• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

This Country Just Abolished College Tuition Fees

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
steppinthrax said:
Education correlates with income (1 to 1). You go to any stats including the dept of labor stats.... Higher edu == Higher income (period)...
Click to expand...

I won't try to argue to the contrary, but education means dick if the person being educated chose a stupid major, chose an ok major that just doesn't fit them, went to a crappy private school and paid twice as much to get half the usual education, chose a field that won't pay off without graduate school, etc. None of that is necessarily their fault, particularly if they're making these lasting decisions when they're still in highschool and have no way of knowing any better.

I'm all for higher education, but, between my personal experience and what I've seen a ton of other people do, I firmly believe that most people should go from highschool to the workforce to college. Very few of us at age 18 have a clue about how adult life works, what we want out of life, or even who we are as individuals, and that makes informed decision-making pretty much impossible.
 
On the face of it this sounds really nice. "In Germany university is free." It really isn't that simple though. Traditionally in Germany, the total of the workforce that actually passed the Arbitur and hold a University degree runs @ 10%. The vast majority of Germans don't get a free pass to University. You have to be one of the intellectual elite. Not only that, you have to be someone that does well on tests, and being able to do very well on a test isn't always a true sign of intelligence. Plenty of people who suck at test taking are often highly intelligent and never get the chance to further their education.

Contrast and compare that to the US system where nearly everyone has the potential to pursue some form of higher education. That's not to mention that the US has some of the finest institutions of higher learning in the entire world, which is why so many foreigners come here to get a college education.

Free is great. But it's not all it is cracked up to be, at least in this instance.
 
It possible to go to a public university tuition free in most states. Most of debt are from living in dorms/apartment and "party".

Study abroad isn;t cheap either
 
arkcom said:
You missed the easiest way
4. Don't be an idiot. Anybody that has any business going to college can get at least partial academic scholarships. I think a 27 on the act was enough to get a full ride including room and board. 24 would pay all tuition but not room and board.
Click to expand...

This should be a motto for all high schoolers thinking of going to college - "Don't be an idiot". Apply yourself early and get a full ride. College is too damn expensive these days to not have a plan going in and waste on some useless degree (unless u have rich parents).
 
I'd love to go to Germany.

Still, unless things have changed since I left high school (I'm 32), if you even come close to doing well on the ACT, you can get a free ride to a state university. Failing that, there's always joining the military and going to school that way.

The military way is probably the best, since you'd go in at 18, leave at 22, and have four years of real-world experience and possibly a better grip on how to properly manage your time at school and a better idea of what to major in.

I got lucky and took a weird and terrible path, but I got my employer to pay for my degree at the age of 30. Not really recommended. 😛
 
Chaotic42 said:
I'd love to go to Germany.

Still, unless things have changed since I left high school (I'm 32), if you even come close to doing well on the ACT, you can get a free ride to a state university. Failing that, there's always joining the military and going to school that way.

The military way is probably the best, since you'd go in at 18, leave at 22, and have four years of real-world experience and possibly a better grip on how to properly manage your time at school and a better idea of what to major in.

I got lucky and took a weird and terrible path, but I got my employer to pay for my degree at the age of 30. Not really recommended. 😛
Click to expand...

If you have a goal of getting a graduate degree (like an MBA or even a PHD), go to a cheap state university. Join military for one tour, get out and use your post 9-11 Gi bill which will cover 100% of in state tuition for any degree program, and they will pay you a monthly housing stipend and 1000/year for books.

and like you said, having experience int eh military might put you at an advantage when it come to applying for selective school.
 
steppinthrax said:
Couple of reasons....

1. The biggest are students who go to college for a passion with no commercial value (i.e. art, music, sociology). They don't budget properly, they think they need to get the whole package (i.e. meal plan, dorm, new laptop, new this, new that). Then they are surprised why they can't find a job after 1 year of graduation with a B.S. degree in BS from some private boutique college.

2. I never understood this but youth here don't like to make personal sacrifices that will have big payoffs in the future. They think everything needs to be fun, fun and more fun.... They are not willing to get a mediocre state job or comp job that may pay low but will pay for their tuition. Everything is about parties with their friends, getting drunk etc... Because I'm young and need to enjoy my youth!!!!

3. Many people here like to follow the "mainstream". I've never followed the mainstream, I've always done things my way and it's paid off very well.... There is a trick or loophole to everything!!!!
Click to expand...

Balance is needed. I worked my way through college to cover what my grants and scholarships didn't cover. I also partied with friends when I had or made time to do so.
 
I paid for school until I was 22 then got a job where work paid my tuition outright. It took me another 3 years to finish my undergrad and another 2+ years for my grad degrees while working full time...I had $1300 of college debt when I got out.

No need to go to Germany...just find an employer that covers your education early on or does school loan repayment. There are programs in quite a few degrees that do this because they want to pay you less for your services and train you.

Get a law degree and sign a contract with the JAG. Get a medical degree and sign a contract with the state or federal programs to practice rural medicine for a few years... There are ways to get that stuff comped if you're willing to work for it.
 
momeNt said:
I think eventually we will see Jefferson's dream for America come true.

The rest of the world will be highly competitive, mercantilist, and offer extraordinary benefits at the cost of enormous social responsibility.

The USA will collapse into oblivion, we will suffer a mass population loss due to economy not being able to support the enormous inefficiencies of government-franchised political/policy capitalism. We will end up being mostly agrarian, and free, with no real desire to back a strong government capable of making another economic machine.

What's so bad about that if you really think about it? Wake up, work some land, enjoy some nature, go to sleep, do it all over again the next day.
Click to expand...

That's what eventually happened to Thanos. Gained absolute Power (Infinity Gauntlet) and then decided to become a farmer after losing it.
 
SP33Demon said:
That's what eventually happened to Thanos. Gained absolute Power (Infinity Gauntlet) and then decided to become a farmer after losing it.
Click to expand...


Do you think it would be safe for us to do that though? It wasn't safe for the Native Americans. Who would keep China or Russia at bay? It's not like the USA is Afghanistan which is a wasteland compared to how fertile our lands are and the natural resources we have beneath the ground.

We may have to eradicate the rest of the earth in order to live freely in peace as farmers in the USA.
 
More than one person mentioned free rides if you did well on the ACT. It wasn't that way when I graduated high school (in 2001), at least where I went to HS. I got a 28 on the ACT, which I think was pretty decent, and just got a couple of small scholarships/loans that paid for most of two years of community college. I'm certainly thankful for receiving that, though.
 
clamum said:
More than one person mentioned free rides if you did well on the ACT. It wasn't that way when I graduated high school (in 2001), at least where I went to HS. I got a 28 on the ACT, which I think was pretty decent, and just got a couple of small scholarships/loans that paid for most of two years of community college. I'm certainly thankful for receiving that, though.
Click to expand...

28 isn't high. IIRC, 30 is the minimum for a lot of better universities.
 
clamum said:
More than one person mentioned free rides if you did well on the ACT. It wasn't that way when I graduated high school (in 2001), at least where I went to HS. I got a 28 on the ACT, which I think was pretty decent, and just got a couple of small scholarships/loans that paid for most of two years of community college. I'm certainly thankful for receiving that, though.
Click to expand...

28 is very low for the ACT.
 
28 is very low? WTF are you guys smoking? I scored a 32 and only qualified for a few thousand per year, but I was a dumbass and went to a private college. I don't know what I'd have been eligible for if I'd gone to an in-state public school.
 
GTaudiophile said:
I have said this before; will say it again.

1. Learn German.
2. Pass the ZfA Exam (German version of the TOEFL).
3. Study at a public German university FOR FREE!
4. Go to the Oktoberfest, meet German women.
5. PROFIT!!!

After mass protest and political fallout, all public German universities are once again tuition free.
Click to expand...

Here in Finland all education, including university, is completely free (including meals etc) and the education is some of the best in the world.

They also pay you some 2-300 euros per month to help with some expenses. If you have low income of course they give you more, and if needed you can also get a load at an extremely low interest.
 
Last edited:
hatuko said:
Here in Finland all education, including university, is completely free (including meals etc) and the education is some of the best in the world.

They also pay you some 2-300 euros per month to help with some expenses. If you have low income of course they give you more, and if needed you can also get a load at an extremely low interest.
Click to expand...

There goes the 'free' word again. Just a hint....it's not free. EVERYONE is paying taxes for it.

Oh, and I'm sure the ATOT crowd would love a 'load' at extremely low interest! :biggrin:
 
Engineer said:
There goes the 'free' word again. Just a hint....it's not free. EVERYONE is paying taxes for it.

Oh, and I'm sure the ATOT crowd would love a 'load' at extremely low interest! :biggrin:
Click to expand...

Well you also pay taxes but then you have to pay tons of money for the university, right?
 
Ruptga said:
28 is very low? WTF are you guys smoking? I scored a 32 and only qualified for a few thousand per year, but I was a dumbass and went to a private college. I don't know what I'd have been eligible for if I'd gone to an in-state public school.
Click to expand...

You're not supposed to compare yourself to the country average, that's dumb, the country average for the SAT is like 1550 on the 2400 scale, which is pathetic. Compare yourself to your peers.

Personally, a ACT score at or below 30 is low, and a SAT score below 2100 is unacceptable.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top