The cost of getting a higher education isn't just increasing in America, it's happening in the United Kingdom as well. The more people find themselves in unbearable mountains of debt, the more their college experience must be compromised.
British actor, writer and comedian, David Mitchell, recounts going to university at a time where everyone got their fees paid for them. He argues that the real price of outrageous tuition is not money, but something far more valuable -- freedom to be creative, and a safe space for self-exploration.
"It was unthinkable that you'd have to pay your own fees," Mitchell says, adding, "everyone assumed that it seemed very normal and civilized, and as a result, you go, and you feel you've got a sense of possibility."
Today, students must think of their classes in terms of dollar signs, and get the most bang for their buck by treating college as a vocational school. Being "practical" translates to studying hard sciences, or taking classes that are directly applicable to post-college careers to pay back borrowed money. Majors like art, writing, and acting (most humanities majors for that matter) become luxury.
"And I think that whole free and easy, open-minded attitude to university could die as a result of that funding being withdrawn," he says.
So Mitchell raises a question: does the rising cost of tuition mean creative talents are being lost in the process?
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