what do you think about this article concerning tuition?

[rvm]

What you think of this article and poll concerning tuition in the USA?

80% Think Lower Tuition Costs Would Help Students More Than Easier Loan Access - Rasmussen Reports™

[rebel100]

A lot of schools seem to have their tuition keyed to financial aid. Isn't this U of P's business model?

I think the widespread access to federally insured loans is the real culprit. The lender has no concern about being paid back, the consumer (often) seems oblivious to the real nature and cost of the loans, and it's all being done with "other peoples money".

I really believe that if you reformed the loan process the market would self correct in terms of price.

[IrishJohn]

A lot of schools seem to have their tuition keyed to financial aid. Isn't this U of P's business model?

I think the widespread access to federally insured loans is the real culprit. The lender has no concern about being paid back, the consumer (often) seems oblivious to the real nature and cost of the loans, and it's all being done with "other peoples money".

I really believe that if you reformed the loan process the market would self correct in terms of price.

Agreed, but in order to do this they'll have to allow charging off bad loans in bankruptcy proceedings again.

[marianne202]

Here's a different twist. Young female university students finding their sugar-daddy to pay their way through school. There are even websites sugar-babies and sugar-daddy's to hook them up. There is even a ranking of the top 20 schools with the most prevalent sugar-daddy's. The girls deny it is prostitution. I think this is crazy! Florida colleges rank high in ‘sugar daddies’ paying student tuition - Florida - MiamiHerald.com

I'm not sure if this is better than taking out a loan, but at least they aren't abusing the federal Pell grant system, which I see on a daily basis. It makes me crazy the way that multi-generations of a family have lived off Pell Grant money without ever obtaining a degree. One case I know of went on for 28 yrs! That's a lot of tax payer money lost.

I would like to see more community colleges step up and offer bachelor's degrees for far less than universities charge. That will help the communities, business, the community colleges which are struggling.

[sanantone]

There is now a lifetime limit on Pell Grants. I don't see how one can live off of less than $5,000 a year, though. CCs had and still have the power to curb abuse by limiting the number of credits and degrees a student can earn.

[cookderosa]

I think part of the reason gvt feels compelled to "help" with the college problem (whatever that means) is that they "this close' to the idea that everyone SHOULD HAVE a college degree in the same way they orchestrated that everyone should have a high school diploma. The politics are too much for me to think about this morning, I'm only on my 1st cup of coffee...but it's crap. If you level everyone, then that pushes the educational requirements UP for the industry. Look at nursing, you used to be able to obtain a diploma for your RN (legally you still can). Then Associate degree became the norm (inside of 40 years, we're not talking 100 years ago) now its the BSN. Every Magnet hospital needs BSN holder-nurses. Up and up and up.
Culinary, previously an apprenticeship, now as normed the associate degree. Only 5 (!) years ago there were exactly 2 colleges offering bachelor's degrees in culinary arts. Now, that's evolving and it'll be the new norm in my lifetime no doubt.
I can think of 10 more occupations taking this path right now! Is it better? That remains to be seen. It does, however, REQUIRE kids to enroll in college and take out student loans- even if they don't finish!

[sanantone]

I have a slightly different view. The financial aid limits are a bit high, but aid is there for those who only want associate's degrees and trade school certificates. It is up to the individual to go further and take on more debt. The employers are the ones driving up the degree requirements. I don't see anything wrong with everyone having at least a high school diploma; they don't have to take on debt for that. With us now being a knowledge economy, it's hard to get by with just a high school diploma let alone without one.

There is a member of another forum I participate in who has a very interesting view on the rising tuition rates. He believes they are actually historically low in comparison to the average income earned. He thinks that things are returning to normal. In this, the poorly qualified would be discouraged to attend college because only the highly intelligent we be able to earn scholarships at the top universities.

[Prloko]

This is the old Economics third-party payer problem. "Free" money artificially inflates the market demand driving up education related costs.

[merolpn]

This is the old Economics third-party payer problem. "Free" money artificially inflates the market demand driving up education related costs.

I tend to agree with this. Remember how "easy" home mortgages drove up property values? Now look at what has happened.