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In reply to the discussion: How Did College Education Become So Ridiculously Expensive? [View all]OmahaBlueDog
(10,000 posts)68. Funny you should ask, since we're college shopping
Preface: When I was a kid, the low cost option was your state school. The next option on the cost list was a public school, out-of-state. Then was private school.
What we're finding now: The game has changed. The first, best option (from a pure cost perspective) is still your state school. What we find (and we've read the fine print) is that high end private schools are now the next best choice. Why? Because most of them give very substantial aid to families with $95K or less AGI (YMMV). I'm not talking about schools you've never heard of; these are schools like Vanderbilt, Emory, and the Ivies. So to answer your question, in the case of private schools, there is a certain degree of soaking the rich to pay for the poor. The trick, of course, is being one of the lucky few to be admitted.
The other thing we've seen is friends who have sent kids to smaller private schools who (essentially) negotiated tuition like it was a used car deal.
Yes.. times are different than when my parents and grandparents went to Cal ...for free.
The worst option. If you are making less than $95K AGI, public school out-of-state is the worst choice. Why? States are hard up for money, and for the well-to-do, Cal or UVA or Chapel Hill out-of-state will run you a helluva lot less than Emory or Vandy or any of the Ivies -- where your income is too high to qualify for grants, but too low to really call $0K per year in tuition "affordable".
So what I see now are kids going to commuter school or JUCO for their first 2-3 years, and then transferring. I have a niece who has a deal at a small, private school to do 3 years there, and then finish out her final two years at a big-name tech school. She'll go 5 years, and get two BS degrees at completion.
What we're finding now: The game has changed. The first, best option (from a pure cost perspective) is still your state school. What we find (and we've read the fine print) is that high end private schools are now the next best choice. Why? Because most of them give very substantial aid to families with $95K or less AGI (YMMV). I'm not talking about schools you've never heard of; these are schools like Vanderbilt, Emory, and the Ivies. So to answer your question, in the case of private schools, there is a certain degree of soaking the rich to pay for the poor. The trick, of course, is being one of the lucky few to be admitted.
The other thing we've seen is friends who have sent kids to smaller private schools who (essentially) negotiated tuition like it was a used car deal.
Yes.. times are different than when my parents and grandparents went to Cal ...for free.
The worst option. If you are making less than $95K AGI, public school out-of-state is the worst choice. Why? States are hard up for money, and for the well-to-do, Cal or UVA or Chapel Hill out-of-state will run you a helluva lot less than Emory or Vandy or any of the Ivies -- where your income is too high to qualify for grants, but too low to really call $0K per year in tuition "affordable".
So what I see now are kids going to commuter school or JUCO for their first 2-3 years, and then transferring. I have a niece who has a deal at a small, private school to do 3 years there, and then finish out her final two years at a big-name tech school. She'll go 5 years, and get two BS degrees at completion.
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This is false on it's face, there's less money going to colleges from state and feder government ...
uponit7771
Mar 2014
#53
Out in the world, computerized instruments have driven massive productivity gains.
Thor_MN
Mar 2014
#11
It's both the instructional technology and the student information systems that have grown.
Gidney N Cloyd
Mar 2014
#44
YES!! There's NO FREAKIN REASON the head football coach should get paid 5 million a year!
uponit7771
Mar 2014
#54
There is EVERY FREAKIN REASON if their program brings 10 million in revenue to the school
OmahaBlueDog
Mar 2014
#69
At my local community college, state support has been cut WAY back in recent years.
raccoon
Mar 2014
#12
yes! especially on the 3rd paragraph: everything valuated strictly on dollar terms
MisterP
Mar 2014
#63
UT has over $8Billion in its endowment. Why are student fees going up every year?
marble falls
Mar 2014
#23
In the 80's University College Dublin (public school) subsidized the following:
Divernan
Mar 2014
#57
Public universities w/ obscenely luxury dorm facilities; for one percenter wannabes?
Divernan
Mar 2014
#40
Lifestyle and amenities on campus are better than almost all will be able to afford after graduating
FarCenter
Mar 2014
#47
MBA's and other financial wizards took over colleges and hospitals and developed a long list of
Douglas Carpenter
Mar 2014
#71