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Actual data showing that nothing significant happened to the tuition trendline on/around 1993: https://usafacts.org/articles/college-tuition-has-increased-but-

by bhawks 6y ago

Actual data showing that nothing significant happened to the tuition trendline on/around 1993: https://usafacts.org/articles/college-tuition-has-increased-but-whats-the-actual-cost/ https://usafacts.org/articles/college-tuition-has-increased-... Usafacts.org is a trove of data that is useful to have discussion around - op (and folks in this thread ;) ) don't need to rely on their gut feelings. In addition to 1993 being boring, the majority of expenses are far and away instruction related versus student services (the luxury college memes folks are taking about isn't strictly true). I think the most interesting point is that over the past 40 years, all types of expenses continue to grow at the same rate. (Inflation adjusted of course) There doesn't seem to be any ceiling in sight or any meaningful changes in what colleges will spend money on. Naturally tuition costs are on similar upward trend to balance this - and folks still somehow find the finances to pay for it. This doesn't seem sustainable but it also doesn't seem to be stopping any time soon. Too many students trying to do 'the right thing' are being sucked into this meat grinder.

dragonwriter 6y ago
> I think the most interesting point is that over the past 40 years, all types of expenses continue to grow at the same rate. (Inflation adjusted of course) There doesn't seem to be any ceiling in sight or any meaningful changes in what colleges will spend money on. Naturally tuition costs are on similar upward trend to balance this - and folks still somehow find the finances to pay for it. I think you have it backwards: the increasing ability to extract tuition is driving total spending up, because once you have the money, you are going to spend it, not expenses going up an dragging tuition with it.
- bhawks 6y ago
  How do you demonstrate that one is causing the other? Based on my baised observation of the local UC system I just don't see the types of personalities working there thinking about how to extract the last dime from students. What I do see though is very lax fiscal discipline and the inability to make even easy cost management choices. In this environment everyone just expects budgets to increase by x% each year. Then each year they realize - omg we have to increase tuition why does this keep happening? I can not rely prove my idea - can you prove yours?

by bhawks 6y ago

dragonwriter 6y ago

> I think the most interesting point is that over the past 40 years, all types of expenses continue to grow at the same rate. (Inflation adjusted of course) There doesn't seem to be any ceiling in sight or any meaningful changes in what colleges will spend money on. Naturally tuition costs are on similar upward trend to balance this - and folks still somehow find the finances to pay for it. I think you have it backwards: the increasing ability to extract tuition is driving total spending up, because once you have the money, you are going to spend it, not expenses going up an dragging tuition with it.

bhawks 6y ago
How do you demonstrate that one is causing the other? Based on my baised observation of the local UC system I just don't see the types of personalities working there thinking about how to extract the last dime from students. What I do see though is very lax fiscal discipline and the inability to make even easy cost management choices. In this environment everyone just expects budgets to increase by x% each year. Then each year they realize - omg we have to increase tuition why does this keep happening? I can not rely prove my idea - can you prove yours?