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So, before I embark on this quest for knowledge and financial debt, how is the college situation for the rest of you all? I'm definitely not digging this tuition price...

This is a question directed more towards those of you who do not live in America (land of opportunity poor benefits derp).

I know you asked for people who don't live in America but I'm gonna post anyway

As far as I know college will leave anyone who is not already wealthy or receiving a decent amount of scholarships with debt. Tuition is about $20k (American dollars) for me this year. That number will hopefully be cut in half if I can get out of living in the dorms.

If you can't get scholarships or grants then you will probably have to get loans. If that is the case be sure that they are subsidized or else the interest will grow out of control. Also in America I know they have government pay programs where if you fall within a certain income and grade range you are eligible for support at the federal level. Don't know if that's the case everywhere else.

For scholarships be sure to also check the school you are applying to because they can have scholarships unique to that school.

Umm...that's all I can think of off the top of my head, if you have specific questions I would be happy to answer them to the best of my ability. Hope some of this helps!

P.S. As an example I have a friend who went through med school and he finished paying off his debts last summer after 12 years...He says it actually wasn't that bad because he as able to pay for it at a consistent and manageable rate. From what I understand colleges are not unreasonable, just overpriced...

Kroth, on 17 February 2011 - 04:43 AM, said:

I'm going into a private college under a 75% scholarship and still will pay $9,000. I do not qualify for a grant (my parents make too much money but still cannot afford the tuition without me taking out a loan. The problem isn't the $9,000, it's the $20,000 for my sibling).

But I'm not really asking this because I think my tuition is that high, I'm just curious about tuition elsewhere.

I want to post too anyway since I want to see how it's like for everyone else.

College tuition wasn't TOO bad the first year (I'm currently a fourth year). I can't remember how much it was, but my loans were pretty shitty. I think I ended up paying out of pocket for most of my tuition, with each quarter being almost $4,000? Something like that.

Since then, the tuition has gone up 35%. There's going to be another 8% increase this summer. Summer classes are paid for by the unit, unlike the rest of the year (we're on the quarter system, which is 10 weeks of instruction). It was about $175 a unit a few years back but now it reaches about $200-ish, not including the other mandatory fees you have to pay.

So in short: I wish college was free too. Thankfully I've received more aid later in my education compared to my first year, but really, it's still not enough. I struggle every month to pay for my housing. I live in a double in the cheapest apartment possible and it's $900 for the entire place. I'd commute to, but, well...my hometown is 100+ miles away

After I graduate I'll be pretty much $35,000+ in debt..woo hoo...

Aika, on 17 February 2011 - 04:54 AM, said:

Yay, debt!

I don't really like America's freedom of opportunity. I'd much rather have equality of outcome--would totally pay more taxes in order for my country to be more educated.

Get as much out of federal loans as you can. Even the un-subsidized loans post a fairly low interest rate compared to any sort of private loan. Private loans can be quite ridiculous, so be careful when it becomes necessary to tap into those funds.

As for me, I ended up going the military scholarship route. It's pretty good deal as long as money isn't the only reason for deciding to join. Something I wish I had known about that I'd tell future health science students is if they do consider the possibility of going the military route for professional school, they should consider doing ROTC (if the undergraduate school they go to has the program). That way when you get into a professional school, you can double-dip with a financial loop-hole. You are eligible for both the GI Bill (for prior service) and the military scholarship on top of that.

Another tip is: I believe many colleges (if not most) charge tuition based on either being full-time or part-time student. Once you hit full-time status, you usually won't get charged anymore on top of that for any extra class you add for that term. For example, if you need 16 credit hours to achieve full-time status, but you decide to take 25 credits that term, you still only get charged for the standard full-time student fee. Maybe that's just for public schools, someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but that's how it works at my school. My point on this is, if you are willing to carry a heavy load, you can get more credits for your money, and save in the long run.

I think undergrad tuition here is 10k a year. Med school is 40k a year here. Probably lower than national avg since it's a state funded school.

This post has been edited by Purin: 17 February 2011 - 05:00 AM

Moosack, on 17 February 2011 - 04:53 AM, said:

Oh ok, my bad.

As far as tuition is going for me I am in a public college and will pay between $10,000 and $20,000 depending on if I'm in the dorms or not. That's all before any grants, scholarships, loans etc...

Purin, on 17 February 2011 - 04:57 AM, said:

It's true for most colleges. I'm going to take this route.

I'm torn between a college I want to go to that's too expensive, and a college my dad thinks I should go to (despite the fact that I'm not nearly as interested as he thinks...) which is also way to expensive.

But the one I want is enough that i'm willing to take student loans, and my mom's behind it, and I REALLY want to do it, so I'm hoping we can convince him eventually.

CriticalQuit, on 17 February 2011 - 05:01 AM, said:

Had the same issue between the college I'm currently going to and UW Madison, not that money (the tuition is the same, just that this place is offering me more) was the only deciding factor, but I decided on my current choice.

Moosack, on 17 February 2011 - 04:59 AM, said:

I think Purin's right. My school is a UC school, so it's public. 12 units is considered full time here, and anything less than that is considered part time. The only thing to be careful about though is that some types of financial aid require a specific status. Same with scholarships. Some might want you to be completely full time to be eligible for the aid. If you qualify you can also do work study, where you work for your units, basically. I'm not entirely sure how it works but it most likely varies from each institution. I know also that if you request aid through my school, they're only willing to lend out so much to every student for their entire time as an undergrad. Another policy is that my school isn't willing to provide aid if you stay in college too long..I think here it's like 18 quarters or something, basically 6 years if you don't include summer.

Wherever you're deciding to go, just look up their financial aid policies. I always apply for aid regardless if I get anything or not, because you can always choose to accept or turn down the aid you're offered.

This post has been edited by Aika: 17 February 2011 - 06:12 AM

Yeah Aika, you're talking about the SAP Policy, right? The Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, where you have to maintain a certain gpa AND have an adequate credit earned to term ratio in order to keep your financial aid. It's basically like a merit-based scholarship, except in this case it's to remain eligible for need-based loans/grants.

This post has been edited by Purin: 17 February 2011 - 05:28 AM

I worked for a couple years in high school and during summers at university to help pay off school debt. I saved around 4k before university, and around 1.5k a year in low part time summer jobs.

It's not going to pay for everything, but the lower you get your loans, the less hassle you'll have later in life.

Plus, look extremely hard into scholarships that are provided by your college/state. You will be shocked at what is offered, and how few people take advantage of them.

The adventure, knowledge, and experience is ALMOST worth it. almost

Ignoring the 'no Americans' request, cause thats what we do in America:

In-state, HOPE scholarship-funded. I only pay for housing, which isn't cheap, but for living smack in the middle of downtown, its pretty cheap. Also, I've worked every summer and paid for at least half. Graduating with no debt except a few thou to parents which they aren't gonna ask for.

getonmylvl

also, #7 on list of top public universities

feels bueno.

Well, I'm not going to lie but... I'm not satisfied with my education.

It feels like we're spending so much money, and the classes are mostly uninteresting or really slow. So far I don't feel like I've learning much things worth the effort, or anything that will let me do what I want with my life.

I do sometimes study and practice some things by myself, completely unrelated to school; but I've always felt that I've learned much more studying like that, than following a program. In the latter case, my performance is mediocre.

Right now, I'm only still in college because of the official documents I get when I finish, sometimes it feels like a waste of time that I could be using learning something that will actually be useful (Don't intend to say that college is useless, it's just something that isn't working for me).

So basically the way I see it is: Need something done? Tell me the requirements, and I will get them.

Rather than: Uhh... I know this stuff, does any of that fit your requirements?

So... sure, after college you might know a lot of things, but a very small percentage of people actually get jobs related to what they studied, and even if you get something very related, it's unlikely they will require ALL your knowledge.

Another thing I've seen, is that most education teaches us how to be employed, but not actually how to be an employer, which in today's world is almost a necessity. There is still many people left out without jobs, because there is a very high demand. So that's something I think the education system is lacking: teaching us how to actually make money. Right now it just looks like it's:

"Ok ex-student, now you know stuff. Good luck finding a job! Oh and by the way... you owe us money."

Oh and also another common thing that happens, is that most enterprises and companies require previous experience before they even consider to employ you.

So... I believe the way to go is to learn something that we like, learn to exploit our abilities, and make money off it. Riskier, but it feels a lot more gratifying, to me at least.

*sigh* free college would be nice...

My college has been free, for now. My state has a Vocational Rehabilitation center, that will pay you money if you have a disability (In my case severe ADHD) to go to college. It's actually not that much, but the college I'm attending is pretty cheap. So with that and the Pell grant I even get some money back to pay for all of my textbooks and materials. I got screwed over for HOPE, but hopefully I'll get it next semester.

Though, when I transfer to Warnell I'll probably have to take out a loan.

This post has been edited by CaptainBaconMan: 17 February 2011 - 07:14 AM

CaptainBaconMan, on 17 February 2011 - 07:13 AM, said:

I'm currently going to apply for a few small scholarships, one especially for people who had hearing problems in the past and another for children of mothers with Spinabifida. I hope that will start to pick up the slack for what I have left.

This post has been edited by Moosack: 17 February 2011 - 12:51 PM

In Brazil there are private colleges and public ones.

Public ones are extremely hard to be accepted, but are free, the State/Country pays for them.

I'm in one of them, in Brazil's capital.
Solely because of that, I can live alone, working and studying.

Lycan, on 17 February 2011 - 01:27 PM, said:

You deserve to be Lycan! I mean in the college not alone...

But with my brother shipping off to boston soon, paying out of state can suck. isn't Taeshi enrolled in the College of Fine Arts or something? My dad has been saving up forever though so he is actually ready and I got the grades to get scholarships. Paying for it is a bitch and looking my dad in the eye if i ever screw up is what keeps me studying.

I also have a debilitating tendency to procrastinate. I get caught up in other things when I should be doing school work, and then I start to loop.

Dude, fuck ADHD. I'm actually going to start taking my medication again because I don't think I can make it through this semester without it.

This post has been edited by CaptainBaconMan: 17 February 2011 - 04:40 PM

college loans are not a bad thing. they give you a credit rating. speaking as someone who didn't need loans, i've been trying to get a credit card for years and been unable because i have no previous credit.
credit flows like sweet wine when you're a student, and you should take advantage of it.

I had to pay for most of my tuition off of my own back because my parents booted me out and refused to have anything to do with me because I rejected their faith. I spent more of my life working than I did in college, and I still do. Thank God I know someone who works on the Herald Sun; I now have a near-guaranteed $40,000 dollar a year job. Just goes to show that you don't need parents

This post has been edited by Sammy: 17 February 2011 - 06:14 PM

Sammy, on 17 February 2011 - 06:11 PM, said:

Very, very sad... but I'm also inspired by you Sammy. I don't know what would've happened to me if my parents kicked me out like they did you.

They've just raised the Uni tuition fees. Which means I have to make a good choice on the Uni I want to go to... My dad wants me to do science... But I really want to do English... He says i have to pick a course that will ultimately get me a job so I can pay off all the loans. Which, I've just been informed, wont be paying back until 'im in my 50s... Yay. Also means I now definately can't go to Cambridge or Oxford... Times like these I may decide not to bother with Uni, and just find a job.

I have some contingency plans in case my parents suddenly stop supporting me.
That would involve many hardships.

Good luck, Mr. Sammy!

This post has been edited by Lycan: 17 February 2011 - 06:53 PM

It's been a few years since I was in university, but I can safely say tuition costs have gone up just as much in Canada, if not more. International students pay significantly more in fees, as well.

My college education was largely paid for by a similar program to the one CaptainBaconMan is taking advantage of, although I don't remember the exact specifics anymore.

Being a first year at a university...I can say that costs are very high and still rising (I am paying all of it myself with loads of loans)

Luminaria, on 17 February 2011 - 06:53 PM, said:

I'm surprised that a lot of people still believe that whatever you study in college ultimately defines what you will do as a career. I know firsthand what it's like to go into something that I wasn't passionate about. My parents expected me to go into medicine, so I entered college as a biology major. I thought about going to med school and all that, but of course I wasn't 100% sure. I had initially wanted to do something art related, and even do some minoring in music on the side. I thought that I would have been okay with bio, but I was completely wrong. I don't think I've ever been more miserable than those first three years of college. Academic-wise, I was doing pretty good, but man was I DEPRESSED. I just didn't enjoy anything! You'd think that if you're good at something, you'd like it, right? I sure didn't. I then juggled between studying to be a teacher or sticking with bio so I could be a vet, but in the end I changed to psychology. I don't regret my decision to change majors, and at the same time I feel like I should have just done art in the first place. It didn't mean that I would be a fine arts artist (we don't have animation or graphic designing courses here), but I would have at LEAST enjoyed what I was doing!


If you want to do English, GO FOR IT. Don't go into another major just because you're being pressured. If I had to change ONE thing about my entire college experience, it was that I changed my major a long time ago OR had gone into art like I intended. It would have saved me the emotional drama, time, and money. If you're being that pressured into science, you can always give it a try - but you also have every right to change your major if you find that you don't really like it. Doing science in college doesn't guarantee you a job in the science field, likewise with any other major. There's too many things that contributes to a job/career, and relying solely on your major for how your job will be like is an unrealistic gamble.

I don't mean to get in your business, it's just I really don't want anyone to go through what I did. I'm a different person now since it happened, although I have learned a lot from my experience. Because of it, I am finally going to attempt what I have always wanted to do - study art, specifically the art of animation, once I graduate. Of course I'll have to go back to school for it, but I know I wouldn't be wondering "what if" in the long run if I never pursued my one passion.

This post has been edited by Aika: 17 February 2011 - 09:14 PM

I had no choice but to stay in-state for college, as my main scholarship is a state scholarship. My first college of choice was going to be 22k+, and the scholarship money I get now only comes up to about $8000ish a year, my parents are in the same scenario as 'make to much to get grants/tons of financial aid but make too little to be able to pay really anything for college' thing. This is the college I was set on going to because it was where all my friends were going.
But, I'd have multiple mental breakdowns over how much I was going to have to take out with student loans and such for just my first year of college. I could not handle the thought of being in so much debt at only 18/19. So I decided that I couldn't torture myself like this and went with my second college of choice, which is only about 7k a year.
At first I moped and moped over my decision, because it is away from my absolute closest friend and in my boring little home town, but the more and more time I spend here I realize how right of a decision I made. I've become so much closer with the best friends that stayed here as well along with people that were just originally acquaintances. I've made great new friends, have wonderful classes and professors, and get paid $400-500 back a semester. I don't have to stress myself or my parents out to pay for a college I realized is shit education wise and is really just for those looking to have 'fun and party'.

Involving majors, I started out Biology/Pre-Med major not only because I actually do really love science but also because of how horrified I was of not being able to find a stable, well-paying profession with an art major. I find it funny how people are always talking about how their parents push them to do medicine, but my parents were always behind my back on what I wanted to do and eventually helped support me in switching over to being an art major. I did excellent in the pre-med/bio classes, but I was mentally and even physically longing to do art, spending my time on art projects instead of math or chemistry. I was bored and frustrated. One day I decided to do more research on careers that could join the two and I found medical illustration. It'll be incredibly hard to get into, as the grad schools are few(5 in North America) and except only 4-5 students a year for the program, but I decided if I work hard enough and try my best I have a chance at doing something I love and getting paid well to do it. So I switched to art, I could absolutely not be happier with how things are going now.

In the end you can't let outside pressures get to you involving this stuff, you've just got to go with what you know is what is going to make you happy or you'll end up miserable.

last I checked, tuition has doubled where I'm going.

Starwatcher, on 17 February 2011 - 06:14 PM, said:

I would enroll in a community 4-year and transfer out if I could allocate the right funds if I couldn't have the support of my parents.

You could cut off your testicles and apply for a eunuch minority scholarship.

Lycan, on 17 February 2011 - 01:27 PM, said:

I'm in a predicament in which I'm in the top percentage of ACT test takers (30, not amazing, but top 4% of the nation), but I've slacked off on my GPA (3.5 unweighted), so it's hard for me to get qualified for competitive scholarships. It kind of makes me a little jealous of your country's school system.

Jerk, on 18 February 2011 - 03:59 AM, said:

Not to diminish the hilarity here, but I'd have to that before puberty.

No, that's just to become a castrato. You can cut your balls off at any time to become a eunuch.

Ah, so there is hope.

@Aika, the way the everythings going at the moment, I probably won't get a job even if i have a degree...
@Carmen, My dad wants me to do something practical, and my Mum wants me to do whatever i'll enjoy the most because 'It will be the best time of your life'

My Dad is only thinking about practicality because of my older brother, he made a poor course choice, got a 3rd and now can't get proper work concerning his field of knowlodge. I know he's just looking out for me, but any talk of future plans ends up spiralling to 'I'm looking after your best interests! You don't want to end up like your brother'

I really would love to do an English Course... I know i'd hate biology. (Or dentistry, which is what my Dad really wants me to do) Gah. Parents.

My dad acts like the authority over my mom in terms of college (wanting me to steer away from Full Sail, which looks really good and I'd be attending it with a friend, to some shit college in Chicago because one guy he works with went there).

My dad NEVER WENT TO COLLEGE. So he really needs to shut up about the one I want to go to.

C'mon Luminaria, have confidence. My one friend's parents were both pharmacists, yet she majored in Journalism, her brother majored in Music Education, and her sister majored in Fashion/Design. They all pursued what they loved, despite what lucrative careers her parents have. Sure, the job market is more difficult, but it's worth the pursuit in the end.

"Love your job and never work a day in your life." This quote may not always hold true, since every job has those downer days, but it is a good quote to live by.

Luminaria, on 18 February 2011 - 09:07 PM, said:

What's wrong with Dentistry? (j/k)

This post has been edited by Purin: 18 February 2011 - 09:25 PM

Yeah... get hired. There is plenty of time to go back and get the degree you want in night classes. Of my 20 or so high-school friends...there are 3 of us with jobs. 1 is a teacher, 1 is an engineer, and 1 works for the police department. Its not glamorous, and its not their dream career(cept for the teacher), but they don't live with their parents. The other 17 do. These are smart people too. Alot of them have 4.0's and internships ect. I realize its shitty advice, but if you get a degree that pays well, you can go back to school, get the degree you want, and have time to look for the job you want without worrying about where your rent will come from.

EDIT: the other 17 did what they wanted to do, and now can't find jobs. I'm not trying to be harsh.

This post has been edited by Daer21: 19 February 2011 - 12:19 AM

CriticalQuit, on 18 February 2011 - 09:19 PM, said:

My father didn't go to college either, but he's just happy that I'm going to college (my siblings and I are the first on his side of the family to go to college...). My mother is a different story, Masters in Law, English, and Journalism (no longer in any of these fields of work; never liked any of it) and has been very concerned with the college that I have chosen.

My mom did go to college, and she's the one actually backing me on this.

My dad's source of distrust for the college is one graduate, who did badly while working from him, who attended the college years before it was accredited, and in a completely different field than the one I'm doing.

CriticalQuit, on 19 February 2011 - 05:04 AM, said:

Heh. Completely polar from my father. He doesn't care as long as I graduate college. I suppose it's because college graduates have taken over the engineering market (he works as a designer of centrifuges without a degree), so he thinks that the diploma is the only thing that will earn me a paycheck, no matter what college it might be from.

If you want to do engineering, you need a degree. Even with that the job markets killer right now.

Daer21, on 19 February 2011 - 06:57 AM, said:

My father has a long resume of job experience that predates when there was a need for a diploma; however, he makes considerably less money than his coworkers.

Moosack: I meant if you want to start in the industry today. I didn't mean to call you a liar, nor denigrate your father.

I was just agreeing that you need a degree because you make considerably less money at the same position, but yeah, you can't get those jobs without a degree anymore (as it should stand).