Class of 2018: Was It Worth It?

by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018


Campus


Providence College prides itself in fostering a community where students create
lasting memories and relationships. Photo courtesy of Providence College.

 

As the graduating class of 2018 begins to collect their cords, graduation tickets, and senior week attire, we reflect on our time here at Providence College. With the grand total cost of tuition averaging about $250,000, give or take a couple thousand, it is time to ask the big question. Was it worth all the money?

PC does have extremely high tuition and is, in fact, one of the more expensive colleges in the country.

However, everything we have done, learned and experienced is all equally valued in those $250,000.

There is no doubt that there is an evident rising cost of tuition in the United States. Especially when it comes to private schools, the jump has been tremendous.

If we just look at tuition itself and disregard room and board, from 1988 to 2018 there has been a 129 percent increase. In 1988 tuition was $15,160, today it is upwards of $34,740. The difference is significant and there is no sign of a decrease in the future.

The question is, why did we choose PC and how has it been worth it? There are many students who choose to go to a community college or a state university right after high school based on the cost.

Often this is suggested to students who really do not know what they are passionate about learning or in which field they may be interested in pursuing a career. This gives them the opportunity to figure out what they want, without breaking the bank first.

Some believe that just simply choosing an expensive college that you are attracted to, without weighing in the fact that you have absolutely no idea what you may want for your future, could appear wasteful.

On the other hand, many students come into PC as an undeclared major, and they felt the classes and opportunities offered here helped guide them towards their successful career paths.

Brianne Crough ’18, a double major in health policy and management as well as economics, attests to her experiences coming into PC as undeclared, “The combination of PC’s liberal arts education, faculty, and advisors all helped expose me to a plethora of career paths while also supplying individualized support that I do not believe I would have received at a larger state school.”

The courses at PC, especially the two mandated years of Development of Western Civilization truly open up the minds of students. With a better understanding of the world around us and how it came to be, we make better decisions about what we want for our future.

Here at PC, you better understand not only your career path but more importantly, what character you want to reflect in the next stage of your life.

I chose to come to PC because when I stepped on campus it felt like home. This foreign place was one I knew would essentially be one of life’s hardest goodbyes. All of the graduating seniors chose PC for one main reason, it was the place our parents trusted their children with and it became the place we trusted our life with.

The friendships, relationships, and memories we have made here cannot be measured. Chelsea Keane ’18 brings a different perspective on what is valued: “Providence College was much more than the money; aside from the amazing education we have received, you simply cannot put a price on the memories we have created, the lessons we’ve learned and the people we have become in the past four years.”

PC is costly, there is no doubt about that. However, the College’s values and opportunities changed our lives, and there is simply no way to measure who we have become by a number.


One thought on “Class of 2018: Was It Worth It?

  1. Bravo,Kelsey Lee Dass!!
    Your final article for the Cowl displays all that you have learned at PC. Your quality of writing and ability to analyze and engage the reader has truly developed . We will miss reading your contributions to “The Cowl”. PC has provided a wonderful environment for you to develop socially, academically and personally. You have a wonderful foundation to start off with as you enter the adult world of work. Congratulations!!!

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