College May Become Unaffordable for Most in U.S.

[x2012]

Quote from Tigerjaw:

Law of the Universe - - - there's no free lunch. If input costs are similiar in Europe to what they are in America, someone's gotta pay the difference in some way. How much of your earnings goes to government in taxes to pay for it is the question that comes to mind.
Too many people waste money for college who shouldn't even be there. (I read about a survey done of recent college graduates and a large percentage of them couldn't think critically, had terrible reading comprehension, and were unable to communicate clear ideas on paper.) Many jobs can be done just as well without that piece of paper - unless youre in certain professions where you actually learn something useful such as medicine, engineering, and the hard sciences.

How many traders learned what they needed to make money in a university, for example ?

Yes I agree that there is no free lunch but input costs are different. As a European studying in America I can attest to that. In the U.S, you end up taking so many useless classes that it is unbelievable.
As a chemistry/biology major, what on earth do I need jazz appreciation and history for in order to graduate? Whereas in many European countries, like the U.K, you take the classes you need and graduate. I have friends who graduate in 3 years or less with the same degrees that you get in the U.S in 4-5 years. Take med school as an example. Postgrad in the US, under grad in the U.K. Difference: saves a few years and a lot of $$

Now don't reply back saying "oh its to get a well rounded education". With that logic in mind that would mean that European students aren't that well rounded when I find that quite the opposite is true.

 

[zdreg]

it is true that americans are well rounded around the arses but their British cousins are not much better.

 

[smilingsynic]

Quote from Sam Mcgee:

A university education can cost about $100,000 and five years of time. The five years of time can be five years of lost earning power at say $50,000 per year= $250,000. The total cost of a university education could therefore be said to be somewhere around $350,000.

Where do recent high school graduates with no college earn 50K a year (at total of 250K) within their first five years out of high school?

 

[u21c3f6]

A degree can be an entry ticket. It doesn't guarantee that you will be successful. There are many jobs/professions that you cannot even apply for unless you have a degree. This doesn't mean that you couldn't do the job if you didn't have a degree but you will never get the opportunity to find out because your application won't even be considered if you don't have a degree.

You get out of college/university what you put in. In most cases when one spends money they try to get as much for their money as possible. However, it seems that a lot of students try to skate by with as little effort as possible and in my view that is not getting the most for their money.

Joe.

 

[forextrades]

Quote from smilingsynic:

Where do recent high school graduates with no college earn 50K a year (at total of 250K) within their first five years out of high school?

None that I can think of with the exception of skilled trade apprenticeships where they start our making $15-20/hr up to $40/hr by their 5th year.

 

[smilingsynic]

For those who take full advantage of the opportunities, a university education does not cost. It pays.

Where would this country be without its universities? Is it any wonder that the states with the best universities are some of the best places to live and work in this country?

Then again, Judge Smails was right. The world needs ditchdiggers too.

 

[zdreg]

it is a chance for the little lady to marry up to some guy who does not understand the difference between women and wine.

 

[FerdinandAlx]

I pay €1544 per annum in tuition fees to attend a prominent research university in the Netherlands. I will graduate with degrees in law and philosophy.

This seems like a very reasonable tuition. To pay more is to be over charged. There's absolutely no good reason to go into debt for $100,000 or more to pay for a university education, earning power least of all. $100,000 properly invested will yield a greater return over the span of 30 years than a salaried income will.

 

[zdreg]

the conclusion is if the university receives taxpayer's money on top of your tuition then the government is wasting taxpayer's money.

 

[CaptainObvious]

The so-called education they get is extremely expensive, especially when you consider that the overwhelming number of graduates are no more prepared for the job market, or the real world, than they were at 18.