OP- you’d be better off posting all your stats, family’s EFC, which colleges are commutable to you from home (or from a relatives house if you could live there) and let the wisdom of the crowd help you figure out how to complete your degree. The calories you expend worrying about the rest of the world aren’t helping you.
Just remember that free education is NOT free. Someone has to pay for it.
Where do you think the money comes from to pay the professors, build and maintain the classrooms, etc. The scary thing is that the tuition often doesn’t cover the cost. The rest comes from endowments and other sources.
You have a valid point that the cost are out of control and has reach a point that many feel is unsustainable. Part of problem is the U.S. model.problem is how our system is designed. The system of “free education” in other countries is very different than the U.S. model.problem is how our system is designed.:.
@howtogetfuturesendhelp, Read post #40 and give us as much of that info. as you can so we can help you.
I’ll add my two cents here - my husband is a professor at a private college in Boston and trust me, professors are not getting rich from their salaries, at least not the ones I know. So the increase in tuition is not lining professors’ pockets (unfortunately).
Also, what people are saying about European colleges is correct - classrooms basically make up the majority of the campus, most (though not all) are pretty low frills. That said, the other important thing to note about much of the European system is that kids are weeded out pretty early - only a small subset go to actual universities - the ones that their school system deemed early on to be college material. Other kids go to more technical colleges or apprenticeships - a college degree isn’t assumed to be the minimum requirement to get any kind of job in many European cities, just certain white collar jobs. I know many many college age kids who are getting college degrees for things that in Europe would not be offered at a university.
The downside to the European system is that late bloomers or kids from less advantaged families often get shuttled into the non- academic track at school early on, like 4, 5 or 6th grade and it isn’t as easy for those kids to get a college degree if they so want - or need - later on, though this appears to be changing a little bit as some European universities become a bit more ‘Americanized’.
As someone mentioned, the increase in demand is driving some of the cost. It seems many have the attitude that private education is far superior to public education and that you will be way more successful by going to private school. They feel that they have work too hard to settle for a state school and feel private school is worth almost any cost. Then add in the dream school attitude. Then there are those that feel they are too good for their state schools and need to go OOS. Often they feel that they worked hard and don’t want to go to the same college as their former classmates. No real surprise that private schools costs have risen so much since people are still willing to pay the American college experience.
State school cost increases are probably driven by reduced aid and increased costs of providing required services. I am fortunate to live in a state that has excellent schools at all levels and at a reasonable costs. It is not because the state is generous. It is because the taxpayers have made a decision to support the university system and have voted for leaders and bond issues that support that belief. We have been impacted by budget cuts but the schools seem to work hard to control costs. Many of our kids dream of going to the state flagship.
The unfortunate reality is that higher education today in the US is a bit of an arms race. If one college builds a fancy gym with a climbing wall and wave pool, competing colleges will feel compelled to keep pace. At the best private universities some of the money does go to professor salaries and one would hope that paying professors more means colleges can attract better professors. Dorm rooms and meal plans vary from $8K/year to as high as $15K/year but by and large a dorm room cost bears some relationship to what an apartment might cost and food costs money. Textbooks can be terribly expensive for some majors but so fare we’ve been fortunate and D’s freshman year books have only cost about $700 for both semesters. Tuition from 2003 - 2014 went up by 80%, more than any other major family expense by a wide margin. Where does the money go? construction of campus buildings, bloated support and administrative staff, very high salaries for University Presidents and other senior staff If your family is poor and you are a very talented student you can get into a top liberal arts or ivy league college and pay as little as $4k/year. If your family income is above $500K/year like 14% of Harvard’s class of 2017 (a bit of a contrast with the overall US figure of 0.6%) paying $65K/year is a small speedbump. The root cause of the problem with college tuition is that there is nothing to prevent colleges from increasing tuition so long as colleges fill their classrooms and the federal government supplements costs with either financial aid or subsidized loans
“It is because the taxpayers have made a decision to support the university system and have voted for leaders and bond issues that support that belief. We have been impacted by budget cuts but the schools seem to work hard to control costs.”
Well, I vote in every election in PA for “those” types of leaders. Nothing has improved on terms of higher education costs.
@howtogetfuturesendhelp, if your father got his degree at UC Berkeley, he may have done it during the Golden Age of the Golden State, a unique place where unique schools were available at a very low cost. Then people voted in anti-tax measures, the economy collapsed a few times, the state began cutting back on its funding, etc. etc.
So first, get real. Those days are over. And I say it kindly, seeing as you’re looking for help.
Second, (I assume you’re a California resident) get over the “people look down on CCs” idea. When you go to a community college and then transfer to a UC, you end up graduating from a UC. You have a UC education. You list UC on your resume. You can use UC’s career office, and attend recruiting fairs at the UCs. Most people will never know you did your first two years at a CC.
There are options - ESPECIALLY in California, where the CCs remain a huge bargain and where the teaching can be top-notch.
And there is no one, simple answer as to why schools cost so much. Funding of higher education - and meeting customers’ (i.e., students’, parents’ and employers’) demands and expectations - is a highly complex issue. Our universities employ thousands of people in dozens of different capacities. Our students are spoiled, frankly, in comparison to their European counterparts who pay a fraction of what we pay, but demand/expect a fraction of the perks and support services offered even at our looked-down-upon CCs. The traditional American “college experience” is a unique one, and uniquely expensive. If you want it for yourself or your children it’ll cost you. If you want a “college education” – that’s still available. At a relatively low cost.
To clear things up, I live in MA. My dad is from CA, but we didn’t move back there after living in Germany because he didn’t like how his state started going downhill.
The issue is that my personal situation is not that of a whiny teen wanting the Hollywood experience, but that of somebody who is shouldering almost all costs on her own shoulders and frankly not knowing what to do with such huge numbers. I have two jobs - I’m a paid intern. I still can’t cover much.
When we moved to the US from Germany during my junior year, yes, I had a Hollywood picture in my head at first. I had no idea that you need to have 10 ECs and be a leader of this and that (/s), and also write bragging essays for scholarships etc etc. (also sarcasm).
This may be basic stuff to any American family who has saved up for their child and went around asking for scholarship opportunities, and honestly, I applaud that you are helping your children out like that (I’m seeing lots of parents here), but that’s not me. I didn’t even know I would be here in the US…and now I am. So, if you look at my European background and look at the American school system, maybe my anger makes more sense?
I understand the reasons WHY college may be so expensive - private institution, supply and demand, “prestige”, ridiculous notion that colleges are resorts with classrooms - but that doesn’t make it any better in my eyes. Going by calculators online I still need to come up with at least $12,000 each year to go to Northeastern, and probably around $8,000 if I go to UMB (state school) if my situation stays the same regarding aid. I can’t come up with either currently, and I don’t know how I’ll work more and take more than 3 classes at once.
Somebody said I should get off my high horse about CC. Listen, I am currently enrolled there. When people said “oh, I’m going to this private institution” and then looked at me blankly after I told them I’m at a CC, I was embarrassed at first, but now I know that I am the only one in those situations with no family savings backing me, and no parents paying for me. So I’m not looking down on CCs, I’m proud that I got realistic and started to hustle my way through.
That doesn’t mean I’m not mad, however. My question is where this money goes, and so far one person has answered that question (though I still appreciate the convo we got going here). I want to know why these crazy prices are being justified. Just because they can charge this much, doesn’t mean they should, but I guess that’s American economy for you.
The problem is the “just because they can” argument implies that the schools are raking in huge profits. I doubt it. Other posters have pointed out that European institutions tend to be barebones. The cost of added technology and amenities is part, though not all of the increase. Posters here constantly ask about smaller classes. Add money there. Just as the average family has more budget items than thirty or forty years ago in cable, Internet, cell phones, etc., so do colleges. The increase in utilities factors in as well.
I do think some of the cost could be defrayed if professors taught more classes per semester but that raises a whole new argument on the value of research to the institution. I once offered this argument but looking back my professors who were known for research were my better professors because they had more to add to class.
Have you explored different job ideas? I chose a sales job in college because I could earn more off commission than I could on an hourly raise. I had a friend who made good money as a waiter at a white table cloth restaurant. I had another friend who ran out of money and took a year off and worked insane hours to save enough to go back to school for the next three years. These aren’t easy options but they all got the job done.
How do,you pay to complete your degree? The same way tens of thousands of others do. You work full time and go to,college part time. And yes…this means it will take longer…but tons of people do this. Tons. Many, many stidents do not attend four year residential colleges and graduate in four years…largely because of money.
In Massachusetts, there are less costly instate options…UMass Dartmouth, for,example. Or UMass Bridgewater. Both are way less exoensive than UMass Amherst. And many students at these schools DO attend part time while they work full time.
Here’s an answer to your question where the money goes. The annual budget for the University of Massachusetts for the fiscal year of 2016.
Another excellent alternative is to work for a company providing tuition benefits like Apple retail, or to work at the university you wish to attend. There are lots of entry level jobs , everything from admins to call center people to working in maintenance, and they typically offer tuition reimbursement and/or reduced cost or free tuition for employees. Some (like my wife’s university) even offer paid time off for classes. There is also military service.
Also consider that full tuition is not what people pay on average. Financial aid was rare 30 years ago and only went to the very poorest of students. Now many middle class families receive financial aid. If schools reduced their FA they could lower the cost of tuition too.
most scholarships are for first-time freshmen. i did however come across a full-ride academic scholarship that seems to be available for transfer students as well:
PRESIDENTIAL ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP
The Presidential Scholarship pays full tuition, books, required fees and on-campus room and board for a maximum of eight (8) semesters for freshmen and a maximum of six (6) semesters for college transfer students.
Freshmen: High school applicants must have a grade point average of 3.76 or above on a 4.0 scale in academic subjects and an ACT score of 26 or above (comparable SAT score of 1170-1200 in critical reading and math).
College Transfer Students: College Transfer applicants must have a grade point average of 3.76 or above on a 4.0 scale after completion of at least 24 semester hours (36 quarter hours) of credit. Applicants must transfer from an accredited college.
http://www.alasu.edu/cost-aid/types-of-aid/asu-scholarships/asu-academic-scholarships/index.aspx
now granted, it’s Alabama State U and maybe that’s not what you’re looking for. but since you said you don’t have money for school, maybe having full tuition, fees, room, board, and books covered until you get you BA or BS might be something to consider.
or you could get a job for a year or so in another state with cheap in-state tuition, establish residency, and go to U of Wyoming or South Dakota State.
or come to Greenville NC, get a health sciences degree at our community college, and work for a hospital or doctor while finishing a BA or BS at ECU
or check this site for any other transfer student scholarships:
http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
it stinks not having the money to finish school, but the current situation is what we’re stuck with for now, so it’s best to research all the possible ways you can get your BA or BS without incurring more debt that you cannot afford.
It’s unfortunate when you live in a state that has expensive public schools. The best thing to do in a state like that is get an associate’s degree in something that will enable you to get a better job than you can get with a high school diploma then work your way through your last 2 years. We’re in NYS where tuition is $8k/year, and a lot of kids do that.
@austinmshauri curious if you are saying $8,000/yr is high for state university or good deal?
$8k/year for college is a bargain when you consider that many private HSs’ tuition is $40k/year.
Oh, sorry, @Sportsman88. I should have been more clear. I agree with @GMTplus7; I think it’s a great deal. Students can take the ~$5500 federal student loan and work summers to cover tuition. My son is commuting from home and his sister is going to do the same because we don’t have $60k/year to spend on college. But I don’t know if that’s possible with MA schools because their fees seem really high. I hope that option is a viable alternative for OP after she finishes cc, but it depends on how close the colleges are and how much they cost. If there aren’t any public colleges nearby she could try to do what my niece did. She got a full-time job near the SUNY she wanted to attend and attended school full-time. It’s not easy, but she completed her degree in 4 years (2 @ a cc and 2 at the 4-year SUNY).
As noted upstream…UMass Amherst is expensive…but there are other UMass campuses that are far les expensive…and students DO attend those MA public four year universities.
In the state of Florida, the Community Colleges (now called State Colleges) are now offer Bachelor’s Degree in a limited capacity, in addition to the regular AA degrees. They offer:
High school graduates can also complete one of the above using the Florida $10K Bachelor’s Degree program (Tuition & Fees ONLY). Florida HS students can also reduce the cost further by completing some of the courses towards one of these degree by enrolling in the “free” Dual Enrollment programs through their high school. Of courses, these Florida College are now competing against the 4-year Degree State Universities and are looking to expand their BS/BA offerings in the future.
So yes, there are very affordable options available in some states, when Room and board are excluded.