“If the government gave a $5,000 subsidy to anyone who buys an automobile, do you doubt that the price of automobiles would go up — perhaps by $5,000? Why then does no one see any connection between government subsidies to college students and rising tuition”? –Thomas Sowell
I think Thomas Sowell’s quote doesn’t show a full grasp of what makes the “sticker price” of a college education — at both public and private institutions — increase. The model of “high tuition, high aid” is not as attractive to me as the “low tuition, low aid” model but I don’t think taking away government aid is a good idea.
I think I had more coherent thoughts on this earlier… when I couldn’t comment!
I agree CindyLu, there are many factors involved in rising tuition. I am only addressing one of those factors here. If I wanted to be more comprehensive I would have mentioned the Teachers Union, or the government monopoly, or the bureaucracy, or…you get the idea.
As for this specific factor, if you disagree that this is a factor, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this.
Oh, and as for not being able to comment, thanks for letting me know about that. Damn Wordpress acts up sometimes. Next time send me an email so I can fix it asap.
Thanks for stopping by.
What do teachers unions have to do with the rising costs of higher education and federal and state direct aid to students? I swear… it’s like you see the teachers unions as being involved in some sort of conspiracy. I can’t check those other articles just yet. I got to study. I’m being supported with taxpayer money. I can’t let you down.
The teachers union, just to give one example, increases the amount of obstacles a teacher has to go through to get qualified. Other examples are, like all unions in general, they are a huge barrier to competition and artificially increase the prices of their duties. For example, because of the teachers union, common sense solutions like this would never get implemented.
But in general, my qualms with the teachers union primarily rests on their stance against vouchers, which are, IMO, the primary way to get ‘more bang for your buck’ from schools.
Oh and, a big UCLA doctorate in education student like yourself would not be considered ‘wasting tax payer money’ by talking about education. Atleast not in my book.