A question about college costs.

[Kinettik]

I am working on my RN right now, and just finished paying for classes, at 12 credit hours plus books, my tuition fees were over 3,000$(doing basic classes at community colelge, then transferring to university). Pell Grant didnt even put a dent in it(since it is based off of income tax, and we make good money) Since I was late this year in applying, I had to take out a loan, but I have already start applying for grants and scholarships in my area for the next semester, and keeping my fingers crosses. Even with help from scholarships, i expect to be pretty close to 50k in dept by the time I finish my bachelors degree. plus the fact RNs have to keep going to school for continuing education eek, but bonus is with getting into the medical field, and the fact my husband makes good money, I do not see a problem with paying it off quickly. Most people think that you can start living the high life, but if you keep to a budget, and live within your means, you shouldnt have that many issues in the end.

What CC charges $200 a credit hour? Thats essentially what youre saying, since I know how much your books cost, and if you are in the first year, you have no outside fees (Uniforms etc..). The most I ever paid for a semester was $1800, that was 15 hours, AP books, chem books, english and Math.

[Laize]

Even though I am a libertarian, I find the value of education to be too valuable to our economy to leave this up to the markets. Yes, the market does a fine job of getting people educated, but if even one genius can't go to school for whatever reason, and finds himself working on the bottom rung, the economy will be greatly diminished for it.

Of course for every one of those there would be 10,000 white kids with dreadlocks majoring in art history or some bullshit.

[Voraliska]

All the damn fees they tack on, I agree it is horrible, but I want to finish my bachelors so got to suck it up, there is nothing closer to me at the moment unfortunately. Plus side thought the university I am transferring to does accept all the credits equally, so I am dealing. We worked out the math, and my loans would be paid off only 2 years after completing school, so I can not complain to much.

[javen]

98-02 was a great time to go to school, and would have had you finishing right around the time tuition took a huge spike, due to tax cuts leading to a lack of state education funding and grants. http://inflationdata.com/Inflation/I..._Inflation.asp has some nice graphs and context to show you how tuition costs change in response to revenue trends.

[Bleda100]

Come to Germany

Next to nothing in fee's (only 2 states left , which charge 500 Euros /semester). Also around 200 euros per semester for student corporation (usually runs the canteens), free public transport etc.

Cost of living will be quite low if you avoid the big cities (Berlin , Munich, Hamburg, Cologne) and even cheaper in eastern germany.

You get (mandatory) health insurance for 80 euros / month - full coverage

And the best: more and more universitys offer english-speaking courses and lessons.

Seriously, i can't believe what some universitys charge you (the total sum in general, but also e.g. for parking, even if there arent enough spaces? lol?)

[Voraliska]

I would love to go back to germany, I use to live in wurzburg. I originally went to college back in 02, and the cost was so different then, I did not even have to take loans out to help pay for anything.

The bonus to these forums: I am not to proud to admit that after reading what you all said about my tuition I went back and talk to the school. Apparently the way the school does things is you have to file for instate residency every year, so I was paying almost 200 more per class! Thank you guys for pointing it out and saving me money!

[Theinquisition]

I would love to go back to germany, I use to live in wurzburg. I originally went to college back in 02, and the cost was so different then, I did not even have to take loans out to help pay for anything.

The bonus to these forums: I am not to proud to admit that after reading what you all said about my tuition I went back and talk to the school. Apparently the way the school does things is you have to file for instate residency every year, so I was paying almost 200 more per class! Thank you guys for pointing it out and saving me money!

Feel free to send some of it my way.