Why do you have to be rich to go to college?

Question

With me being in my second semester of my freshman year in college I have caught on quick to the "academic world". It seems like to me that now a days only people with a lot of money are able to go to school. I know some will say that there are plenty of scholarships, and finacial aid out there for people, but not everyone can get a scholarship, and sometimes financial aid does not pay for everything. It seems as if the system is designed to keep the poor at teh bottom and to make sure that the rich stay at the top. Even though I am not apart of high society I want to learn too so why will an education leave me in debt for the rest of my life? For the amount of money that I pay for school I could just buy some books and learn on my own. It certainly seems as if the past if reoccuring, because i remember that about 100 years ago only the rich could afford to go to college I guess America wants those days to come back.

piepiepie how can you even respond to this question and you don't even live in this country?

Answer 1

I would have to beg to differ. Go to a community college. Unless you want to be a doctor or a lawyer, Universities are the biggest waste of money ever. Say becoming an RN.

You pay $25,000 plus books dorm etc a YEAR for 4 years, which is more then 100+

To do the same thing as you do when you go to a Community College you pay about $9000 total for 2 years of college to become the exact same thing and probably make around the same amount of money. The only difference is the degree.

Even if you need a bachelors degree. You start 2 years at the local college and go to a university after and your price is almost completly cut in half.

People think, ok now high school is over I have to go to University now. Most who are there do not even know what they want to do with there life. Or what they want to majior in and the money is just going to a complete waste. That's when things get expensive. They think that they just need to be there becuase that is what you do.

You do not need to go to college to be a sucess either. Yes now a days you may need to to do alot of things, but just becuase you do not go to college does not mean you are going to be poor or "stay poor". College was never an option to my mother, she was never encouraged to go nor was she ever talked to about it. It wasnt even existant in my mothers world growing up with her family. She never went and we are not poor. Sure we are not living in a 5 million dollar mansion but no normal working American needs that.

You need not pull the "...America" card. This is not the only country where University is expensive.

As for costs if you feel the need to go to a University for whatever reason. There are grants, loans, scolarships (not just sports and academic), fincial aid, payment arangements. It just takes time. Chances are if you can not afford college (not always true but mostly) you will qualify for at least financial aid. Just becuase it may not pay for everything does not mean it does not help.Think of going to get a job. That will help. Nothing in the world is free, you cant expect them just to hand you an education.

Going to University will not make you be in debt your entire life. Most loans do not need to start getting paid off until 6 months after graduation. Thats plenty of time to get a job to start paying them off. The "system" is not out to get you. It can be a struggle yes but thats life. Not everyone can just get everything handed to them on a silver platter, and wouldnt you rather have a challenge and look back once you get older and think of wow I paid for my entire college education, I didnt go crawling to mommy and daddy and make them give me $80k. All that you learned from it.

Answer 2

Financial aid isn't meant to cover absolutely everything especially if you can't tolerate eating ramen noodles and hot dogs for a few weeks at a time. Many students work to cover the rests of the costs of education and the cost of living.

You don't need to be rich to go to post-secondary school, but if you're not rich you have to work hard in both school and outside of school. The difference then is that students who come from families that can afford it do not always have to do both school and work, but many choose to do this anyways.

Another option would be to attend part-time all year round. This way you would have time to work full-time to cover the costs of education and finish your degree within the same 3, 4 or 5 years that it would take if you were going full-time September through April.

Personally, I think that many students not willing to do this work and would rather rage with jealousy over how easy they think that some people have it. The reality is that no matter how much you have or don't have financially or otherwise, there's always someone much better off or much worse off than you. That's life. People need to get real and take responsibility for themselves and their goals instead of blaming a system. In my country, people have the same complaints. It's not just America.

Besides, don't you think that all the money one pays for university or college is not just because the school is greedy? Definitely look into what tuition costs go towards.

Answer 3

I think it might be hard since they might judge you. But if you find true and honest friends then they won't care where you come from. Just make sure you fine friends who don't CARE about how much money you have or where you live. The types of friends who do care about that stuff aren't going to be the type of long term friends you want to make during college. There is such a thing as rich yet nice and not snobby people so just keep looking :). Good Luck!!!

Answer 4

I don't really have an answer but I wanted to say that I totally agree with you. I'm in a four year university and I'll be in debt for quite a long time after I get out. I'm not eligible for financial aid and my grades aren't quite good enough for scholarships. I guess all we can really do is take out loans and hope for a better future.

Answer 5

Belgium has a good system. Anybody can attend college. The cut is determined by grades and attendance rather than by ability to pay for it. Seems like a much more fair approach to me. If you can't or are not willing to get the grades you can't attend any longer. No matter what your background, if you are willing to work and get decent grades you can attend.

I used my veterans benefits to get through college. Still had to work almost every minute I wasn't in class but I finished without a dime of debt.

Answer 6

I agree with you.

All of the politicians advocate education as a way of improving your economic future, but in the meantime laws are being passed that make it so easy for banks to capitalize off of needy people who need to borrow to pay for a higher education.

I've been out of school for more than five years. Me and all my friends still have "double digit" student loan debt. I feel like loan debt almost defeats the purpose of obtaining a higher education.

Answer 7

Nothing in life is free. And unfortunately, the rich seem to get whatever they want. However, find consulation in knowing that your education will likely mean more to you than that of a trust-fund baby. I've seen a lot of them piddle it away. But if you have to make the sacrafice to get there, chances are, you will work harder at whatever you do in life, and may very well be one of the rich yourself, someday. In which case, someone on yahoo answers will probably be complaining and whining about you!! :)

Answer 8

you could join the national guard like i did in my stupidity. free collage, two deployments and 5 years later i still haven't graduated. our country also spends way too much money on other things... like illconstrued wars. single mothers and african-americans and a few other groups i don't belong to do have a lot of financial options. some states are cheaper than others. ohio is EXPENSIVE!

Answer 9

Colleges can charge a high tuition and still have plenty of applicants to reject. So they do it. Yup, It's expensive.

Answer 10

well most struggle thru college (financially) but isnt it sad still? i think the govt should get more involved with paying for college