Is College a Lousy Investment?: Negotiating the Hidden Costs of Higher Education

by Tara Jabbaar-Gyambrah, Seneca Vaught

Overview

Is College a Lousy Investment?: Negotiating the Hidden Cost of Higher Education discusses many of the economic misconceptions about earning a college degree. While it is widely believed that attending college guarantees wealth and success, students, concerned parents, and higher education professionals have neglected calculating the full-range of short-term and long-terms costs. Our work illustrates how the promotion of education merely as a commodity come at a high price for the individual and society. We argue how the idea of ‘investment’ can be expanded from a short-sighted view to engage a broader, more holistic rationale for higher education from which students can expect a full return on investment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475833980
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	02/22/2018
Pages:	112
Product dimensions:	6.01(w) x 8.94(h) x 0.35(d)

About the Author

Tara Jabbaar-Gyambrah is an education director of workforce development in Buffalo, New York. She also is an adjunct professor in the sociology department at Niagara University.

Seneca Vaught is an associate professor of History and Interdisciplinary Studies at Kennesaw State University who combines his expertise in policy, teaching, and social entrepreneurship to address contemporary problems.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: Why does College Cost So Much? The High Price of Higher Learning
Chapter 2: What happens when you Major for Money? The Guild vs. (Inter) Disciplinary Mentality
Chapter 3: Why are American Universities So Expensive? Getting What You Pay For
Chapter 4: Who Pays the Most for College? At the Heart of Inequality
Chapter 5: What is Your College Education Worth? The Danger of Investment Mentalities and Jargon on Higher Learning
Chapter 6: Why it’s Important to Invest in Yourself? Strategies for Success when the College Bubble Bursts
Conclusion
Bibliography
About the Authors

Editorial Reviews

Choosing a college has become a complex calculation. The authors clearly understand what makes for a great educational experience and provide a clear-eyed discussion of the costs of higher education and, especially helpful, of the many and varied benefits. They also present concrete strategies for success as students make this most important investment in themselves.

Christopher L Holoman

Is College a Lousy Investment? Negotiating the Hidden Costs of Higher Education draws the reader in to the ongoing conversation related to the increasing cost of a college degree. Through case studies, the authors connect the dots between what the research says and the thought provoking questions that prospective students and their families seek answers to. Each chapter takes the reader beyond the degree and the potential cost to shine light on the overlooked intangibles that higher education has to offer. Students, parents, and those advising current and potential college students will find value in the intriguing perspectives presented.

Bridget Hodges

The authors of Is College a Lousy Investment?: Negotiating the Hidden Costs of Higher Education confront, head on, the widely held notions about the value and costs of a college degree. They introduce compelling arguments about hidden educational costs based on real life experiences. This book will introduce readers to educational options many families have never considered simply because they just didn’t know they existed. Motivated readers will find the many sources of data provided by the authors interesting.

Mwalimu J. Shujaa

Choosing a college has become a complex calculation. The authors clearly understand what makes for a great educational experience and provide a clear-eyed discussion of the costs of higher education and, especially helpful, of the many and varied benefits. They also present concrete strategies for success as students make this most important investment in themselves.

Christopher L Holoman Ph.D