Friday, March 29, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Monday, May 20, 2013
More Transparency Needed in Higher Education
By NCPA @ 5:11 PM :: 2994 Views :: Higher Education

More Transparency Is Needed in Education

NCPA May 20, 2013

College has always been heralded as the ticket to a higher income and at least a middle class lifestyle. But with more than $1 trillion in student debt, parents and college students are now questioning the value of a college degree given the rising costs of college and an uncertain labor market. To help families make better choices in what is typically the second-largest investment a person will make, more information and transparency is needed, says Andrew Kelly of the Hill.

  • Only 50 percent of college students finish a degree or certificate within six years and many of the students will graduate with an enormous debt load.
  • According to the College Board, tuition at public four-year colleges grew 66 percent over the last 10 years, far outpacing financial aid and tuition discounts.
  • The median borrower now owes nearly $14,000, while the returns on college degrees have actually decreased over the last decade.

The Current Population Survey shows that inflation-adjusted income for recent college graduates actually declined between 2000 and 2011. With many college-educated individuals having a bleaker outlooks than in years past, several proposals highlight opportunities that federal policymakers have failed to capitalize.

  • Students should be informed about the different economic returns that different colleges and degrees offer.
  • For instance, students should be aware that graduates from science, technology and math majors typically out earn other degree holders and students who attend more selective colleges are more likely to graduate than those who don't.
  • Promoting this type of information would help battle the common assumption that any college degree will lead to a better economic future.

To track graduate return on investment, policymakers need to reconsider a ban on the federal government collecting individual-level data on college students. More information could be troublesome for some colleges but better-informed consumers might make better choices with their tuition dollars.

  • Politicians also need to examine the efficacy of the student aid programs, which total more than $150 billion.
  • With a handful of congressmen now supporting more transparency in higher education, students may soon have a better idea what to expect for their money.

Source: Andrew Kelly, "Students Need Better Information," The Hill, May 7, 2013.

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT