University in America is a scam. Scam!
I went to my University’s student orientation class this evening and learned quite a few things. First, the University has a health department “fee” that gets added on to tuition. I tried to explain that I already have health insurance and would not be using the facilities at the school under any circumstances. Guess what? I have to pay the damn fee anyway.
I understand the whole medical thing for students who live on campus. It makes sense and in reality, is probably a good program for those on a really tight budget who just can’t afford insurance. But I don’t live on campus. I won’t ever live on campus. I should be able to opt out of this “benefit” but unfortunately, I cannot.
Scam.
Second, I live about 25 miles from the school so I have to drive there. If I want to park my vehicle, it will cost me $73.00 a semester. For parking in a parking lot! Are you shitting me? Spring, Summer and Fall Semesters will cost me $219.00 a year. To park in a parking lot. And you know what the school will do if someone breaks into my vehicle while it sits in the lot I’m paying for? Nothing!
Scam.
My biggest complaint is the cost of textbooks. Why the hell does a 200 page book cost $181.00…used?!? I knew this cost was coming from my experience in obtaining my undergraduate degrees, but it still sickens me.
With today’s technology, I have the option of “renting” said book by downloading it. For a measly $95.00, I can actually keep it for 90 days. Wow, so generous. Especially considering that I need two books for each of my three classes. Let’s see, if I download the books, it will only cost me $570.00 a semester for books.
Scam.
And if the books aren’t available for download, I’ll have to buy them either new or used. Here’s a tip for everyone: NEVER buy new books. If you think you’ll get some money back for reselling it to the school, you’ll be in for a big surprise when you find out the book has been “revised” and they won’t buy back “old and outdated” copies. Or if you’re actually lucky, that new book you spent $180.00 for will be bought back by the school for $25.00.
Scam.
All this on top of the $4,000.00 a semester cost for tuition. And that’s for “in state” tuition. Otherwise it would cost about $15,000 a semester.
Scam.
But what’s the alternative? I have to have that damn piece of paper (some people call these “degrees”) to get the job I want. No way around it.
Grrrr. I really need some inspiration here.
I hear you Fred,
I have often said that college has lost it’s way, it is now a business and “you pays your moneys and you gets your credits”.
Me, I take online courses only, that cuts out 90% of what you rant about, buy the books online from Amazon.com and get out as cheap as possible.
If I remember though, you are not going to be able to take the courses you need online. In that case, you have to focus on the decision you made to earn the degree and the benefits derived from that. Focus on that and not the sham/scam that higher education has become.
I will ask you this, why is it that colleges are money sucking vampires? I think it has to do with the bureaucratic nature of it all and the “tenure” process.
Good luck though, as painful as it may be.
Tim
Yep! I’m going through Amazon because the “rent” price for online books is about $30.00. Much, much better.
I agree with you that the bureaucratic nonsense is why college is so expensive.
At least I’ll be able to put the pain of getting the degree to good use once it’s all said and done. Hopefully a lot of veterans with PTSD will benefit from it, too – once I get into counseling practice.
Thanks for visiting!
Yeah, textbooks never cease to amaze me. I paid $200 last semester for a chemistry book that comes “binder ready” meaning it has 3 hole punches in all the pages but is not bound in anyway. Really? 200 bucks and they couldn’t afford to add on the $7 binder?
However, there is a politician working to change that. Let’s hope he makes some progress…sadly I think too many people will fight him on it though. http://blog.sfgate.com/nov05election/2011/12/13/senator-wants-free-textbooks-for-college-students/