| The issues of access, retention, and affordability have plagued higher education for decades. Within the last twenty years, these problems have been exacerbated by the rising cost of higher education; a figure that has been outpacing inflation annually. The financial aid system, both institutional and federal, was established to make higher education more attainable for those without proper resources. However, the system has failed to maintain its fiscal relevance over time. The complex application forms and various funding sources have resulted in great difficulty for students and families encountering costs that approach ;This analysis explores the rising costs of higher education and the residual affects on access, retention, and affordability. Cost drivers and the data related to costs are analyzed through various government and higher education reports, and works by higher education experts and economists. The complexity of driving factors created an environment rampant with finger-pointing and confusion over causes and solutions. Further examination of cost figures, in comparison to limited federal student loan increases, illustrates the government's contribution to the cost gap. Alternate funding sources that families seek out are explored and their affects on retention and affordability are described. The effectiveness of four proposals to increase access, retention, and affordability are critiqued and analyzed. Just as the causes of the cost gap are intricate, so are the potential solutions. The Rethinking Student Aid Study Group focuses on revamping financial aid as its solution, while the Lumina Foundation suggests improvements to the roles of federal and state governments. The Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance offers a hybrid of the previous two proposals. The solutions put forth by the Spellings Commission prove to be the most viable and provide the greatest potential to globally repair the fractured higher education system by increasing transparency and accountability.;Underpinning the issues of access, retention and affordability are various values that shape and motivate stakeholders of higher education. Education is vital to improving the self, which has positive net effects on society. Class divisions are created out of a system that promotes wealth over merit. Limits on the individual to fulfill the American dream through education jeopardize America's strong position in the expanding global marketplace. Improvements to higher education are necessary to prevent social erosion that is a result of limited access, poor retention figures, and rising costs. |
