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Comment by povertyworld | Hacker News Reader

How could someone still be paying student loans from 1994? Do people realize how cheap college was in 1994? Not to mention that she's had 25 years to pay it off? Higher ed surely is overpriced these days, but some of these student debt stories are getting incredible.

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State school was generally dirt cheap, but there were still very expensive private colleges in 1994. I bet you could have spent 100k for 4 years then. Add in a few years of deferments, and you could have a balance well into the 6 figures.

She did go to a private college and never had a job that paid more than 20k a year (mostly her fault). She has got extensions, deferments, etc... She is 7 years older than me so i didnt understand the differences in colleges at the time.

My step son was going to go to Texas A&M. He wants to do meteorology, it took me forever to convince him to take the first 2 years at community college to get general education classes out of the way, it is so much cheaper. I implore everyone to do that. But he didnt want to at first because he was going to miss "the college experience". Yeah it is saving him 10's of thousands of dollars.

> But he didnt want to at first because he was going to miss "the college experience".

This is a big part of the problem, in my opinion. It's marketing, pure and simple. Spend tens of thousands of dollars for the college experience you've been indoctrinated with by mass media when you're in high school. You know, everything but the actual learning part.

I went straight to UT Austin at 18 on a scholarship.

My sisters rotted at home for two years at a community college before escalating to a major university.

The "college experience" isn't a myth. I had a much better two years of personal and social development than they did due to the "college experience."

The question is whether it's worth it after considering your finances and the cost of the particular school. But if money wasn't an option, most people aren't going to pick staying at mom's house age 18-20 like they're still in high school. You don't need marketing to see why that's quite shit.

There are other options besides "the college experience" and "rotting at home". Get out into the real world and get a job. That will actually mature you far more than college, of which the "experience" consists mainly of irresponsible drinking.

What kind of jobs can you get with a HS diploma? Food prep? Factory? Are those really good for personal development?

Software developer, graphic designer, sales, technician, trades... Supporting yourself and socializing with people of different backgrounds and ages is definitely good for personal development.

I know multiple engineers that don't have college degrees and are earning well into the 6 figures

>The "college experience" isn't a myth. I had a much better two years of personal and social development than they did due to the "college experience."

I bought into this. Did a year of Engineering at USC because of it. Had a terrible experience; the "personal and social development" was mostly rich kids posturing. Decided to drop out and go back home. Completed an associates at a community college in 3 quarters, while working as a security intern. My employer paid me to finish my degree online.

> But if money wasn't an option, most people aren't going to pick staying at mom's house age 18-20 like they're still in high school.

With the money I had saved from jobs in highschool for the expensive university I chose I was able to put a down payment on a starter house.

I guess some people may like "the college experience," but to me it was a huge scam. I saved myself from over a hundred thousand in debt, was able to purchase a house which has appreciated over 70%, earned an associates and bachelor nearly for free, and was able to work, earn money, and get promoted for the years I was in school. The "social and personal development" you supposedly miss out on can be supplemented by just getting involved in your community, and was way more real and beneficial than the general bullshit that college kids get into.

I would recommend everyone do 2 years CC and 2 years university instead of 4 years at an expensive uni, and this is coming from someone who thought the 2 year CC and 2 year uni was embarrassing and wouldn't even consider it in highschool

You never really get a redo on that “college experience,” you might be forty and flush with cash, but still really bitter about those first two years spent commuting to a community college and then transferring to a university missing all the connections everyone else built during the first two years. Heck, I went to a university for 4 years but still regret commuting the first year, so stupid!

Community colleges make sense for some people. If the kid has a good head on their shoulders, isn’t behind, can can afford it, going to a university straight away isn’t a bad idea.

I agree. The only things I regret in college are all social/experiences that I didn't do because I was trying to save money or study more.

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