5 ms·

I don't know that it's quite that simple; for one, tuition dominates college cost discussions while actual costs consist in large part of living expenses, i.e.

I don't know that it's quite that simple; for one, tuition dominates college cost discussions while actual costs consist in large part of living expenses, i.e. room, board, food, misc. Second, there are some impressively expensive state schools out there, and not all have especially affordable in-state tuition, particularly not to those of working class background. Still, I agree with the general idea you're reaching for. The ostensible premium of elite private schools isn't worth going into crippling debt for in most cases I can envisage.

scarface74 9y ago
How many college students have to stay on campus? How many could go to two year college, stay at home and then transfer two years later? I went to a small state college with a horrible computer science department. Four years out of college I was making just as much as people who had way more debt than I had (I.e. none)
- nunez 9y ago
  Most people who go to a CC with the intent of transferring to a larger school don’t do it. Too many distractions get in the way.
  - scarface74 9y ago
    Isn't better for distractions to get in their way while they are at community colleges and not out of as much money than for the same distractions to get in their way at a more expensive school and either way not come out with a degree? I didn't go to a community college but I did go to a cheap state school with the intention of transferring to GA Tech under a 3 + 2 program - I was accepted straight out of high school but I got a scholarship to go to the no name school. When it was time to make a decision, I felt GT was a waste of time for me. I didn't want to be a "computer engineer" I wanted to develop software. I don't see my career trajectory being any different. No one cared what school I graduated from three years after I started working.
    - abalashov 9y ago
      Well, indeed, and I followed a similar career path to you. I was a philosophy major at UGA, and by the time I was 20 I was the senior technical personality at a small local ISP and interested in VoIP. I had been working nearly full time since my second semester. By the time my sophomore year began, work had rapidly evolved to take up 98% of my time and attention. I technically lingered into the first part of my junior year, but by that point long a very token and symbolic presence in class. The next step up from there was going to be a move to Atlanta and a big-boy corporate job, so I took it. However, you can't just extrapolate from these experiences to everyone going to college across the entire work force. Our field is a bit uniquely ... democratic.
- abalashov 9y ago
  I dropped out of UGA 2.5 years in and moved to Atlanta to pursue a burgeoning tech career. :-) I can tell you that UGA requires freshmen to live on campus, though in my case I was able to get a waiver because my parents were local. And I get the impression that their housing costs are actually fairly competitive compared to local commercial rent.
  - scarface74 9y ago
    If someone's ultimate goal is to graduate from UGA and they are not local, they still could probably find a two year college where their core credits would transfer (English, math, etc.)
    - abalashov 9y ago
      I think that's probably true.
Tiksi 9y ago
I often hear people refer to tuition + room and board as just tuition, especially in the context of student loans. And "money paid to the school" is ~= tuition, even if it's not itemized that way.

scarface74 9y ago

How many college students have to stay on campus? How many could go to two year college, stay at home and then transfer two years later? I went to a small state college with a horrible computer science department. Four years out of college I was making just as much as people who had way more debt than I had (I.e. none)

nunez 9y ago
Most people who go to a CC with the intent of transferring to a larger school don’t do it. Too many distractions get in the way.
- scarface74 9y ago
  Isn't better for distractions to get in their way while they are at community colleges and not out of as much money than for the same distractions to get in their way at a more expensive school and either way not come out with a degree? I didn't go to a community college but I did go to a cheap state school with the intention of transferring to GA Tech under a 3 + 2 program - I was accepted straight out of high school but I got a scholarship to go to the no name school. When it was time to make a decision, I felt GT was a waste of time for me. I didn't want to be a "computer engineer" I wanted to develop software. I don't see my career trajectory being any different. No one cared what school I graduated from three years after I started working.
  - abalashov 9y ago
    Well, indeed, and I followed a similar career path to you. I was a philosophy major at UGA, and by the time I was 20 I was the senior technical personality at a small local ISP and interested in VoIP. I had been working nearly full time since my second semester. By the time my sophomore year began, work had rapidly evolved to take up 98% of my time and attention. I technically lingered into the first part of my junior year, but by that point long a very token and symbolic presence in class. The next step up from there was going to be a move to Atlanta and a big-boy corporate job, so I took it. However, you can't just extrapolate from these experiences to everyone going to college across the entire work force. Our field is a bit uniquely ... democratic.
abalashov 9y ago
I dropped out of UGA 2.5 years in and moved to Atlanta to pursue a burgeoning tech career. :-) I can tell you that UGA requires freshmen to live on campus, though in my case I was able to get a waiver because my parents were local. And I get the impression that their housing costs are actually fairly competitive compared to local commercial rent.
- scarface74 9y ago
  If someone's ultimate goal is to graduate from UGA and they are not local, they still could probably find a two year college where their core credits would transfer (English, math, etc.)
  - abalashov 9y ago
    I think that's probably true.

Tiksi 9y ago

I often hear people refer to tuition + room and board as just tuition, especially in the context of student loans. And "money paid to the school" is ~= tuition, even if it's not itemized that way.