How Much is College Actually Worth?

By Samantha Asher

A college education can range from being free with a full ride scholarship or just a few grand at a two year community college to hundreds of thousands of dollars at a top private school for 4 years or more including graduate school. College is not cheap and tuition has gone up considerable over the past several years. What is odd is that one college, such as a state school, can have tuition costing $5,500 a year, while another private school costs $30,000 a year in tuition. Why do some schools cost so much more money, and is it worth it?

Many people look at state schools as inferior because they cost so much less, but they don't think about why they cost so much less. They assume that less cost to them means bad teachers, few programs, and a potentially bad experience. State schools are government sponsored, meaning they get money from the government like public primary and secondary schools. This allows them to charge considerably less for tuition. Private schools get no money from the government. They rely 100% on the tuition and fees they get from enrolled students to fund everything.

College is worth as much as you get out of it, not the price you pay. Believe it or not, many public state schools are more 'prestigious' than private schools that cost more. Searching for a college to attend is a very involved process. If you want to get the best education for the best price, stop looking at the tuition price as a value rating.

First, decide your career path and research that department in the colleges you are interested in. For example, if you are interested in business, ask around at employers to see which schools they get a lot of employees from. Ask alumni what they thought of their college and look at reviews that rate schools based on the value of the education they are offering. Never rely on what you 'hear around' at school from other classmates or what people at other colleges think of other schools. Gossip is rarely reliable and often students at other colleges are much more partial to the school they are attending, especially if they were denied admission to the school you are interested in. You want real opinions from actual students and alumni.

Money isn't everything. Search for the school with the best education and programs. Going to a more expensive school won't get you a better job, but it will increase your loans causing a decrease in your salary for many years until you are able to pay them off for good.

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