Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- hefty / ˈhɛf ti / (adj.) – a very large amount, size, etc.
Example:The company paid a hefty fine for not following the city’s environmental laws.
- take (something) into account / teɪk ˈɪn tu əˈkaʊnt / (idiom) – to consider or think about a specific situation, condition, or piece of information when making a decision or evaluating something
Example:The final cost of the project, when taking labor expenses into account, reached $10,000.
- skeptical / ˈskɛp tɪ kəl / (adj.) – having doubts about whether something is true or useful; not easily convinced
Example:The manager is skeptical about the sales team’s proposal because of several issues.
- pay off / peɪ ɔf / (phrasal v.) – (of a plan or an action) to result in success or bring a desired or beneficial outcome, particularly after effort or investment
Example:She studies every evening to prepare for her exams because she knows that hard work pays off.
- median / ˈmi di ən / (n.) – the middle value or number in a series of numbers or measurements arranged from smallest to largest
Example:Most nurses in the city earn a median of $60,000 yearly.
Article
Read the text below.
The cost of college keeps spiraling ever higher, right?
Not necessarily. New research indicates students are paying significantly less to attend public universities than they were a decade ago. And tuition increases at private colleges have finally slowed after years of hefty rises.
Figures compiled by the nonprofit College Board indicate the average student attending an in-state public university this year faces a tuition bill of $11,610, which is down 4% from a decade earlier when taking inflation into account. But the real savings come in what the average student actually pays after getting grants and financial aid. That’s down 40% over the decade, from $4,140 to $2,480 annually, according to the data.
That reduced cost means less borrowing. Just under half of students attending in-state public universities are graduating with some debt, down from 59% a decade earlier, according to the College Board figures. And among those who do borrow, the average loan balance has fallen by 17% to $27,100.
Meanwhile, at private colleges, tuition continues to rise, but at a much slower rate. It has increased 4% over the past decade, when taking inflation into account, to an average of $43,350, according to the College Board. That’s a big change from the two decades prior when tuition increased 68%.
Costs are coming down as Americans question whether college is worth the price. Surveys find that Americans are increasingly skeptical about the value of a degree, and the percentage of high school graduates heading to college has fallen to levels not seen in decades, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Yet research still finds that, over time, a degree pays off. Americans with a bachelor’s degree earn a median of $2.8 million during their careers, 75% more than if they had only a high school diploma, according to research from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- Surveys find that Americans are increasingly skeptical about the value of a degree. Why do you think American people feel this way? In your country, how do people generally value college education and getting a degree? Discuss.
- If fewer high school graduates are choosing to attend college, how do you think this would impact the different industries all over the world? Do you think this could lead to a big problem? Why or why not? Discuss.
Discussion B
- If the cost of attending college decreases significantly, do you think more students will choose to pursue higher education? Why or why not? How do you think reduced college tuition could affect the quality of education provided? Discuss.
- Besides reducing college tuition, what else could encourage high school graduates to pursue a college education? Do you think the promise of better career opportunities and higher salaries is enough motivation for students to go to college? Why or why not? Discuss.
