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College costs: scarier than halloween

10/21/2012

8 Comments

 
Augustana sloughThis view is yours for just an arm and a leg!
I’m shaking in my boots. Why? Because my daughter and I just visited two colleges. It’s hard to believe that my little girl has grown up so fast. Even harder? That college costs have grown faster.

I shouldn’t complain too much. The first college we saw was only $15,000 per year. That’s a bargain considering what other colleges are charging. The second school costs $43,000 per year! It does have a great scholarship program. Still, the whole bill will cost well over $100,000K. 

Did you know that the average cost of college has risen by nearly 600% from the time I went in 1985? That’s three times faster than the consumer price index. What’s worse, a lot of students are having trouble finding jobs after graduation. Oh, what joyful news. I can’t imagine the joy of leaving school without a job but with a HUGE student loan.

So why are so many kids still going to college? As a parent, my answer is because I’m scared. The gap between rich and poor is getting wider and I’m worried that my kids will be left behind. For all I know, in ten years you’ll need a master’s degree to serve a caramel macchiato at Starbucks. Plus the rate of unemployment for college grads is half the national average -- a fact not lost on me.

Of course, that’s not the only reason. College also gives you that ever important factor called ‘prestige.’ Also, you do learn a lot -- and not just academic stuff, but a lot of necessary life skills. You learn self-discipline and how to organize your time. You learn to take responsibility for your actions. You learn how to work with others -- both one on one and in groups -- as well how to cook Ramen noodles. Plus you really learn the value of a dollar. I still remember when my grandma used to send me $5 in the mail. I’d float around all day, feeling like Donald Trump without the freaky hairstyle.

So no matter the cost, my kids are going to college. I'm sure it's a fact universities rely on. I just wish I could count on my kids not needing to live in my basement once they are done.


8 Comments
Helena Fortissima link
10/21/2012 10:15:12 am

This is a tough question to contemplate right now, Janene. I'm not convinced college is as important as we all once thought it was. Neither of my kids stuck with college. What I do know is that Gen Y and the Millennials are exceptionally innovative and entrepreneurial generations. If things don't work out, it's never to late to go back to college.

Reply
Mom link
10/21/2012 11:52:53 am

You're right. There is a lot more innovation out there today, and we do know there is more than one path to success. Still, when people say 'they can never take your degree away from you' they 're right. The opportunities are greater with a degree. At the same time, there have always been fields where having a degree doesn't matter -- fields that can't be outsourced to other countries. It really is a tough question to contemplate.

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nothingprofound link
10/21/2012 02:24:21 pm

Janene, unless your daughter has a clear idea of what she wants to study I'd avoid a high end school. Chances are you'll just be pouring money down the drain. Send her to a junior college where she can inexpensively explore what her true interests and talents might be. Once she discovers that, she can easily transfer to a "better" school and continue her education there.

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Mom link
10/21/2012 10:17:07 pm

More and more people are starting out at junior college. It's a great value, to be sure. Luckily, my daughter has a pretty firm idea what she'd like to do. Still, it's not a high paying field she's interested in going into. It's hard to imagine paying top dollar for an education to land in a field that doesn't.

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Dennis Hodgson link
10/21/2012 04:18:58 pm

I guess I was lucky. When I went to university (1964-67), because of my poor social background my tuition fees were paid by the local council, which also gave me a generous maintenance grant (which I mostly spent on drink). Given that the UK system nowadays is loans rather than grants, coming from the same background I'd probably not even consider going to university.

I think you're between the proverbial rock and a hard place Janene.

Reply
Mom link
10/21/2012 10:19:55 pm

Ugh. You hit upon one of the things I hate: loans. They are everywhere. The idea of walking away from school with a ton of debt is so accepted now, the same way that having a big mortgage is. It KILLS me that the U.S. has become a debt society. Sounds like the UK is turning into the same thing.

Reply
zobop republic @blogcatalog link
10/22/2012 03:39:51 am

Well, call me a snob. I think college is very important. (I went to a state university; low cost). You meet new people you probably never would have been exposed to. You can't learn everything in the streets or... out there. :) Most employers want some kind of certification in order to start a career.

It's a shame college tuition keeps going up. You know, a lot of universities have billion dollar endowments and yet they won't give a tuition "free" education to anyone [*rolling eyes*]. Unless it's in the form of a free scholarship. Not many students can get that.

I wish you good luck in the college hunt.

Reply
Mom link
10/22/2012 05:03:09 am

Well, if you're a snob, I am, too. I also think college is very important. Like I said, you learn a lot -- and not just academically. I just wish it didn't cost so much. Sure, there are professions where a college education doesn't matter, but they're in the minority. Unfortunately, with costs so high, college is growing increasingly out of reach for so many. Ugh!

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