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Be interesting to see if there’s a correlation between tuition increase and faculty (dean, president, professors) wages and increased government student loan programs? Also wonder about all these additional courses some universities require.
Not sure about these but in my state, tuition has increased as state funding for colleges has declined year after year for well over a decade. The money has to come from somewhere. If legislators cut funding, they have no credibility when they complain about tuition cost. And they do acting like they’ve had no hand in creating the situation.
Those new buildings are frequently not optional. My kid goes to Texas A&M. In 2000, enrollment was 44,000. This year, it's 73,000. Those additional 29,000 students have to go to class somewhere.
Right and a lot of the old buildings don’t have the technology or need serious upgrades. For example, I went to grad school in an old building with an ancient boiler system and not really enough outlets for everyone to plug their laptops in for class. There were only two student bathrooms in the entire building, and with the boiler on, certain parts of the building would be heated to more than 80 degrees. I think the largest bathroom was regularly 85+.
Meanwhile, the undergrads were just packed into older dorms. Three or even four students were put into rooms built for 2 students. The school requires undergrads to live on campus three years, so the option was either to change that requirement or to build new dorms. They went with the latter. Meanwhile, I think my undergrad also increased by size at least 50% when was there 25 years ago, so they have built several new dorms. I think one they did was a retrofit of one that had gone from a dorm to offices and then back to dorms, while others are completely new.
Yeah, I get that college is more expensive today, and granted I went back before this in the mid 2000s, but when I was in college I worked 2 jobs and even did odd jobs to get by. Now all you hear is complaining about how much it is. Sure it's more today, but for those that complain about how expensive college is today, have legitimate grievances or do you think it's just more from lazy/entitled people that complain?
Yeah, that's not a leading question.
I worked a full-time job to get through college at a liberal arts college. Literally went to classes from 8 until early afternoon, then worked from three to midnight. Sold my plasma a time or two. Gave drum lessons. For four long years. That was because the economy was in the tank and my parents were pretty much struggling to pay the mortgage.
When I walked of the stage with my diploma, I didn't owe one red cent in student loans.
When my daughter was looking at colleges a few years ago, she was interested in my alma mater. While I could swing tuition when I was her age, her tuition would have been the equivalent of buying a base-model BMW every year for four years.
While I could pull off paying my way, there's no way my daughter could have pulled off the same feat. Nowhere close. And that's pretty much any degree program anywhere. Costs have been risen at a rate 4x that of inflation for decades.
So the alternatives are to a) demand your parents pony up ungodly amounts to pay for your college tuition; b) go in the hole and graduate college with crippling debt; c) work your ass off but miss a lot of educational opportunities that college provides; or d) don't go to college at all.
Rather than throw around labels such as 'lazy' or 'entitled,' why don't you actually read up on the subject?
Right and a lot of the old buildings don’t have the technology or need serious upgrades. For example, I went to grad school in an old building with an ancient boiler system and not really enough outlets for everyone to plug their laptops in for class. There were only two student bathrooms in the entire building, and with the boiler on, certain parts of the building would be heated to more than 80 degrees. I think the largest bathroom was regularly 85+.
Meanwhile, the undergrads were just packed into older dorms. Three or even four students were put into rooms built for 2 students. The school requires undergrads to live on campus three years, so the option was either to change that requirement or to build new dorms. They went with the latter. Meanwhile, I think my undergrad also increased by size at least 50% when was there 25 years ago, so they have built several new dorms. I think one they did was a retrofit of one that had gone from a dorm to offices and then back to dorms, while others are completely new.
This raises a lot of questions for me. If the school went from 44,000 students to 73,000 students, receipts from tuition increased by perhaps 60%. Why couldn't the new buildings be built with this money?
I also wonder about a school requiring students to live on campus for three years. What exactly is the rationale for this? Most schools have no such requirement. I almost wonder if it is a way for the university to collect excessive rents and add to their overall budget. Forgive me, I'm getting cynical in my old age.
This raises a lot of questions for me. If the school went from 44,000 students to 73,000 students, receipts from tuition increased by perhaps 60%. Why couldn't the new buildings be built with this money?
I also wonder about a school requiring students to live on campus for three years. What exactly is the rationale for this? Most schools have no such requirement. I almost wonder if it is a way for the university to collect excessive rents and add to their overall budget. Forgive me, I'm getting cynical in my old age.
The tuition went to paying salaries and such for all of the new professors and associated staff required to teach the additional students. In addition, the State of Texas starting cutting how much money the Universities received. I'm sure some of the money from additional tuition goes to buildings, but it's to pay the bonds that were sold to build the buildings. At least for buildings not built by donors. Texas A&M has some of the most generous alumni anywhere.
A&M has enough dorm space for 12,000 students, so the vast majority live off campus. Freshmen are guaranteed a room, and the Corps of Cadets(2,000 or so students, I believe) is required to live on campus.
Be interesting to see if there’s a correlation between tuition increase and faculty (dean, president, professors) wages and increased government student loan programs?
There is a very direct correlation between direct to school subsidies and student loans to school costs and staffing patterns.
If students did not have "easy" loans available and schools did not get direct subsidies, the costs would go down.
I'm really going to show my age by saying it but part of the problem is today we think anyone who wants to go to college should go. We hand out student loans like peanuts to people who had trouble getting through high school.
I'm really going to show my age by saying it but part of the problem is today we think anyone who wants to go to college should go. We hand out student loans like peanuts to people who had trouble getting through high school.
I see where you are coming from. May I be so inclined to say that the current stance is that those that are "qualified" by the testing are the ones that can and should be able to go. Far to often though- the funding disqualifies them or the Higher Education Institution is playing the diversity card. I sincerely DO think we have a lopsided system in education for those that are excelling in aptitude in their desired field. The person simply has to take courses that have NO significant impact in their field of study. Credit courses that are now increased and have no value to the degree . I don't think most who are qualified are whining. I think they are directly concerned with how the Higher education is enforcing superfluous courses and thus garnering $. Money that can be allocated to their course of study directly.
My wife and I, my daughter and son have all graduated without student loan debt, and all of us did it by working part or full time while going to school, forgoing the "social aspects" of college that so many consider important. I also did graduate school without student loans. We all turned out well with good jobs and benefits, bought homes, and spouses. Though I was able to rent an apartment for $150/month in the 1970s, making $3/hour, my millennial son got his degree in 2020 after buying his first house. It can be done, but is very difficult if expecting to go to an ivy league school, not work, and live on campus.
My hat off to you. You did it the old fashion way. I did the same with one of our daughters. In my opinion, today people expect prompt, free, and easy results. And before someone tells me that they do not expect things to be free, the point is that they do not want to sacrifice much in paying for education. Actually, many feel entitled to "free education." Those individuals expect the government to provide free this and free that.
Yes, college is more expensive, and so is everything else. Prices go up because commodities and labor go up. It is very easy to think that colleges charge too much. OK, what those complainers done research on cost analysis to see if education price increase is valid?
I provide one simple example. Before, college football players would get a lot of perks with scholarships to play for the university. Now, they want more by demanding to be paid because the university makes money out of them. Well, have they stopped to think that they made a lot of money with all the things they got with their scholarships? They get a degree besides all the perks they get! When universities pay the players, guess who will pay for it and how? The other students with higher semester fees! Wow! Is that something new in business? That is just one example on added expenses universities have to face. They have to get their money from somewhere to survive.
The old fashion way of sacrifice is not as much as it used to be. My wife and I found ways to make sure that our daughter got a good education WITHOUT student loans. When she graduated, she was not flooded with huge debts. Oh, by the way, when students happily accept student loans, it is expected that they pay. They know it is a loan. Integrity comes into play. They enjoyed the money they got, then when it is time to pay, they are crying about it. They want the debt to get wiped out. If at least they would ask for more time to pay, or negotiate for smaller payments, or something else, at least I would honor their effort to pay their debts. Their word is sacred and at least they would be trying to pay what they owe.
Sorry, you got me going. Again, my hat off to you.
You have a great day.
elamigo
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