Higher education comes with a cost

Despite studying hard, and doing the best that teens can do in high school, the reality is that their dream school may not be an option.

We live in a society where a student’s’ future is based primarily on their parents’ income.

It is already difficult enough to find the perfect match of a student to a school. Seniors and juniors already have to deal with SATs, ACTs, and college applications. How well a seventeen or eighteen year old performs on a test, or on a report card affects their whole future. Decisions made by young adults will determine the course of their entire lives.

Seniors deal with a tremendous amount of stress every year. Even after conquering stress and finishing that last application or scoring well on standard tests, they are faced with the reality of money.

Finances play the biggest role in college decisions. Where a student may want to go, might not even be an option to them because of the cost. Some students go to colleges that they really can’t afford, and spend future years of their lives drowning in student debt and loans.

Being accepted into a school can be a great achievement for a student, but it may be one that they can not pursue any further.

Families simply can’t afford to send their child to just any school. Students go to the school that is the best financial option for them.

It is true that there are large amounts of financial aid given out by colleges and universities every year, and these generous gifts benefit many families with hard working students. However, they can not give money to everyone and many students here at South Hadley are not considered to be eligible for high amounts of aid.

Middle class families may be well off enough to maintain their own household, but that does not mean that they can pay thousands of dollars worth of college tuition. Schools are overlooking this fact and because of it they are losing hardworking students who are not able to meet financial requirements.

College decisions should be based on where the student wants to go, not where they are inclined to go because of money. In an ideal society, if a student got into a school they should be able to go there. How many senior will be going to the first school of their choice next year? Soon they will have to face their final decisions and there is no doubt that they will be based on finances. Soon our seniors, and all seniors in America, will have to face the harsh reality of economics.

Ziomek may be reached at [email protected]