Editorial: College Scorecards: an A+ decision

When applying for colleges, students take into consideration various attributes and carefully place them in a pro and con list. Yet the really grueling questions remain the toughest to decipher: Is it affordable and will I graduate with a job in sight?
These are things students should know before entering their higher education, and, as a result of a new website promoted by President Barack Obama, this has been made possible. The College Scorecard website was created by the U.S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Center to provide prospective students with an idea as to what they can expect to get out of their education at their university of choice.
Students can now compare and contrast certain aspects of schools without taking the time to visit all of them. This will not only save time, but also aid them in making the most feasible decision.
The cost of education, average student debt and possible jobs for specific degrees are included in the information found on each of the Scorecards, including Rider’s.
Having the knowledge of these specifics before making a commitment can tip the scale when a student is stuck between multiple universities. A big benefit of this website will be having the price of each school in front of you to compare with others. This can help students’ families figure out if the price is worth the education they will receive there.
Yet with this resource in prospective students’ back pockets, each university may end up just looking like a bunch of statistics and dollar signs. The campus feel, helpful faculty and educational programs that may be beneficial to the student could then be put lower on their priority list.
Despite this, prospective students can still look toward this resource to aid in the college decision-making process and to reassure them of their educational outcome.

The weekly editorial expresses the majority opinion of The Rider News.
This week’s editorial was written by Opinion Editor Kristy Grinere

Printed in the 3/29/13 edition.