<p>Link to article in The Capital Times:</p>
<p>For the type of student choosing UW-Madison college is likely to always be worth it as I doubt those marginal for benefiting from a college education are unlikely to choose this school. The article has some interesting data on costs over 20 years. A cost comparison of other goods and services over the past 20 years would be interesting- such as the cost of a new car, restaurant foods… Also the tech advances and their costs could be evaluated- cell phones, computers…</p>
<p>Yes - I found the cost comparison of the increase from 1990-1991 (COA $7000) to 2010-2011 (COA ‘north of $20,000’) very interesting. It is not possible for students with a full time summer job and a part-time job during the school year to earn enough to pay for college at UW-Madison as it was in early-mid 1980s.</p>
<p>Its obviously still worth it unless you want to be a worker at McDonald’s your whole life.</p>
<p>Careers are a 20th century invention and are becoming more so in the 21st century. Society has driven us to believe that without a solid career, we will be unhappy. Obviously greatest way to a career is college.</p>
<p>Fortunately, happiness isn’t dictated by how much money one has or the career they posses (most of the time. few are lucky to love their jobs).</p>
<p>Secondly, with the surge in online schools and “get your degree in four months” schools, the job market is growing ever more competitive with these other “non-traditional” people becoming nurses and teachers and other things… This makes me think, why spend $100,000 on a degree from a big school when you could go to a small, online or whatever-they-are-these-days school and be just fine?</p>
<p>Some meanderings- </p>
<p>Why go to college? If only for job skills/to make money it may not be worth a student’s time or money. But for the intangible worth of becoming well educated there is no substitute. Regardless of what you do later in life no one can take away your experiences and the knowledge gained or intellectual stimulation college gives. A thirst for ideas, thinking…, not a ticket to a well paying job. There is a reason students choose different colleges/universities- you can get good teacher training at many different schools in Wisconsin and end up with the same job and pay, but the benefits to the student as a person can be radically different. </p>
<p>Interesting bringing up careers versus jobs- it is a matter of self invested in the field- plumbing can be a career if the person chooses, and teaching can merely be a job- a matter of attitude/mindset (also plumbers can earn a lot more money than many teachers do). It is nice when work leads to being happy-when long hours are enjoyed and not seen as needed to “get ahead” or make money.</p>
<p>Our society sometimes seems to have lost sight of the meaning of a college EDUCATION, equating it with getting job skills. A person can become an RN with a 2, 3 or 4 year degree program- the nursing skills can be well taught in any of them. But the critical thinking skills and willingness to go beyond what was learned in school are most likely found with the 4 year degree (due to the type of student who opts for the additional work or the benefits of the extra work?). Job advancement to higher levels now usually requires a BSN, generating diploma mills. Likewise in the business world a college degree has replaced being smart and experienced in getting higher level positions- generating those diploma mills. Both forms of getting the “piece of paper” required for a job work, but the personal benefits are not equal. In the same vein- getting a “C” in a course may satisfy a requirement, but the knowledge gained is not equivalent to an “A”.</p>