Well, I guess I don't really know the exact current cost of a college education now. It's been 6+ years since I've been out of school. But to put it in perspective...

Somehow my Father came to the States on a boat, worked 2+ jobs, got a 4 year degree and still sent money back to his family at home. I really can't understand how anyone can say they can't afford an education in the US. If they really want a degree, there are ways to get it.

To also put it in perspective... in my industry, a one-time technical class (5 days) will set you back around 3-5K. I'd say 14K for 4 years is a bargain

 

The price of a college education has FAR outstripped the rate of inflation. Just because your father could do it is not a reliable indicator that it can be done now.

 

hmmmmm, good point.......although the free education would basically be the same thing, You still have to pass the SATs to get into college (the SAT scale would be unchanged), that would eliminate the freeloaders, and would still allow the colleges to get "quality students."

But if not totally free, then I would say that additional grants to those that really need it would def. be a step in the right direction.

-Ted

 

There are plenty of scholarships.

 

again, just the idea of free education does not mean the dumbest kid gets into harvard, it has nothing to do with academic qualifications, at least it shouldnt. its just about paying for it. as it is, any scholarship you get is based on very good academic standing (aside from athletes of course).

 

/\ thats pretty much the point I was trying to make....

-Ted

 

Agreed.

Oleg

 

Student loans. One of the guys who works here with me has $20k - $25k in student loans from getting his degree at UOP. Through his degree program, he got an internship here at our company and was hired straight out of college.

Degree: Computer Engineering

And the loans can be amoritized over 10 years at ridiculous interest rates. He's paying $200 something a month for a 10 year note that earned him his degree and a decent paying job with a pretty kick *** future.

I don't think we should have a free higher education system. As it is, the schools are partly funded by the government to keep tuitions lower and they're still underfunded. Think about the situation if the colleges were 100% free - it probably wouldn't be too great. The only schools that are out of reach for most people are the real big $$ schools, but even then you can get student loans. People come out of some schools, even UOP here, with $100k in student loans for some degree programs.

And there's always other options besides going straight to CSU or UC. My family couldn't afford to send me to an expensive school, even Sac State would have been a stretch, so I started out by going to Sierra College and paying $200 or $300 for a semester (though friends of mine at the time who had even less money than my family did were getting their college comped by grants or programs, even student loans for that in some cases). I had a minimum wage job and paid for my own books, and lived at home. I wasn't living rich, but I was getting my school taken care of, I was eating and I had gas for my $300 truck.

 

it would be like high school 2.0 . . . scary.

 

The dirtly little secret is that the dumbest kids already are getting into our schools, including Ivy leagues...... I'd be willing to bet that free education would increasingly dumb down our schools. It's the last thing America needs.

 

you mean, like, W?


you mean, like.... ah crap.... W?

 

Nope, we all know that many brilliant humans are unarticulate =).

 

Nope, brilliant humans desire to share their ideas for the sake of learning and growth, and therefore become articulate in order to facilitate this. Name one unarticulate individual whom you consider to be brilliant. Other than the current US Pres...who is definatly not brilliant.

 

Hahahahah none come to mind because they aren't articulate enough to be in the spotlight. You were joking though, anyway, right?

 

Maybe