The
$10,000 college degree will encourage students from India, more than a
lakh of who are enrolled in U.S. colleges in any given year. While most
Indian students go to the U.S. for graduate studies, increasing numbers
are enrolling for four-year undergraduate degree that around 10 Texas
colleges are suggesting to offer for just $10,000. The typical cost for a
four-year undergraduate degree in a simple college for in-state U.S.
populace is around $30,000 (Rs 16 lakh). While higher education like law
degrees or two-year MBA degrees from top-ranked schools cost anywhere
from $80,000 to $150,000.
However, wealthier Indian parents, who are sending their children to four-year undergraduate colleges after their Class 12, will have to spend more than $100,000 enrolling in elite U.S. institutions.
The first attempt across towering tuition fees in America has been taken up by 10 modest Texas schools, following a challenge from the state governor Rick Perry to bring down costs. The 10 schools comprise nearly 50,000 students, which is about 10 percent of undergrads at public universities in the state.
Texas
Governor Rick Perry said in a statement "A $10,000 degree provides an
opportunity for students to earn a low-cost, high-quality degree that
will get them where they want to go in their careers and their lives,"
as reported by TOI.
Angelo State University, a school in San Angelo in West Texas announced that it will offer a $10,000 degree starting next fall. Other schools to follow are Texas Tech, Texas A&M University, and University of Texas.
On the other hand, some argue that the quality of education will suffer. While, few also say it could be fabricated numbers, suggesting that the $10,000 target is not inclusive of campus housing and text books.
However, the lowering of fees indicates the growing recognition in the U.S .that education is going beyond the reach of poor and middle-class families, and students frequently enter job markets with a huge debt burden. This degree also takes aim at the nearly trillion dollar college debt that the U.S. has racked up.
