Comments on: U.S. Colleges Are Overrated & Overpriced http://matadorlife.com/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/ Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:37:39 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: El http://matadorlife.com/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/comment-page-1/#comment-2734 El Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:50:43 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-2734 I am amused by the rack of Princeton sweatshirts you put atop your article. Princeton happens to be one of only a handful of universities in the US that offers need-blind admissions to international as well as American students, and then a financial aid program that covers all demonstrated need. For example, they pay more than half of my tuition, and this summer they are also completely funding my internship in Egypt. Princeton's generous financial aid also follows students who choose to study abroad for a semester or a year, but only at overseas universities who can demonstrate comparable rigor. I would never have been able to visit Egypt without their support. We've also had a grade deflation policy in place since 2004, which gives all seniors enormous headaches when they graduate. It is of course possible to waste a truckload of money on a mediocre university in America, but you could do that in most countries. It would be foolish to think of all universities in the US as having the same level of academics and cachet, and to choose one's university based on its country, rather than the specifics of its programs and offerings. It is equally misguided to reject all universities in a country as being overpriced without a single word as to financial aid, which in the top-end, brand-name universities tends to be extraordinarily generous. Even for an internet opinion piece, I would have preferred a little more research and knowledge, and less demagoguery and generalization. I am amused by the rack of Princeton sweatshirts you put atop your article. Princeton happens to be one of only a handful of universities in the US that offers need-blind admissions to international as well as American students, and then a financial aid program that covers all demonstrated need. For example, they pay more than half of my tuition, and this summer they are also completely funding my internship in Egypt. Princeton’s generous financial aid also follows students who choose to study abroad for a semester or a year, but only at overseas universities who can demonstrate comparable rigor. I would never have been able to visit Egypt without their support.

We’ve also had a grade deflation policy in place since 2004, which gives all seniors enormous headaches when they graduate.

It is of course possible to waste a truckload of money on a mediocre university in America, but you could do that in most countries. It would be foolish to think of all universities in the US as having the same level of academics and cachet, and to choose one’s university based on its country, rather than the specifics of its programs and offerings. It is equally misguided to reject all universities in a country as being overpriced without a single word as to financial aid, which in the top-end, brand-name universities tends to be extraordinarily generous.

Even for an internet opinion piece, I would have preferred a little more research and knowledge, and less demagoguery and generalization.

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]]> By: Sam http://matadorlife.com/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/comment-page-1/#comment-2729 Sam Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:26:52 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-2729 I might be mistaken, but is the United States not the leader in Nobel Prize laureates, all earned by people who studied at the undergraduate and graduate levels IN the United States? I might be mistaken, but is the United States not the leader in Nobel Prize laureates, all earned by people who studied at the undergraduate and graduate levels IN the United States?

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]]> By: Olga http://matadorlife.com/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/comment-page-1/#comment-2698 Olga Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:26:00 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-2698 Although the nominal price of college abroad is often less expensive than college in the States, universities in other countries often charge Americans and other foreign students more than they would citizens of their own country. That is because Americans and foreigners don't pay the taxes that support the reduced prices of public universities abroad. Conversely, an American attending a community or state college in America could get a better deal, since those institutions typically offer reduced rates due to the availability of public funding. And let's not forget the price of relocating and of flying to and from home for breaks, wedding, holidays, etc...when one goes to school in Trier but hails from Toledo. Although the nominal price of college abroad is often less expensive than college in the States, universities in other countries often charge Americans and other foreign students more than they would citizens of their own country. That is because Americans and foreigners don’t pay the taxes that support the reduced prices of public universities abroad. Conversely, an American attending a community or state college in America could get a better deal, since those institutions typically offer reduced rates due to the availability of public funding. And let’s not forget the price of relocating and of flying to and from home for breaks, wedding, holidays, etc…when one goes to school in Trier but hails from Toledo.

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]]> By: Ryan http://matadorlife.com/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/comment-page-1/#comment-2668 Ryan Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:38:42 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-2668 I graduated a year ago from a state school and I could lean both ways on this subject. I did have a chance to study abroad and get a taste of a different style of education but that's not to say it was any better. The experience is exactly what the student makes it. I may bea good person to use in the author's argument--I procrastinated, consumed an absurd amount of drugs and would go snowboarding the day before an exam. However, that was my choice and that shouldn't reflect badly on my Uni. At the same time, I was an employee in my school's international programs office and had constant interaction with foreign students. I can't seem to recall even one of those students who said their classes were more challenging than what they were used to at home. Regardless, they were in the US and not at home so once again, it comes down to personal choice. I graduated a year ago from a state school and I could lean both ways on this subject. I did have a chance to study abroad and get a taste of a different style of education but that’s not to say it was any better. The experience is exactly what the student makes it. I may bea good person to use in the author’s argument–I procrastinated, consumed an absurd amount of drugs and would go snowboarding the day before an exam. However, that was my choice and that shouldn’t reflect badly on my Uni.

At the same time, I was an employee in my school’s international programs office and had constant interaction with foreign students. I can’t seem to recall even one of those students who said their classes were more challenging than what they were used to at home. Regardless, they were in the US and not at home so once again, it comes down to personal choice.

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]]> By: Eva http://matadorlife.com/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/comment-page-1/#comment-2659 Eva Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:45:37 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-2659 I don't think that's what "touched a nerve" at all. Your comment has nuance and balance, and allows room for people's diverse experiences -- whereas phrases like "junk-filled, hype-inflated product" leave much less room for some people to claim value from their choices. I think that lack of balance is prompting some negative reactions. I don’t think that’s what “touched a nerve” at all. Your comment has nuance and balance, and allows room for people’s diverse experiences — whereas phrases like “junk-filled, hype-inflated product” leave much less room for some people to claim value from their choices. I think that lack of balance is prompting some negative reactions.

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]]> By: Lee http://matadorlife.com/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/comment-page-1/#comment-2658 Lee Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:16:51 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-2658 I am currently a student at Dartmouth College. It's 5:00 AM and I'm stressed out of my mind, but you know what? That proves that some places in the US aren't just grade-inflating commercial centres. Your argument is very solidly rooted in stereotype. College in the US is indeed very expensive, but it provides a lot of options that schools outside of the States just can't offer. For instance, my girlfriend lives in Italy, and she had to seek out housing, grocery stores, and modes of financing herself ON HER OWN while studying. Her parents were able to help her out with these costs (seeing as jobs are scarce everywhere recently), but many people just would not be able to do this, neither by themselves nor with parental assistance. I am studying because of a fantastic financial aid package that has given me plenty of work-study (a Godsend), a place to live, food to eat, all given under loans that I have plenty of time to pay. Before you start enumerating all of those reasons why the US college education system falters in comparison to others, you need to assess the grievous faults of those to whom you are comparing it to. I am currently a student at Dartmouth College. It’s 5:00 AM and I’m stressed out of my mind, but you know what? That proves that some places in the US aren’t just grade-inflating commercial centres. Your argument is very solidly rooted in stereotype. College in the US is indeed very expensive, but it provides a lot of options that schools outside of the States just can’t offer. For instance, my girlfriend lives in Italy, and she had to seek out housing, grocery stores, and modes of financing herself ON HER OWN while studying. Her parents were able to help her out with these costs (seeing as jobs are scarce everywhere recently), but many people just would not be able to do this, neither by themselves nor with parental assistance. I am studying because of a fantastic financial aid package that has given me plenty of work-study (a Godsend), a place to live, food to eat, all given under loans that I have plenty of time to pay.

Before you start enumerating all of those reasons why the US college education system falters in comparison to others, you need to assess the grievous faults of those to whom you are comparing it to.

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]]> By: Danny Boy http://matadorlife.com/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/comment-page-1/#comment-2657 Danny Boy Fri, 10 Jul 2009 07:26:31 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-2657 This article does not seem practical or realistic for those that can't afford to go overseas. I may be able to go overseas because of the grades that I got in high school, but my brothers can't. When you don't come from a family that can't afford expensive colleges going to in state college is the best option(colleges wise) to take if you want a decent job. This article does not seem practical or realistic for those that can’t afford to go overseas. I may be able to go overseas because of the grades that I got in high school, but my brothers can’t. When you don’t come from a family that can’t afford expensive colleges going to in state college is the best option(colleges wise) to take if you want a decent job.

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]]> By: admin http://matadorlife.com/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/comment-page-1/#comment-2656 admin Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:29:47 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-2656 It seems what really touched a nerve with so many commenters here is not that the article is "fact-free"; it's that the author is raising a basic question about the hard currency value of an undergraduate or graduate degree *in the United States.* Personally, I think the $30,000 a year my parents spent on my undergraduate and graduate education was worth every penny, above all, because college was about so much more than what tangible work skills I walked away with. I learned how to think critically, how to listen to people different from my own background, how to decide what was important to me. But in retrospect, I wonder if I might well have learned those same skills--tangible and otherwise--at a university in another country. I don't regret getting a BA or an MSW, and I don't regret attending some of the best universities in the US. But it's not at all threatening to me to think about how my experiences might have been different had I pursued a degree abroad instead. It seems what really touched a nerve with so many commenters here is not that the article is “fact-free”; it’s that the author is raising a basic question about the hard currency value of an undergraduate or graduate degree *in the United States.*

Personally, I think the $30,000 a year my parents spent on my undergraduate and graduate education was worth every penny, above all, because college was about so much more than what tangible work skills I walked away with. I learned how to think critically, how to listen to people different from my own background, how to decide what was important to me.

But in retrospect, I wonder if I might well have learned those same skills–tangible and otherwise–at a university in another country. I don’t regret getting a BA or an MSW, and I don’t regret attending some of the best universities in the US. But it’s not at all threatening to me to think about how my experiences might have been different had I pursued a degree abroad instead.

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]]> By: Wassan http://matadorlife.com/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/comment-page-1/#comment-2652 Wassan Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:35:05 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-2652 I couldn't disagree with this more, especially at the undergraduate level. Maybe at some of the lower ranked, expensive schools, but there are many excellent top ranked universities in the US that give you a much more diverse experience than that you will receive in other countries. Give me a break, you're painting more than 3000 schools with the same brush. There IS a different between a no name school charging $35,000 per year for undergrad and University of Michigan or Berkley. I couldn’t disagree with this more, especially at the undergraduate level. Maybe at some of the lower ranked, expensive schools, but there are many excellent top ranked universities in the US that give you a much more diverse experience than that you will receive in other countries.

Give me a break, you’re painting more than 3000 schools with the same brush. There IS a different between a no name school charging $35,000 per year for undergrad and University of Michigan or Berkley.

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]]> By: Paul Sholar http://matadorlife.com/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/comment-page-1/#comment-2647 Paul Sholar Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:15:09 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-2647 One of the more remarkably fact-free postings I've seen lately on the Web. One of the more remarkably fact-free postings I’ve seen lately on the Web.

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