User:Stevenarntson/group spaces/2009fallanalytical/group 1

=Group members= sign in here with ":" (a colon and three tildes).
 * Saramcmillen
 * Fraserbrearley
 * JenniferBrannon
 * SusyG
 * Daniellak
 * KatrinaD

=Overview=
 * 1.summary

Our group worked very well together. we didnt meet up but we always got our own individual parts done.
 * 2.reflective assessment

Everyone in the group got along very well, there were no problems. We were all open minded with everyones opinions and suggestions
 * 1.successes

We believe that our paper includes good information about the topic of rising education prices. Our narrative really introduces the topic and helps the reader understand this serious issue.
 * 2.failures

We could have gotten together and worked out the layout of our project. If we would have gotten together we could have fixed the flow of our project to make it sound better toghether.
 * 3.future strategies

Next time we plan to get together and make sure the paper does not sound like we did it individually and then put it together.

=A Narrative= I grew up in a very small, out of the way, town. Everyone knew everyone else and most things were easily procured. If you didn't have it and couldn't afford it from the local super Wal-Mart, then chances were a friend, family member, or neighbor had it and didn't mind sharing it.

When I turned 18, I decided to move to a city in California; it was everything I had expected, but different. I was attending a rather expensive school for a rather specialized skill. I couldn't afford anything other than my books and supplies for class and minimal food. It was a hard transition and I struggled to stretch my money out every month. Food was growing more scarce in my house and I started to get sick from not eating. I lived almost half-an-hour walk from school. One day, I was walking to school. I made it to the classroom before I passed out on the floor.

I woke up just a few minutes later but the damage was done. My parents were called and I was forced into counseling about my "eating disorder." No one would believe I simply couldn't afford food. After three months of this treatment and five more "episodes" of passing out, I gave up. I dropped out of school and went home, eyeball deep in debt since I had been forced to take(and pay for) counseling. I'm now 39 years old and have a steady job at the local super Wal-Mart. Last year I paid the last bill from the counselor and the loan that I took for school in the first place.

Now I can finally start my life. JenniferBrannon

=Introduction= In the Untied States, our economy is in dire straits. Wages are failing to keep up with the incredible growth of the cost of living. And sadly, the ones who are suffering the most from this fiasco are our future generations. The young adults who are just coming into their lives and are struggling to make ends meet in a stressful, money-hungry environment. One such environment is the northwest corner of the country: Washington State.

Here is an in-depth look at the challenge most college students face, and what schools are doing to both compound and counteract the problem.

=Opportunities=

Where Are You From?
Before one can even consider the opportunities a student has for college, the student's entire life education opportunities must be considered also. The issue comes from much before the student gets to college. Regional differences based on housing price determine the child's education. Where your family can afford to live is what determines most students' college opportunities. "Most low income families' children are given poor lower education and have prepared them very little for the standardized tests that determine college opportunities" (Rising College Cost is). From the same source it is stated, "No doubt low-income students are less prepared academically than higher-income students: They are more likely to come from educationally disadvantaged homes, to attend lousy schools, and to have SAT scores that lag 200 points behind those of higher-income students" (Rising College Cost is).

It appears that because the low income families cannot live in the more wealthy areas, their students have to go to elementary schools and secondary schools that are often times underfunded and lacking in decent teachers and opportunites. A study by a group created by congress, "Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, only 34 percent of low-income eighth graders go on to graduate from high school qualified for college." This means students are at a disadvantage for college before they are even thinking about it because of where the family can live due to housing costs.

In the United States there is a concentration in wealth. This concentration of wealth has a lot to do with increasing executive salaries and tax policies that benefit upperclass. While those in the upperclass continue to make more, people living on minimum wage and and those who are working labor jobs can barely sustain healthy life. As a result of the wealth concentration, there is an extreme imbalance in equal opportunity. From an article titled "Income Inequality Obstructs Social and Economic Mobility", "The children of the poor now tend to stay poor while the children of the rich tend to stay rich because of tax and fiscal policies that favor the very wealthy."

The same source also shares that, "the payroll tax is highly regressive: Middle-class and poorer families pay a larger share of their paychecks in taxes than do those in the upper income brackets. Instead of promoting social policies to promote equal opportunity, the government has promoted policies favorable to the rich, thus accelerating the economic gap between the rich and the poor." So the issues that are present in post high school education are very broad: Low income housing has poor quality public schools, and those who live in low income housing tend to stay there, perpetuating the cycle. College costs are increasing and so is the gap between those who can afford it and those who can't. Fraserbrearley

What Schools are Affordable to You?
The cost of college has always been expensive, but now it is harder than ever for different people of all economic classes to be able to send their children to post high school education; especially those of lower classes. An article stating, "As college costs have risen, there has been a growing disparity between those who can afford to attend college and those who cannot"(Rising). Studies have shown that wealthier students make up the majority at most colleges and low income students get the short end of the stick. According to "Thomas G. Mortenson, roughly one in two students from families making more than $90,000 obtain a bachelor's degree by age 24 compared with 1 in 17 students from families making less than $35,000 a year(Rising)." With numbers like these it is impossible to deny that the schooling system is unbalanced.

The unbalance in the education system becomes quite apparent when addressing race. Hispanics and black have an especially difficult time affording college. Combined Hispanic and black college attendance fell from 34.6% of high schoolers in 1976 to 29.2% in 1983 (Bowen). In addition, many minority students arrive poorly prepared by understaffed urban ghetto and rural secondary schools. "It's discouraging," sums up Director Louis Sullivan of Morehouse School of Medicine "We have lost the legacy of the '60s and '70s in equal opportunity and in equity"(Bowen). So as the years have passed, the U.S. has not only greatly increased the gap between the wealthy and poor, but has also greatly decreased the ability for many to attain higher education.

The cost of education has become such a problem that the U.S. House of Representatives has set up the Committee on Education and Labor. The chairman of this sub-committee, Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA) stated at a roundtable meeting that, "Cost factors prevent 48 percent of all college-qualified, low-income high-school graduates from attending a four-year college and 22 percent from pursuing any college at all. At the rate we are going, by the end of the decade, more than two million college-qualified students will miss out on the opportunity to go to college" (Higher). There is something wrong when people who qualify for college can't attend it because of economic reasons.

"About half of college-bound Hispanics and blacks come from families with annual incomes of $12,000 or less. The tab for a four-year medical degree can now run up to $100,000 and for a three-year law degree up to $50,000. And student aid is drying up, both from the federal government and from many foundations. With less help in sight, undergraduate enrollments are also showing a decline"(Bowen). Fraserbrearley

Financial Aid/Money
Most students have to use loans to pay for school. Although grants and scholarships are out there, they are limited. Most student loans are interest-free while you are in school and you usually don’t have to start paying them off until six months after you graduate. The loans can be flexible and deferred temporarily if you return to school half-time or join the Armed Services, Peace Corps, VISTA, comparable volunteer organizations, or become a law enforcement office. You may have up to 10 years to pay off your loan depending on how much has been borrowed and if more or less minimum payments are being made.

Federal Perkins Student Loan and Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford/Ford Loans are awarded to students who financially need the money. This is an example of a loan that will have the interest deferred while the student is enrolled in school. Students who don’t qualify need-based assistance may qualify for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. With this loan, the interest accrues on this loan during the time of enrollment, during grace periods, and during periods of repayment or deferment. Interest can either be paid when the student is in school, or it can be added to the principal for payment after school. Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students helps parents borrow money for their dependent undergraduate children. These loans are based on credit and not on need. Unsubsidized Stafford Loans and Federal Direct PLUS loans are also available for students with need. If the other loan programs are not enough, the school itself usually a loan program to offer. Saramcmillen

=Student Services=

Schools offer many programs that are supposed to assist the students with both daily life and school needs, such as housing programs, food services, and supplies for both life and school.

Housing
Housing cost is the second most expensive part about going to college. Whether a student is living off-campus or in a school sponsored housing complex, things can get uncertain. Some point of views could also call the housing contract for dorms another way for the school to wring money from the student. Forget the fact that many schools require freshman to live in the dorms, the contract that both the student and usually the parent is required to sign often carries restrictions on things the student can do and have in the building. For example, in addition to candles, incense, and pets, other forbidden items can include: a microwave, a grill (fire hazard), hotplates and outside refrigerators. These restrictions severely limit the students' ability to produce and preserve food, making the meal plan that often comes with the dorms even more of a necessity. But some schools do allow the student to rent items such as microwaves, hot plates, and electric skillets from 'approved companies'.

Also, the school has almost dictatorial power over students residing in dorms, including in the contract: the right to enter the residence with little or no notice, to move students living arrangements as they 'see fit,' and even banning the running of a business, even an "on-line" business on school property.

The school provides the basic necessities such as heat, electricity, water, and needed maintenance but expects the student to fend for themselves if they want unacknowledged necessities such as Internet in the students' living quarters. Any abnormal damages that go beyond basic wear and tear of the apartment or the furniture are also the students responsibility to pay for.JenniferBrannon 17:54, 5 November 2009 (UTC)

Dining
A well-managed monthly food budget can be around $250-$300. Most students are too busy cramming for exams to have time to construct a spreadsheet for their food costs, so we may not even realize how much we spend, which usually results in overspending. In 2008, overall food costs rose dramatically. Milk was up 26% and eggs 40%. In Sept. of 2009, food costs dropped only 0.5%, and are now expected to steadily rise again. In 2006 a dozen eggs cost $1.45 and in 2008 the cost increased to $2.18. A gallon of whole milk in 2007 cost $3.07 and in 2008, $3.87. When the increased price of these common groceries is added to the already high price of processed foods and eating out, a students' food budget becomes more difficult to handle.SusyG

Transportation
Getting to school in an urban area can be a challenge and very expensive. It is very expensive to live downtown in any city, but a lot of private schools seem to be downtown with a great view. The view is nice, but the parking is not so nice. Parking in downtown Seattle, if you can find a spot, can be up to fifteen dollars a day. Students that have class at eight in the morning can often get an early-bird offer in a parking lot which will bring the daily rate to eight or nine dollars a day. If you have no other choice but to drive to school and you have classes three or four times a week, it can be very expensive. Parking on the street is always an option if there is an open spot, but then you have to remember to pay the meter every two hours. A ticket for an expired meter can be up to twenty five dollars and it would be cheaper to park in the fifteen-dollars-a-day lot. Saramcmillen

Special Access
At the University of Washington, they offer Husky Card Services. The Husky Card is a card for the students, faculty, and staff. This card provides services and convenient opportunities. Once the students have a Husky Card, they can purchase a U-Pass sticker that allows them to receive full fare coverage on the Metro transportation system. The card holders have admission to campus events, membership to intramural activities, admission to the art galleries and museums and a discount on Husky sporting events.Saramcmillen

Supplies
There are several reasons why textbooks cost so much: supply and demand is first, then market size has a huge influence, and finally, the captive audience is a reason for high textbook cost.

First, you have heard of supply and demand. This economic principle truly comes into play in the textbook industry. It's not a terribly large industry. Where your particular class in concerned, the publisher is a seller of one. That is, only one publisher manufactures and sells the textbook selected by your professor for your particular class. With the textbook your teacher selects, there is only one choice. You can't decide you'd rather study from a different textbook that might be cheaper (well, you could, but you probably wouldn't do very well on the exams). When your professor selects the textbook for your particular course, there is suddenly a strong demand and a fairly small supply. Thus, the publisher can set the price for the textbook at whatever they like.

Finally, is the idea of the captive audience. Textbooks are books that readers are forced to buy. The audience is captive. Professors expect their students to have copies of the textbook. It's understood why we students must have the textbooks that are required for our classes, but if a student has an unfortunate financial situation, they get penalized for it in school in the form of lower grades and having to use the library books which are not obtainable for outside of the library. The other day in class, I witnessed a student with a good record of turning in all her assignments get penalized for not being able to afford the paint necessary for her project. The teacher claimed that if she could afford to pay for this school, she should be able to afford paint. As students, we all know that this is not true. The teacher required a certain type of paint that costs $10 at all locations. Some of the student got the required materials in their kits that they were provided in the beginning of their quarter. I believe that for a class that is required for all students, all students should have gotten the required materials in their kits, not just the new ones. Daniellak

=Public Colleges Versus Private Colleges=

The costs for college can be daunting. The students' choice in colleges may be limited depending on what their goals are in life. Community colleges offer a well-rounded education and are less expensive. Washington state residents attending universities in the state offer the additional education needed after the Associates degree has been earned. Although, the costs to attend public universities can make a parents eyes bug out, they are less extreme than private schools.

For example, for those of us who have chosen to attend the Art Institute of Seattle, the cost for tuition is $21,195. The Art Institute of Seattle is a private accredited educational portal for those wanting to pursue more artistic fields including Graphic Design, Photography, Fashion, Music, and Interior Design. Many of the classes offered are specific to that field. However, they also offer general education as required by the state. This is a change from how the Art Institute of Seattle had been managed 20 years ago. Back then when one graduated from the program they had all the tools for the industry. However, since the Art Institute was not accredited, none of the credits earned by the student were transferable to other educational institutions. Attending the Art Institute today is much more desirable.

Public colleges such as the University of Washington, which is located across town, offers many different programs and more flexibility in the classes being offered. The cost for attending the University of Washington runs about $7,692.00. The University of Washington is an accredited public school. Washington State University, on the eastern side of the state, costs $ 8,489.00 and Western Washington University, in Bellingham, costs $6,159.00. Last but not least, Evergreen State college in Olympia runs $5,959.00.

Now depending on the field of study by the student, it would make complete sense to attend a public educational institution rather than a private institution. For students that graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle twenty years ago, it made sense to return to the Art Institute. Simply because the credits they earned in the past would still apply today, now that the Art Institute is accredited. Once they have completed their Associates or Bachelor's, they can go to a public school and transfer their credits and begin their Master's degree.

=Solutions=

When addressing the problem of higher costs for education, there are many factors involved: from lack of federal aid and food, to the high cost of housing, and the lower-class public schools being at a disadvantage. But the solution is simple. It comes down to more federal funding towards education. Public schools and private schools should have the same level of education and both should have opportunities for those to excel and help for those who need it.

The government should be compensating for the inequality of income to give every student an equal chance. Maybe the U.S. should look to other countries for ways to solve these issues. According to Philips College in Nicosia, Cyprus, "More and more voices are now supporting the voucher system which essentially will allow students and parents to “cash” their voucher with the institution of their choice and paying any difference between the value of the voucher and the fees of the institution. This approach is expected to bring more equality and more competition between State supported and private education"(...Quality Education) Maybe the United States could implement a similar system.

Also, the voucher system in the situation above could be implemented in many different ways. It could solve the issue of inequality of people getting a high education by balancing out the economic divide. Those whose families get a certain amount of income could be given a certain price on a voucher for tuition. The voucher could even be used in applications such as a student's food, transportation, and supplies. College students are the next generation and it is in the best interest of the whole world that people get equal opportunities for higher education. Fraserbrearley

Since the housing situation has not been taken care of by the government and states, Local people have taken it upon themselves to help out. An alternative to the high priced dorms of colleges are student-sympathetic landlords. Websites such as Craigs List  ((UNCOMPLETE)) JenniferBrannon 17:54, 5 November 2009 (UTC)

Several steps can be taken to decrease the problem, such as lowering the housing cost for one, and for another, providing lower priced meals if they restrict appliances that assist in food availability for the student. The schools that allow the student to rent restricted items could provide those items from the approved company instead of forcing the student to pay for them out of pocket.JenniferBrannon

A fairly simple solution to the high food cost problem, is to apply for food stamps. All you need to do is bring the required information. The Department of Social and Health Services will ask for your income and resident information. You can find out more on the DSHS website. There is even an eligibility calculator that shows what program you may qualify for. Because most students either have a part-time minimum-wage job or none at all, its a pretty good change that they will qualify for at least some food money. And that extra food money will go a long way if you spend it well. Even though we don't have a student specific food voucher system in Washington, we can still take advantage of the current government food programs. SusyG

Even if a student doesn't qualify for food stamps, there are still ways to lesson the amount of money a student spends on food. The student can buy less prepared foods. Buying a $12 package of coffee once every other month is clearly more economical than spending $3.00 on a cup of coffee at Starbucks every morning. Of course, eating out is less time consuming, but it's also more expensive. A homemade meal can double as dinner and next day's lunch. That means two or more low-cost meals. Student deli costs are usually overpriced. So instead of buying a $5 dollar salad, why not buy a $3 bag of salad and a $3 dressing at the grocery store? Though we can't prevent rising food costs, we can still try our best to not overspend.SusyG

In the case of overly expensive supplies, there is the library, even though some students don't live locally and are too busy making money to pay for school. Financial aid is not available to all people as explained by the other sections in this essay. Daniellak

=References=


 * Back to School (2008). Wisdom Journal. Web. .

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 * Bowen, Ezra. "Dramatic drops for minorities; Black and Hispanic enrollments are down at all college levels." Time 126 (Nov 11, 1985): 84(1). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Seattle Public Library. 21 Oct. 2009

"DSHS - Community Services Division - Washington Basic Food Program." DSHS. Web. 08 Dec. 2009. .

Gavin, Robert. "Surging costs of groceries hit home - The Boston Globe." Boston.com. Web. 08 Dec. 2009. .

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 * Graves, Lucia. "The Gap in Graduation Rates; At many colleges, a disparity in who makes it to a diploma." U.S. News & World Report 144.13 (May 12, 2008): 62. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Seattle Public Library. 21 Oct. 2009

"Higher Education Stakeholders Join McKeon for Roundtable Discussion on College Cost Crisis." .

"How To Make $50 Last 10 Days." YOUNG MONEY Magazine - Your Life...Right Now. Web. 08 Dec. 2009. .

<http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?
 * "Income Inequality Obstructs Social and Economic Mobility."At Issue: Is the Gap Between the Rich and Poor Growing?. Robert Sims. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Seattle Public Library. 21 Oct. 2009

"Is the cost of college textbooks too high? - by Patricia Rockwell - Page 2 - Helium." Helium - Where Knowledge Rules. Web. 04 Nov. 2009. .

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 * "Rising College Cost Is an Obstacle to Low-Income Students."At Issue: The Rising Cost of College. Ronald D. Lankford, Jr. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Seattle Public Library. 21 Oct. 2009

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 * "Rising College Costs Saddle Students with Postcollege Debt."At Issue: The Rising Cost of College. Ronald D. Lankford, Jr. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Seattle Public Library. 21 Oct. 2009

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 * "The Rising Cost of Quality Education" Philips College. Transworld Education. 11 Nov. 2009