Not surprisingly, the AP reports that college costs are rising

Earning the award for the least-shocking news of the day is today's AP story claiming that college tuition costs are rising.

According to the article,

At public four-year schools, many of them ravaged by state budget cuts, average in-state tuition and fees this fall rose 7.9 percent, or $555, to $7,605, according to the College Board's "Trends in College Pricing." The average sticker price at private nonprofit colleges increased 4.5 percent, or $1,164, to $27,293.

Though the news is far from unexpected, it is worrisome. While political bigwigs and financial experts (like the folks from the National Bureau of Economic Research) claim that the recession officially ended last summer, regular folks just aren't seeing it. Prices are still high, millions are out of work, and most people are still pinching pennies. When families are weighing whether to spend what little money they have left on house payments or food, they aren't thinking about college for their kids. The cost of college seems an enormous expense for many families, making a college degree an unattainable goal for their children.

While I believe that college is not for everyone, I do believe that everyone should have access to education. Anyone who wants to go to college should have the ability to do so without taking on catastrophic amounts of debt. The Project on Student Debt recently released information stating that the average college graduate has $24,000 in student loan debt. Of course, many students wind up with even greater debt. In addition, the statistic does not include the thousands of students who take on student loan debt and find themselves unable to finish college. In particular, it is those students who are pushed out of school due to rising costs that I most worry about. Those students end up with large amounts of debt and nothing to show for it.

Paying off student loans and trying to earn a decent wage becomes a vicious cycle for those who were unable to complete their degrees due to rising costs. When a student drops out of college, his or her loans soon go into repayment status. The student must then work to raise enough money to pay off the debts, but is unlikely to find a decent-paying job without a degree. Without a decent-paying job, the former student is less likely to repay the debt. The student may then try to take out more loans to obtain a degree, which will, theoretically, earn him enough money to pay off his student loans. The cycle then repeats itself.

The problem of students taking on debt without completing degrees is easiest to spot at our nation's community colleges. Though community college offers a more-affordable option for many students, their costs have also been steadily climbing. Combine higher costs with students who may be following a nontraditional path through college (night school, part-time classes, etc.), and you wind up with students who take on debt, but don't graduate. In fact, only 40% of community college students complete their programs, while many students take five or six years to complete two-year degrees. Regardless of whether or not a student completes his or her degree, any student loan debt must be paid off. In fact, most student loans are not forgiven even if the borrower files for bankruptcy.

These days, you need some form of higher education to get a decent-paying job. Whether that education comes from college, trade school, or an apprenticeship, it is becoming apparent that in order to make money you need an education. But in order to get an education, you need money. Quite frankly, fewer and fewer people are finding themselves able to keep up with the rising costs of college. Higher education was once a luxury for the rich, and if we're not careful, we'll be back to that model before we know it. The costs of higher education (even at public schools) are already edging out the poor and middle class folks. What will happen once only the richest can afford college?

With large amounts of debt and low rates of employment, students may start to believe that college is not worth the expense. When people become disillusioned with higher education, it affects the nation. Fewer people find decent-paying jobs, lower- and middle-class earners find themselves getting more and more frustrated, college costs rise because of a poor economy and fewer students, and we end up with a population that is angry, uneducated, and unable to do much about it.

The bottom line? We must put an end to the upward trajectory of college costs. Americans at all income brackets need access to college. By educating our students we are investing in the future of the nation. We need people from all socioeconomic statuses and a variety of backgrounds to run the country, with its schools, banks, public works, and companies in need of quality workers. A diverse workforce is a happy workforce, and to find a place in that workforce, people need to have access to higher education.

There must come a point where the cost of a college education does not overshadow the benefits of that education. We need to reach a place where people who earn college degrees can count on earning enough at work to pay off their student loans. The rising costs of college are doing nothing to convince the public that the recession is over, and the fastest way to wind up in another recession is to scare people into not spending, not investing.

Simply put, in order to inspire people to invest in the fiscal health of our nation, we must invest in the education of our people. To do so, we must cut the costs of college and make education affordable for everyone.

Bigger sizes not bringing in bigger bucks: why the sale of plus-size clothes is down

Last week the Associated Press ran a story about a slow-down in the sale of plus-size clothes. The article discusses market researcher's ideas as to why sales have slowed; overall, I find their theories unlikely and misguided. Among the theories? Retailers don't want to send out "the wrong image" by marketing to plus-size shoppers, plus-size shoppers prefer to shop online, and plus-size women have been hit harder than average-size women by cuts in pay.

Oh please.

Being a plus-size woman, I have a few of my own theories on why plus-size clothing sales may be down. The number one reason in my book? They were too expensive to begin with! Retailers like Lane Bryant, The Avenue, and Torrid cater to plus-size women, offer fashions exclusively to those size 14+, and have used their niche to charge high prices for plus-size clothes. Given that many stores do not offer attractive options for plus-size ladies, many women were forced to shop at these stores and pay the exorbitant prices. In this economy, however, people can't afford $98 blouses, $188 jeans, or $70 "casual" dresses.

I believe that women are finally cluing in that they shouldn't have to pay super-high prices for clothes simply because they're overweight. As the argument goes, it's more material, but it's not so much more that a size 1X sweater should cost $20 more than a size XL sweater! And women shouldn't have to pay for the "convenience" of shopping in stores that cater to carrying their sizes.

I buy most of my clothes at Kohl's, a department store that has a reasonable selection of plus-size clothes that are both trendy and classic and of good quality. The clothes I buy there are nearly always on sale and those that aren't I buy with coupons. It's more economically sensible than spending two- or three-times as much at a specialty store, and I leave with great clothes. Plus, since Kohl's is a department store, I can also pick up new towels, a toaster oven, or some makeup while I'm there; it's one-stop shopping.

The AP reports that other department stores are getting in on the action, and I see it as a step in the right direction. With more than half of American women wearing plus-sizes, featuring plus-size fashion in most department stores makes simple financial sense. Plus, long-gone are the days of mumus and sack-like garments made to conceal the body. Plus-size women want fashionable outfits just like average-size women. Stores like Bloomingdales, JCPenney, and Macy's all offer plus-size lines, which the AP reports is good for business.

I'm perhaps most excited by the prospect of stores like Forever 21 (a clothing retailer aimed at teenagers) creating plus-size lines. Teenagers and young people need fashionable options that fit their bodies and lifestyles, regardless of their size. It's hard enough to be a plus-size woman; I think it's even harder to be a plus-size teenager, dealing with all the other perils of adolescence. Why trendy retailers haven't thought to reach out to plus-size teenagers before this is beyond me. Teenagers have always had more disposable income than adults and they spend most of their money on clothes. In tough times, more retailers would benefit from marketing to young people, who are more likely than adults to keep spending.

Readers, what do you think? Why is the plus-size clothing market dropping even faster than women's apparel overall? Please share your thoughts in the comments.