10 freshmen at pricey private institutions get a discount, averaging over 50
percent.” (Kamenetz 4)

6. While it is unlikely that this source will be of substantial use in my thesis, the studies shared
within the article, and some of the smaller scale opinions shared will be used when forming my
conclusion.

1. Mcmurtrie, Beth. “Professors Worry About the Cost of Textbooks, but Free Alternatives Pose
Their Own Problems.” Chronicle of Higher Education, vol. 65, no. 18, 18 Jan. 2019. Academic
Search Complete, EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=134866281&authtype=shib&site=e
host-live&scope=site&custid=s5822979. Accessed 10 Oct. 2019.

2. The author, Beth McMurtrie, is a senior writer for the Chronicle of Higher Education and has
written articles for over 15 years. While she mainly focuses on advancements involving
technology in the world of education, she has branched out to other topics in the field of
education. The Chronicle of Higher Education is a newspaper and website that provides news,
articles, and information about higher education. The source contains information specific to
higher education and is written for a higher level audience.

3. McMurtie’s piece was created in order to analyze the information gleaned from a study that
asked college professors about the price of college textbooks and what they do to try and
alleviate the burden from students. The study found that over 60% of professors thought that the
cost of textbooks placed a burden on the students. Many of these professors took steps to try
and alleviate the cost for the students. Despite this, only 32% of professors say that they will
consider using open materials within the next few years. 37% of professors make students use
online software for homework for their courses.

The survey also asked professors about their stance on online textbooks or resources given
solely through online means. While there is a slight preference for digital materials, many take a
strong stance against digital. McMurtie goes on to give quotes from various professors whose
subject matter related to different questions asked in the survey.

4. The voice agrees with the other opinions I have found. It shares the same general opinion
that the cost of college is high and can have an impact on students' education. This source
provides the unique view of professors and shows that they too think the cost of college has a
negative impact on students and shows that some professors take steps to try and alleviate this
burden.
5. “I detest traditional textbooks. I really believe students should be pushed intellectually and
most textbooks are just far too over-produced and try to do too much. From what I can see
students fail to even crack them open because they are dull or too simplistic. Or, when they do
open them it is only in courses where they are memorizing content and not really engaging in
deep thought.” This quote shows the opinion of a professor that is not as enthralled about the
textbook medium as many others.

“Jeff Seaman, director of the group, said in an email that a 'perceived lack of quality options" is
holding back growth in OER usage. But given widespread concerns among faculty members
about textbook costs, he added, institutionwide initiatives to use or expand these offerings could
make a difference.” This quote gives insight into a medium that could be used to help offset the
growing cost of college.
6. While the primary goal of my research is to find information about the direct cost of college
(ie. tuition), providing a small amount of information concerning the additional costs associated
with a college education would help to put the true cost in perspective to the reader.

1. Dunagan, Alana. “How to Flatten the Cost Curve of College.” Chronicle of Higher Education,
vol. 63, no. 40, 30 June 2017, pp. 1–1. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=124546790&authtype=shib&site=e
host-live&scope=site&custid=s5822979. Accessed 10 Oct. 2019.

2. Alana Dunagan is a senior researcher and author of many different articles. Her writing
appears in a variety of sources, but almost all are related to higher education. This article
appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education, a newspaper and website that provides news,
articles, and information about higher education. The source contains information specific to
higher education and is written for a higher level audience.

3. While many states are being pushed to make college tuition free, the cost of attending college
is only increasing. Specific schools that Dunagan chose to highlight have been making waves
by going against the grain of typical college standards. Simmons College has attracted many by
focusing efforts to bring in older individuals looking to complete or begin their degree. Arizona
State University offers completely free online courses that can be transferred into college credit.
Southern New Hampshire University offers self paced bachelor’s degree programs for $3,000 a
year.

These changes have been sparked by the realization that some colleges will not be able to be
financially stable if they continue down the traditional path. The reason that these changes have
an impact in the big picture is that they provide competition for the more traditional forms of
college education. If others choose not to adapt and innovate along with the rest of the colleges
then they will not be able to keep up. Dunagan closes the article with a call to action, saying that
those with power in universities need to take action and innovate in order to break the cycle of
cost increases for college.

4. This voice agrees with the other opinions I have found. Dunagan finds that college is too
expensive and that the price will only continue to increase with the current strategies colleges
are taking to draw students.

5. “Many administrators have met steady cost increases with a symmetrical response: building
on the same, traditional offerings to help them compete for students. But this often has the
unintended effect of continuing the cycle of cost increases.” This quote gives an effective
summary as to what is currently happening with universities that help to contribute to the rising
cost of college.

“Disruptive innovations come in on the low end of a market and provide a product or service that
isn't as good, at least by traditional standards. But they open access to those who were
previously shut out of the market by a lack of wealth or experience.” While the average wages
might not have grown in proportion to the cost of college, by providing opportunities to those
who might not be able to afford a traditional college path, helps to alleviate the problem.

6. While the information presented in this source is very specific and does not provide enough
information to show how these changes have impacted the world of higher education, the points
made throughout the article are sound and can be used to reinforce claims made in the final
inquiry.

1. Sanchez, Claudio. “How The Cost Of College Went From Affordable To Sky-High.” NPR,
NPR, 18 Mar. 2014, www.npr.org/2014/03/18/290868013/how-the-cost-of-college-went-from-
affordable-to-sky-high.

2. Claudio Sanchez was a contributor for NPR for more than 30 years. His articles primarily
covered education and politics relating to education. While he did not have a specific focus in
higher education or cost of education, his vast amount of experience in the topic of education
proves his worth as a contributor on the topic.

3. The tuition of colleges throughout the country has gone up significantly in recent years.
Parents in particular are dismayed by the drastic increases to the cost. The idea that a college
degree alone provides a substantial increase in money earned or a wider selection in jobs is
one that harms many. Despite the drastic increase in cost, people still choose to pay for it
because of this fact. In the past the GI Bill brought 8 million veterans to colleges, but even this
massive spike in enrollment did not change the overall cost due to the successful economy.
States created many new colleges and the federal government began providing opportunities to
general citizens and minority groups.

This changed in the 1970’s when inflation jumped and the economy fell from its post war boom.
Following this less grants were offered and many people turned to loans in order to pay their
way through college. Some colleges began to market themselves as higher quality due to the
higher tuition. Today this practice has become less common as the consumer has become
smarter. The fact that in order to receive a more affordable degree one has to jump through
hoops and stay well educated in the world of higher education costs and developments is a
problem.

4. This voice agrees with the others that I have found. While the main information provided by
Sanchez is primarily a history of college prices with little bias, the quotes taken by parents he
interviewed all share the opinion that college is very expensive yet seems like a requirement if
you want to live a better life.

5. “Experts say parents are slowly but surely becoming smarter consumers of higher education
and are helping their kids find less-expensive options — like community college — while coming
to the realization that a college education never will be the entitlement that many Americans
thought it was 30 or 40 years ago.” This quote provides a general summary to the problem that
many people face when comparing college today to that of the past.
“As family income fell, borrowing to pay for college took off, while public investment in higher
education dropped. Sandy Baum of the Urban Institute says that drop has been the single
biggest reason for the increase in college costs.” This quote provides information as to why the
spike in college cost occurred.
6. I want to primarily focus on timely information and modern examples in order to educate and
inform the reader on what is most relevant to them. This article provides history that will be
helpful to me in determining my overall stance on my topic and gives the groundwork from
which most other articles will be built upon.

1. “Financial Aid and College Costs.” What Universities Can Be: A New Model for Preparing
Students for Active Concerned Citizenship and Ethical Leadership, by Robert J. Sternberg,
Cornell University Press, Ithaca; London, 2016, pp. 137–156. JSTOR,
www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctt20d890h.10.

2. Robert Sternberg is a professor of human development at Cornell University. However, he

finds passion in creating better standardized tests and reducing inequality in college. While
much of his professional career and writings focus on psychology, his heavy involvement with
university gives his arguments credibility.

3. The two forms of financial aid, need-based and merit-based, are not very good. The need-
based form does not have enough money to go around and the methods used to calculate the
money given to an individual grossly overestimate the money that they can afford to pay. The
solution to this, Sternberg claims, is in federal and state grant money. While it would be difficult
to implement politically, our country as a whole needs to make the step in order for change to be
achieved. Merit-based aid has a whole slew of problems that represent the merit of a student
very lacklusterly. The cost of college has disproportionately risen when compared to that of the
average family income.

One solution could be to cut the salaries of professionals in the college and redistribute that
money to the student. Cutting the services, particularly those that do not attract much attention
or were not very strong to begin with, can also help to reduce costs. The much preferred way of
increasing funds however, is to get larger contributions from donors or to find more donors to
contribute. As for state schools, either allocating more funds or condensing the amount of
schools present in the state could alleviate the problem. While thinking like this is important
when it comes to finding new funds, it could create problems in the long term. Colleges should
be looking at the value a student receives from each penny spent and base their decisions
around that in order to create a better university experience.

4. This voice agrees with the others that I have found. The idea that college is very expensive is
present throughout the whole chapter of this article. Sternberg tries to give potential solutions
that the college itself can implement to improve this problem.
5. “The debate should be framed in terms of value received.” (Pg 20) This quote gives a strong
summary as to how universities should look at the problem of rising college costs when trying to
take steps to alleviate the burden on the student.

“The greatest problem our society faces in higher education is perhaps not the quality of the
education our universities provide. The greatest problem is the ever-rising cost of university
education”. (Pg 5) This quote gives Sternberg’s stance on the cost of college and is important to
understand when considering all the other facts and potential solutions presented within the
book.

6. The solutions provided by Sternberg will be important when thinking about what can be done,
if anything, concerning the cost of college. The information provided about financial aid is also
very important as it is one of the few ways a student can lower the cost of college with little or no
effort.

1. “WHAT IS COLLEGE FOR?” College: What It Was, Is, and Should Be - Updated Edition, by
ANDREW DELBANCO, REV - Revised ed., Princeton University Press, Princeton; Oxford,
2012, pp. 9–35. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1287khf.6.

2.Andrew Delbanco is a professor of American Studies at Columbia University. He has written

many books on a variety of topics. This chapter was taken from his award winning book
College: What It Was, Is, and Should Be. He has been a teacher for over 20 years and has
been very involved in higher education throughout his career, giving the points made in his book
relevance.

3. The idea of college today is much different from what college once was. The amount of
undergraduate students is increasing quickly and some people are pushing for even more
growth. People enter college searching for a new path in life, but many do not know what the
right path is. Although college is no longer a place where religion reigns, the idea that many
students want to know what is right to think or choose makes it seem as though it would still fit
in well. College is a place of pressure where students have to worry about even more ranks
than they did in the past. College has undergone many deep changes that all fundamentally
lead to more choice for the students involved.

Good colleges need to be more than just a place for students to find their path or have their first
step into quasi-freedom. They need to be transformative. College improves the economic health
of a nation and increases the economic versatility of an individual. The competitiveness of a
university brings out the competitive nature of people. College inspires democracy and helps to
mold the leaders of the future. College opens the mind to new experiences that would remain
foreign to those who do not attend. Universities need to expand their offerings if they want to
capitalize on these three points and make college the best -place for students it can be.
4. This voice agrees with the others that I have found. Delbanco knows that college has
changed over the years but understands what a student desires and what would be beneficial to
a student that attends.

5.“And so, I think, are the students. They have always been searching for purpose” This quote
explains what Delbanco believes the student wants when entering college.

“And an American college is only true to itself when it opens its doors to all… if we are serious
about democracy, that means everyone.” (Pg 27) This quote gives Delbanco’s overall stance on
what college should be in order to maximize the benefit to the students that attend it.

6. While this source does not specifically relate to the cost of college, understanding what a
college should provide and what students want from college is essential.

1. “Trends in College Pricing 2018.” Research, College Board, 3 Sept. 2019,

research.collegeboard.org/trends/college-pricing.

2. The organization that published the study is The College Board. The source is credible when
it comes to information presented about college, particularly its cost.

3. The price of tuition now is three times higher than that of tuition 30 years ago for public 4-year
universities. Public 2-year and private non-profit were 2.15 and 2.11 times higher respectively.
Despite this, the median family income of 2017 was only 18% higher than that of 1987. The
average room, board, and tuition for a public 4-year university has almost doubled over the last
30 years. While 2-year public and 4-year non-profit universities have not had the same scale of
increase, they both have seen significant increases over the past 30 years. While income has
increased over the past 30 years, it has not increased proportionately to the cost of a college
education.

4. The voice agrees with the others that I have found. As this source is purely a study that
presents only facts it is an extremely important source. It gives raw data with no bias about the
issues that other articles and books speak about.

5. “In 2018-19, full-time in-state students at public four-year colleges must cover an average of
about $14,900 in tuition and fees and room and board after grant aid and tax benefits, in
addition to paying for books and supplies and other living expenses.” This quote is important
when looking at the price of college now compared to the past.

“In 2018-19, full-time students at private nonprofit four-year colleges must cover an average of
about $27,300 in tuition and fees and room and board after grant aid and tax benefits, in
addition to paying for books and supplies and other living expenses.” This quote shows that the
problem is present in not only public universities, but private universities as well.
“Average published tuition and fees for in-state students attending public four-year colleges rose
by $6,770 (in 2017 dollars) over this 30-year period—57% of the increase in income ($11,840)
of the middle 20% of families and 9% of the increase in income ($77,650) of the 20% of families
in the highest income bracket.” This quote shows how the disparity between the rise of the cost
of college and the rise of income harms the middle and lower income citizens the most.

6. I want to base most of my information on fact and use logos to sway my readers as much as
possible. As this source is a research study that only presents facts with no biased opinions it
will be very useful when presenting my stance.

1. “WHO WENT? WHO GOES? WHO PAYS?” College: What It Was, Is, and Should Be -
Updated Edition, by ANDREW DELBANCO, REV - Revised ed., Princeton University Press,
Princeton; Oxford, 2012, pp. 102–124. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1287khf.9.

2. Andrew Delbanco is a professor of American Studies at Columbia University. He has written

many books on a variety of topics. This chapter was taken from his award winning book
College: What It Was, Is, and Should Be. He has been a teacher for over 20 years and has
been very involved in higher education throughout his career, giving the points made in his book
relevance.

3. With the creation of residence halls and the introduction of preceptors to classrooms the
landscape of college shifted. In order to raise standards of universities, colleges had to accept
people from all walks of social life who had the talent to succeed and improve. The amount and
type of student that attends college has shifted over the years. The scope of college has
expanded incredibly and the diversity present in the student body has shifted greatly as well.
The GI Bill was one of the major shifts in college history that changed this student body and how
colleges today exist. Expansion of the community college and creation of modern financial aid
systems helped to lower the bottom line for many different students.

Funds for colleges now have to come from tuition instead of money received through the public.
The grants given to low-income groups have failed to keep up with the rising cost of college,
while the loans and scholarships given to middle-income families have only increased.
Endowments, government support, and the amount being given have all fallen since 2008,
meaning private universities are facing the same problem as that of public universities. The fact
that aid is provided based mostly on test scores is a problem within itself. Unless changes are
made in the tax structure or political priorities then the problems will not be solved.

4. This voice agrees with the others that I have found. Delbanco knows that college has
changed over the years but understands what a student desires and what would be beneficial to
a student that attends.

5.“...problems that low-income students face not only in gaining admission to elite colleges but
in getting to and through college at all” This quote shows one of the main problems faced by
university students that will only become a larger problem until change is created.
“To make up for the decline of public money, tuition rates at public universities have been
climbing even faster than at private institutions.” This quote shows the problem that plagues
public universities and is causing the tuition to rise for students.

6. This sources’ use of logos and credible ethos makes it one of the founding sources for my
topic. Making use of the information provided in this text will help tremendously when
synthesizing my inquiry.

1. Investopedia. “How Does the Current Cost of Living Compare to 20 Years Ago?”
Investopedia, Investopedia, 8 Sept. 2019, www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/101314/what-
does-current-cost-living-compare-20-years-ago.asp.

2. Investopedia is a site dedicated to providing information about the stock market and the cost
of certain things in the American market. Investopedia takes information from other sources and
conglomerates them into a place where readers can find different information. The sources
referenced in this article, The Bureau of Labor Statistics and The Consumer Price Index are
federal programs that provide accurate information.

3. The consumer price index, which was used as the basis for the information presented,
measures the average price change over time in urban areas. The price of goods has increased
higher than the rate of inflation over the past 20 years. The rise of household income has not
kept up with the increase in inflation. The price of large scale goods, such as houses and cars,
has also increased beyond the rate of inflation. While the average person’s income has kept up
with inflation, the cost of living has increased beyond the rate of inflation meaning that the
consumer has less buying power.

4.The voice agrees with the others that I have found. As this source is purely a study that
presents only facts it is an extremely important source. It gives raw data with no bias about
information that is important to understand when considering the high cost of college compared
to income.

5. “For example, the Bureau of Census reports that the average price of a new home in May
1999 was $193,900. According to the inflation calculator, that price today should be $298,774.
The same report places the average sale price for May 2019 at $377,200, more than 26 percent
higher than the price when accounting for inflation alone.”

“The BLS also makes available an inflation calculator to find out how much inflation has
degraded the dollar during a certain period. For example, according to the most recent data
collected by the BLS, current as of June 2019, what would have cost $20 in 1999 would now
cost nearly $31.”
6. I want to base most of my information on fact and use logos to sway my readers as much as
possible. As this source is a research study that only presents facts with no biased opinions it
will be very useful when presenting my stance.

1. Maldonado, Camilo. “Price Of College Increasing Almost 8 Times Faster Than Wages.”
Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 25 July 2018,
www.forbes.com/sites/camilomaldonado/2018/07/24/price-of-college-increasing-almost-8-times-
faster-than-wages/#42df610466c1.

2. Camilo Maldonado is a senior contributor for Forbes. He writes articles about investment and
the economy that appeal to a wider audience. He is the co-founder of a website that is used to
show people how to handle the basics of the economy. Forbes is an online journal that appeals
to a large audience by covering a variety of topics in a less academic tone. The research used
to support this article and the author are credible.

3. Student loans make up the largest amount of non-housing debt in the United States. The lack
of growth in wealth and the massive increase in college cost is causing this generation to have
major problems paying for college. The average cost of attending a 4-year university has almost
doubled from what it was 30 years ago. While the average annual growth in college cost was
2.6% a year, the average growth in wages was only .3% a year. With the current trend, each
new graduate will have to pay more than the last while not receiving an equal proportion in
wage increases. The massive increase in student loans but the lack of increase in wages is the
cause of the debt many face today. Despite the disadvantage that comes with this debt, not
having a college degree is a major disadvantage when searching for a job.

Until large scale change occurs in colleges or the university system itself it is up to the college
students to make decisions that give them benefits without weighing them down with debt.
Going to the most expensive schools for liberal arts degrees can prove to be worrisome if you
do not have a clear path with what to do with the degree. Getting your undergraduate degree at
a more reasonable cost by attending public universities or going to community college to get
your associates is something that can be very beneficial cost wise.

4. This voice agrees with the others that I have found. Maldonado states that college is much
more expensive and that students need to understand how to manage their finances if they
want to get out of college without going into massive amounts of debt.

5.“The average for all four-year institutions comes out to $26,120 per year. This brings the total
cost of attendance to an astronomical total of $104,480 over four years. The comparable cost
for the same four-year degree in 1989 was $26,902 ($52,892 adjusted for inflation).” This quote
shows how the cost of college has risen over the years.

“It’s hard to know what you want to do after college when you are freshly out of high school, but
while we no longer have the luxury of an inexpensive college education, we do have longer life
expectancies.” This quote shows why it is a problem for students that college is continuing to
become more expensive.
6. While this source does use some logos in its delivery, I want to focus almost solely on logos.
This source does have some use, but will only serve to reinforce the claims found in other
studies.