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YOUR BALANCE
Cost of a Clemson education
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Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 17, 2020, 10:18 AM

I remember when I graduated Clemson in 1988, my Dad calculated how much my 4 years at Clemson to get my EE degree cost which was roughly $20,000 (tuition, books, room and board etc...). Tuition was only about $3000 a year back then. In today's dollars that $20,000 would be about $44,500. Luckily for us, I got an Army ROTC scholarship that paid over half of that total cost.

I just went to Clemson's cost of attendance page and they estimate a SC resident's annual cost of attendance to be $34,247. So the costs have gone up quite a bit. Back in 1988 I got 4 years at Clemson for less than 1.5 years costs today...

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tuition rates have gone up exponentially


Jul 17, 2020, 10:26 AM

With no government oversight

People felt they “needed” there kids to go to college

Now slowly people are realizing that the costs outweigh the benefits

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If I were a 17/18 year old today, I would probably go to a


Jul 17, 2020, 10:38 AM

technical trade school instead of a 4 year University. The market demand for people in the technical trades is off the charts and the average cost of a trade education is very reasonable and pays for itself rather quickly.

Anyone who has hired a plumber, electrician, or HVAC repairman recently knows that these folks can essentially state their price and most customers will just pay it.

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Re: If I were a 17/18 year old today, I would probably go to a


Jul 17, 2020, 10:48 AM

I believe the education bubble popped a few years ago. Now, with ever rising costs and student debt, students and their families need take a hard examination of the cost/benefit analysis of the degree he or she is seeking. On one end of the spectrum, and engineering degree from Clemson or GaTech (where my son attended) is a no brainer. On the other end, a women's studies degree for a private university, costing $200,000, is a bad bargain.

Agree that in the future you may see more kids going for technical degrees from community colleges.

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I just had three kids in college. All three went to communit


Jul 17, 2020, 11:10 AM

y college. All three stayed home and worked while in community college to save to help pay for their education. 2 ChemEs from State and one CS from UNCC. All three did paid summer internships to help pay. All three earned scholarships to some degree. All three took out small student loans to help. The two girls had staring salaries over 70k a year and one has almost double that salary in just a few years. The last one got his first paycheck last week. He was able to find a good job during COVID with one of those evil corporations (that like to pay employees a lot).

You don't have to go broke paying for college. You don't have to be super smart to get into a good major. None of the three would have gotten into their major based on high school. All three worked very hard to get good grades in college and it has paid off for them immensely.

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Re: I just had three kids in college. All three went to communit


Jul 20, 2020, 2:18 PM


y college. All three stayed home and worked while in community college to save to help pay for their education. 2 ChemEs from State and one CS from UNCC. All three did paid summer internships to help pay. All three earned scholarships to some degree. All three took out small student loans to help. The two girls had staring salaries over 70k a year and one has almost double that salary in just a few years. The last one got his first paycheck last week. He was able to find a good job during COVID with one of those evil corporations (that like to pay employees a lot).

You don't have to go broke paying for college. You don't have to be super smart to get into a good major. None of the three would have gotten into their major based on high school. All three worked very hard to get good grades in college and it has paid off for them immensely.




***Long-ish post incoming - TLDR at Bottom***

Happy to see this worked out for your family - in general, this is a good example of one of the ways to make college work for you.

However, there is also a bit of good fortune that goes with the above.

Paid internships, earned scholarships, decent starting salaries <---students today are lucky to get one of these three options.

For example, [STORY TIME] Started in community college - first gen college student that wanted to go to Med school as a Pharmacist. Had a scholarship that helped pay for tuition and pell grant to help with books.

Did terrible in chemisty my first semester and barely passed biology the next so (at that point, my belief) Med School wasn't going to be an option. Completed 2nd year of community college without a clue of what direction to go next and could have transferred to keep my scholarship but wanted to have a better idea before jumping into the student loan debt pile.

After much thought, I decided to go the trade route and become a physical therapy assistant (PTA). Had all the requirements and just had to take a test at the trade school nearby. Was denied twice due to curriculum changes. Took it as maybe it's not my path.

I then tried to go to another trade school to become an Electric Lineman (what a twist!) but my financial aid got FROZEN due to my previous school. I was taking part-time classes at the CC I started at to make sure I met requirements and despite being told I was transferring, did not report it to FASFA and it was a mess. Could either wait a year to attend or go back to school.

Having met my future wife I decided to find a fast track degree to help with job opportunities.

Went to a 4 yr school for Comm Degree because I thought I'd love being a sports analyst and I could complete the degree in less than 2 years.

Was told I was no longer eligible for my previous scholarship since I had 5 years to use and didn't enroll full time again until after the deadline passed. Did have some Pell Grant money to help with tuition but not nearly enough to cover room & board.

Did work for the school in a variety of ways to help pay - Resident Assistant, Student Ambassador, Student Mascot. Proceeded to make Dean and President's list - no scholarships despite the good grades.

Graduated with less than student loan debt average. However, 2 months before graduating figured out the sports analyst path wasn't going to be for me. I liked the work but the grind of that career I didn't want interfering with my relationship/future marriage.

Sometimes crap happens even when trying to be as strategic as possible. Hindsight 20/20 is easy but as we all know life HARDLY ever works as planned.

Still, life happens for us, not to us and I make do with what I'm blessed with.

TLDR:

-College can still be done right but takes more effort like the post above
-Trade school isn't always as easy to go to as it seems
-Hard work is a good habit but doesn't always overcome circumstances
-Sometimes crap happens. Make the best out of your circumstances

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Why do they need there kids to go to college?


Jul 17, 2020, 11:02 AM [ in reply to tuition rates have gone up exponentially ]

;)

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Re: Why do they need there kids to go to college?


Jul 17, 2020, 11:35 AM

Theirs a good question right their.

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I don’t think it’s fair to make a blanket statement like “the costs outweigh the benefits.”


Jul 17, 2020, 11:42 AM [ in reply to tuition rates have gone up exponentially ]

In some cases, you’re right. Depending on what someone wants to major in, the financial and time investment of college aren’t going to be worth it. However, there are still plenty of majors that result in the opportunity to have a great job with high income potential. These jobs make college very worth it.

Although there are certainly examples of people not going to college and making a very good living, the truth is that going to college still greatly increases one’s chances of making a good living. Not going to college is still a big risk if you want to be at least upper-middle class.

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"All those 'Fire Brownell' guys can kiss it." -Joseph Girard III

"Everybody needs to know that Coach Brownell is arguably the best coach to come through Clemson." -PJ Hall


Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 17, 2020, 10:50 AM

34k a year? Who in the hell can afford that. It's not mandatory to go to college so you cant say its criminal, but there's people in jail for robbery that are less guilty than those responsible for that price tag

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 20, 2020, 2:23 PM

outlaw1081 said:

34k a year? Who in the #### can afford that. It's not mandatory to go to college so you cant say its criminal, but there's people in jail for robbery that are less guilty than those responsible for that price tag




I'd be for more accountability from the universities.

Sadly, you can go out looking for the numbers online (job outlooks, current openings) but it's a completely different animal when entering the job market. (Granted some majors or places to work are better than others)

Then you are also fighting for that job against those who might be looking for a career change or just a different job and before you know it, your grace period is coming to an end and you still have no job - HOPEFULLY you still get to stay with your parents.

Not all doom and gloom but definitely need some high school seniors talking to some folks like myself that experienced the struggle and weren't lucky to have a job right out of college.


Just saying that there is plenty that CAN go wrong just due to life circumstances vs being viewed as irresponsible for attending college in this day and age

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 17, 2020, 11:07 AM

I will leave this right here.

UNC instate is $9,000 - NC State is $9,100

Clemson instate is $15,500

(out-of-state for all is $36-$38K)

In 1988, I bet the level of state support as a % was much MUCH higher. SC has cut education funding and placed more burden on achievement.

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In 1988 my tuition at Clemson was $300 a semester


Jul 17, 2020, 11:12 AM

and they paid me $500 a month to teach EM305. Times have changed.

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 17, 2020, 11:17 AM [ in reply to Re: Cost of a Clemson education ]

Dang, I had no idea Clemson's in state tuition was that high. I was aware of the high out of state costs since a number of my ATL friends send their kids there.

We're kinda spoiled here in Ga with the Hope. Sending my son to Ga Tech on a Zell Miller Hope Scholarship was the greatest bargain in the universe. Housing and living expenses in MidTown ATL are sky high though.

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 17, 2020, 11:42 AM

Yeah, UGA is 9,000 (I assume you only 6,750) have to actually pay and GaTech is 10,000. That is pre-HOPE funding I think.

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 17, 2020, 11:42 AM [ in reply to Re: Cost of a Clemson education ]

THIS is the key. 30 years ago, the cheap SC legislature began to cut spending under the pretense that state universities should be run like businesses and be under a profit motivation.

The state universities adapted to the legislatures paradigm and increased quality and raised demand which caused price to rise. Clemson competed for educational dollars (like private enterprise) and has done quite well at it.

Unfortunately, SC students have paid the price for the SC legislature's short-sighted, simplistic reasoning. Now many of our students cannot afford a state university education.

NC, on the other hand, stood by their state education system and brightened their student's futures (and that of their state).

BTW, anyone who thinks that all of the value of their college education can be measured in dollars, wasn't really paying attention while they were there.

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Sc legislators have botched many things over the yrs so this


Jul 17, 2020, 11:55 AM

Should be no surprise including their gross mishandling of the state retirement fund. Jail time would have probably been appropriate for some involved with that

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Re: Sc legislators have botched many things over the yrs so this


Jul 17, 2020, 6:46 PM

State retirement fund people could share a cell with the state infrastructure folks

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For sure***


Jul 17, 2020, 8:47 PM



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Definitely agree that sc public universities seem to


Jul 17, 2020, 11:52 AM [ in reply to Re: Cost of a Clemson education ]

Have gotten out of hand much more so than neighboring states including fla public colleges. Hard to understand why and really the reasons will only be excuses in my mind

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 17, 2020, 9:45 PM [ in reply to Re: Cost of a Clemson education ]

FutureDoc said:

I will leave this right here.

UNC instate is $9,000 - NC State is $9,100

Clemson instate is $15,500

(out-of-state for all is $36-$38K)

In 1988, I bet the level of state support as a % was much MUCH higher. SC has cut education funding and placed more burden on achievement.


Where is the SC Education Lottery money going?

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 17, 2020, 11:32 AM

Came to Clemson from Pennsylvania starting in 1965 - $2,500 total per year (tuition, room, and board) as out of state student - would have been same $2,500 per year at that time to go to in-state Penn State....

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 17, 2020, 12:00 PM

This is what happens when government gets involved in funding anything...costs continually escalate above the rate of inflation- and quality often goes down.

Just wait till they gain complete control over healthcare.

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I can’t think of anything


Jul 17, 2020, 3:00 PM

More valuable than that Clemson diploma hanging on my library wall. It shows a lot of dedication by my parents and an unbelievable amount of hard work by me. Many,many sleepless night made it possible and I cherish that sheepskin dearly.

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Re: I can’t think of anything


Jul 17, 2020, 6:54 PM

I don't have a Clemson diploma but my son just got his. I'd echo every point you made. It's something he'll treasure and no one will every take away.

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It's called student loans. Your financial system is built


Jul 17, 2020, 7:39 PM

on a Ponzi scheme of DEBT, not money. When the "debt supply" increases, inflation increases. Simple as that.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/obamas-giant-student-loan-con-1480640259

They continually have to blow new bubbles to keep the scheme working. The student bubble is bursting as I type.

Their next bubble will probably be a Covid bubble and a reparations bubble.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtTHFa7cedU

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 17, 2020, 8:40 PM

When I entered the Univ. of Florida in 1940, I believe my tuition was $27.00 per semester. New books less than $50.00. Good used books less than $25.00. I had a part time job that paid 25 cents/hr.

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Don’t go to traditional college today


Jul 18, 2020, 8:00 AM

Not worth it.

Go to a technical college or trade school and learn a real skill and then make money.

Plus, you’ll be taught by better and smarter people who are not so brain dead liberal and the environment will be much better

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Someone else mentioned it but it's state funding.


Jul 18, 2020, 8:45 AM

I believe the state now pays 7% of The Citadel budget (used to work there). US govt actually pays more in scholarships. All states do this now. I can't remember the number but states used to fund like a quarter of university budgets.

Clemson was lucky they turned into a research school 20 years ago to bring in other money. Unfortunately, this means massive classes and no less meaningful experience.

Ignorant and uneducated is a badge of honor now so save your money. Perhaps schools need to stop building resort style lodging. Too late now.

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 18, 2020, 9:03 AM

We have all been played for suckers. Remember when Riley, said the extra penny sales tax would forever take care of education in SC. Remember when Hodges, said the "Education Lottery" would solve all the education problems in SC.

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 18, 2020, 10:02 AM

True. The lottery money just made tuition go up. My son got palmetto fellows and is a rising sophomore at Clemson. It’s still expensive!

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 20, 2020, 1:03 AM [ in reply to Re: Cost of a Clemson education ]

SC is dominated by one political party for 29 of last 33 years. Do you support the state covering more of the costs of education? If so, you gotta switch up the parties.

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Around 1980 - total room and board hit $1,000 per semester


Jul 18, 2020, 10:40 AM

Was there from 77-81.
Around 8k plus books, which were high, but nothing like todays books.

Have or are putting 3 thru college. They all will graduate (lord willing) without any student loans.
2 at east Carolina - in state tuition
1 at Florida gulf coast.
All three of these are around 17k per year - all in.

Times have changed. Too many going to college IMO. Certain degrees don’t pay the money back. There is also growth and education in simply being in a controlled environment- that cannot be financially measured.

I am saddened by the strictly liberal agenda in colleges these days though. Pumping out snowflakes who feel entitled.

I used to laugh and throw resumes in the garbage from the on line schools. Now, I am wondering how much longer brick and mortar schools will exist - or at least as we know them today.

I believe the education is worth it - although I could not justify paying out of state for my kids to go to Clemson. Wish they allowed legacy families something like in state plus $1,000.

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Re: Around 1980 - total room and board hit $1,000 per semester


Jul 18, 2020, 6:43 PM

I totally agree with the legacy statement.

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Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 18, 2020, 7:12 PM

Oldest daughter is graduating in August with degree in Animal/Veterinary Science .
4 years ago I said I would bet it would end up costing me 100k . Tuition , Books , housing , food etc .
I was wrong .
It only cost me $93,288.00
Thank goodness she had a few scholarships and whatnot ??

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DB23


Re: Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 19, 2020, 9:48 PM

Cost when I was there in late 70s. Sure was a high increase until my son’s went about 10 years ago

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Blame the Lottery, Life and Palmetto Fellow Scholly's


Jul 20, 2020, 9:00 AM

That extra money has allowed all colleges to raise tuition up the same amount. They know parents will pay because extra money is available. Same with student loans.

If extra student loans were allowed, then universities will raise it to match money available. Unfortunately, it's Supply and Demand.

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Cost of a Clemson education


Jul 20, 2020, 1:22 PM

My 3 kids all earned marketable degrees and all found solid employment soon after graduation. There are many excellent jobs that you simply cannot get without a college degree. So I think a Clemson degree is worth the cost of attendance provided the student earns a marketable degree. Remember the market sets to the value of the educational credential. The Chem E and the History major are going to be very far apart when entering the job market for the first time.

That said, calling Clemson state supported when it's not seems a shame and a scam to me.

However,there is something to be said for the people who actually go to college being the ones who pay for the cost of the education they are gaining. Passing those costs onto the taxpayers of the state who do not go to college generally means lots of poorer people are paying for the education of other people. With the level of support Clemson gets from the state, that is pretty much where we are now. The people who pay for Clemson are the ones who go to Clemson.

Arguing for the state residents to pay a bigger share of the cost of college is a bit tricky. I was a state resident when I went to Clemson. I then spent 35 or so of my 40 working years living out of state. I am now retired and living out of state. What good did it do the people of SC to pay a lot for my education?

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