As college students, many times it seems we can fall into the habit of getting in our own bubble and only seeing things pertaining to what is immediately happening around us, such as when an assignment is due, what we will eat for dinner, how many hours we will work this week, etc. It is important to remember at times to come out of our own little bubble and open our eyes to what is going on in the broader spectrum of our world so that we can ensure that instead of our question of the day being, “What’s for dinner?” or “How many hours will I get this week?” it is not “How will I afford to eat today?” or “Where will I look for a job next?”

Those questions are often asked by college graduates who are sometimes so overwhelmed by student loans in an economy with too little jobs that it is hard to have enough money to survive.

Many times students enter into a world of student loans they do not understand, resulting in overwhelming debt. However, not attending college in this time of increasing importance placed on education is a plan even more likely to fail than risking college debt, resulting in even lower paying jobs and poorer lifestyles.

Faced with the two options many choose to attend college despite knowing the future debt they will face. President Obama is now proposing a way to make the lives of college students easier for those of us terrified of a life overshadowed by student loan debt.

According to http://www.insidehighered.com, “Obama is proposing: creating a new rating system for colleges in which they would be evaluated based on various outcomes (such as graduation rates and graduate earnings), on affordability and access (measures such as the percentage of students receiving pell grants), linking student aid to these ratings, such that students who enroll at high performing colleges would receive larger pell grants and more favorable rates on student loans, creating a new program that would give colleges a “bonus” if they enroll large numbers of students eligible for Pell Grants, and toughen requirements on students receiving aid. For example, the president said that these rules might require completion of a certain percentage of classes to continue to receive aid.”

As college students at Tarleton State University we are likely to be affected by these changes as every other University in the United States will.

 “While it is early in the process of detailing President Obama’s recommendations for enhanced affordability in higher education, we are already working hard to make a Tarleton degree accessible to Texans. Our vision is to be The Premiere Student-Focused University in Texas,” said Tarleton President Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio. “Providing a high-quality, affordable education will be important to realizing this aspiration. Tarleton is a value leader in Texas and among The Texas A&M University System universities.  Currently, Tarleton maintains a graduation rate at or near 50%, raised admission standards for the Class of 2017, and has a five-year plan for continued increases in those standards.”

“Additionally, Tarleton ranks 30th out of 36 state institutions and 10th out of the 11 Texas A&M University System institutions in cost to students,” Dottavio added. “This focus on increased quality and low cost equates to value and access for current and future students. While Tarleton is up to the challenge President Obama has drafted for universities and students, several questions regarding details of the plan must be answered.  Specifically, it is unclear what data will be utilized to differentiate institutions and it is imperative that an ‘apples to apples’ comparison is made.  Additionally, tying financial aid to college performance, a greater emphasis on graduation and employment as measurements of success, and an incentive program based on competency-based learning provide additional concerns as full details have not yet been provided.”

As these changes in education progress and gain clarity for college students, may we all be reminded to keep our eyes open for news outside of our “current bubble” and be aware of things changing in the world around us so that we may know how our futures will be affected.