{"id":2,"date":"2025-02-19T01:10:18","date_gmt":"2025-02-19T01:10:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2025-05-13T00:26:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T00:26:25","slug":"sample-page","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/","title":{"rendered":"Is College Worth It?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>As public confidence in higher education falls, USC students and political experts weigh the personal, financial and cultural complexities of pursing a degree at one of America&#8217;s most elite &#8211; and expensive &#8211; universities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f4d13f5d wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-04692c70 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:1.25rem\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" data-id=\"32\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/CAPSTONE-PIC-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-32\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/CAPSTONE-PIC-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/CAPSTONE-PIC-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/CAPSTONE-PIC-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/CAPSTONE-PIC-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/CAPSTONE-PIC-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/CAPSTONE-PIC-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/CAPSTONE-PIC-1-1100x825.jpg 1100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">USC has hiked tuition for the upcoming academic year, pushing the total cost of attendance to nearly $100,000. Credit: Jacob Wheeler <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>By: Jacob Wheeler<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In May, University of Southern California senior Alyse Saucedo will earn her undergraduate degree, exiting an elite circle and entering a society that\u2019s never been more skeptical of higher education.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Saucedo, 21, grew up in San Diego and attended an all-girls college preparatory academy. In her upper-middle-class neighborhood, going to college was not up for debate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was always expected of me that I was going to go, but not only that, that I would surpass whatever they had accomplished,\u201d she said. \u201cMy family very much emphasizes a legacy of generational progress, and so I was definitely a part of that.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her flawless academic record led to offers from schools across the country, including Princeton University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Money, she said, and a fear of disappointing her parents, proved to be stressful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think the anxiety that was rooted in all of that is, \u2018can I afford the school that I worked so hard to get into?\u2019\u201d she questioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Alyse Saucedo | Jacob Wheeler Capstone\" width=\"1100\" height=\"619\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/X5vcYSIlNSw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Millions of families are asking that question. As student debt soars and political divides deepen, public confidence in higher education is plummeting to unprecedented lows, a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/508352\/americans-confidence-higher-education-down-sharply.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2023 Gallup survey<\/a>&nbsp;shows.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>About 46 percent of parents would not send their children to a four-year college even if they had the financial means to do so, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/hechingerreport.org\/poll-nearly-half-of-parents-dont-want-their-kids-to-go-to-a-four-year-college\/\">the Hechinger Report,<\/a> which covers innovation and inequality in education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another<a href=\"https:\/\/media.carnegie.org\/filer_public\/65\/88\/6588ffd2-561a-4c98-a8fd-b39730ddd100\/carnegie_gallup_family_voices_final_report_040221.pdf\"> survey<\/a> commissioned by the Carnegie Corporation of New York revealed a racial gap. Public confidence in higher education was highest among Black families while support among white and Hispanic parents stood at 51 and 56 percent, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In many respects, Saucedo, a Hispanic-American herself, grew up in the famed cross-town rivalry. Her father attended USC while her mother studied at UCLA.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Charting a unique path, the philosophy, politics, and law major described USC as a \u201cbubble.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think recently, college and higher education has become that of the elites, the snobby elites, and it&#8217;s not relatable. It&#8217;s not attainable to a lot of people,\u201d Saucedo asserted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Historically known as a playground for the wealthy, USC has made strides in diversifying its campus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2023, the university accepted 9,277 students, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscannenbergmedia.com\/2023\/03\/29\/the-most-impressive-class-yet-usc-admission-rate-hits-record-low\/#:~:text=USC%20sent%20acceptance%20letters%20to,both%20academic%20and%20personal%20qualities.\">according to Annenberg Media<\/a>. About one in four were the first in their family to attend college and a third identified with a historically underrepresented racial or ethnic group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=2&amp;action=edit\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/capstone-infographic-.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/capstone-infographic-.png 1024w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/capstone-infographic--300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/capstone-infographic--768x576.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=2&amp;action=edit\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=2&amp;action=edit\">USC: Facts and Stats<\/a> <br>Infographic: Canva <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Students keep coming to schools like USC because, for many middle-class families, a degree has longed marked a reliable path to social mobility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>California workers with a bachelor\u2019s degree, for example, earn a median annual wage of $81,000, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ppic.org\/publication\/is-college-worth-it\/\">according to the Public Policy Institute of California<\/a>. Only 12 percent of adults with a high school diploma make that kind of money, which falls to 6 percent among workers with no formal education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Battle Over Free Speech<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The economic incentives attracted Logan Barth, 21, who said moving to Los Angeles was \u201creally exciting\u201d after spending most of his childhood in the Northern California suburbs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>USC\u2019s New Student Convocation in August 2021, he said, reflected a fresh start.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat was such a tangible event that marked the beginning of a new era in my life that was so radically different from the previous eras of my life,\u201d he said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the months that followed, he climbed the ranks in student government, joined the Mock Trial team and became involved in Jewish student organizations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 civilians and took hundreds others hostage, Barth described the protests that followed as a \u201clow moment.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI walked out of Hebrew class last year, and the campus descended into complete chaos,\u201d he said. \u201cThat was a shocking and very sad moment. And it was sad because I had a personal attachment to the thing they were protesting against.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Oct. 7th attacks triggered a massive Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has killed thousands of Palestinians.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A surge in antisemitism and the cancellation of a Pro-Palestinan commencement speaker sparked a heated debate over free speech that tore the picturesque campus apart.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI believe that there&#8217;s a big free speech issue on college campuses,\u201d Barth asserted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In September 2024, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefire.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/09\/2025%20College%20Free%20Speech%20Rankings%20Report%20FINAL.pdf\">Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression<\/a> ranked USC as one of the worst schools for free speech nationwide.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Logan Barth | Jacob Wheeler Capstone\" width=\"1100\" height=\"619\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uRuvb0pKxdc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That semester, he graduated and enrolled into the USC Gould School of Law.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think college is worth it, because it helps me grow in a professional sense, it allows me to get three years of just personal development as a human being,\u201d Barth said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also had a message for some of his peers back home.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not a bad thing if people don\u2019t want to go to college,\u201d he said. \u201cThey have other sets of skills and other things that they\u2019re mentally stronger on than people who do go to college.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the attention on elite college campuses, it\u2019s actually those without a college degree who hold the most sway in America\u2019s political discourse.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/election\/2024\/exit-polls\/national-results\/general\/president\/0\">National CNN exit polls<\/a> highlight how education status is a strong indicator of voting behavior. In the 2024 general election, about 6 in 10 voters did not have a college degree.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These voters heavily backed Donald Trump, while a smaller percentage of college-educated voters supported Kamala Harris.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The turnout surge in mostly white, working class and rural communities hints how elite academia&#8217;s influence may be waning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dan Schnur, who teaches political communication at USC and UC Berkeley, said the education divide is defying traditional voting patterns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn this last election, we saw Trump doing far better with young men who did not attend college, not just young white men, but young Black and Latino men as well,\u201d Schnur said. \u201cThat\u2019s something that we&#8217;ve seen occasionally in American history, but never to this degree.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While young voters shifted away from Democrats, Schnur said college campuses themselves have not necessarily become political battlegrounds.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe overall trend on college campuses is for the students to lean leftward, although there are obviously exceptions to that, but where we&#8217;ve seen the contest, the fight for young people&#8217;s votes become most intense is among the ranks of those who are college age, but who, for whatever the reason have chosen not to attend college,\u201d he said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>USC, with an admission rate falling to the single digits, is more selective than most. In 2022, only 13 percent of universities rejected more than half of their applicants, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aei.org\/education\/after-decades-of-competitive-admissions-getting-into-college-has-finally-become-easier\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.aei.org\/education\/after-decades-of-competitive-admissions-getting-into-college-has-finally-become-easier\/\">according to the American Enterprise Institute.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen we talk about the potential cultural disconnect between higher education and the community at large, we&#8217;re actually talking about an extremely small subset of the higher education community,\u201d Schnur said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Dan Schnur | Jacob Wheeler Capstone\" width=\"1100\" height=\"619\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ajT9hsuepxU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Money Factor <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>USC stands out as one the least affordable options for working class families. On March 12th, the school <a href=\"https:\/\/financialaid.usc.edu\/undergraduate-financial-aid\/cost-of-attendance\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/financialaid.usc.edu\/undergraduate-financial-aid\/cost-of-attendance\/\">hiked tuition<\/a> for the upcoming academic year, pushing the total cost of attendance to nearly $100,000. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/education\/best-colleges\/the-short-list-college\/articles\/10-most-least-expensive-private-colleges\">U.S. News and World Report<\/a> in 2024 ranked the Southern California campus as the most expensive school in the nation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More than two-thirds of undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid, the university claims, which includes need-based grants, merit scholarships, loans and federal-work-study programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;We understand that a college education involves a significant investment of resources for both students and families,&#8221; the <a href=\"https:\/\/financialaid.usc.edu\/undergraduate-financial-aid\/cost-of-attendance\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/financialaid.usc.edu\/undergraduate-financial-aid\/cost-of-attendance\/\">school said in the statement.<\/a> &#8220;The last thing we want, however, is for cost to prevent a student from enrolling at USC.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Financial aid, however, does not appear to be easing economic anxieties. Only 33% of working class people believe public universities are affordable, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncan.org\/page\/affordability\">according to the National College Attainment Network.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The high sticker prices have pushed many to seek alternatives, like the Los Angeles Community College District, which serves about 200,000 students across nine campuses.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Juliet Hidalgo, Director of Communications and Marketing for the LACCD, said every applicant receives admission and most study for free.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe serve probably the most underserved communities in the urban nation,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hidalgo called out \u201chigher education lies\u201d and insisted students don\u2019t need a four-year degree to live comfortably.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you look at Trade Tech, which is our technical school, the linemen or the line workers come out and make six figures right off the bat,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hidalgo added that the public&#8217;s perception is the biggest challenge community colleges face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think a lot of people kind of opt out of community colleges, you think you&#8217;re somehow less than if you go to a community college. It&#8217;s like a lie that we all believe.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although a changing job market, she said, has helped break the stigma, attract the working class and rebrand as an appealing alternative.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe need people who understand, you know, like electrical things. We need people that understand auto mechanics, you know what&#8217;s going on with AI,\u201d she asserted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat&#8217;s what&#8217;s really expanding right now in the market, less the four year.\u201d&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Juliet Hidalgo | Jacob Wheeler Capstone\" width=\"1100\" height=\"619\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5M-NYJsbEuQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether a student goes to a four-year program or community college, there\u2019s a direct correlation between confidence in higher education and return on investment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Engineering and computer science students, for example, score the highest rate of financial return, according to an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aera.net\/Newsroom\/Research-Finds-a-College-Degree-Remains-a-Sound-Investment-Despite-Rising-Tuition\">American Educational Research Association analysis<\/a>. Humanity majors, on the other hand, have a significantly lower rate of investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>USC paid off for Darrielle Fair, the new political reporter for Spectrum News North Carolina, who secured enough scholarships to graduate from the Master of Public Policy program.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A first-generation college student, Darrielle said she pursued the degree to gain \u201can edge in reporting and journalism.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, she struggled with imposter syndrome and a fear of failing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOvercoming those challenges was being able to understand that I couldn&#8217;t walk the journey alone, and I did have to rely on my peers,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That network, she said, and the hands-on experience in the Annenberg Media newsroom, put her on the right path. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt truly prepared me to kind of make a vertical move a lot quicker than other individuals in my particular industry were not able to make,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Darrielle Fair | Jacob Wheeler Capstone\" width=\"1100\" height=\"619\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GbQXKaUFGWk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Back in University Park, there\u2019s widespread sentiment that USC students pay for more than an education.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhile the cost is not worth it, I wouldn&#8217;t change anything, because it was an amazing three years of my life and something I\u2019ll cherish,\u201d Barth said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coming to college provides unique experiences and pushes young people to think critically. USC, for example, says the school\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usc.edu\/policies\/mission-statement\/\">central mission<\/a> is \u201cthe development of human beings and society as a whole through the cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, the credibility and financial security of these institutions remain in limbo.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On March 24th, USC joined other colleges in implementing sweeping budget cuts and a staff hiring freeze, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbclosangeles.com\/news\/local\/usc-implements-staff-hiring-freeze-budget-cuts\/3661622\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nbclosangeles.com\/news\/local\/usc-implements-staff-hiring-freeze-budget-cuts\/3661622\/\">according to NBC4 Los Angeles.<\/a> The cost-cutting measures come as the Trump Administration threatens to pull federal contracts from private and public universities.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For those willing to look past the political rancor and steep sticker prices, a college campus does provide young people with exclusive experiences. Undergraduate students have up to four years to create a professional network, cherished memories, lifelong friendships and even meet the love of their life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Institute of Family Studies found that colleges can be an ideal place to find a soulmate. About half of USC graduates go on to marry fellow Trojans, <a href=\"https:\/\/ifstudies.org\/blog\/the-mr-mrs-degree-which-colleges-have-the-highest-marriage-rates\">according to the study.<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think college is more than just an education. I&#8217;ve grown so much in my own person, in my relationships, who I rely on, who I come home to,&#8221; Saucedo said with a smile.&nbsp;&#8220;I&#8217;ve created a family here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9cf8f26d wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div style=\"height:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-b1b80ead wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:40%\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-b1b80ead wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:40%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As public confidence in higher education falls, USC students and political experts weigh the personal, financial and cultural complexities of &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Is College Worth It?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["entry","page","publish","author-jtwheele","post-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2"}],"version-history":[{"count":80,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":115,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2\/revisions\/115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2025\/jtwheele\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}