<p>[Ken</a> Ilgunas: Published Articles](<a href=“http://www.kenilgunas.com/p/published-writing.html]Ken”>http://www.kenilgunas.com/p/published-writing.html)
[I</a> live in a van down by Duke University - Salon.com](<a href=“http://www.salon.com/2009/12/07/living_in_a_van/]I”>http://www.salon.com/2009/12/07/living_in_a_van/)
[Ken</a> Ilgunas Lived In His Van To Pay For College - Business Insider](<a href=“Ken Ilgunas Lived in His Van to Pay for College”>Ken Ilgunas Lived in His Van to Pay for College)</p>
<p>I found this story on the nytimes website; frankly it just shows the wake up call that kids will be in when graduating with loads of debt and an unmarketable degree. Anyways check out the story yourself at this link:</p>
<p><a href=“Ken Ilgunas Lives in a Van While a Graduate Student at Duke University - The New York Times”>Ken Ilgunas Lives in a Van While a Graduate Student at Duke University - The New York Times;
<p>Is that what you took away from it? I couldn’t do what he’s done but it seems like he doesn’t regret his unmarketable degree one bit. In fact, he went and got another. Kudos to him, I say.</p>
<p>His unmarketable degrees will lead to a marketable book! What’s next, a bit of consumerism? :)</p>
<p>I applaud the austerity but what about a girl - is there room in the van? Is “debt-free” sexy enough to go austere?</p>
<p>What an interesting young man. The experiences he’s had and lessons learned in his young life will take him farther than any “elite” degree he could have earned while funded by his family. It’s nice to see that Duke has admitted him to their graduate school, apparently recognizing a unique individual with a first rate mind.</p>
<p>Of course, I’d be fairly freaked out if one of my own kids did this since as a mom, their safety and security are always at the forefront of my mind but you know, I’d be wrong to feel that way if one of my kids was this confident and resourceful. I’d love to know what his parents think of the approach he’s taking. I’d also like to know how long he can maintain this life now that this article has appeared in the NYT.</p>
<p>He said that he just got finished paying off his undergrad debt and was not looking to take on debt for grad school.</p>
<p>Because someone has to ask, was the van DOWN BY THE RIVER? (The Eno, I guess.)</p>
<p>The spaghetti stew with peanut butter sounds vile. I hope that no one takes this young man’s obsessive frugality as an argument against the need for financial aid (something along the lines of, “If they really want an education, they should be willing to live in a box to get it.”).</p>
<p>Living is vans is not new, I expect most of us have read about students doing this type of thing in the past. My favorite frugality stories are those of science grad students who had to be forced to move out of their labs after setting up housekeeping there.</p>
<p>This is pretty old news – he was featured in the Chronicle a few years ago, but it’s making the NYT only now because of his book coming out. It should be noted that he inadvertently caused a change in policy, so it’s no longer possible at Duke.</p>
<p>[Vandwelling</a> | The Chronicle](<a href=“https://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2010/11/29/vandwelling]Vandwelling”>https://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2010/11/29/vandwelling)</p>
<p>[The</a> debt discipline | The Chronicle](<a href=“http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2010/11/30/debt-discipline]The”>http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2010/11/30/debt-discipline)</p>
<p>MALS degrees are nothing but cashcows for the university. There is no financial aid available aside from a handful of small scholarships, and they come with a hefty price tag. A large percentage of people pursuing the degree at Duke are either (1) older/retired and have the necessary funds or (2) current employees of the university receiving free tuition. There are similar master’s programs at other universities; Columbia, NYU, and Chicago are arguably the most enthusiastic about such programs. I personally find them a massive rip-off, and if you’re paying full freight, I think you’re either wealthy or foolish. YMMV.</p>
<p>Rather than live in a van, I think the far more sensible solution for people looking for ways to continue their liberal arts education after college graduation would be to hit up the local library or take courses at a community college. The tuition he paid – about $11,000 that year – would buy at least 550 ($20) books or pay for 53 community college classes in NC (that’s close to adding two more BA/BS degrees). That goes considerably further than the 9 classes one takes in MALS. For people paying the full $30,000, that would be a whopping 1500 books or 145 CC courses!</p>
<p>Warblersrule - It seems to me that Ken got decent financial aid along with a degree that was useful for him. I doubt community college classes would have worked for him.</p>
<p>I got the impression this young man just kind of had that yearning to push himself to live very simply, regardless of whether he was at Duke or not. Kind of a Chris McCandless / into the Wild mentality. I got the sense he could have had far less debt and still want to challenge himself to live that way. So in a sense, it’s not about student debt.</p>
<p>He might be frugal, but he has a sense of academic and intellectual quality. Duke can provide a better education for him than a community college. Or a library.</p>
<p>I heard a radio interview of this guy, it was bizarre , creepy and dangerous.</p>
<p>This has nothing to do with the utility of the degree. During grad school I met my share of STEM graduate students living on similar conditions.</p>
<p>Duke Grad Student Secretly Lived In a Van to Escape Loan Debt</p>
<p>[Duke</a> Grad Student Secretly Lived In a Van to Escape Loan Debt - Yahoo! Finance](<a href=“Duke Grad Student Secretly Lived In a Van to Escape Loan Debt”>Duke Grad Student Secretly Lived In a Van to Escape Loan Debt)</p>
<p>Respect!! lol</p>
<p>I’d hire that guy. Accolades to him!</p>
<p>Where did he find a program at Duke for $2500 a term? They charge more than that per course.</p>
<p>Whoa, a student who is responsible with the debt he has accumulated? Sounds like a shill for the 1% to keep the 99% down! Angry voice!!!1!!one!</p>
<p>Seriously, though, compare this guy’s story to the stories on the “Occupy student loan” and then decide where the problem is. My money says it’s people whining about having to make good on their obligations.</p>
<p>Truly inspiring stories. I went through similar path, though not as much dramatic.</p>
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<p>I don’t think it’s wrong for a parent not to want their child living in a van down by the river.</p>
<p>I’d move heaven and earth before I let that happen. I admire this young man’s drive and responsibility, though. Wishing him all the best!</p>