PHYLLIS JAGER
The ceaseless surge in college tuition, like Rutgers University's recent 5% hike for in-state students and 6% for out-of-state, leaves a sour taste in the mouths of students already skeptical of higher education’s worth... With in-state tuition nearing absurd numbers each year—far exceeding the national public college average—and total costs, including fees and living expenses, the financial strain is not just burdensome but borderline farcical. This isn’t merely a hit to wallets; it’s a blow to faith in a system that increasingly feels like a debt factory rather than a path to progress.
The fallout is grim. Students, jaded by the specter of crushing loans for degrees that may not secure stable careers, are turning their backs on college. Enrollment is set to peak in 2025-26 before a sharp decline, as the value of a degree frays. If this continues, we face a future critically short of doctors, nurses, engineers, lawyers, and other needed professionals—fields are already stretched thin... Rutgers cites rising costs and federal funding woes, yet their $5.9 billion budget grows while students foot the bill. Initiatives like Scarlet Guarantee help a few, but for most, the message is stark: college is a privilege, not a promise. As prices soar, the pursuit of knowledge becomes a gamble, pushing away the very minds we need to shape tomorrow...
