College costs shocked me...
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I just checked the current cost of the public university I went to, $10k fees, $10k housing, $5k meals per year. I remember it being less than half that 10 years ago. When I attended community college it was $12 per unit, it's over $40 per unit now.
I graduated debt free but it wasn't an easy road. It included working multiple jobs, military service, building up an education fund, being married, community college, and an 11 year journey.
I promote developing a skill and a plan for educating yourself to do that skill the best you can. If that skill is plumbing or pediatrician you will be successful and you will be able to pay for it.
I graduated debt free but it wasn't an easy road. It included working multiple jobs, military service, building up an education fund, being married, community college, and an 11 year journey.
I promote developing a skill and a plan for educating yourself to do that skill the best you can. If that skill is plumbing or pediatrician you will be successful and you will be able to pay for it.
Like Kestas, my late 1970's college costs were a pittance. I worked one year out of high school at U.S. Steel and saved all my money for college (lived at home). My kids started out at community college and my wife found thousands of dollars in misc. small scholarships - still available if one puts in the effort.
In Michigan, the initial price increases were blamed on less state funded tuition assistance. It used to be over 60%. Not sure what it is now, but I believe that it is under 30%. For many years, tuition increases were 6% to 8% every year. This chart shows the exorbitant changes:
![[Linked Image from milhs.org]](http://www.milhs.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Back-to-school-fig-1.jpg "[Linked Image from milhs.org]")
Fawteen is correct about the campus changes. No single line cafeterias anymore. Now they have food courts. https://eatatstate.msu.edu/ "our Executive Chefs and Sous Chefs create top-notch cuisine for university students, faculty, staff and guests." But, the food is much healthier. Change - can't get around it. It's not unlike our complaints about vehicle costs or "too large homes" due to all the "extras". We accept and pay for the heightened standard of living we, the U.S., feel entitled to.
In Michigan, the initial price increases were blamed on less state funded tuition assistance. It used to be over 60%. Not sure what it is now, but I believe that it is under 30%. For many years, tuition increases were 6% to 8% every year. This chart shows the exorbitant changes:
Fawteen is correct about the campus changes. No single line cafeterias anymore. Now they have food courts. https://eatatstate.msu.edu/ "our Executive Chefs and Sous Chefs create top-notch cuisine for university students, faculty, staff and guests." But, the food is much healthier. Change - can't get around it. It's not unlike our complaints about vehicle costs or "too large homes" due to all the "extras". We accept and pay for the heightened standard of living we, the U.S., feel entitled to.
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Boy am I glad I went to tech school!
Next month will be my last student loan payment, at 30 years old. Left school with $10k in debt and started making almost $20/hr at a shop. Currently making upwards of $40/hr as a tech and I couldn't be happier.
I agree that college is overpriced, but there are other choices out there.
Next month will be my last student loan payment, at 30 years old. Left school with $10k in debt and started making almost $20/hr at a shop. Currently making upwards of $40/hr as a tech and I couldn't be happier.
I agree that college is overpriced, but there are other choices out there.
Originally Posted by ZZman
I know college debt is crushing many if not most graduates but I never really looked into it until yesterday.
I am 40 years from my college days. My daughter 10 years. I went the community college route, lived at home, worked and paid 18.00 a credit hour.
I looked up my old college and it is now $ 103.00 a credit hour.
I looked up my daughter's college and some other state 4 year colleges and the yearly costs were about $24,000 a year. I was shocked as I was thinking it would be in the $ 15-17,000 range.
It got me thinking that even if a student worked part time while in school they could still easily be $ 40-50,000 in debt when they got out.
That is shocking and depressing.
I'm 10 years out. My last semester cost me about $2200+books for a 13-14 hour credit load, and associated labs. The previous semesters were similar. My scholarship nearly covered all of my first 2 years ($1500 a semester and semesters for 12-16hours averaged about 1700ish) but when I switched colleges for the next 2.5, it didnt carry over. I didnt find it burdensome. Some areas surely cost more, and some people needlessly incur college debt by being snobbish over where they go for no logical reason (not law school, etc).
I know college debt is crushing many if not most graduates but I never really looked into it until yesterday.
I am 40 years from my college days. My daughter 10 years. I went the community college route, lived at home, worked and paid 18.00 a credit hour.
I looked up my old college and it is now $ 103.00 a credit hour.
I looked up my daughter's college and some other state 4 year colleges and the yearly costs were about $24,000 a year. I was shocked as I was thinking it would be in the $ 15-17,000 range.
It got me thinking that even if a student worked part time while in school they could still easily be $ 40-50,000 in debt when they got out.
That is shocking and depressing.
I'm 10 years out. My last semester cost me about $2200+books for a 13-14 hour credit load, and associated labs. The previous semesters were similar. My scholarship nearly covered all of my first 2 years ($1500 a semester and semesters for 12-16hours averaged about 1700ish) but when I switched colleges for the next 2.5, it didnt carry over. I didnt find it burdensome. Some areas surely cost more, and some people needlessly incur college debt by being snobbish over where they go for no logical reason (not law school, etc).
Yep. It's why it's important to have ones child choose wisely with regards to their choice of degree.
Originally Posted by Fawteen
There are a lot of reasons why the cost of college has skyrocketed. Between a campus that looks more like a 5 star resort, student "needs" such as extensive career services to psychological counseling to heightened campus security, research that has no impact on education, administrative bloat, overblown sports, and a guaranteed loan system that allows colleges to increase their prices without recourse.
Top that off with students who are already in debt for college, but have to go buy/lease a shiny new vehicle, and are paying through the nose for it and then gripe about student loan debt.
When we toured colleges ten years ago, some private colleges offered "free" massages, especially during finals week. And all campus buildings had the identical brick. Seemed like any building that was 40 years old was torn down and rebuilt.
Cafeterias look like a food court at a shopping mall.
Got a call from my alma mater, Iowa State. They are putting in a gaming facility for the students to relieve stress.
There are a lot of reasons why the cost of college has skyrocketed. Between a campus that looks more like a 5 star resort, student "needs" such as extensive career services to psychological counseling to heightened campus security, research that has no impact on education, administrative bloat, overblown sports, and a guaranteed loan system that allows colleges to increase their prices without recourse.
Top that off with students who are already in debt for college, but have to go buy/lease a shiny new vehicle, and are paying through the nose for it and then gripe about student loan debt.
When we toured colleges ten years ago, some private colleges offered "free" massages, especially during finals week. And all campus buildings had the identical brick. Seemed like any building that was 40 years old was torn down and rebuilt.
Cafeterias look like a food court at a shopping mall.
Got a call from my alma mater, Iowa State. They are putting in a gaming facility for the students to relieve stress.
My niece is choosing a 4 year college that is beautiful with ocean view out dorm but $30k/year to play college lacrosse and a semester abroad trip. However her major is Dental Hygienist with Bachelors.
She could spend significantly less (maybe 35% of her route) and lack the "college experience" and get a 2year degree and make the exact same amount per hour as Hygienist does.
Its really sad but the parents simply take her to the bank to sign loans because her parents are poor at finances themselves and buried in debt themselves even after a bankruptcy.
She could spend significantly less (maybe 35% of her route) and lack the "college experience" and get a 2year degree and make the exact same amount per hour as Hygienist does.
Its really sad but the parents simply take her to the bank to sign loans because her parents are poor at finances themselves and buried in debt themselves even after a bankruptcy.
The best way is to find a job with an employer who does tuition reimbursement. But it might be difficult to get in without at least an associate degree. And the reimbursement amount is limited by the IRS as far as I know for non-taxable amount.
CA just announced free 2 year Community College. A great investment.
Most of my college was paid for by my employers.
I am committed to helping my grand nieces with college, if they should choose to go.
It's important.
Most of my college was paid for by my employers.
I am committed to helping my grand nieces with college, if they should choose to go.
It's important.
Originally Posted by madRiver
My niece is choosing a 4 year college that is beautiful with ocean view out dorm but $30k/year to play college lacrosse and a semester abroad trip. However her major is Dental Hygienist with Bachelors.
She could spend significantly less (maybe 35% of her route) and lack the "college experience" and get a 2year degree and make the exact same amount per hour as Hygienist does.
Its really sad but the parents simply take her to the bank to sign loans because her parents are poor at finances themselves and buried in debt themselves even after a bankruptcy.
Yeah, I think many want the experience and freedom from the parents.
My niece is choosing a 4 year college that is beautiful with ocean view out dorm but $30k/year to play college lacrosse and a semester abroad trip. However her major is Dental Hygienist with Bachelors.
She could spend significantly less (maybe 35% of her route) and lack the "college experience" and get a 2year degree and make the exact same amount per hour as Hygienist does.
Its really sad but the parents simply take her to the bank to sign loans because her parents are poor at finances themselves and buried in debt themselves even after a bankruptcy.
Yeah, I think many want the experience and freedom from the parents.
I retired about a decade ago as a library director in a special service district serving a (now) population of 400,000. Libraries used to be part of Missouri's higher education system (they're now under the Secretary of State) and so I served on a number of committees with academic librarians and college presidents. I used to eschew hiring anyone who'd served in a campus environment because (so the joke went) they couldn't decide where to have lunch without convening a committee. I also did some teaching on the side and in my experience the larger the institution the more administratively screwed up it was. When I was a library director, there were only two libertarian CEO's in the country, both in Missouri. Now there's only one, and my old haunt is filled with layers of high salary middle managers. When I got my MPA in the mid seventies they taught us that you should have a flat organization with a wide span of control. That's certainly gone out the window. And don't even get me started on hiring high priced consultants.
When I was in college (South Dakota State) in the mid sixties I think they had a football coaching staff of four and if I remember properly the assistant coach doubled as the wrestling coach. Now they have eighteen. I'm sure the same kind of bloat exists in the academic departments of most colleges.
When I was in college (South Dakota State) in the mid sixties I think they had a football coaching staff of four and if I remember properly the assistant coach doubled as the wrestling coach. Now they have eighteen. I'm sure the same kind of bloat exists in the academic departments of most colleges.
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I did my undergrad at Embry Riddle for a year and remainder at Northeastern University... living on campus, 5 yr engineering program (included 3 coops/internships) it was roughly $250k
To give an 17 year old kid a college credit card is foolish in my opinion. Then we have the credit card companies and schools and others telling the kid, no problem because you will make that loan up in the first year of you new job. That helps drive up the college costs. We get what we deserve by being so foolish. Ed
It's not sustainable. Lot of factors here - parents need to stop insisting kids "need" to go to college. Use common sense and realize when you come out with a degree in psychology with $100k in student loans it's now your responsibility to deal with the consequences of your career choice, loans and job market. Stop talking down trades. They can be great. Federal Gov should get out of the market.
Cut school administration, knock off retarded tenure practices, investigate student lenders, cut federal funding to schools until they learn how to operate like every other business.
Cut school administration, knock off retarded tenure practices, investigate student lenders, cut federal funding to schools until they learn how to operate like every other business.
Cut school administration, knock off retarded tenure practices, investigate student lenders, cut federal funding to schools until they learn how to operate like every other business.
This!
This!
Originally Posted by Alfred_B
The best way is to find a job with an employer who does tuition reimbursement. But it might be difficult to get in without at least an associate degree. And the reimbursement amount is limited by the IRS as far as I know for non-taxable amount.
My Associates degree was from a Community College because the state college turned myself and my 2 female cousins down because they already had their "quota" of non minority applicants. They did me a HUGE favor
. Because I had to work full time it took me ~3 1/2 years to get my associates degree. I was lucky because future employers paid for non degree schooling and more important for the remainder of college to get my Bachelor of Science in Finance. I was working full time at Warner Lambert and they paid 100% for me to finish college. This included all fees, tuition, books etc. It didn't cost me anything other than my time
. It took me 6 years at night to finish my last "two years" of college to get the Bachelor. And during this time period I was traveling extensively for business. I was lucky I had understanding professors and the Dean of the Business School. But I graduated with ZERO college debt
!
Whimsey
The best way is to find a job with an employer who does tuition reimbursement. But it might be difficult to get in without at least an associate degree. And the reimbursement amount is limited by the IRS as far as I know for non-taxable amount.
My Associates degree was from a Community College because the state college turned myself and my 2 female cousins down because they already had their "quota" of non minority applicants. They did me a HUGE favor
Whimsey
This is why I am encouraging a nephew to consider IBEW classes. As an apprentice he is still paid. Once he graduates to Journeyman, he is paid well He will work, and have all needed safety equipment unlike come commercial electricians I know. If he chooses to become a master ten more training and more money follow, although there are fewer master positions, you may travel more or choose to accept journeyman wages.
rod
rod
Originally Posted by buster
It's not sustainable. Lot of factors here - parents need to stop insisting kids "need" to go to college.
Absolutely. Where are all these high paying jobs going to come from once they graduate? And who will work the service industries anymore? Actually, with minimum wages going to $15 in many places, a couple can make $60,000 flipping burgers at McDonalds and not have have $200K debt when they graduate.
It's not sustainable. Lot of factors here - parents need to stop insisting kids "need" to go to college.
Absolutely. Where are all these high paying jobs going to come from once they graduate? And who will work the service industries anymore? Actually, with minimum wages going to $15 in many places, a couple can make $60,000 flipping burgers at McDonalds and not have have $200K debt when they graduate.
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