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In response to the cost of education threads, this is the type of thinking that most college kids need today particularly kids that are getting less than marketable majors. Keep in mind these "state colleges" were formally 2 year junior/community colleges that recently upgraded themselves to offer 4 year degrees. They are clearly not top tier schools but for average kids that need to watch their expenses they are an excellent opportunity to get a college degree on a budget.
Palm Beach State College Takes Up Rick Scott's $10,000 Challenge
Palm Beach State College has become the 12th school in the Florida College System to take up Gov. Rick Scott’s challenge to create four-year degree programs that cost students under $10,000.
“I appreciate the governor’s efforts to make higher education more accessible and affordable for all Floridians,” Palm Beach State College President Dr. Dennis P. Gallon stated in a release.
“And, we are making a concerted effort to design a degree program that will meet his challenge and prepare students for high-demand careers in our local economy.”
The average degree within the 28 schools of the Florida College System is a little more than $13,000.
In taking up the challenge, Palm Beach State College joins Brevard Community College, Broward College, Chipola College, College of Central Florida, Daytona State College, Northwest Florida State College, Santa Fe College, Seminole State College, South Florida State College, St. Petersburg College and Valencia College.
“The more affordable we make college degrees, the more Florida families will benefit and be able to get a great job,” Scott stated in the release.
Some colleges take it to the next level and go for "free."
I didn't have the grades to get into Cooper Union or the ruggedness to handle Deep Springs, but I wish I had known about Berea College when I was applying to schools.
This sounds like Governor Rick Perry's $10k bachelor's degree challenge in Texas. A few of the public universities in Texas have already created programs that meet this challenge.
I understand that the rising costs of a college education is getting ridiculous in some cases, but I honestly believe that the $10K challenge will only further lead to the watering-down of a college education and that these schools/programs will become the new UoPs. It just doesn't seem possible to issue a decent education on $2,500 a year unless that program is highly subsidized by tax-payer money or heavy funding through private sources.
I also see these programs attracting the "UoP" type, that is: a typical 18 year old is still a little too concerned about their appearance and I doubt that many want to be known as the kid from high school who went to the "poor" and/or "easy" college. These schools/programs are going to attract the older students and the students who for one reason or another feel they cannot attend a "regular" college. That is, of course, unless these schools can maintain the serious funding necessary to deliver quality programs.
With that, the Florida State system is one of the cheapest in the country to begin with. California has been doing something similar for decades (albeit a bit more expensive) and it is/has been bankrupting the State.
Also, the article says that Scott wants Florida State colleges to see what they can do to come up with "$10K" programs so that students can "get a degree". I know many on here see college as career training, but what is the point if the degree you are "eligible" for is based partially on your economics? Seems a bit demeaning, doesn't it?
I think this will be a more valuable education than an online degree and it makes the education process available to working students without incurring monster debt!
I think this would be ideal for any college students that don't have a clear career path in mind as well. Spend 10k on a less than marketable degree, no harm done. Spend 100k on that same degree and finance it with student loans then they just got themselves deep in debt while filling out job applications at the mall.
I think this will be a more valuable education than an online degree and it makes the education process available to working students without incurring monster debt!
Paying back a loan of "only" $10K with a job that pays between $10 and maybe, maybe, $15 tops can still be difficult. It is generally not the debt that is the sole source of the issue, but the borrowers' lifestyle which usually puts them into more debt. If it were more common for recent grads to continue to live like they were still in college for another year or two, some serious dents can be made into even a large student loan debt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by City Guy997S
I think this would be ideal for any college students that don't have a clear career path in mind as well. Spend 10k on a less than marketable degree, no harm done. Spend 100k on that same degree and finance it with student loans then they just got themselves deep in debt while filling out job applications at the mall.
I believe the first part of this paragraph displays one of the biggest problems with higher education in this country. People who do not have even a basic idea of what type of career they would like to pursue should not go to college until that has been well thought out. Unless, of course, that person has a clear idea of what they want to study. Your first sentence also shows a belief that college=career training, which is the wrong way to approach college. The rest of this paragraph...Why would someone spend even $100 on a less-than-marketable degree? To say that $10K on a degree that may have low performance value is just as absurd and goes back to what I mentioned in my previous post.
Also, the average student loan debt is around $20K, not $100K. Heck, most people could not even take out that much in loans unless they had numerous co-signers and/or the money in the first place. Have you even tried to get a private student loan over the last few years? It's damn near impossible. Yes, some students do rack up the debt, but those in the $100K club are nearer to the outliers than the mean.
You cant quite make it on ten grand for four years in New York but our "flagship" (we dont have an official one), SUNY Binghamton, charges less that $6000 a year tuition in-state. And its a good bargain for out of staters too, at only $17,000. (Compare that with out of state tuition at Michgan, Virginia, or Cal!).
The city colleges, which are mainly commuter schools, charge a bit less. But some of them, like Hunter College, City College, Baruch, Queens College, and Brooklyn College, are quite reputable schools that can offer a top-rate education forr those students willing to work for it.
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