# College Tuition



## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

I recently decided it was time for me to take a welding course at the community college, and I was kind of shocked with the cost of tuition and fees. Just for one class it is going to cost me about $1000 for tuition, lab fees, and books. That does not include the tools, and personal protection equipment I need for the class. This got me wondering how can our kids afford college nowadays; I am thinking that tuition would have to be somewhere near $2500 for a full time student at a community college. I am thinking that when I got my degree that I was paying somewhere near that at a major university (Colorado State University), but then again I don't really remember; that was way back in the early 90's when I finish college. Next year my son will be starting college and I worry about him getting saddled with a lot of debt by the time graduates from college.


----------



## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

Ain't no doubt college doesn't come cheap these days.


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

paoutdoorsman said:


> Ain't no doubt college doesn't come cheap these days.


Especially considering that about 60% of the college majors will not even get your foot in the door for a job. That is why many talented young adults need to consider the trades when looking at education. The biggest waste of life and money is Liberal Arts colleges.

Regards, Mike


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

CowboyRam said:


> I recently decided it was time for me to take a welding course at the community college, and I was kind of shocked with the cost of tuition and fees. Just for one class it is going to cost me about $1000 for tuition, lab fees, and books. That does not include the tools, and personal protection equipment I need for the class. This got me wondering how can our kids afford college nowadays; I am thinking that tuition would have to be somewhere near $2500 for a full time student at a community college. I am thinking that when I got my degree that I was paying somewhere near that at a major university (Colorado State University), but then again I don't really remember; that was way back in the early 90's when I finish college. Next year my son will be starting college and I worry about him getting saddled with a lot of debt by the time graduates from college.


I know, it's ridiculous!!
My son is 1/2 way through his senior year in high school. He's going to college with a partial athletic AND academic scholarships. Even with both scholarships, it's still almost 20K. My wife and I decided he should take out a loan for part of it so he is "invested".
The problem starts when you're kid is being recruited by a school that's $52,000/yr.
My daughter will be in college in 2 years and then it'll be really fun watching our life savings drained before our eyes. Hopefully she keeps getting looks from college lacrosse and field hockey coaches.
Even if she does get an athletic scholarship, it'll be partial. "Full rides" are almost non-existent for girls.

Good luck! I hear Bologna on white bread with yellow mustard helps save money.


----------



## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

He is talking about going into IT. The only thing I worry about is that how many other kids are going for the same thing. Will there be any jobs for him once he gets out of college, and also technology seems to change so fast, will it still be relevant by the time he graduates.

You look at all of these colleges and they keep building these fancy buildings, no wonder tuition keeps going up. There is nothing practical about these buildings. Of course they find architects that are designing monuments to themselves that are expensive to build. The community college built two new buildings over the last six years or so, but they did not increase their budget for maintenance or cleaning. I guess they think these new building take care of themselves.

I have heard that there are some universities that have built water parks, or something similar just to attract students. The problem is someone has to pay for that. It all seams crazy to me.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

CowboyRam said:


> He is talking about going into IT. The only thing I worry about is that how many other kids are going for the same thing. Will there be any jobs for him once he gets out of college, and also technology seems to change so fast, will it still be relevant by the time he graduates.
> 
> You look at all of these colleges and they keep building these fancy buildings, no wonder tuition keeps going up. There is nothing practical about these buildings. Of course they find architects that are designing monuments to themselves that are expensive to build. The community college built two new buildings over the last six years or so, but they did not increase their budget for maintenance or cleaning. I guess they think these new building take care of themselves.
> 
> I have heard that there are some universities that have built water parks, or something similar just to attract students. The problem is someone has to pay for that. It all seams crazy to me.


My son wants to be a "Tech-Ed" teacher or a History teacher. Honestly, the school he's going to is not that fancy and it's still crazy expensive.
I graduated college in the late 80's from and 30 years later, my sons college is 10 TIMES what my cost to go to college was. Luckily, were only paying about 1/3rd of their full cost.
If it was full cost, he'd have to take out huge loans. We couldn't do it.


----------



## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

I am a firm believer that unless you're going to be a doctor or something of that nature with the cost of college it's not worth going anymore. Almost all my friends that went to college are covered in debt with no hope of getting out anytime soon. My friends that are doing well in life either knew somebody and got in, or never went to college and just worked like crazy. Case in point A girlfriend of mine went to college for 6 years to become a nurse finally got out and is doing well for herself but has tens of thousands of dollars of debt. A buddy of mine waited 5 years to join the electrician's union and he got in finally. They both have a new car and just bought homes but she is on a budget and he gets to go on vacation and buy a bunch of toys. I think for the foreseeable future the trades are the money makers.


----------



## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Vol said:


> Especially considering that about 60% of the college majors will not even get your foot in the door for a job. That is why many talented young adults need to consider the trades when looking at education. The biggest waste of life and money is Liberal Arts colleges.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Where does the 60% number come from? Ask around, I think you'll find most consider a college degree today the equivalent of a high school diploma 30 or 40 years ago in terms of opening a door to a job. I'm thinking the biggest waste of life and money might be haying...????

Nothing wrong with a good liberal arts education.

College costs, student loans, not enough space...


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

leeave96 said:


> Where does the 60% number come from? Ask around, I think you'll find most consider a college degree today the equivalent of a high school diploma 30 or 40 years ago in terms of opening a door to a job. I'm thinking the biggest waste of life and money might be haying...
> 
> Nothing wrong with a good liberal arts education.
> 
> College costs, student loans, not enough space...


The right college degree can be very valuable.....but many degrees are not worth the associated costs of time and investment in today's workplace. LIberal arts degrees are good for philosophers. Lot's of liberal art majors working at Wendy's or other service industries.

Regards, Mike


----------



## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

My sister is currently going to a local community college in a dental assistant program.....It is costing her 4K per year. She has looked in to going further into a dental hygienist program but then the cost is exponentially more. Also apparently the math that she took to get into the dental assistant program is not of a high enough level to get into dental hygienist program so she would have to take math all over again. To me this is crazy.....why in the world do you need a more advanced math to clean teeth? This is why I like trade schools.....you learn what you actually need to do the job and not take stuff that is of no use.

Hayden


----------



## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

FarmerCline said:


> My sister is currently going to a local community college in a dental assistant program.....It is costing her 4K per year. She has looked in to going further into a dental hygienist program but then the cost is exponentially more. Also apparently her math that she took to get into the dental assistant program are not of a high enough level to get into dental hygienist program so she would have to take math all over again. To me this is crazy.....why in the world do you need a more advanced math to clean teeth? This is why I like trade schools.....you learn what you actually need to do the job and not take stuff that is of no use.
> 
> Hayden


Ya, that does sound crazy. I had to take calculus for my construction management degree; I still don't know why. I never had to derive any formulas anyway. Sometimes what they require just does not make any sense.


----------



## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Many of y'all might disagree with me on this but I don't regret not going to college. I often get looked down on or hear insinuating comments from people (including a few family members) because I didn't go. Personally I think it would have been a complete waste of money for me to go to college just to work for myself farming.

College definitely has its place for certain careers that require further education but I don't agree with the notion that college should almost be a requirement and everyone should get some kind of a degree. Way too many people go to college to get a worthless degree just for the college experience and end up working job that they could have done with no degree and then are loaded with debt.

Hayden


----------



## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

Back in my day.....

College was an option for some, not all. There were still good paying jobs to be had that a person with a high school education could make a decent living at. Guys I went to school with went to work at Lockheed, GM, Ford and made more money than most college grads. Sadly, many of those jobs are now done overseas.

High school counselors tell our kids that a "college grad earns $xxx more in their lifetime than a non-college grad". They don't tell them the whole story. Yes, SOME degrees will result in a good paying job. Other degree programs have very little if any economic value. You hear it everyday - some college grad flipping hamburgers.

Colleges view these students as a cash cow. "Oh, you want a degree in Medieval Literature? Sure, sign the dotted line and we can fix you right up." They know that these students are loading themselves up with staggering debt that they will never pay off, but they don't blink an eye.

Most college degree programs could eliminate at least one full year with no effect on the quality of education. It is a well known fact that the first year or so is full of basic, remedial classes that have no bearing on the actual degree program. If you are an Accounting major, why do you need Geography, World Lit, History, Sociology, or any of the other "core" classes? Answer, you don't. The colleges staff these courses with part time "instructors" but charge full tuition. Like I said, cash cow.

Ok, climbing off soap box now....


----------



## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Vol said:


> The right college degree can be very valuable.....but many degrees are not worth the associated costs of time and investment in today's workplace. LIberal arts degrees are good for philosophers. Lot's of liberal art majors working at Wendy's or other service industries.
> 
> Regards, Mike


A whole lot more non-college graduates working at Wendy's. Math, physics, economics - all liberal arts majors. As to the cost and time invested, that's up to the individual. Don't paint with a such a broad brush. Just curious - are you a college graduate, UT? Major?


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

leeave96 said:


> A whole lot more non-college graduates working at Wendy's. Math, physics, economics - all liberal arts majors. As to the cost and time invested, that's up to the individual. Don't paint with a such a broad brush. Just curious - are you a college graduate, UT? Major?


If you go back and read my OP, my point was that "young people that have the talent" should consider "the trades" instead of one of the many unemployable majors that many choose. Many tradespeople have better earnings than degreed individuals that cannot find work due to a thoughtless major selection(see exercise science, photography,etc....and the liberal arts.)

There is no question that any kind of degree is usually better than just a high school diploma, but that was not my point. Trades people are in much demand in todays world and many make a excellent living and are valuable contributors to our society. College is not for everyone and one should think long and hard at life after college.

P.S. Haying is certainly not for everyone, and if you find it a waste of life and money, I hope you will make a change soon for your betterment.

Regards, Mike

B.S. Finance

UT-K.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

leeave96 said:


> A whole lot more non-college graduates working at Wendy's. Math, physics, economics - all liberal arts majors. As to the cost and time invested, that's up to the individual. Don't paint with a such a broad brush. Just curious - are you a college graduate, UT? Major?


Agree. Broad brushing isn't a good idea. There are a a FEW good liberals 
I really don't see many "LA majors working at Wendy's", either in MY area. What I do see is some working at Wendy's while interviewing for jobs in their field or summer jobs. Sure there's a few who slip through the cracks. My guess is their parents wanted them to go, but they didn't want to go to college.
As was stated above, College isn't for everyone for sure. Nobody should be disrespected because of their level of education, either.
I'm smack dab in the belly of the beast right now....wife and I are fighting for every dollar they're charging. What we have found is that you have to turn the tables on them. Get your kids early on to pick up on a sport, a skill or get excellent grades or a combination of them and then force THEM to deeply discount your tuition. 
My son is looking into the "Teach for America" program right after graduation if he can't get a job right away.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Even trade schools have gotten in on the windfall that is "higher education"......the reason it's so high? Folks ain't paying for it themselves HERE....the state pays for it thru the lottery system funding, the Hope scholorship they call it. You see if you go to school and take basket weaving and get a "degree" in "weaving technologies" the school still gets paid, you get paid, the state gets hosed.....
I have had 5 children go to various universities, the cost is appalling...it's a "legal racket" like healthcare


----------



## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Several thoughts:

First, I went to Illinois Institute of Technology night school at $30/semester hour, or about ($6-700 to take 15 hours per year including books and fees)--that rate is now about $50,000 for a full year (24-30 hours).

Education has become big money primarily (IMO) because of government guaranteed loans. I believe a majority of the students (1) have no idea that they are borrowing $250,000 AND will have to pay it back and (2) are thinking that somebody else will bail them out. There's something like $1.4 trillion (that with a "T") in outstanding student loans. What happens when these kids can't or won't make payments?

Second, for the most part, a college graduate nowadays comes out or four years with the equivalent of a high school education circa 1970. Everybody has spouted this line of bull that you need a college education to get ahead, yet some of the richest people in the country do not have college degrees. It seems like the gospel according to Uncle Sam is keep going to school.

Ralph

We need more hungry people in this country, i.e., people who want something besides a new phone.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Maybe one of the first steps to "sticking it" back at these colleges would be companies dropping the requirement to have a degree in the first place? 
I think everyone would win (except colleges, and they've been sticking it to us for 100 years)
The employer could have on the job training starting after high school since most end up training college educated employees anyway. Just pay a lower salary and train the employee while he works. I would bet you end up with a better trained/educated employee in less time. Of course, there'd have to be some way of deciding what a kids strengths are before graduating HS.

Buddy of mine is a petroleum engineer at a local refinery. He said the new kids come in with engineering degrees and really don't know much. He says he spends all his time training them.
When I graduated, I was hired immediately, but the company I worked for taught me things I never learned in college. I have no doubt I could have worked in my college major (bachelors of science in Real Estate) as a commercial Real Estate Appraiser with just on the job training. College helped me understand the basics, but on the job training is what really matters.

It's time to start thinking about things a new way.


----------



## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

The company I worked for (Cummins) would assist you in getting college degrees of your choosing. You had to work for them for a certain number of years to avoid having to pay the company back. After working there my thought was a smart person would start there right after high school, work their a$$ off, get the college degree they wanted ( it had to be something business related whether hands on (Welding etc.) or office (accounting etc.), leave the company debt free on good terms and they would have an array of skills to do what they want. I believe you could accomplish all that before they are 30. That would be too much work for 90%. No time to party.


----------



## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Vol said:


> Especially considering that about 60% of the college majors will not even get your foot in the door for a job. That is why many talented young adults need to consider the trades when looking at education. The biggest waste of life and money is Liberal Arts colleges.
> 
> Regards, Mike


I read your original post. It is factually incorrect.



Vol said:


> If you go back and read my OP, my point was that "young people that have the talent" should consider "the trades" instead of one of the many unemployable majors that many choose. Many tradespeople have better earnings than degreed individuals that cannot find work due to a thoughtless major selection(see exercise science, photography,etc....and the liberal arts.)
> 
> There is no question that any kind of degree is usually better than just a high school diploma, but that was not my point. Trades people are in much demand in todays world and many make a excellent living and are valuable contributors to our society. College is not for everyone and one should think long and hard at life after college.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the P.S. - not the first personal dig I've received from you.


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

leeave96 said:


> Thanks for the P.S. - not the first personal dig I've received from you.


You interpreted my comment wrong as no personal dig was intended. Life and money are two things that I hate to see anyone waste and I was just replying to your comment.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

I suppose the real answer to this is if that's what you really want to do then cost isn't a big factor. Both my friends are extremely happy with what they do so to them the cost was more of an investment. 1 invested 5 years of his life waiting and the other tens of thousands of dollars in nursing school. If I could ever do what I wanted as a dream job I would be a marine biologist as I love fish. Most of my friends can tell by the three or four thousand gallons worth a fish tanks in my house LOL. But I absolutely hate school and the only reason I don't regret going to college even though I didn't graduate is I met my wife there. I'm sure most people wouldn't have kids if they realize the cost ahead of time but it's what they want to do.


----------



## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

somedevildawg said:


> HERE....the state pays for it thru the lottery system funding, the Hope scholorship they call it. You see if you go to school and take basket weaving and get a "degree" in "weaving technologies" the school still gets paid, you get paid, the state gets hosed.....


To add to the above, Georgia enacted a statewide lottery in the early 90's with the stipulation the proceeds would fund the Ga HOPE Scholarship. The HOPE Scholarship would pay tuition and books for Ga residents as long as they maintained a 3.0 GPA at one of the many public colleges and technical schools in Ga. I think they would even give a stipend if the student went to a private school.

Anyway, we've all heard the expression "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." That's sorta what happened with HOPE. Unfortunately, the colleges realized they had a cash cow and began raising tuition at a pace that far exceeded the cost of inflation. Couple that with the fact that the percentage of students who couldn't maintain the GPA to keep HOPE was about 55%. Which means a lot of students went to school for a year only to drop out when they couldn't maintain their grades. Colleges also accepted students who really were not "college material".

They finally had to significantly curtail the HOPE Scholarship in order to keep it from going broke.

In my opinion, they should have made the HOPE Scholarship a "reimbursement plan" in which the student pays their tuition up front and then gets reimbursed IF they passed the class. You could even make it a progressive reimbursement (100% for an A, 90% for a B, 80% for a C) to encourage the students to try harder. As it were, the students had "no skin in the game" because they would get the money if they passed or not.


----------



## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

These conversations are frequent in my family. Oldest son is a freshman at Purdue, majoring in agronomy with a minor in animal science. He wants the BS degree and understands he will have $50,000 plus in loans (has some scholarships and savings). Second son is a high school junior and plans to go to trade school, probably diesel technician. His plan is to be making $$ before his brother graduates Purdue. Daughter is a HS freshman and is planning on veterinary school, so their is 7 or 8 years of college. Both boys would eventually like to join the farm full time but need off farm careers to get to that point.


----------



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

My son wanted to be a doctor. He went through pre-med and was accepted into medical school. When he first entered pre-med our part of actual medical school was $135K. When he was accepted into med school our part had become $240K. He is smart and handy. He asked what degree had was the closest to as far as graduating. He took a few classed and graduated with a degree in Business (International Distribution). Because he is not afraid to work and knows machinery, he has a good job with salary and commission. He manages 3 states but only travels a few days per month.

A college degree was required for his position.

My daughter is finishing her Masters degree. The company she works for is helping with that. She is in another state and with computers, can do her day job as time allows.

Now she wants her Ph.D. and will start next fall. Again, her employer is wanting her Pd.D and is helping.

I believe spending summers working in the hay field stacking squares helped both of my children as much as their college education.


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Both of our sons are college graduates and I too feel that both of them gained a proper work ethic and a appreciation for the dollar by being raised on a farm. Something about packing wagons with small squares for 6 straight hours in 90°+ temps teaches one how to endure tough times. As I have mentioned on here several times, our oldest son lives in Atlanta and is in the early looking stages of buying a farm in South Georgia.....not too far from somedevildawg. It will be a place for him to go on the weekends now and a place to hunt and grow some kind of crop. He misses "the land" immensely. Most of my life my farming was done on the run as we have been heavily involved in the tourism industry for many years. But now that I have scaled back, I am enjoying my days with "the land" immensely. I went out today and checked fence for several hours and did repairs....it was a joy.

Regards, Mike


----------



## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

When I taught the construction trades at the local community college in order to teach I had to have one degree higher than was was being taught. Really all the colleges really care about is the number credit hour units that are being taught; they act like they really care about the students, but I am not really sure they really care. My program was shut down after the economy went to hell in 2008. Most of the students that come out of my carpentry class were nothing more than glorified laborers. They did not have the skills to be carpenters, and were not going to get paid as carpenters. Once the big wiggs with the college learned that their students were not going to be making an entry level carpenters wages they were no longer behind the program. I would not have hired any of my students as carpenters, they just were not proven.

I wish that our society would not look down on people that go in to the trades. It takes years to learn that trade; I don't know of any doctors that can know how to frame a house, or trim out a window, but I have doctors that looked down on us carpenters as low skilled.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

My father went to the Williamson School of Trades here in PA in the late 50's. They only take kids from poor, single parent, orphaned or otherwise financially challenged families. My dad grew up in a family of 9 with no indoor toilet, so he qualified to go there LOL
He was one of the smartest, most well-read people I've ever known, but could beat nails in with the best of them, too. I always took joy in watching him take apart a college educated banker, lawyer, building inspector, and even a customer occasionally when they deserved it with his wit, intelligence and common sense..
One of his "shortcomings" was his insistence that all his kids graduate from college. He thought that was progress and in some ways, he was right. I was the youngest and when it came my turn, he insisted I go, even though we were framing and building homes, making money and having a good time.
I didnt want to go-I wanted to learn everything he could teach me, then go into the building business after he retired. He wouldn't have any of that.
At first I resisted, then I decided to give in and accept his gift to me. He valued education and now, I appreciate where he is coming from.
I really went to college to fulfill my dad's dream more than my own. I would have been happy to become a home builder with him then going on my own. Dont get me wrong, I appreciate that I was able to go!
I think a lot more kids get pushed off to college than we think. Sometimes its to satisfy a dream of their parents. Sometimes its competition among parents to send their kids to a better college than the Jones's kids.


----------



## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

JD3430 said:


> My father went to the Williamson School of Trades here in PA in the late 50's. They only take kids from poor, single parent, orphaned or otherwise financially challenged families. My dad grew up in a family of 9 with no indoor toilet, so he qualified to go there LOL
> He was one of the smartest, most well-read people I've ever known, but could beat nails in with the best of them, too. I always took joy in watching him take apart a college educated banker, lawyer, building inspector, and even a customer occasionally when they deserved it with his wit, intelligence and common sense..
> One of his "shortcomings" was his insistence that all his kids graduate from college. He thought that was progress and in some ways, he was right. I was the youngest and when it came my turn, he insisted I go, even though we were framing and building homes, making money and having a good time.
> I didnt want to go-I wanted to learn everything he could teach me, then go into the building business after he retired. He wouldn't have any of that.
> ...


I had a student that went through my construction trades classes and got his associates degree; the sad part is, even though he could very easily do the bookwork part, but he just did not have the dexterity to perform the work. He was one that really wanted to be a carpenter; I sometime wonder what ever happened to that kid.


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

leeave96 said:


> I'm thinking the biggest waste of life and money might be haying...


Why do you do it then?

I wouldn't be where I am today with out growing hay and custom haying.


----------



## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

leeave96 said:


> Where does the 60% number come from? Ask around, I think you'll find most consider a college degree today the equivalent of a high school diploma 30 or 40 years ago in terms of opening a door to a job. I'm thinking the biggest waste of life and money might be haying...????
> 
> Nothing wrong with a good liberal arts education.
> 
> College costs, student loans, not enough space...





swmnhay said:


> Why do you do it then?
> 
> I wouldn't be where I am today with out growing hay and custom haying.


Apparently you didn't see the ???? in my post...


----------



## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

leeave96 said:


> Apparently you didn't see the in my post...


 Bill, you have met me in person and talked multiple times on here so you know I'm a straight shooter.....in all honesty I did not see the emoticon in your post either until I reread it. At first I was a little taken back by your comment of haying being a waste of time and money before I realized you were joking.

Believe me after this past season and all the frustrations I had there were many times I felt like it was a waste and I would be better off doing something else......but I love making hay and working the land too much to do that.....just hope I can continue doing it.....financially I can't stand to have another season like 2017 back to back.

I still think I am better off than if I would have went to college to get a degree first and then started my attempt at farming.....why would I want a college debt hanging over my head when I am going to work for myself? The troubles I have had are not something that can be learned in college so to me college would have been a complete waste of my time and money.

As far as the liberal arts degree subject and everyone needing to get some kind of degree we are just going to have to agree to disagree on that.....nothing personal intended.....nor did I see that as an intent of any other post.

Hayden


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

"college debt" is relative.
Sometimes parents pay part if lucky (or all if really lucky) of a kids college costs.
If the student takes on partial debt, it may not be much of a burden.
If he takes on full debt, but starts off making $75K/yr, it might be manageable.
All depends on "how much debt" and if the student can get a high paying job quickly.

Another way of looking at things: If I decided to become a farmer directly out of high school, dont I have to take on "debt" to finance farm equipment or at least spend a decent sum of money to buy farm equipment?
Starting off farming (unless given farm land and equipment by parents) ain't free, either!


----------



## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

JD3430 said:


> "college debt" is relative.
> Sometimes parents pay part if lucky (or all if really lucky) of a kids college costs.
> If the student takes on partial debt, it may not be much of a burden.
> If he takes on full debt, but starts off making $75K/yr, it might be manageable.
> ...


 In my case I used the money that would have otherwise went towards my college education to buy equipment and get started farming during my last year of high school. So yes I did spend a considerable amount of money. My point though is why would I have wanted to spend yet even more money to get a college education in addition to the equipment? Having the college education sure wouldn't make me any more money than I'm currently making now so I wouldn't be getting a return on that investment and would essentially be a waste of money.......which takes me back to my original point of saying that I don't agree with the notion that everyone should get some kind of college degree.

For the record if I would have desired to go to college my parents would have paid my full way and it wouldn't have cost me anything so it wouldn't have been a financial burden on me.......but regardless of whose money it was I felt that it would have been a waste of said money for me to go to college considering the line of work that I wanted to do so that is why I chose not to.

Hayden


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Yes I understand your point. I was referring to "one or the other" (college OR farm equipment, not both).
Both of them would be an incredible financial burden together.
The question that's "fun" to contemplate is which would be better? $200,000 spent on college or $200,000 spent on equipment to start a business?
Of course there's far too many variables to consider.


----------



## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

JD3430 said:


> Agree. Broad brushing isn't a good idea. There are a a FEW good liberals


*raises hand!*

Tell me, how many liberals do you know dual-wielding AR-15's? 

Full disclosure I'm 'left libertarian.' But socially, I'm quite liberal.


----------



## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

Well here's where I get on my soap box. I'm employed as a senior scientist at the world's largest animal pharma, yeah...I spent some time in college.

But you have to want to be there, and it is only going to do for you what you want it to do for you, and what you make of it and yourself. You can party your way through college, or go in understanding what needs to happen when you come out, and prepare yourself in the time between. If you go in for a Russian Literature or English major, you're wasting your money there too.

College isn't for everyone and I think tech and vocational schools are so important. Did you know a scientist is considered the #4 most prestigious profession? But it's not me who people are talking to at family gatherings about what I do, and asking for advice. They're talking to my brother who's an architect/builder, my uncles who are electricians, my brother in law who's a plumber. They work in a practical trade in high demand that everybody else counts on, and you can still make a good living at it. The same goes for farming. Though I I will say modern day farming has become so high tech with so much science behind it, a 4 year Ag degree sure doesn't hurt. So never apologize and think you're something less because you never attended college, or didn't think it was for you, because this scientist is constantly in awe of what you do and everything you know.


----------



## Aaroncboo (Sep 21, 2014)

Hey I'll have you know my brother spent 6 years to become an English major. And he's very happy as a security guard at one of the local grade schools after deciding he didn't want to teach anymore LOL he didn't realize until after he was out and was a teacher's assistant for a week. Talk about a waste LOL. I don't know anybody that knows anything about Russian literature LOL


----------

