Tryan,
From your earlier post, it seemed you thought college was "WAY over priced".
Here is my most recent experience with college costs. I'm currently a master's student at local State U. I'm taking 1 class in the fall and one class in the spring. My university has estimated my expenses for the year (not including the summer!) to be $16,000. In reality, I'll be paying a little less than $2,000 for the entire year for tuition, fees and books (the true college costs). The $14,000 of extra expenses are for living expenses for 9 months. Note that this is for a part time student! I'm sure your alma mater's total expenses have a similar breakdown. Much of the "total expense" of college at a state school are the living expenses. These can vary greatly. If you take the frugal path and get roommates in a cheap crappy apartment, eat cheap (ramen ), and have a part time job and/or summer job to fill up your leisure time, you won't spend anywhere near the school's published living expenses.
That being said, it probably will cost the full "living expenses" amount to live an upper middle class lifestyle like many college students have grown accustomed to during their youth.
I remember in high school, the guidance counselor's office had a poster that said a college degree will allow you to earn $1,000,000 more over a lifetime than the average high school graduate with no degree.
How accurate that poster is, I don't know. But the $20-30k in state school tuition that most would pay is a good "investment" in my book.
From your earlier post, it seemed you thought college was "WAY over priced".
Here is my most recent experience with college costs. I'm currently a master's student at local State U. I'm taking 1 class in the fall and one class in the spring. My university has estimated my expenses for the year (not including the summer!) to be $16,000. In reality, I'll be paying a little less than $2,000 for the entire year for tuition, fees and books (the true college costs). The $14,000 of extra expenses are for living expenses for 9 months. Note that this is for a part time student! I'm sure your alma mater's total expenses have a similar breakdown. Much of the "total expense" of college at a state school are the living expenses. These can vary greatly. If you take the frugal path and get roommates in a cheap crappy apartment, eat cheap (ramen ), and have a part time job and/or summer job to fill up your leisure time, you won't spend anywhere near the school's published living expenses.
That being said, it probably will cost the full "living expenses" amount to live an upper middle class lifestyle like many college students have grown accustomed to during their youth.
I remember in high school, the guidance counselor's office had a poster that said a college degree will allow you to earn $1,000,000 more over a lifetime than the average high school graduate with no degree.
How accurate that poster is, I don't know. But the $20-30k in state school tuition that most would pay is a good "investment" in my book.