At Public Universities: Less for More (New York Times) - Page 3

mom2collegekids · 10-30-2009, 06:23 PM

^^^

I guess it's a regional thing. German is SUPER popular in Alabama, but that's probably because so many German scientists came here after WWII (Wernher von Braun and others) to help develop the space program and other rockets.

My kids' high school's German classes are full. There's an annual trip to Germany that many kids go on. My kids' high school offers...Spanish, Latin, German, and French. French is the least popular; it's become a "girl language" here - no boys ever take it.

IBclass06 · 10-30-2009, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arabrab

I don't think that German is realistically a "core" world language any more. Our high school is phasing it out in one more year, only one middle school offers it, and enrollments are very, very low. At some point teachers and parents with students in packed Spanish and French classes that often have 33-36 students pointed out the disparity of German classes with 7-12 kids in each grade level. We started offering Chinese two years ago, and enrollments are already much, much higher than German has had any time in the past ten years. Students are voting with their feet, and German isn't what they're voting for. It would be foolish for colleges not to consider that.

German is a key language of scholarship. Chinese is not.

Germany has the 3rd strongest economy in the world. German is the 2nd most popular language in Europe after English. Germany is a leader in business and engineering.

Most colleges have more prudence than to pander to the whims of freshmen.

dstark · 10-30-2009, 07:05 PM

I think Mandarin is going to be an up and coming language to know. China is going to have the world's largest economy before many of us are dead.

openedskittles · 10-30-2009, 10:22 PM

At UTexas there are 12 new construction projects currently in the works (including a new student union. It's going to be awesome!) The Texas economy is very diverse and didn't get hit that badly compared to the US as a whole.

It's still a much, much better deal for Texas students to go here than pay over twice as much to go out of state to a program that is likely only slightly better (if it's one of the few that's better at all) than the one offered here. Besides, the majority of your classes will be under 30 students even here.

BCEagle91 · 10-30-2009, 11:59 PM

> if you like big oos schools, Mich is a pretty good school. Check it out.

I like big schools in general. In-state/out-of-state doesn't matter but New England Regional Pricing is nice. Our family isn't going to get any kind of need-based aid. There are other reasons for being relatively local unrelated to price. One dad I know had to make a round-trip run to his son's OOS school to scoop him up because of Swine Flu. He will have to return him in a week assuming he is better then.

BCEagle91 · 10-31-2009, 12:10 AM

> China is going to have the world's largest economy before many of us are dead.

Overseas Chinese are estimated at 40 million. China's population is estimated at 1.3 billion (2007). Germany's is around 82 million with "zero or declining growth" and an "aging population."

I work in a very large software engineering company. In my building the demographics run about 1/3rd white, 1/3rd indian and 1/3rd chinese. I know of two engineers from Germany. Asia looks to be the future economic powerhouse.

dstark · 10-31-2009, 01:03 AM

BCEagle91, then there are better choices than Mich for your son. I find the oos costs sickening. I remember eating breakfast in a cafe in Ann Arbor with my wife and daughter and thinking, "$40,000 a year after tax money". I did kind of feel a little sick. Then I got the bill for breakfast. $15 bucks for 3 people. I did smile at that. At least $30 where I live now. No. More.

BCEagle91 · 10-31-2009, 01:21 AM

> then there are better choices than Mich for your son.

Our son started college at 15 and liked the professors at his local university. I just paid out of state prices for his first full-time year ($20K). Then they started offering New England Regional Student Program pricing ($14K). Very nice. I was willing to pay full-fare private but our son is as cheap as I am.

It's a strange game that we play with college administrators, our kids and admissions officers. The price ranges are huge and there are a huge number of factors that determine fit. $5/person for breakfast at a cafe is no surprise. Easy to do that with a coffee and breakfast sandwich at Dunkin Donuts or McDonalds. There are a lot of costs in running a business today.

My wife makes me breakfast today (or lunch if I'm not hungry in the morning). A loaf of whole wheat Mathews bread is $2 on sale and provides 20 slices for ten cents a slice. A dozen eggs runs $2 locally so you can make an egg sandwhich for 30 cents. Maybe add 30 cents for fuel and olive oil and spices and a little milk. I think that peanut butter is similarly inexpensive. Food is cheap in the US if you buy the raw materials.

I can buy a 50 lb bag of rice pretty cheap in a local asian supermarket and that will provide a lot of meals with a cheap rice cooker. That's what I used to make lunch and dinner when I was single. I'd just buy some vegetables and throw it in with rice in the rice cooker.

LakeSuperior · 10-31-2009, 01:28 AM

Minnesota = Best Value in Education right now, just sayin...

dstark · 10-31-2009, 01:45 AM

A whole wheat loaf is over $3 at Safeway. The cafe was better than a McDonald's. I only eat the fries at McDonald's.

That rice and vegetable combination sounds very good.

So how old is your son now? He's going to be a junior?

BCEagle91 · 10-31-2009, 10:32 AM

He's 20. He's a senior if you go by credits. He just can't get the courses to graduate this spring.

Matthew's Whole Wheat is normally $3 to $4 but it's on special for $2 on Monday nights (I guess most families shop on the weekends which means a lot of specials on Monday). McDonalds offers a lot of premium foods now for premium prices. They have been doing quite well on earnings. My guess is that they are taking share from the Applebees and Chilis of the world with people wanting nicer than burgers without sitdown.

The rice and veggie was something that I had a lot growing up. Sometimes we had some meat too.

dstark · 10-31-2009, 10:36 AM

I'm not too high on Applebees or Chili's either. lol

I guess I'm not getting your son's college search. He's looking for a college to go to for 1 year?
Or is there another kid you are talking about when it comes to the college search?

BCEagle91 · 10-31-2009, 10:43 AM

He's not looking for a college - more like grad school.

Looking for college is a job for my daughter.

taxguy · 10-31-2009, 11:21 AM

Do these cuts,which are sometimes very deep cuts, mean that folks should seek reputable private schools for a more quality educational experience?

hawkette · 10-31-2009, 11:27 AM

Not always, but in many cases, yes. Emphatically yes.

The problem is cost. It'd be hard to argue for an IS student to turn down a public option for a private of similar repute, but much higher cost. But I think only the die-hard public fans don't accept that the publics will be under financial (and thus operating) pressure for years to come. So will some privates and smoking that out is a new part of the college search process.