dstark

I don't see how this can be argued as a good development.

Parade Magazine on Yahoo! News

"Tuition costs have climbed 60% since 2000, and the average graduating senior now owes more than $20,000, according to the National Center for Education Statistics -- twice as much as graduates owed a decade ago.
Nearly a quarter of recent grads owe in excess of $25,000.
While student debt rose 8% from 2005 to 2006, starting salaries rose only 4%."

mamenyu

My question is, how long can college tuition for the middle class (who don't qualify for any or much need-based aid) keep going up at the rate of about 5% a year? Is it like house values?

dstark

Well, it can't continue this way forever.

I don't think it is going to be like house values though. I don't see tuition dropping, maybe just leveling off.

marite

dstark:

We HAVE saved for college and retirement. But, boy, are we getting whipped by the stock market. The last time we were seeing our investments go south, S1 was about to go off to college.

dstark

marite, yes, the stock market has been a tough place to make any money over the last year.

The stock market hasn't been that great for 8 years.

I think this is the worst environment to make money investing in my adult life.

Marite, if it makes you feel better, I think about 90% of famous money managers are having a terrible year.

At least, you don't have any more kids starting college. (Unless there is some kid I don't know about).

thisoldman

#5^ The money managers forgot that someone has to pay for W's War and the neoRepublican Deficit. Free Lunches come with a big stomach ache.

marite

Dstark:

Yes, I'm nearly done; one more year of college to pay for, and I can only hope the stock market doesn't eat up the savings.
I'm not really complaining; just trying to suggest that it's awfully hard for families to save for their children's education and retirement in this climate. And with inflation and the rising cost of oil, the COA is bound to shoot up.

dstark

Marite, I agree with you.