MIDDLETOWN - For parents, the American dream typically consists of raising our kids by stressing the importance of education and the need for them to go to college.

       A day does not go by during the week without catching myself admonishing at least one of my children about the importance of school and grades. My oldest son is in middle school and my wife and I are always on him to stay on the honor roll and work hard to understand the academic concepts because high school is around the corner and that is when the grades start counting towards college.

       Yet college these days is disappointing on so many fronts, most notably the costs. According to www.collegedata.com , the average annual cost of a moderately-priced public university for the 2013-14 academic year averages $22,826. By contrast, the average yearly cost of a private university is $44,750. These figures include tuition, fees, housing, meals, books and supplies, but do not include personal transportation and other general expenses that college students may incur, depending on what school an individual attends.

       If you add the numbers up, that comes out to $91,304 for a four-year degree at a local public college and $179,000 to attend a four-year private college or university. What is even more alarming is that all that money spent only gets a person an undergraduate degree. These days, many companies like to see job candidates possess a post-graduate degree as well, so these costs could be even higher when the student looks for a job.

       The sticker shock from these numbers gives me insomnia and nightmares when I sleep, as my wife and I have four children. We have 529 saving plans in place to try to offset the blow we will one day have to face, but, like I always say, this will only be a drop in the bucket. Of course, financial aid, grants and scholarships are available to offset some of these costs, but most kids/parents will have to take out some kind of loan to finance the hefty remaining balance.

       These days, kids often get stuck with this debt load, as many parents refuse to bear the responsibility. My kids are still pretty young, but I tell them in an age-appropriate way to do what they love for a career and to go to the school that will provide them the best opportunities. What I do shield from them is my utter disappointment with the rising cost of higher academia, as it has outpaced the rise of even healthcare, which has been off the charts in recent years.

       Part of my frustration is that many of these colleges and universities (including the beloved UConn) pose themselves as some holier-than-thou institution that strives to enlighten young minds and build a better world. Yet this message rings hollow, because in the end they run themselves like any other corporation with a hunger for a healthy bottom line. The skyrocketing costs of higher education make it virtually impossible for middle class families to keep up, especially for their children to attend private universities. This hardly impacts the ultra-rich, who can afford the hikes and the higher tuition, and serves as a de-facto block to segregate the elites in this country from everyone else’s children. Additionally, the financial endowments that many of these top-end universities possess make it embarrassing that they charge so much, as much of that money should be used to keep the costs down or be allocated as scholarships for deserving students.

       Another problem I have with higher academia is the left-leaning political indoctrination from much of the faculty. Everyone is entitled to their political ideologies but, even when I was in college, so many of the professors hated the United States and preached how America was the root of so many problems around the world.

       There is no disputing that our country has had its dark history, with the likes of slavery and segregation, to name a few issues, but America has given so much more to the world than it has taken. The scientific, technological and medical innovations originating from this country have improved the quality of life not only for Americans, but so many people from other nations around the world. I remember receiving lower grades in school when the content of my papers differed from the political philosophies of my professors. Only when I chose to sell-out and alter my writings to agree with the professor’s world view did I receive the higher marks. I was young and trying to graduate, so can you blame me?

       My wife and I were watching television the other day and saw a special on the ridiculous courses some of these high-priced universities are offering these days. For your amusement, here are some of the winners that might give you a chuckle. Princeton University offers a course entitled, â€�"How to Dress.” Boy, I could have used that course back in the 1980s in middle school when I wore a mullet and frequently wore parachute pants. Montclair State offers a course called, â€�"How to Watch Television,” and the University of Texas offers a course for all you Star Trek fans that goes by the name, â€�"Invented Languages, Klingon and Beyond.” Appalachian State offers a course my third-grader might enjoy called, â€�"What if Harry Potter is Real?” There are so many other priceless and intellectually stimulating jewels to mention, but this piece would go on forever.

       The bottom line is attending college is a good thing in general, as it teaches students how to think. My problems lie within the economic hypocrisy and political indoctrination that occurs at so many levels throughout so much of academia. I am not against colleges making a profit, but I tire of their inflated tuition rates that never go down and only go up, even in a poor economy. The debt that so many kids accrue before they even hit the labor force is probably the most troubling aspect to the problem. Kids who, for their entire lives, might have dreamed of becoming a teacher could end up choking on an unmanageable loan that will make it virtually impossible to start their lives or purchase a home. That is a travesty of them all.