By Mia Heinold 24’, Commentary Writer

With the second half of the spring semester starting off strong, it’s almost impossible to believe that so much of the year has already passed. To me, the most noteworthy: the Spaniards’ arrival and departure. When we were saying our final goodbyes in mid-September, I couldn’t believe how much I had learned about culture and language, what life looks like across the world, and how lucky I am to receive such an amazing education.

My host sister Mia and I always talked about how amazing of an opportunity it was to come to America for two weeks at a discounted price through a school exchange program. Mia explained to me how this trip had always been her dream but had feared that if she didn’t do it now, then there would be no time to do it because it would always be too expensive. This led to a discussion about college choices, and therefore to a conversation about higher education in America versus Spain. 

Mia told me how available education seemed to be here. There seemed to be thousands of schools to pick from, each marketing itself in the same way. However, she could not get over the outrageously high prices of school. One of the field trips that she took while she was here was to Princeton. When I told her the annual cost is nearly $80,000, she was shocked. She told me that the university she would most likely attend costs around $3,000 a year–this time it was me who was baffled. We then talked about the accessibility of the university in each place. In the US, especially at an academically rigorous, college-oriented, and “feeder school” like Newark Academy (though NA is not the most typical American school), it seems as if going to college after graduating high school is the only option. Mia told me that in Spain, students usually go on to post-high school to go to university, though it isn’t considered atypical if students choose not to attend. 

Over the past decade, Spain has seen a great increase in the proportion of the population that attended secondary or tertiary education. According to 2018 studies by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Spain, almost 60% of people 25 and over completed secondary or tertiary education. Focusing specifically on New Jersey, as of 2018, according to National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), 74.02% of New Jersey high school seniors went to college after graduation. 

But why is there a $70,000+ yearly tuition gap? American universities promise enjoyable college experiences, tailored to fit students perfectly. America’s college costs are so high because of growing demand, rising need for financial aid, lessening state funding, the cost of administrators, and overwhelming student amenities packages. American parents strive to send their kids to the best universities for the best college experiences, while students everywhere else in the world go to university just to study. My host sister says that university in Spain is about gaining independence and having fun, but first and foremost, focusing on studies. In the US, sometimes it can seem like the opposite. Do you want to go to a warm or cool location? Do you want Greek Life or a bar town? What about school spirit–do you want big football games? The values seem different. 

American parents emphasize their children’s success in meritocracy, and parents see college as the way to be able to achieve those aspirations. That’s why there is such a high demand for SAT tutors, college advisors, and other college-related support. Parents look at college from the perspective of how they can spend their money to better the future of their children. That’s why there is such a high demand for postsecondary education.

America is believed to have some of the strongest education systems, yet only for the people who have money to spend. In 2020, the average debt at graduation from a four-year college was $28,400. Yet on an international scale, the US doesn’t even compare to other industrialized nations in terms of international tests measuring academic achievement in science and mathematics. For a country that puts so much money into its education system, and prides itself on its future world leaders, it is shocking how many people ultimately fail in this system.

My conversation with my host sister made me realize how lucky I am, and how lucky we are. We go to one of the best high schools in the nation: receiving test preparation, college counselors, and seemingly endless opportunities to take advantage of. With seniors finishing up college applications and starting to hear back from their schools, there is one thing that we should all have the privilege of being surrounded by such high-caliber peers and teachers that push us to our full capability. If there is one thing that we can do with all of this information and education, it is to change the future of education for generations to come. It is clear that the cost of post-high school education is extremely high- in Spain and in the US. But the real question is: How will we choose to change this system?