As the end of the year approaches, many seniors at Mills High School are preparing for college and thinking about their future. However, for many families, the thrill of attending college also comes with the stress of paying expensive tuition costs. Over the years, college tuition has continued to rise, making it harder for students to afford higher education. While students are able to benefit from lower in-state tuition rates, students who want to attend colleges out of state or outside of the country often have to pay much higher tuition costs than students who reside in the state of the college.
Since families pay yearly federal taxes in California, public universities receive funding from the tax fee, reducing tuition costs for college students. In order to qualify for in-state tuition, a student or their parents must remain in physical presence in California for over a year. We think that it’s a great relief that Mills students have access to attend in-state colleges in California for a lower tuition because of the variety of reputable universities. Lily Aidi (12) says, “I feel like Mills students have a lot of access to affordable colleges due to our in-state CSU system, UC system and even community colleges.”
For out-of-state colleges or colleges in other countries, tuition is much higher compared to in-state tuition. For example, a Californian resident attending a UC, might pay around $15,000-$20,000 per year for tuition plus fees. On the other hand, an out-of-state student might pay over $40,000–$50,000 yearly, a staggering difference in amount compared to the in-state tuition.
We personally believe that students who will be attending out-of-state colleges should receive higher financial aid from the government. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), is a free annual form for students to apply for federal student loans. While the government does provide FAFSA, Maxine Lamont (12) shares her perspective on the matter, “I think it’s unfortunate that colleges and FAFSA will not give financial aid to students whose families are considered middle class. The cut-off in annual income for reduced and free tuition is low and fails to take into account that families with an above-average income still can not comfortably afford paying $20,000-100,000 per year.”
This issue deeply affects high schoolers throughout the country and can be seen in the Mills community because college decisions are not just about where students want to go, but what they can actually afford. As seniors prepare to graduate, many have to choose between their dream schools and what they can afford, often turning down schools because of cost or limiting their choices to in-state options. Aidi shared, “Taking out [over] $100,000 worth of loans was just not worth it for my bachelor’s degree,” showing how price alone can completely change someone’s path. This financial pressure also affects parents, who often have to make sacrifices to support their children’s education.
Rick Aidi, parent of Aidi, explained that paying for college would require his family to cut back on vacations, dining out and other fun activities. He also showed concern that large student loans could negatively impact students’ future financial independence, such as taking longer to be able to afford a house or live independently. These concerns, stemming from both students and parents, show that the cost of college impacts not only the student but the parents as well. Although students in California attending in-state colleges receive lower in-state tuition and stronger financial aid options, many families still feel limited considering colleges outside of the state or country. In the end, the best thing to do is to lower the prices as students want and give education a chance to pursue goals and passions.
