Currently, George School is represented at 195 colleges, universities, and institutions across the world. From University College Dublin in Ireland to the University of Tokyo in Japan, George School students have the opportunity to pursue higher education and continue to develop a love for literacy cultivated here. However, in the United States, many are not as fortunate. The percentage of high school students who have made the move from secondary to tertiary education has depreciated from 70% in 2009 to 62% in 2023, per TIAA Institute. TIAA Institute also mentions that the cost of higher education has risen dramatically by 143% from 2000 to 2023. There is a reason for this drop in student enrollments from high school to college.
The cause of this remarkable increase has inspired experts to do more research and has evolved into a multitude of theories. First, some believe that this increase has been a result of state legislatures cutting funding for public institutions in recent years, where much of their funding comes from. An example from the National Education Association is that Governor Michael Dunleavy, along with the state government of Alaska, has cut $135 million in state funds for the University of Alaska in June of 2019. However, the price of in-district tuition (in-district colleges are institutions where your legal residence is located in the area which supports the school financially) has been decreasing in 48 out of 50 states over the past 5 years, a result of post-COVID 19 reinvestment. Other Certified College Funding Specialists(CCFS), according to NPR, “point to rising costs, and competition: There are always new fancy buildings to build, and more staff to hire.”
George School students, just like all high school students in the United States, need to face the truth: financing 4 years of college is a challenge. Beth Ann Burkmar, Director of College Counseling, reports on financial factors in the higher education selection process, “More and more we are seeing… fewer [students and families] are able to say … it is not a factor, and more students are saying it’s a consideration or a deciding factor.” Beth Ann notices that in 5 years, those numbers have drastically changed. This, to a certain degree, is not surprising. As costs are rising for many institutions in the United States, the concern of “too expensive” becomes that much more prominent.
In terms of pricing, the more well-known a school is, the net cost can be higher than public institutions or smaller, liberal-arts schools with less acclaim. For students like Albert Chen ‘27 and his family, the level of prestige is valued. Albert says, “My parents are saying education is important. Going to a brighter school will help me find my people.” On the other hand, he does concede that the value of schools of high honor are not worth the “extra two hundred thousand”. He also claims that much of the curriculum is the same across institutions and the prestige comes mainly with getting accepted. For others, like Luke Millward ‘27, the intent is to have a mix of both prestigious and affordable schools to ensure a quality education while receiving appropriate financial aid. From the perspective of Beth Ann Burkmar, a “big piece of the conversation, especially in the last few years… is ROI, or Return on Investment.” Whether the student pays later in loans or the parent does, higher education becomes a venture which needs financing, and thus carries the hope of the “return on investment”. Whether the ROI is in money or in knowledge, the answer lies in the investor.
This begs the question: is tertiary education even worth it to begin with? According to the Education Data Initiative, the number of students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs numbers about 18.6 million, down from 19.4 million in 2025 and 21 million in 2010. In addition, according to an NBC News poll, 63% of people polled do not believe college is worth the cost, up from 47% in 2017. When asked a similar question, Beth Ann claims, “I believe that every student has their own journey towards education. For some, it’s higher education. For others, it might be taking on a trade.” So, the answer is different for different people, and that is what makes pursuing higher education such a difficult decision.
Luckily, for George School students and families, the College Counseling department is there to help guide a family through any difficult situation they may have. Throughout a student’s junior year, the College Counseling department hosts seminar courses meant to answer any questions students and families may have ahead of the application process. One of the seminars they host specifically covers financial aid. Students and families learn key terms, analyze case studies, and explore examples of fictional student packages. In senior year, College Counselors host a workshop on federal applications for aid, even bringing a representative from the Pennsylvania Higher Aid Agency to talk to families and clarify any points of confusion. Overall, the financial situation of higher education can be complicated for any student, but George School is lucky to have excellent resources on campus to help work through the process and make the best decision for the future of every student.
