Is the Tassel Worth the Hassle

Is the Tassel Worth the Hassle?

Economic benefits of college education:

"So, where's Zac going to college?" an aunt asked my mom at a summer family get-together on
Cape Cod a few years back.
"UMass-Amherst."
"Couldn't he have gone somewhere better?"
"He'll be fine."
Going to a public college or a not well-known name college versus going to a school that
everyone knows the name of will help you out in the long run. “According to U.S. News &
World Report, UMass-Amherst students graduate with the fifth-smallest average debt load in the
country, behind only the University of Louisville among public institutions.” Paying a high price
for name recognition when you can get the same education at a public college does not make
financial sense.
Although most private colleges have a higher graduation rate, graduates will be in more debt
than graduates of public colleges. The average cost of a private college education is $65,000. A
CNN Money article described the debt that some students carry when they finish college.
Saniquah Robinson owes $87,000 and can’t find a job that pays more than $19 per hour. If she
had gone to a public college, her debt would be much less.
For people who are struggling financially, community college is a benefit because you can save
money by living at home. You can also work a part-time job. The tuition and fees at a
community college are significantly less than that at a private institution.
“An ambitious student can get a good education at any number of colleges, and a lousy one can
get a lousy education at even the best colleges.”
This proves that no matter what school you go, to whether it’s the best school in the country or a
community college, you can get a similar education or maybe even a better one if you work hard
and you’ll save much more money.
People who graduate college now are more likely to get a job than people who only have a high
school diploma. Wages are higher for college graduates. Paying money for an education is an
investment in the future. You pay now for a higher wage over the course of your life.

Potential problems of student debt:

According to Jason Chura, his degree isn’t worth his debt. Since he is still paying off student
loans and assumes he will be for the next 20 years, he isn’t able to marry his girlfriend and
although he wanted to be a journalist he won’t be able to support himself so he settled for some
job that he doesn’t want. Another problem of student debt is the economy. College graduates
owe a lot of money so they can’t contribute to the economy by buying things. Home ownership
takes a lot longer because they don’t have money for the required down payment and owe too
much money to qualify for a mortgage. Many college graduates end up living back at home with
their parents because they can’t afford to move out on their own.

The Tassel IS worth the hassle and here’s why...

if you make the smart choice of weighing your options and not just jumping at the chance of
going to a big name school. Making sound financial decision when you’re first starting out will
help you in the long run. Most jobs require a college degree and unless you plan on going to a
trade school going to college is a good decision because you have more job options and have the
chance of earning more money over the course of your life.

Works Cited:

externalfile:drive-f89a4840a511d3dbcc4b3c829b38256131a578cc/root/Why I Won't Have Any
College Debt - The Boston Globe.mht

externalfile:drive-f89a4840a511d3dbcc4b3c829b38256131a578cc/root/Handout - Debt Stories
3.pdf