Quote:
Originally Posted by tbomachines
Hmm...I seem to remember this conversation 
Working working, paying off the loans little by little, thats all I can do. My GF (whom I believe you are referring to above) still can't find a job anywhere, and even the connections through school to internships are generally unpaid (she is psychology major). One day both me and her will be pretty well paid, but both have to fund PhD's to get there...its definitely a challenge. Doesn't help that we go to school with a lot of rich spoiled kids either 
edit: I should add that I do believe that every penny spent on my education has been 100% worth it. College helped me grow up and realize how much I love my field. 5 years ago I never would have thought I'd have a liberal arts degree, or even be headed to grad school for that matter. |
Tom,
I hope I didn't offend you by relating our conversation. I am not being critical of her (and her parents) decision. Sadly, there are probably thousands like her graduating every year. I was stunned by the magnitude of the debt she's leaving there with. I'm just pissed off that colleges fill the rooms and giant lecture halls with students, take your (borrowed) money, hand you a diploma, then turn around and ask you to give to the Endowment Fund.
With third party direct pay (Hello Mr. Pell) or financing (Hello Messrs. Perkins and Stafford) available, colleges for the last few decades have had little incentive to keep costs low and tuition reasonable. I also think there is a prestige premium built in to the tuition. Probably anywhere from 10 to 30% depending on how "big" the name or how high they are in College Rankings by USNWR. Do you think if the school was, say, ranked number 20 instead of where it is, it would be able to charge as much as it does? I don't.
I also sympathize with today's graduates who have to look for work in a very, very difficut job climate. One that in my opinion will be very challenging for 3 to 5 years. Lots of old timers still hanging on out of economic necessity.
Happy New Year to you both
.... and good ridance to this sorry decade.
