For many colleges, decision day was extended this year because of the delays in FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). However, aside from the 2024-2025 FAFSA processing longer than previous years and the increase in tuition prices, many families took more time to decide on a university. 

Some students who were accepted into their dream college could not afford the price tag–especially with the rising costs of tuition, room and board, books, and transportation.

I plan on attending Pace University in New York City this fall. My overall tuition is $81,000 not accounting for the scholarships and federal aid I received. For the remaining amount, I will have to take out student loans and participate in a work-study program. Because of the living costs in New York City, the price of my school is larger than many. I feel that the fit of the school is ideal for my future plans, though I have to take out loans and will be in debt when I graduate. Unfortunately, I know friends who planned on attending a school in New York City, and because of their financial situation, they could not follow through with them. As disappointing as it is, this is a common experience.

Personally, I feel the government needs to prioritize cutting the cost of attending college. It’s unfair for students to lose the opportunity to continue their education because the cost is prohibitive. 

SHS senior Julie Greene is attending Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire this fall. She plans on paying for her education through loans and scholarships. She commented, “I think the rising tuition is something that shouldn’t be happening because most families cannot afford to pay for most colleges, and the FAFSA that gets given out is not a lot of money if your parents are ‘well off,’ according to the government “

Greene feels the cost of college should be reduced or students should be given more scholarships. She also shared some advice for underclassmen: “Start saving up your money now, and if you don’t think that one little assignment is going to matter, it will in the long run. Also, have lots of safety schools that you know will give you a lot of money. It also doesn’t matter the acceptance rate of the college–some of the smaller schools with a higher acceptance rate have better academics.”

SHS junior Quentin Chick has already started planning his future. He would like to attend the University of Washington-Seattle or the University of Vermont. In thinking about how he will afford college, he’s counting on a mix of loans and scholarships: “I am a bit disappointed with the rising tuition costs, as I would prefer not to take on hefty student loans that could end up crippling me in the future,” he remarked. Chick said he feels the government should forgive student loans. 

There’s no evidence that college tuition will drop anytime soon; however, this issue has received more attention recently. Hopefully, there will be a solution and an easier way for students to afford their top schools, but until then, resources such as the FAFSA and scholarships are crucial.