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Another problem is that we treat college as this unique experience that must be tailored to the individual. It's so important that you shouldn't even price shop

Another problem is that we treat college as this unique experience that must be tailored to the individual. It's so important that you shouldn't even price shop! Just go to the best school you can! People look down on community colleges. They overvalue private schools. They hype up slight differences in quality of education or job placement. Schools compete on amenities and prestige rather than cost. So costs keep going up. The feds shouldn't loan to anyone who doesn't already have 60 credits. And private loans should be dischargible in bankruptcy. Also GradPlus and ParentPlus loans should have caps. The Feds will loan someone going to Columbia Lawschool 90k a year. It's stupid.

some-guy 10y ago
Coming from the "investment" perspective later in life (got my CS degree at age 26, I'm 29 now), Community College was a no-brainer. A lot of the Ivy League folks at my current coding job are "surprised" that I started at a CC. I went transferred to a UC, and the CC classes were smaller, the teachers were of better quality, and they were more accessible whenever I needed help. But no, we sell college as the entire "package" -- Getting laid in the dorms, doing MDMA, getting away from your parents for the first time, etc. This "package" has added costs.
cloudjacker 10y ago
I used to look down on community colleges until I realized all the super hot J-1 visa holders that would take obligatory bullshit courses at them. Eye opener right there, I like limited competition.
nostrademons 10y ago
Well, the interesting thing is that for many middle-income students, the best school they can go to is also the cheapest. A lot of top schools give very, very generous need-based aid. College is a very interesting market where it is capitalist for the wealthy and for second tier and below (and indeed, is more capitalist the lower the quality of the education, as you get to for-profit schools), but is basically entirely socialist for the bulk of the student body at elite schools.
- Retric 10y ago
  Depends, the absolute best animation school is really expencive and offerers little financial aid. https://www.calarts.edu https://www.calarts.edu Further the ivy elite schools have such tiny enrollments they are irrelevent in the grand scheme of things. Harvard undergrad accepts ~2 thousand vs 3.3 million people graduating high school per year. Now add another million who drop out. ~0.05%
- rhino369 10y ago
  >A lot of top schools give very, very generous need-based aid. The best of the best do this, but very few graduates can get in. If my understanding is correct, it's pretty much only the ivy league and their peers that do this. Probably less than 1% of college students go to a school like that.

some-guy 10y ago

Coming from the "investment" perspective later in life (got my CS degree at age 26, I'm 29 now), Community College was a no-brainer. A lot of the Ivy League folks at my current coding job are "surprised" that I started at a CC. I went transferred to a UC, and the CC classes were smaller, the teachers were of better quality, and they were more accessible whenever I needed help. But no, we sell college as the entire "package" -- Getting laid in the dorms, doing MDMA, getting away from your parents for the first time, etc. This "package" has added costs.

cloudjacker 10y ago

I used to look down on community colleges until I realized all the super hot J-1 visa holders that would take obligatory bullshit courses at them. Eye opener right there, I like limited competition.

nostrademons 10y ago

Well, the interesting thing is that for many middle-income students, the best school they can go to is also the cheapest. A lot of top schools give very, very generous need-based aid. College is a very interesting market where it is capitalist for the wealthy and for second tier and below (and indeed, is more capitalist the lower the quality of the education, as you get to for-profit schools), but is basically entirely socialist for the bulk of the student body at elite schools.

Retric 10y ago
Depends, the absolute best animation school is really expencive and offerers little financial aid. https://www.calarts.edu https://www.calarts.edu Further the ivy elite schools have such tiny enrollments they are irrelevent in the grand scheme of things. Harvard undergrad accepts ~2 thousand vs 3.3 million people graduating high school per year. Now add another million who drop out. ~0.05%
rhino369 10y ago
>A lot of top schools give very, very generous need-based aid. The best of the best do this, but very few graduates can get in. If my understanding is correct, it's pretty much only the ivy league and their peers that do this. Probably less than 1% of college students go to a school like that.