No Stupid Questions

Depends on the school but yes it's ridiculous. For a while it seemed like everyone was encouraged to attend college but now it seems like trade schools are coming back in a big way. I think people realise they aren't going to get anything useful for the time and money they put in for the jobs they want

Higher Ed is just another broken cog in the American machine. I'm lucky to live in a state that recently made Community College free for state residents that don't already have a college degree.

I'm seriously considering finding a nursing program. I've already been in the medical field for 38 years.

I'm sure it's not the sole factor, but universities in many other parts of the world are partially subsidised by the government.

A lot of folks are overlooking one of the largest factors, unlimited student loans for whatever.

As long as people have access to an ever increasing amount of money to use for tuition, it is in those institutions' interests to rise their prices to extract as much as possible.

Whereas other countries tend to subsidize their education at source, that is to say, by funding the schools directly which somehwat obviates the price gouging aspect.

Because it's worth it!

lol jk

Honestly? Because stupid people like you keep paying it. Sounds nasty, but you are paying it, and that's fucking stupid.

If we can reason and communicate effectively then we're much harder to exploit.

Education is priced above the balance of supply and demand because in wider scope it's more profitable to deny access.

Denial of access to education is a very good way to leave many people with violence as their only practical means of change.

Student loans have dulled price-point as a major consideration for choosing a school. So they compete on other non-academic stuff that tends to raise the tuition like sports, amenities, and prestige.

There's probably more at play, but the govt is willing to back companies offering loans to cover higher and higher tuition costs, so said companies haven't got to worry if the loans default or don't return the full amount - it's about setting an exorbitant "graduate tax" to keep a permanent stream of guaranteed income for as long as possible.

Higher loans means more repayments, and more money for universities, so they both raise tuition higher and higher to meet the limits of students. as long as banks or govt don't ever ask for their loans back (which they won't because it'll collapse the whole system and possibly the economy with it) the price can inflate at much at it likes.

the same is at play in the UK, only we have "tuition caps" that every university course sets their prices to because there is simply no benefit to charging less, and no downside to charging more. Everyone can get a loan, no one is denied, and the government backs this process because it is essentially being held at ransom.

I know I turned it into a rant about UK education but the financial systems feel very similar. There's simply too much money held up in a make believe cycle of IOUs that would immediately collapse a huge chunk of the American system if anyone willingly let it pop.

The only problem with this is that eventually it might just pop on its own, and no one will be ready.

Capitalism.

Capitalism took root in the early American colonies through European mercantile practices, private land ownership, and the growth of family-owned farms and small businesses. By the 18th century, the transatlantic trade, including the slave-based plantation economy in the South and a diversified market economy in the North, fostered a system increasingly dependent on private profit. After independence, policies favoring property rights, limited government interference, and expanding markets reinforced a capitalist framework. By the mid-19th century, industrialization, the rise of factories, and expanding transportation networks fully cemented capitalism as the dominant American economic model. In my view, it thrived primarily because it aligned with the nation’s emphasis on individual opportunity and entrepreneurial initiative.

Without regulation, it allowed the most selfish people to rise to the top. Most Americans can't imagine that their leaders are so cruel. They think "everyone is just exaggerating when they say the wealthy elites don't care about us. no one is so callous!" The truth is so much worse than they imagine. Our elites are monsters. They're using tactics that would make Hitler blanch.

Education is one of the social practices they have privatized. The elites don't want us to be educated. They want us angry, stupid and powerless. So they've used propaganda and every tool at their disposal to turn our education system into a scam, a sad parody of an effective instruction method. It's expensive garbage, and that's exactly what the elites want.

Nobody knows. Serious, there are a lot of factors people will point to in here. Some of them are real factors, but every time I dig in I discovered that they do not explain everything. Prices have gone up much faster than inflation for decades even after accounting for government subsidies.

Same reason the adjuster fixed a CEO.

Huge corruption and collusion between state and schools for the benefit of the owner class.

Education is paywalled

Generally students will get financial aid and scholarships that cover much of the cost of tuition, especially if they're from a lower income family. I'm guessing that, as an international student from a wealthier family, your son didn't quality for much aid. Tuition is also generally lower for residents of the state, which he also wouldn't qualify as.

Even with all that it's still incredibly expensive and lots of people end up having to take out large loans or work jobs while in college to cover the cost.

Profits.

It used to still be a worthwhile investment though. These days... it can be, but it's not guaranteed. You also can learn most things online for free, so what is it even getting for you, really?

Connections.

But that only if you are willing to push for them, and so many kids are only there purely bc their parents send them, like an extended daycare or continuation of high school. I'm not saying it's not worthwhile, but it requires a VERY serious commitment, and so many people are not willing to live up to that.

See also the recent discussion in !AskUSA@discuss.online Is college in the USA worth the financial investment?

To ensure a large supply of low wage labor.

Greed. Come on were you really expecting a different response?

Profit and greed. That’s it.

They charge that much because they can, and what are you gonna do about it? Not go to college? Good luck getting a job flipping burgers without a bachelors degree.