I completely agree with this editorial Mississippi should make college cheaper to ease the squeeze on the middle class.
The hard working middle class deserve better then to see their children denied a college education or forced into debt in order to obtain one. Only in America are you 'punished' for sucess "the poorest citizens are eligible for grants and scholarships. The rich, of course, can afford to pay more".
What percentage of the adults in Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree? Does it make sense to raise taxes on a waitress or truck driver to subsidize the education of a nurse or accountant?
ReplyDeleteMississippi ranked 49th in the percentage of adults aged 25 to 64 with a bachelor’s degree or higher (20.1%) and 48th in the percentage with a graduate or professional degree (6.8%).
ReplyDeletehttp://www.myonlinemaps.com/mississippi.php
My problem is the waitress and the truck drivers kids get to go to college for free because they are eligible for grants and scholarships. While those of us in the middle class have to struggle to send our children to college. Every time Pell grants which we are ineligible for go up, tution goes up making it harder and harder for the middle class to send their children to college
The last dimension worth study is who, if anyone, anyone takes a hit from increasing Pell grants. The answer, it seems clear, is students with family earnings too great to qualify for the grants, so their university years must be paid for solely with earned cash or student loans.
As usual those of us who are responsible stewards are hurt by government programs.
http://alasandras.blogspot.com/2008/06/who-does-high-tution-hurt.html
Actually Crimson Wife, depending who the truck driver works for they probably make a very nice salary (comparable to a nurses salary) and are middle class in Mississippi.
ReplyDeleteMy uncle was a truck driver for Roadway and he made good money.
Why don't the colleges do more fundraising from its alumni for scholarships? My parents have commented on how much more aggressive my dad's alma mater (a private university) is than my mom's (a public one) in soliciting donations. It's like having the taxpayer funding available reduces pressure on the university to tap its alumni base for support...
ReplyDeleteThere isn't a large alumni base to draw from as many of the graduates are forced to move to other states to find jobs.
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