Maybe too Accessible?

Since most of us contributing to this blog are students, it should not be surprising that the topic of education comes up again and again, because it is a topic we are deeply familiar. This week then, we're tackling the accessibility of higher education. I think this goes hand in hand with our earlier topic about education alternatives, because the accessibility affects how or why we might seek alternatives.

In my mind college is more accessible now than ever, in part because it feels like society has it as practically a requirement for succeeding in this world. And of course the easy nature in which one can acquire student loans, which can leave a person in debt for years after they graduate. And with the number of community colleges, online universities catering to the people who couldn't normally complete college, and schools worrying about funds and pushing to accept more students, it is hard for someone not to find a college that will accept them.

Now, its nice that anyway could theoretically go to college, but I do not think the increased accessibility is a good thing. It first and foremost puts a pressure on people to have to go to college, when (as I've stated before) I do not that that should be the case for all career paths. It puts people into more debt, makes them spend more money than they need to be trained in that field. And if everyone is going to college, and so many people are amassing student debt, I do see a crisis in our future for all those people that have trouble paying their student loans. After all, there was (I can't remember if there still is) a debate by Congress on whether or not to let the interest rates on student loans increase. Well, it felt less like a debate and more like a struggle for each side to get what they want, including the same interest rates.

College has become the norm. College has become the future everyone has seen themselves having, and I think in some part because everyone is going to college, a college degree isn't "worth" as much anyway. You have to do more to stand out and get that job than just a diploma. Part of it is of course the recession, but to some degree the ability of anyone to get a degree dilutes the value of all.

Of course, I'm not saying we shouldn't let people get a college education. The American Dream lives on in the college education. But this is of course when you start to enter the "alternatives" debate and that would be an entirely different post. Basically I think college is too expensive and too accessible, though of course making it less accessible would probably make it more expensive, so I do not think there's any chance of my perceived issue being solved in the near future.

Though, I do not think the accessibility of higher education is affecting the quality. We still (as the United States) have some of the highest ranked universities in the world, and still create new technologies and come up with new ideas. (its really the k - 12 education system that I am more worried about...)

And I suppose that sums up my opinions on the subject for this week. Yeah.