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The costs of a college education, in this country, should not be, by any means, a responsibility of the federal government. I will have two children in college this coming fall and I have a good idea of what is involved in financing higher education. I've come to the conclusion that the very fact that the government now provides grants and loan guarantees, has become the main reason that college costs consistently rise faster than inflation. Higher education is really a privilege and the government's role in funding it should be minimal at best.

According to education department statistics only about 48% of all students who enter college actually complete their program and receive a degree. This is troubling when you consider that the rate of repayment of student loans is greater amongst those who graduate. Grant money spent has effected no change for those students who don't graduate. Furthermore, SAT scores peaked in 1964 and have steadily declined. This appears to indicate that the government is currently providing financial aid for less qualified individuals who are less likely to earn a degree.

The colleges in this country have become quite comfortable with the role that government plays in paying their bills. It is a numbers game and admissions recruiters are aggressively seeking warm bodies to fill their dorms. Whether it's by phone, mail or e-mail it would seem that the prospective student had won a lottery. Additionally, when you look at the trend in standardized test scores, you can only conclude that many schools appear to simply be lowering the bar. Why? As they say, "follow the money".

Higher education is expensive but it still should not be the responsibility of government to foot the bill. In fact I believe that the absence of government aid would very likely reign in the cost of an education and make it more affordable for all. It is safe to say that when the government is involved in anything, it just costs more. Education like health care and retirement funding is not immune from the blank check phenomena that federal funding tends to foster.

Learn more about this author, Stuart Kent.
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