Instructions

READING ASSIGNMENT Your project must be submitted as a Word document (.docx, .doc)*. Your project will be individually graded by your instructor and therefore may take up to five to seven days to grade. Be sure that each of your files contains the following information: Your name Your student ID number The exam number Your email address To submit your graded project, follow these steps: Log in to your student portal. Click on Take Exam next to the lesson you’re working on. Find the exam number for your project at the top of the Project Upload page. Follow the instructions provided to complete your exam. Be sure to keep a backup copy of any files you submit to the school! Argument People argue all the time—over what movie to see, what to have for dinner, whom to vote for. People generally have strong opinions, and many don’t hesitate to express them. Your friend doesn’t want to see the same movie you do because he doesn’t like gory horror. Your partner wants to eat at a restaurant that serves healthy food. Your coworker won’t vote for any candidate who doesn’t support universal healthcare. Your argument essay is an amplified version of those types of arguments you have with family, friends, and coworkers each day. The difference is that you’ll be conducting research and using the information you find to explain a problem and then provide a solution. The argument essay is 1,400–1,800 words and must incorporate a minimum of four secondary sources. There’s no graded prewriting assignment for your argument essay. Assignment Objectives Use prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing to write a formal, college-level essay. Distinguish among different patterns of development. Apply an appropriate pattern of development to a specific purpose and audience. Write an effective thesis statement. Develop paragraphs using topic sentences, adequate detail, supporting evidence, and transitions. Employ responsible research methods to locate appropriate secondary sources. Quote, paraphrase, and summarize secondary source material correctly and appropriately. Use APA (American Psychological Association) citation and documentation style to reference secondary source material correctly and appropriately. Apply the conventions of standard written American English to produce a correct, well-written essay. Topic Choose one of the following topics. Each topic focuses on a current problem that many students face. The high cost of college or student loan debt The lack of proper nutrition Low minimum wage You may narrow the focus of your topic as you see fit. Purpose and Audience The purpose of your essay is to identify, define, and analyze the problem, and then provide a solution to address it. You’ll use the third-person point of view. Your audience is made up of your fellow Penn Foster classmates. Many will agree with you, while others will disagree. You need to present evidence to support your analysis and solution, and convince your audience through the strength of your argument and the feasibility of your solution, to side with you. Research Requirement You’re required to use a minimum of four secondary sources in your essay. Use the Research Writing and Citation and Documentation webinar, Journal Entry 16, and the Argument Essay Research Worksheet to help start your research and organize your essay. The required secondary sources are At least two articles from Penn Foster’s digital library database, Gale Academic OneFile Select At least one nonprofit or government organization (online or print). Look for website domains .org, .edu, and .gov. One source that you choose. Remember that all sources, no matter where they come from, should be evaluated for accuracy and validity. You may use more than four sources, but you should avoid using more than six. Borrowing too much from too many sources will overwhelm your voice in your essay and negatively affect your grade. It could also lead to plagiarism. Process Once you’ve chosen your topic, read through the Argument Essay slideshow and watch the Argument Essay Instructions video. You should also complete the Argument Essay Worksheet. This doesn’t need to be turned in, but you should find it helpful. You should develop your thesis statement, choose a method of organization, create an outline or graphic organizer, and begin drafting your essay. As you draft your essay, ensure that you’re incorporating your sources accurately and responsibly. Remember to include the sources you use in your essay in your list of references. You’ll be using APA citation and documentation style to give credit to your sources. Begin with an introduction that gives a broad overview of your topic. End this introduction with a thesis statement. Your thesis statement must make your argument and name three supporting reasons. These reasons must be named in the same order they’re discussed in the body paragraphs. Each body paragraph must describe one reason, with the exception of the last body paragraph before the conclusion; this paragraph must consider your opposition. End with a conclusion that reinforces your thesis statement and names your three reasons. Rubric Argument Essay Traits of Good Writing Review ″Writing a Paper Using Sources″ for a complete explanation of the rating you earned for each trait as well as references you can study to improve your writing skills. Skill Realized Skill not Developing Skill Emerging Not Shown Ideas & Content The writer provided a clear thesis statement and had a clear stance on one side of the issue. There is a clear argument provided with appropriate supporting details and evidence. 25 23 21 19 17 12 0 Organization There is a clear introduction with a thesis, body, and conclusion, with body paragraphs incorporating other patterns of development coherently. 20 18 17 16 14 12 0 Incorporation of Source Material The writer used the correct required sources. The writer used APA format to incorporate secondary source material accurately and responsibly. The writer used signal phrases, parenthetical citation, and provided a list of works cited. 15 13 11 10 8 6 0 Voice The writer interacts with the assigned audience using appropriate, consistent point of view, tone, and evidence. The writer maintains a clear stance on the topic. 10 9 8 7 6 4 0 Word Choice The writer makes correct verb and word choices, defines any terms that may be unfamiliar, and conveys a clear message. 10 9 8 7 6 4 0 Grammar & Sentences The writer used correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. The essay was free of any typographical errors. 10 9 8 7 6 4 0 Format The writer meets the required length (1,400–1,800 words) and uses a standard font and margins. All of the required header information is present. 

Answer

College tuition has been steadily increasing for decades now, with some estimates overwhelming parents who cannot pay for their children’s fees. In comparison to earlier days, the cost of raising and educating a child through college is comparatively high. This has continually raised debates on whether this assertion is accurate or not. From an analysis, dramatic rises in tuition and fees, reduced state higher education budgets, declining buying power of student grant funding, rising student debt burdens, and increased pressure for institutional transparency are all symptoms of the trend. From my analysis, these symptoms are valid and have been trending in higher institutions since 1958. The numerous facets of college life, such as textbooks, tuition, and residential life, are well characterized by this phenomenon. Under a comprehensive analysis, the discussion below gives full ground evidence of the increase in the college fees and their respective effects on parents and students.

Increased demand for a college education has propelled the college education cost. In comparison, most young people want to attend higher education, whether because of their hopes or because they are anticipated to pay off in the long term. Families' pressure is enormous. Parents are under pressure to reduce their life savings. The constant supply of colleges combined with the increasing demand for higher education equals tuition and room and board increases. Since more students attend college, colleges can charge a higher tuition and room and board rate. Colleges welcome the rise in tuition and room and board because it helps them to spend the money on essential things like increasing staff salaries. This situation is far from exclusive among everyday government analysts at work. Government “benefit” in the form of subsidies have helped businesses to increase prices, stimulated waste and wasteful “cross-sub-sidies” in too many sectors, and provided an ever-growing “need” for government spending (Dynarski 34). The demand for higher education works in the same way, and if the cost of college is prohibitive, there is an option. The constant increase in the number of students in need of college education has therefore instigated the rise in the cost with no future predictions of it dropping.

Reduced state higher education budgets with no consequent decrease in the college cost have led to disproportionality in the college education sector. Over the last decade, deep state cuts in higher education funding have led to rapid, substantial tuition increases and shifted more college costs to students, making it more difficult for them to enroll and graduate (Vedder 72). These cuts have also exacerbated racial and class disparities, as increasing tuition can discourage low-income and minority students from attending college. Since adjusting for inflation, overall state funding for public two- and four-year colleges in the school year ending in 2018 was more than $6.6 billion lower than it was in 2008, just before the Great Recession completely took effect (Dynarski 33). Colleges responded to significant funding cuts in the years following the recession by increasing tuition, cutting faculty, restricting course offerings, and, in some cases, closing campuses (Van Der et al. 35). While funding has decreased, prices remain high, and services have yet to resume in some areas. With no option, parents and students have been forced to work their means of filling up the state's disproportionate gap to access the school services.

Inflation has been on the verge of pushing up the cost of a college education. Price rises at the gas pump have taken a bite out of Americans' disposable income, so inflation has gotten more attention recently. For many, the personal experience of having to pay more for prescription drugs, rent, and food makes budgeting more difficult, especially for those on fixed incomes who haven't seen much in the way of increases in paychecks or Social Security payments recently. With the cost of various subsidiary styling items in the market line, the college education has been hyped with these items' prices (Van Der et al. 35). The rise in textbooks, pens, special education equipment, and other necessary school needed equipment has made it expensive for students and parents to balance the fees and the tuition costs.

SavingforCollege.com calculated the expected college cost in the United States in 2033, projecting a 5% annual rise intuition. In 2015, the average tuition for four years of in-state public school was $39,400, while private school tuition was $134,600. In 2033, a public university's tuition is expected to be $94,800, while private universities would be $323,900 (Dynarski 34). With typical tuition inflation closer to 7%, the actual costs are much higher, and these projections do not include university-related expenditures, including books, room and board, transportation, and supplies, which can cost thousands to tens of thousands of dollars a year.

Most students will be grateful to attend any four-year institution but are unable to do so due to a lack of financial resources. College life can be stressful, and most students find the process exhausting during their first two years. When the cost of college tuition is compared to the twenty-first century's financial economy, the cost does not make sense since it is prohibitively expensive for a middle-class family. The study reports that just 6% of tuition changes are triggered by building expenditures and 5% by recruiting part-time and full-time employees in the admissions field. The report estimates that this is due to higher administration costs (Thelin 448). Students cannot graduate when under the burden of repaying hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans. Going to college is exhausting enough without thinking about how we will pay for it and what other expenses will arise as a result of earning a degree. With the current rise in the unemployment rate, going to college seems to be a far-fetched goal.

Since they did not obtain a scholarship or enough government support, many individuals choose not to attend a four-year university. Having a college education is critical for professional advancement; however, it will ultimately restrict career options. My point of view is that while you might not finish college doing the same thing you started with, the life experience is limitless. College experience not only provides insight but helps you grow as an individual by broadening your horizons (Vedder 67). The rising cost of tuition will damage our generation by creating physical and mental stress, but it will all pay off in the end. Not all colleges are to blame; our economy, among other things, is to blame, as are other factors.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, it is clear from the above discussion that the college cost has continually been on the rise, which has been of adverse effects to the concerned victims (Parents and students). The world’s harsh economic conditions exacerbate this since the expenditure for accommodating students and tuition requirements are significantly increasing. This hike in college education has a considerable effect. Some of the analyzed factors instigating this phenomenon include; the college demand has continually been on the rise worsening the cost condition as the institutions need to improve their facilities to match up the demand for practical usage by the increased number of students, the continued inflation rates have also been too deeply inclined with this phenomena as primary educational tools. The government has also reduced loans creating disproportionality as the tuition fee is left constant (Hilton 573). It is, therefore, crystal clear that the college cost has continually been on the rise.

Recommendation

Institutions should take many steps to reduce their tuition costs since they are the ones that have high tuition costs. His is to eliminate the financial obstacle that prevents students from enrolling in colleges. On the other side, students should make an effort to adapt to economic adjustments. The students can do it by working part-time while schooling and borrowing money to pay for college. Many who are unaware of this are forced to work in low-wage jobs with high school diplomas because they cannot afford the high cost.

To summarize the situation, as long as there are inexpensive options available and people are aware of them, they will not be concerned if there are also costly options. Therefore, any person who is genuinely eager to attend college will do so. However, the situation makes higher education a need for the rich since the poor cannot access it. The trend promotes the notion that the rich will continue amassing wealth and the poor languish in poverty.

Works Cited

Dynarski, Susan M. “College Grants On a Postcard: A Proposal for Simple and Predictable Federal Student Aid.” SSRN Electronic Journal, 2018. Elsevier BV, doi:10.2139/ssrn.976537.

Hilton, John. “Open educational resources and college textbook choices: A review of research on efficacy and perceptions.” Educational technology research and development 64.4 (2016): 573-590.

Thelin, John R. “Blake Gumprecht. The American College Town. Amherst: University Of Massachusetts Press, 2016. 448 Pp. Cloth $34.95.”. History Of Education Quarterly, vol 50, no. 3, 2010, pp. 402-404. Cambridge University Press (CUP), doi:10.1111/j.1748-5959.2010.00280.x.

Van Der Werf, Martin, and Grant Sabatier. The college of 2020: Students. Washington, DC: Chronicle Research Services, 2009.

Vedder, Richard K. Going broke by degree: Why college costs too much. American Enterprise Institute, 2004.

Wenzler, John. “Scholarly Communication And The Dilemma Of Collective Action: Why Academic Journals Cost Too Much.” College & Research Libraries, vol 78, no. 2, 2017, pp. 183-200. American Library Association, doi:10.5860/crl.78.2.183.