The Issues Students Face during Their College Education

Colleges and universities do their best to create an environment that fosters learning. Most schools, including Palm Beach State College, achieve this to some degree. But not every obstacle can be accounted for and not every issue that students face can be resolved because over the course of their education, students face a variety of problems. These issues, particularly work, loans, and societal and familial pressures, can often be detrimental to their education. One of the most stressful issues students face during their college education is financial issues.

The cost of a college education can be extremely expensive, so schools frequently award scholarships to their students is an effort to help them afford an education. Unfortunately, scholarships rarely cover the full cost of tuition, so students are left paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of pocket. In order to cover the rest of the cost of tuition, students are usually left with only two choices: work or take out loans.

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Although working part-time to pay for college seems like a better choice than taking out loans, working is extremely time consuming and it can have an effect on the student's performance in school. Even just working part time leaves students with less time to study, complete homework, or attend classes. A study conducted by the National Survey of Student Engagement found that "full-time students working more than 20 hours per week face the greatest financial stress” (par. 2). Additionally, three in five full time students said that their jobs interfere with their academic performance.

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Loans, while more time efficient for a busy student, only postpone the stress brought on by financial worries. Soon after graduating, the student will have to start paying of their student loans. Recently graduated students frequently have to pay more than their loan was worth because of interest, and that can add to the financial burden felt by students. Zinsser says it is “not unusual" for students accrue thousands of dollars in loans (453). Financial pressures are not the only ones that students face; many face societal and familial pressures to succeed. Parents mean well when they encourage their sons and daughters to succeed, but it can be stressful when a student feels like they aren't living up to their parent's expectations. Students may feel like they are "not good enough" or "not smart enough” when they don't achieve what they are expected to (Mirikitani 366). Unfortunately, in a culture where “achievement is the national god, venerated in our media”, far too many students feel like they are not good enough.

As a student who is nearing high school graduation, I understand the financial pressures than students face. I come from a middle class family, so I worry about not being able to afford my dream college or not being able to earn a doctorate like I would like. Additionally, I worry about not getting enough scholarships or having to take out loans that I will not be able to pay back. I also understand the exhaustion and stress that full-time students feel as a result of working part time. Personally, I work more than twenty hours a week and take five classes, so I am often left with very little time to myself. Luckily, I have a family that supports me and wants to help me succeed. I believe the pressures of financial worries can be detrimental to my education because I may not be able to afford the best quality education or I might not be able to afford masters or doctorate programs. Stress caused by balancing work and class obligations can be just as harmful to my education as financial worries because working part-time while taking a full course load of classes leaves me with a very limited amount of time to study or complete schoolwork. I am doubtful that a solution for challenges faced by college students will ever be found. Instead, I believe financial and societal challenges will continue to plague college students as long as they pursue an education.

Updated: Jun 06, 2022
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The Issues Students Face during Their College Education. (2022, Feb 25). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-issues-students-face-during-their-college-education-essay

The Issues Students Face during Their College Education essay
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