AACC students said in March a college education is worth the money it costs.
In an informal poll of 40 students on campus, 33 said college is worth what they pay.
“It’s like, the rich people are only getting richer because they can afford higher degrees,” Victoria Widener, a biology student, said. “And the only way to get a job and to get good money, you have to have a high degree.”
A 2022 GradGuard survey revealed out of 1,500 students, 83% said they will earn enough later to make college a good investment.
“I’ve definitely learned some things in, like, accounting and, like, career success classes,” Jack Suski, a transfer studies student, said. “They are useful.”
Audrey Guinn, a dual-enrollment student, also said college is a good deal.
“College helps to get you ready for whatever field that you want to work in,” Guinn said. “It makes it easier to find a job as well as a higher-paying one.”
Another student said college isn’t a bargain.
“In certain situations, no,” Grace Jimla, a biology student, said. “Definitely for the cost it should be based on your family background and your financial situation.”
JT Hartlove, a dual-enrollment student, agreed higher education isn’t a good value.
“I just feel like, with the amount of money you spend to go, college isn’t worth it,” Hartlove said. “I’ve seen people get jobs that don’t match what they majored in at college, so what’s the point of getting the degree?”
James Carico, a first-year music student, had a different outlook.
“A lot of what you learn in college, or … a lot of what you get out of college, is the connections,” Carico said.
Still, some students said tuition at AACC, compared with most universities, makes the time and money they spend here worth it.
“Compared to other colleges, it’s really cheap and nice that way,” Korbin Proctor, a first-year homeland security student, said. “And that’s mainly why I’m here.”