Most everyone is aware that these days, a college education comes with a hefty price tag. Students spend much of their time searching for scholarships, cranking out essays like there’s no tomorrow, and requesting letters of recommendation for these selective applications left and right. For the vast majority, a higher education is unaffordable and out of reach. But, what do these “sticker prices” really mean in regards to colleges and universities, and where is students’ money really going?

One of the biggest expenses that comes with attending college is that of tuition and fees. The average cost of tuition and fees at a private, non-profit, four-year university is $31,231, while at a public four-year university, the average cost is $9,139. While there is quite a difference between the two types of university in these costs, it’s easy to see that both prices are extraordinarily high. In fact, since 1984-1985, college tuition prices have increased by 225% for both public and private schools. In a world dominated by people who were able to pay their own way through college with a scholarship here and there and a part-time job, the pressure can be immense for today’s students to find a way to not only gain a degree, but pay for it as well. With numbers like this, it can seem impossible to do so.

The truth is, much of tuition costs paid by students go towards expenses associated with athletic teams, college administrations, and tenured professors. Colleges have been hiring more and more administrators, like deans, provosts, and other people in management positions, and much of tuition costs are going towards paying them. Not only that, but the significance of a college’s brand has grown greatly over the years. Post-secondary institutions must work harder to become more attractive to prospective students, and as a result, costs have risen. Every college must have the newest facilities, the coolest amenities, and the best face-value. Ironically enough, students help in paying for all of these factors.

It is disappointing to think that, as a prospective college student, the twelve years of education I have undergone up to this point will all amount to my money going towards a vice assistant dean's salary, or a rock wall. It is bad enough that college is so expensive, let alone the fact that I will have to pay for unnecessary expenses. Obviously, there are many other reasons that tuition prices for universities are rising, but this is just silly. Hopefully in the future, people connected to universities at all levels will realize that the price for a degree is far beyond the reach of the average student, and that something must change.