With college tuitions on the rise every year...

[LLJsmom]

is there a point when it isn't worth going? Nowadays, even 4 yrs of basic college can easily add up to more than $120K with room and board.

It’s more like $320k. I’m doing college research right now and most private schools are $70k-$80k a year. It makes all of it more of a financial decision than anything else. What a shame. Is it better to put that money into a down payment on a condo and rent that out and build equity or an education? Just go to junior college for two years first. Never would have considered that for my kids but I am now. There’s not time to enter college to “figure it out”. You better know what the heck you’re gonna do because each freakin year is costing you $80K after tax dollars, which is $150k pre-tax. What the hell...

 

[LLJsmom]

Well, free of charge is one thing: obviously you need to pass the tests to get in. One needs to be academically excellent, of course...

Looking into the tax systems, I can speak only for Germany, France and England, but dh didn't pay less when he was working in England compared to Germany and definitely WAY more than in France (France has HUGE deductions for families, which does benefit us)

In California the highest combined tax rate is 50%, state and federal. That does not include social security or Medicare tax, which is another 7.65% assuming you are not self-employed. And we only about three months maternity, no medical, no free college. I’m good with the tax systems in France, Germany or Canada.

 

[Dancing Fire]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/heres-what-graduates-regret-the-most-about-college-112434553.html

 

[Arkteia]

is there a point when it isn't worth going? Nowadays, even 4 yrs of basic college can easily add up to more than $120K with room and board.

Complicated. And often after the graduation people can not get a good job (Q/A that I saw with my own eyes on SM. Someone posting, “I just graduated with the history major. What kind of a job could i realistically find?”
A: “a barista at Starbucks”.)

But without a college diploma, people can not expect any promotion, either.

I once knew a person who tutored wealthy college students to earn $$ for a living; he was a charismatic genius born in a poor family. He himself never had a college degree. I made him promise me to get at least one from a community college. I said, “one day, the kids you tutored will be CEOs and you will still be tutoring someone. This country needs smarter CEOs”.

And to add to it, just BA is nothing these days. People need masters for advancement.

Maybe it should fall on our corporations to raise thinking elites? I know Boeing pays for the education of own workers. I see talented people growing. Costco, too, is good. The same Starbucks allows talented people to grow through the ranks.

I think it has to be a double-prong process. Some people who are uber talented can graduate in three years. Some, smart but coming from poor neighborhoods, can grow with the help of our corporations.

Only we need to work with our corporations. I named three that I know here, helping their low-level employees. What about Target, Walmart, Amazon and other giants?

 

[TooPatient]

Complicated. And often after the graduation people can not get a good job (Q/A that I saw with my own eyes on SM. Someone posting, “I just graduated with the history major. What kind of a job could i realistically find?”
A: “a barista at Starbucks”.)

But without a college diploma, people can not expect any promotion, either.

I once knew a person who tutored wealthy college students to earn $$ for a living; he was a charismatic genius born in a poor family. He himself never had a college degree. I made him promise me to get at least one from a community college. I said, “one day, the kids you tutored will be CEOs and you will still be tutoring someone. This country needs smarter CEOs”.

And to add to it, just BA is nothing these days. People need masters for advancement.

Maybe it should fall on our corporations to raise thinking elites? I know Boeing pays for the education of own workers. I see talented people growing. Costco, too, is good. The same Starbucks allows talented people to grow through the ranks.

I think it has to be a double-prong process. Some people who are uber talented can graduate in three years. Some, smart but coming from poor neighborhoods, can grow with the help of our corporations.

Only we need to work with our corporations. I named three that I know here, helping their low-level employees. What about Target, Walmart, Amazon and other giants?

Microsoft does. The company I worked for as a contractor making $10/hour (this was less than three years ago!) does because Microsoft pushes the companies they contract to offer such things. The lady who checked me in for my MRI this week said Swedish (medical centers) pay for college for employees.

I'm pretty sure Amazon does also, but can't remember if that friend was there or at Nordstrom when he made the comment.

ETA: a sign I drive by through town says they pay an amount per quarter of college. That was at McDonald's! I don't know the details, but nice to see.