When will the cost of college flatten out?

[Anonymous]

Thoughts? Will they ever? How is this system sustainable? I worry for our grandchildren.

[Anonymous]

It won't happen as high college tuition mainly effects upper middle class badly, its peanuts for rich and free or subsidized with need based aid for poor and lower middle income class.

It would only happen if there was no need based aid or merit scholarships and college start start losing enrollment.

[Anonymous]

It probably won’t. There are no cost controls in higher ed, and that shows in their relentless administrative and facilities spending. All of this is made possible by the federal government backstopping student loans with no oversight on outcomes, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It probably won’t. There are no cost controls in higher ed, and that shows in their relentless administrative and facilities spending. All of this is made possible by the federal government backstopping student loans with no oversight on outcomes, etc.

Maybe this will be how this settles down a little, actually. One of the few (or only) debts that can't be discharged in bankruptcy, I think.

[Anonymous]

The college income premium is shrinking and thanks the the enormous cost of college and the debt requires, the wealth premium is shrinking even faster.

https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2021/january/college-degrees-more-wealth

I think the "everyone needs to go to college" mantra goes away and more people start to focus on cost it will either come down or expensive schools will have even more exaggerated barbell distributions as the middle and upper middle class opt for more affordable options

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The college income premium is shrinking and thanks the the enormous cost of college and the debt requires, the wealth premium is shrinking even faster.

https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2021/january/college-degrees-more-wealth

I think the "everyone needs to go to college" mantra goes away and more people start to focus on cost it will either come down or expensive schools will have even more exaggerated barbell distributions as the middle and upper middle class opt for more affordable options

we need to return to offering more VoTech options in HS---let the kids who would do better on a HVAC/Electrical/AutoMechanics/Etc explore those options for half their days in HS. Stop making them take thru Algebra 2 and let them take a more practical Statistics/math class that they might actually use (an intensive course in excel and stats perhaps). They kids would be happier, better self esteem and more importantly starting on a path to what they ultimately will do.
We need people in these areas and not everyone is college material. Many kids are frustrated in HS with the academics and would do much better with hands on courses like this. If they did this, then they might be 1 year of training away from a great job when they graduate HS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It probably won’t. There are no cost controls in higher ed, and that shows in their relentless administrative and facilities spending. All of this is made possible by the federal government backstopping student loans with no oversight on outcomes, etc.

Undergrads are now capped at $27K for the entire four years. This may have an impact on rising costs at most schools that don't have large endowments to meet 100%/ make up the gap.

[Anonymous]

Biden comp’d several billion $ more in college loans yesterday. So, tuition flattening out is increasingly LESS likely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It probably won’t. There are no cost controls in higher ed, and that shows in their relentless administrative and facilities spending. All of this is made possible by the federal government backstopping student loans with no oversight on outcomes, etc.

Undergrads are now capped at $27K for the entire four years. This may have an impact on rising costs at most schools that don't have large endowments to meet 100%/ make up the gap.

Why? If it costs $x to educate a kid, the school can charge $1.5(x) and afford to discount it if they choose. There are plenty of schools with inflated tuition numbers who expect to discount. There are other schools with huge tuition numbers for OOS students who have more than enough rich applicants willing to pay

[Anonymous]

Mostly selective colleges are hard to get into and afford (for HHI over $150). Many in-state schools are quite affordable. Middle-of-the-road privates provide a lot of merit. The main point is to target financially appropriate schools.

If you’re UMC and whining about the price of Cornell, expect costs to rise 5%/year. It’s been that way for the past 40 years.

[Anonymous]

It has been flattening out for years now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The college income premium is shrinking and thanks the the enormous cost of college and the debt requires, the wealth premium is shrinking even faster.

https://www.stlouisfed.org/on-the-economy/2021/january/college-degrees-more-wealth

I think the "everyone needs to go to college" mantra goes away and more people start to focus on cost it will either come down or expensive schools will have even more exaggerated barbell distributions as the middle and upper middle class opt for more affordable options

we need to return to offering more VoTech options in HS---let the kids who would do better on a HVAC/Electrical/AutoMechanics/Etc explore those options for half their days in HS. Stop making them take thru Algebra 2 and let them take a more practical Statistics/math class that they might actually use (an intensive course in excel and stats perhaps). They kids would be happier, better self esteem and more importantly starting on a path to what they ultimately will do.
We need people in these areas and not everyone is college material. Many kids are frustrated in HS with the academics and would do much better with hands on courses like this. If they did this, then they might be 1 year of training away from a great job when they graduate HS

If they can't figure out basic Algebra 2, they can't figure out basic stats either. Schools have "how to use a computer" classes, but the tech changes faster han curriculum can.

Also VoTech and carrer-oriented Dual Enrollment programs exist and are available to people who want them.

[Anonymous]

Never. They keep jacking it up and people keep borrowing to pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It has been flattening out for years now.[/quote]


No it hasn't. Some privates passed $90K a year last year. USC is $92K

[Anonymous]

Never. Why would it? They keep raising the prices and the kids are applying in droves. There is no reason to keep tuition reasonable. None.