# Paying for college



## derekleffew (Jun 29, 2012)

As it's a topic of great interest[SUP]1[/SUP] to many CB members...

Romney: Students Should Get ‘As Much Education As They Can Afford’
compare/contrast with 
[USER]gafftaper[/USER]'s (and others') mantra "Don’t get more education than you can afford."

Let's try not to turn this into an Obama vs. Romney or Republican vs. Democrat debate. Both sides have some valid arguments to be made.
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> Finally, Romney is a staunch supporter of predatory for-profit colleges, which are much more expensive than public schools, and often leave their students buried in debt and without the credentials necessary to obtain a good job.


I think some would take the stance that certain "Production Institutes" or "Industry Trade Schools" might fall under this description. That too is a different debate altogether.
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Recently I heard one of the financial guys on the radio (might have been Dave Ramsey[SUP]2[/SUP]) state (paraphrasing):

> There's NO university in the country that offers a four-year bachelor's degree that's worth $100K. A seventeen year-old should not be the tail wagging the dog. Parents are supposed to know more, and since they're paying, they should be the ones in control.


Harsh? Perhaps. But true?

_____
[SUP]1[/SUP]3.4%. Get it?

[SUP]2[/SUP]Yes, was probably him. See How to Send Your Kid to College Without a Loan - daveramsey.com .


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## josh88 (Jun 29, 2012)

I'll weigh in with 2 thoughts. I think it's bull**** that people should get the amount of education they can pay for. I DO think that with so many people going to college these days it has watered down the worth of a bachelors degree which is one of the reasons why so many jobs want higher level degrees. It used to be that a bachelors would distinguish you from the pack some, not as much these days. I DO also think people need to work for college. It's nice if your parents can cover everything but if you have to work your way through to earn the money and apply for grants wherever you can get them, the education is worth more to the individual. They WORKED to get it, rather than having their parents hand it to them. (that said, I hope to be able to someday pay for my kids to go and not need to work, but working because they want to)

This reasoning comes partially from my work in an inner city. Seeing kids who can't afford to go to college but want it. More than some of the people that get it handed to them. Thats why I think there needs to be at least some kind of assistance. A Pell grant got me through my last semester at school and I'm grateful for it. That little bit of assistance that can get some of those hungry, driven kids who aren't privileged enough but have the work ethic and dedication to make something of it, they deserve a chance. 

So there's my view, not based in anything political, just my own experiences, observations about students where I grew up as well as where I've worked and currently work, and the work ethic my parents forced upon me which says things earned are more satisfying than things given (most of the time haha)


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## zmb (Jun 29, 2012)

The rate that tuition is soaring is what's out of control. Locally, University of Washington tuition increased by 16% this year and students paid 60% more than their freshman year. Source: Seattle Times

I had one teacher this years who said much of his education was paid for by athletic scholarships. He's ended up with 2 majors, 2 minors, and a masters degree after I think 7 years at in-state school.

The notion of a four-year degree also seems dead considering average time to complete is at least 4.5 years, increasing per-term fees and expenses for students.


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## derekleffew (Jun 29, 2012)

josh88 said:


> ...So there's my view, ...


Wise, well thought, words. (Remarkably surprising, coming from a BGSU grad.  )


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## josh88 (Jun 29, 2012)

derekleffew said:


> Wise, well thought, words. (Remarkably surprising, coming from a BGSU grad.  )



ooh, burn  haha. Hey, seriously though their new facility is amazing and was rated pretty highly in the nation. Not to mention they're finally getting some of the faculty issues sorted out. They've got a fantastic tech program now. That's an education worth what you pay for. Tuition there has gone up but the quality is still higher. So you're saving money going to a state school and you get to work in a space with all new equipment, that the university is trying to run as a road house at the moment. Lots of experience around there.


We've said it before around here. The smartest option a lot of the time. is going to the best school you can afford, so you aren't stuck with a ton of debt, and taking all the work you can find so you get the hands on experience to fill in where your schooling didn't.


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## derekleffew (Jun 29, 2012)

josh88 said:


> ... Not to mention *their* finally getting ...


"They're."[SUP]1[/SUP] 

_Q.E.D._ 



([SUP]1[/SUP]Well if I don't, apparently some folks begin to worry. )


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## josh88 (Jun 29, 2012)

doh, I'll blame the heat for that one. 

derekleffew said:


> "They're."[SUP]1[/SUP]


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## gafftaper (Jun 29, 2012)

The big thing that parents, guidance counselors, and the rest of the world doesn't understand about our industry is that (unlike every other field they are used to) education is NOT a golden ticket to a better life. Education is a ticket to get in but it will only take you so far. Getting a fancy degree may (and I stress the tentative nature of the word may) help you get a first job, but it won't help you make more money down the road and it also won't help you get any other job in the future... unless you want to teach (and you aren't getting rich there either). In the end nobody is getting stinking rich in this industry (Except Color Kinetic's patent lawyers). It's a very fun and highly addictive, mostly blue collar career that will hopefully provide you with a decent middle class wage. That's it. Getting yourself deep into college debt is only going to keep you poor the rest of your life and possible get you into a situation where you can't afford to work in tech theater to pay off your loans.


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## chausman (Jun 29, 2012)

derekleffew said:


> "They're."[SUP]1[/SUP]
> 
> _Q.E.D._
> 
> ...



It's like you just learned how to use Subscript and [SUP]Superscript[/SUP].


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## soundman (Jun 30, 2012)

I have a B.A. Theatre with an emphasis on design. My minor was in Urban Planning. I graduated in 3.5 years by taking 18 credits most semesters and 21 my last semester. A few of those credits were scene shop and run crew positions but most of them were upper level course work. I went to a cheaper state school and my parents covered a semester of expenses for me so I was able to take out less than 10K in loans. Using my friends as a bench mark that is on the low end of debt. I did local production work during the year and internships over the summer to make some money to pay for school. I never took a spring break vacation and save for a bottle of decent scotch as needed lived very thriftily. My professors were frank about what they earned and what we could expect to make. By switching into a more lucrative section of the industry I have been able to double that number but had I made the median income I would have been warned. 

There does seem to be too much pressure on getting a college degree or finishing one you have started. If you are unhappy and only a year into the degree cut your loses and come back to it when you are in a better spot to know what you want. There seems to be a stigma about finishing what you start and getting a college education. I know a few people that graduated with a degree in theatre that made their parents happy and then turned around and went to a trade school for baking or accounting because partway through they changed their mind. If your more than 15 credits away from a degree it might be better to get out ans save some money. 

The name on your degree should only get you your first gig or two, after that it should be word of mouth, connections you have made, and skills you have learned as part of life long learning.


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## JohnD (Jul 1, 2012)

josh88 said:


> doh, I'll blame the heat for that one.


Since I am from Oklahoma, can I blame The Thunder for all my literary errors?
Oklahoma City Thunder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## josh88 (Jul 1, 2012)

Absolutely!


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


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## derekleffew (Jul 1, 2012)

Interesting site that seems pertinent to the discussion: SNAAP .


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