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> There were no federal student loans. This is a hilarious one to include on your list because it shows you are missing the forest for the trees. Federal stud

by slg 4y ago

> There were no federal student loans. This is a hilarious one to include on your list because it shows you are missing the forest for the trees. Federal student loans didn't exist because they didn't need to exist as college was cheaper, living a middle class life didn't require college, and low paying jobs still paid a high enough percentage of living costs to allow people to pay their way through college by working. Today college is more of a requirement, most young people and families can't afford tuition so they need to take out loans, and low paying jobs do not pay enough to get out in front of that loan debt. The current situation is objectively worse.

Aunche 4y ago
Colleges may have been cheaper 50 years ago, but it was also roughly half as common to go to college. It was especially uncommon for women and POC to enroll. Overall, the government is subsidizing colleges more, but the subsidy is spread thinner. In-state tuition without assistance tends to be $6000-12,000, which isn't much in the grand scheme of things. As a slight tangent, student loans and grants tend to be the least efficient form of subsidy for higher education because they incentivize colleges to increase tuitions to make them more resort-like.
- jackson1442 4y ago
  In-state tuition without assistance tends to be $6000-12,000 _per year_. My college bill is ~$11.5k/yr at a state school (not including housing, which I pay $1200/mo for - above average for college but dead average for 1b apartments). Working for my university's housing and dining services (a major employer of students), I would make $8.50/hr my first year, with potential $0.25-$0.50 raises each year. At $8.50/hr, it would take 1350 hours to pay for my tuition alone before taxes. Full time employees work 2080 hours/yr but also get paid vacation while student employees do not. So I would argue that state school tuition is a bit much in the grand scheme of things.
- t-3 4y ago
  People I know who went to college 40-50 years ago talk about paying for college by working summer jobs at the grocery store. People I know who graduated in the last 10 years talk about how they're still paying off loans.

by slg 4y ago

Aunche 4y ago

Colleges may have been cheaper 50 years ago, but it was also roughly half as common to go to college. It was especially uncommon for women and POC to enroll. Overall, the government is subsidizing colleges more, but the subsidy is spread thinner. In-state tuition without assistance tends to be $6000-12,000, which isn't much in the grand scheme of things. As a slight tangent, student loans and grants tend to be the least efficient form of subsidy for higher education because they incentivize colleges to increase tuitions to make them more resort-like.

jackson1442 4y ago
In-state tuition without assistance tends to be $6000-12,000 _per year_. My college bill is ~$11.5k/yr at a state school (not including housing, which I pay $1200/mo for - above average for college but dead average for 1b apartments). Working for my university's housing and dining services (a major employer of students), I would make $8.50/hr my first year, with potential $0.25-$0.50 raises each year. At $8.50/hr, it would take 1350 hours to pay for my tuition alone before taxes. Full time employees work 2080 hours/yr but also get paid vacation while student employees do not. So I would argue that state school tuition is a bit much in the grand scheme of things.
t-3 4y ago
People I know who went to college 40-50 years ago talk about paying for college by working summer jobs at the grocery store. People I know who graduated in the last 10 years talk about how they're still paying off loans.