Quote:
Originally Posted by Fong
All they have to do is to want the degree and then set out to obtain it.
You can claim that anyone can overcome the barrier that cost is, you still have to admit that it is a barrier that needs to be overcome.
You will claim, that it is motivational and better at weeding people out.
We will reply, why do you want to weed people out of education? Who does that help?
I don't know what more to say if you will not address that point.
It doesn't matter how people can go about getting their degree by jumping through what hoops. It is the simple question....why is that better? Who does it help to weed people out, who aren't motivated enough to jump through those hoops?
We have asked that question many times in many ways. It was the entire premise of the paragraph you quoted.
Yet you didn't answer it.
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For the sake of argument I would estimate that someone going to college would be required to spend about 1500 hours per year in class and doing their homework. Does that sound like a good estimate? They could certainly get by with less time but with that dedication they could easily maintain a 4.0 GPA.
If we use the numbers I provided previously the average cost of a college education is about $4,000/yr in a state college (which is reduced substantially if the person attends the first 2 years at a community college). At $10/hr, which virtually any college student can get in America, it would take 400 hours/yr to pay for tuition. There are 2088 hours in a normal employment year BUT we haven't accounted for living expenses. I typically work about 3,000+ hours per year which is very doable so there are still over 1,100 hours available, or $11,000 that the student could earn for living expenses. Is that a lot of money? No, but by renting a room or sharing an apartment, or living in a dorm, it does provide for the basic necessities. Of course they are still entitled to student loans so if they need more they could choose to go that route. I won't (I perfer the pay-as-you-go) approach and, of course they could have saved up money working while in high school as well.
So I don't see the cost of a college education to be a barrier at all. I do see a dedication to commit to 6,000 hours of college as being a barrier though. It all comes back to motivation and not money. If someone isn't willing to commit what it takes to achieve a college education even if you paid their tuition completely they still wouldn't go. Hell, even if you paid them $10/hr to go the majority that aren't really motivated would drop out when offered a $15/hr job.
The cost simply isn't the barrier preventing people from getting a college education and no evidence has been presented to even imply that it is.