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This just isn't true. Compared to most of the U.S. I make a lot of money (Software Engineer in Silicon Valley). I have kids a few years from college, so this

by Steeeve 10y ago

This just isn't true. Compared to most of the U.S. I make a lot of money (Software Engineer in Silicon Valley). I have kids a few years from college, so this topic weighs on me. I ran my financials through Stanford's cost calculator (Stanford is among the most expensive schools), and my expected contribution would be under $10K / year. Yes, it costs $65K+ / year for tuition, housing, etc., but the reality is that those costs are not nearly as terrifying when you factor in financial aid programs that are available. I remember how terrified I was of my student loans in my day. I also remember how awesome it felt when they got paid off. This has turned into a political topic and whenever that happens logic and facts go out the window in favor of emotion triggering pseudo-statistics.

devishard 10y ago
1. Stanford is an outlier in terms of financial aid--they provide far more financial aid than most schools. 2. Good luck getting into Stanford.
- Steeeve 10y ago
  I just ran through the same calculator at UC Berkeley. The difference in expectations is minimal. I then ran through the CSU calculator. The cost is actually doubled for CSUs, which have a lower total cost, but no grant/scholarship programs offered directly through the university financial aid office. My own experience with that environment tells me there are plenty of grant/scholarship options.
  - devishard 10y ago
    I'm not sure why you think looking at three California University calculators for one year's tuition is any more a representative sample than your previous anecdotes. You're disagreeing with national surveys of the cost that people actually pay over four years. You're disagreeing based on a limited sample of promotional calculators of one year cost from one area of the country.
    - Steeeve 10y ago
      Because out-of-state tuition costs are dramatically higher. I could look at other Ivy's, but they would be very similar to Stanford. The CSU calculator is for all CSUs (~20 schools). All UCs will have similar costs and financial aid scenarios. If I lived in Alabama, my income wouldn't be relevant. I have no idea what I would make in that part of the country. What I do know, and what is plainly obvious, is that this topic is fueled by fear mongering. Tuition costs have risen and will continue to rise. College is a tough financial investment and has been for generations. As somebody who is going through the process in the very near future, I have to look at the reality and not the press snippets and public discourse that arises from them. This particular study completely ignores the availability of scholarships and grants in the private and public sectors. The UC and Stanford calculators I pointed out took that into consideration. The CSU calculator did not. I wouldn't exactly call them promotional calculators.
      - devishard 10y ago
        > Because out-of-state tuition costs are dramatically higher. Yes, true... which doesn't expand your sample size in any way. > I could look at other Ivy's, but they would be very similar to Stanford. You could look at the list of Ivy's and find that Standford is not an Ivy. You could also look at the list of Ivy's and discover that they are not similar to other Ivy's. You could also look into how these places calculate your income and discover that your income is very different from the amount that you put into the calculators. You could also send a kid there and discover that there are lots of costs a simplistic calculator doesn't include. You could also send a kit there and discover that cost changes from year to year, and usually goes up. You could also read my previous post and acknowledge that your anecdotal experience which of putting numbers into a calculator is completely irrelevant to the many experiences of people in different parts of the country who actually go to schools and pay for them. > What I do know, and what is plainly obvious, is that this topic is fueled by fear mongering. The fact that smart people disagree with you is strong evidence that your assertion is not obvious.
        Steeeve 10y ago

by Steeeve 10y ago

devishard 10y ago

1. Stanford is an outlier in terms of financial aid--they provide far more financial aid than most schools. 2. Good luck getting into Stanford.

Steeeve 10y ago
I just ran through the same calculator at UC Berkeley. The difference in expectations is minimal. I then ran through the CSU calculator. The cost is actually doubled for CSUs, which have a lower total cost, but no grant/scholarship programs offered directly through the university financial aid office. My own experience with that environment tells me there are plenty of grant/scholarship options.
- devishard 10y ago
  I'm not sure why you think looking at three California University calculators for one year's tuition is any more a representative sample than your previous anecdotes. You're disagreeing with national surveys of the cost that people actually pay over four years. You're disagreeing based on a limited sample of promotional calculators of one year cost from one area of the country.
  - Steeeve 10y ago
    Because out-of-state tuition costs are dramatically higher. I could look at other Ivy's, but they would be very similar to Stanford. The CSU calculator is for all CSUs (~20 schools). All UCs will have similar costs and financial aid scenarios. If I lived in Alabama, my income wouldn't be relevant. I have no idea what I would make in that part of the country. What I do know, and what is plainly obvious, is that this topic is fueled by fear mongering. Tuition costs have risen and will continue to rise. College is a tough financial investment and has been for generations. As somebody who is going through the process in the very near future, I have to look at the reality and not the press snippets and public discourse that arises from them. This particular study completely ignores the availability of scholarships and grants in the private and public sectors. The UC and Stanford calculators I pointed out took that into consideration. The CSU calculator did not. I wouldn't exactly call them promotional calculators.
    - devishard 10y ago
      > Because out-of-state tuition costs are dramatically higher. Yes, true... which doesn't expand your sample size in any way. > I could look at other Ivy's, but they would be very similar to Stanford. You could look at the list of Ivy's and find that Standford is not an Ivy. You could also look at the list of Ivy's and discover that they are not similar to other Ivy's. You could also look into how these places calculate your income and discover that your income is very different from the amount that you put into the calculators. You could also send a kid there and discover that there are lots of costs a simplistic calculator doesn't include. You could also send a kit there and discover that cost changes from year to year, and usually goes up. You could also read my previous post and acknowledge that your anecdotal experience which of putting numbers into a calculator is completely irrelevant to the many experiences of people in different parts of the country who actually go to schools and pay for them. > What I do know, and what is plainly obvious, is that this topic is fueled by fear mongering. The fact that smart people disagree with you is strong evidence that your assertion is not obvious.
      - Steeeve 10y ago