<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>