Why the Huge Price Tag?
No college is exactly inexpensive, whether you're paying $10,000 for in-state tuition at a reputable state university, or forking over $40,000 for the private school with the prestigious degree name. So what, exactly, are you paying for - and are the more expensive schools always worth the extra money?
Classes
The average student takes 4-5 courses a semester (the equivalent of 12 to 15 credit hours). A large chunk of tuition pays for your classes.
Tip: Calculate The Cost Per Class
I remember before I went off to college, my father told me that every time I skipped class, I was wasting money. I once calculated it out - in 2004, we were paying around $35,000 a year for me to attend Notre Dame. I divided tuition by my five courses, then by the number of times each class met per semester.
I remember figuring that each class was roughly $30. Believe me - there were plenty of mornings I didn't feel like going to Calculus at 8:00 am. But I couldn't justify an extra hour or two of sleep when I knew how much money I would be wasting.
Tip: Calculate The Cost Per Class
I remember before I went off to college, my father told me that every time I skipped class, I was wasting money. I once calculated it out - in 2004, we were paying around $35,000 a year for me to attend Notre Dame. I divided tuition by my five courses, then by the number of times each class met per semester.
I remember figuring that each class was roughly $30. Believe me - there were plenty of mornings I didn't feel like going to Calculus at 8:00 am. But I couldn't justify an extra hour or two of sleep when I knew how much money I would be wasting.
Your Professors and Teaching Assistants
You're paying their paychecks. I've had some wonderful professors and T.A.'s who genuinely cared about their students' performance.
Good instructors are the ones who are accessible and available to help you, answer a question, and point you in the right direction when you are struggling.
However, there are some not-so-great (even truly terrible) college-level instructors who find teaching burdensome and their students annoyances.
Tip: Good or Bad - Your Instructors Are Paid to Help You - So Make Them!
Never hesitate to ask an instructor for help, a tutoring referral, or a letter of recommendation. And if they ignore your email, go in during their office hours. You can be respectful of their time and busy schedule, but ultimately, you pay to go to school there, and they are paid to help you get through your classes.
Good instructors are the ones who are accessible and available to help you, answer a question, and point you in the right direction when you are struggling.
However, there are some not-so-great (even truly terrible) college-level instructors who find teaching burdensome and their students annoyances.
Tip: Good or Bad - Your Instructors Are Paid to Help You - So Make Them!
Never hesitate to ask an instructor for help, a tutoring referral, or a letter of recommendation. And if they ignore your email, go in during their office hours. You can be respectful of their time and busy schedule, but ultimately, you pay to go to school there, and they are paid to help you get through your classes.
School Facilities, Activities, and Services
Guess what? The library, computer lab, study center, and school health services aren't actually free - they just charge you for it upfront in your tuition.
Tip: Use the Services Available to You
If you're struggling in your Physics class, go to the Tutoring Center! If your computer crashes, don't email your professor 2 hours before the paper is due and ask for an extension - it's not a valid excuse since there are always computers available for students on campus.
Finally, if you are dealing with an illness or need someone to talk with, schedule an appointment through Health Services to see a doctor or counselor. That's what they are there for.
Tip: Use the Services Available to You
If you're struggling in your Physics class, go to the Tutoring Center! If your computer crashes, don't email your professor 2 hours before the paper is due and ask for an extension - it's not a valid excuse since there are always computers available for students on campus.
Finally, if you are dealing with an illness or need someone to talk with, schedule an appointment through Health Services to see a doctor or counselor. That's what they are there for.
Extras
Yay - it turns out your Student ID card is good for $200 in your school's student center! Free pizza! Except - wait - no...that money is just part of your tuition.
Tip: Nothing's Free
You can blow those extra dollars on pizza if you want, but consider saving it for buying things like toothpaste in your school's convenience mart.
Tip: Nothing's Free
You can blow those extra dollars on pizza if you want, but consider saving it for buying things like toothpaste in your school's convenience mart.
The Degree Name
This is the tricky part. On the one hand, paying extra tuition for school names like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton are supposed to eventually pay you back in the best jobs with the highest salaries. On the other, tuition at Ivy League and other private institutions are artificially inflated "just because": because they traditionally are, because we expect them to be more expensive, and because they want to be more costly than lower-ranked schools.
Tip: If you are planning on going into a highly competitive field or applying to graduate or a professional school, sometimes it is worth paying more for a degree name.
It may not be fair, but 9 times out of 10, the candidate from Prestigious University will win over the candidate from Never Heard of It College.
Tip: If you are planning on going into a highly competitive field or applying to graduate or a professional school, sometimes it is worth paying more for a degree name.
It may not be fair, but 9 times out of 10, the candidate from Prestigious University will win over the candidate from Never Heard of It College.
So...Is It Worth It?
If you're willing to put in the time, effort, and studying, college is absolutely worth the price tag. It's up to you to decide if the most expensive schools are worth investing in, based on your career goals. But in general, the college degree is the new high school degree. So go ahead and consider money well spent, and keep in mind the ways you can maximize your investment.
