The Cost Of College Continues To Escalate

The senior year of high school signifies a turning point in many students lives. For parents, their child's senior year can be dreadful as it comes with mounting pressure about tuition costs and if they can afford to send their beloved kid to the four-year institution of their choice.

Millions of parents are ultimately forced to apply for financial aid every year and the majority do not receive adequate support from the federal or state government. It's essential to find ways to ensure that students have the access and availability to the necessary aid they need. In my opinion, the formulas currently employed are flawed and not beneficial to the child or their parents.

Last year, the average student came short by $9,000 in meeting tuition requirements. It's a disgrace to not allow kids to attend college because of the inability to meet financial needs. The message we are projecting to them is that it's ok to take out loans and incur staggering debt at such an early age.

During the course of the next ten years, 90% of individuals will not have the qualifications for jobs without any higher education. Although a debate continues to rage on in the entrepreneurial world about the importance of attending college, it is imperative for all students to capitalize on their intellectual ability and seek the next level of education.

In order to entice more children to attend college, governments around the world need to build in an incentive to students earlier in school and especially in their wasted senior year. It took me by surprise when I read that a mere 7% of kids in India go onto higher education. Just think about how small an amount that is when India has the second largest population in the world.

According to Vermont senator Bernie Sanders (I), the average student graduate from law school in his state leaves with an insurmountable debt of $100,000. To think that after receiving an education a student is strapped with a six figure debt is plain inexcusable. The message colleges are sending is that you graduate, pay back your debt and then have no avenue for advancement. America, is this the society you want to live in?

Same-Sex Couples Can Marry In Iowa

On Thursday, an Iowa district court laid down a landmark decision when they declared that same-sex couples are permitted to marry in their state. Back in December of 2005 six couples claimed that they were being denied their constitutional right of equal protection that is afforded to them in their state's constitution.

Not only does the supreme law of the land, the constitution, apply to all Iowans, but the 14th amendment of the federal constitution states that equal opportunity under the law must be afforded to all. That statement is something I bring up in all arguments when people attempt to tell me that lesbians and gays should not be delegated the same rights that heterosexuals have.

In my opinion, denying any person the right to wed and live a fulfilling life where they are not given equal rights is reprehensible, and it only exacerbates the essential things that are inadequate in our country. First and foremost, how can the United States of America be taken seriously by other developed nations when we are disrespectful, disingenuous, hurtful, abusive and flat out rude to our own citizens.

What difference does their sexual orientation make to you? Maybe if Americans knew that the same percent of homosexuals in this country are also straight they would change their perceptions and opinions about gays and lesbians. It might be troubling to believe, but ten percent of Americans are homosexual and ten percent are heterosexual. The remaining eighty percent are bisexual.