Comments on: US colleges are overrated and overpriced http://matadornetwork.com/life/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/ travel culture worldwide Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:32:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Poopdog888 http://matadornetwork.com/life/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/#comment-88136 Poopdog888 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:13:00 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-88136 The college system is disgustingly overrated and overpriced, not to mention research oriented with PHDs who expect fat salaries no matter how useless they are at actually training the students. Americans believe many stupid social myths (such as Reagan being a great president, or feminism being self-justifying) so of course I am going to question their idiotic "perfect college" theory That said, I didn't think this book was very good. The college system is disgustingly overrated and overpriced, not to mention research oriented with PHDs who expect fat salaries no matter how useless they are at actually training the students.

Americans believe many stupid social myths (such as Reagan being a great president, or feminism being self-justifying) so of course I am going to question their idiotic “perfect college” theory

That said, I didn’t think this book was very good.

]]> By: Poopdog888 http://matadornetwork.com/life/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/#comment-88137 Poopdog888 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:13:00 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-88137 The college system is disgustingly overrated and overpriced, not to mention research oriented with PHDs who expect fat salaries no matter how useless they are at actually training the students. Americans believe many stupid social myths (such as Reagan being a great president, or feminism being self-justifying) so of course I am going to question their idiotic "perfect college" theory That said, I didn't think this book was very good. The college system is disgustingly overrated and overpriced, not to mention research oriented with PHDs who expect fat salaries no matter how useless they are at actually training the students.

Americans believe many stupid social myths (such as Reagan being a great president, or feminism being self-justifying) so of course I am going to question their idiotic “perfect college” theory

That said, I didn’t think this book was very good.

]]> By: Poopdog888 http://matadornetwork.com/life/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/#comment-88138 Poopdog888 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:13:00 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-88138 The college system is disgustingly overrated and overpriced, not to mention research oriented with PHDs who expect fat salaries no matter how useless they are at actually training the students. Americans believe many stupid social myths (such as Reagan being a great president, or feminism being self-justifying) so of course I am going to question their idiotic "perfect college" theory That said, I didn't think this book was very good. The college system is disgustingly overrated and overpriced, not to mention research oriented with PHDs who expect fat salaries no matter how useless they are at actually training the students.

Americans believe many stupid social myths (such as Reagan being a great president, or feminism being self-justifying) so of course I am going to question their idiotic “perfect college” theory

That said, I didn’t think this book was very good.

]]> By: Poopdog888 http://matadornetwork.com/life/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/#comment-88139 Poopdog888 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:13:00 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-88139 The college system is disgustingly overrated and overpriced, not to mention research oriented with PHDs who expect fat salaries no matter how useless they are at actually training the students. Americans believe many stupid social myths (such as Reagan being a great president, or feminism being self-justifying) so of course I am going to question their idiotic "perfect college" theory That said, I didn't think this book was very good. The college system is disgustingly overrated and overpriced, not to mention research oriented with PHDs who expect fat salaries no matter how useless they are at actually training the students.

Americans believe many stupid social myths (such as Reagan being a great president, or feminism being self-justifying) so of course I am going to question their idiotic “perfect college” theory

That said, I didn’t think this book was very good.

]]> By: Blooper http://matadornetwork.com/life/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/#comment-87989 Blooper Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:52:00 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-87989 I studied in the Netherlands, the UK and the US. All I can say it really depends on the school you are going.  In the Netherlands I paid around 2000EUR a year and had a well structured, hands-on and practical experience over four years obtaining my BBA. The course allowed us to go on internships, twice, and gave us the opportunity to go abroad. Honestly, when I look back at my Bachelor studies I see how valuable this experience was for so little money. It comes to no surprise that the Netherlands is the most popular destination for students. Some 80% of all Unis teach in English too!  I also studied one semester in the States (ASU) and well, its very different. Amongst the 3000 colleges the US has, I'd say ASU is somewhere in the middle, not being very elite but a 'typical' American college. With lots of drinking and hot chicks. Anyway, the time I had there was awesome, facilities where out of this world (compared to NL) and the whole campus was just really nice. Luckily I didn't have t pay the 15k USD fees. For an European, fees out of this world. Having said that, and having graduated from BAC, the courses I took were beyond low level. World studies, advanced media studies, film studies. Christ, the 300-400's levels were at some level between high-school and my first year of Uni back home. I'm not saying American colleges are low educated, but if ASU would somehow represent the average American college, well good night economy. All in all, the overall college experience in the US is much better than in Europe. Also, I made my MA in the UK (London). Expensive (BA's now triple price from September 2011 on), facilities are average, buildings are old, teaching methods are crap. But I guess its the same stamp the UK gives out just like 'Educated in the U.S.A." kinda degree. Whatever you do and wherever you are, its you as an individual who makes the most out of the college experience. Don't let yourself fool you into rankings and that sorta stuff, it's all a lot of BS. Fancy a proper college experience? I'd def. say the US. Fancy 'intelectual', critical-thinking BS, go to the UK. Want to learn something for a reasonable price (and in English) AND smoke as much weed as you want, Netherlands. Last words: I really don't want to generalize, I'm speaking out of my own experience :) I studied in the Netherlands, the UK and the US. All I can say it really depends on the school you are going. 
In the Netherlands I paid around 2000EUR a year and had a well structured, hands-on and practical experience over four years obtaining my BBA. The course allowed us to go on internships, twice, and gave us the opportunity to go abroad. Honestly, when I look back at my Bachelor studies I see how valuable this experience was for so little money. It comes to no surprise that the Netherlands is the most popular destination for students. Some 80% of all Unis teach in English too! 

I also studied one semester in the States (ASU) and well, its very different. Amongst the 3000 colleges the US has, I’d say ASU is somewhere in the middle, not being very elite but a ‘typical’ American college. With lots of drinking and hot chicks. Anyway, the time I had there was awesome, facilities where out of this world (compared to NL) and the whole campus was just really nice. Luckily I didn’t have t pay the 15k USD fees. For an European, fees out of this world. Having said that, and having graduated from BAC, the courses I took were beyond low level. World studies, advanced media studies, film studies. Christ, the 300-400′s levels were at some level between high-school and my first year of Uni back home. I’m not saying American colleges are low educated, but if ASU would somehow represent the average American college, well good night economy. All in all, the overall college experience in the US is much better than in Europe.

Also, I made my MA in the UK (London). Expensive (BA’s now triple price from September 2011 on), facilities are average, buildings are old, teaching methods are crap. But I guess its the same stamp the UK gives out just like ‘Educated in the U.S.A.” kinda degree.

Whatever you do and wherever you are, its you as an individual who makes the most out of the college experience. Don’t let yourself fool you into rankings and that sorta stuff, it’s all a lot of BS. Fancy a proper college experience? I’d def. say the US. Fancy ‘intelectual’, critical-thinking BS, go to the UK. Want to learn something for a reasonable price (and in English) AND smoke as much weed as you want, Netherlands.

Last words: I really don’t want to generalize, I’m speaking out of my own experience :)

]]> By: piggy_2010 http://matadornetwork.com/life/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/#comment-87622 piggy_2010 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 21:18:00 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-87622 EU universities are underfunded by government and because of free tuition fees. USA attracts more talents and takes the name as the country with most NOBEL winners. The colleges there are indeed very good. For example, only USA has money to teach astronomical physics with good equipments and Nasa is g8 too EU universities are underfunded by government and because of free tuition fees. USA attracts more talents and takes the name as the country with most NOBEL winners. The colleges there are indeed very good. For example, only USA has money to teach astronomical physics with good equipments and Nasa is g8 too

]]> By: El http://matadornetwork.com/life/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/#comment-52512 El Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:50:43 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-52512 I am amused by the rack of Princeton sweatshirts you put atop your article. Princeton happens to be one of only a handful of universities in the US that offers need-blind admissions to international as well as American students, and then a financial aid program that covers all demonstrated need. For example, they pay more than half of my tuition, and this summer they are also completely funding my internship in Egypt. Princeton's generous financial aid also follows students who choose to study abroad for a semester or a year, but only at overseas universities who can demonstrate comparable rigor. I would never have been able to visit Egypt without their support. We've also had a grade deflation policy in place since 2004, which gives all seniors enormous headaches when they graduate. It is of course possible to waste a truckload of money on a mediocre university in America, but you could do that in most countries. It would be foolish to think of all universities in the US as having the same level of academics and cachet, and to choose one's university based on its country, rather than the specifics of its programs and offerings. It is equally misguided to reject all universities in a country as being overpriced without a single word as to financial aid, which in the top-end, brand-name universities tends to be extraordinarily generous. Even for an internet opinion piece, I would have preferred a little more research and knowledge, and less demagoguery and generalization. I am amused by the rack of Princeton sweatshirts you put atop your article. Princeton happens to be one of only a handful of universities in the US that offers need-blind admissions to international as well as American students, and then a financial aid program that covers all demonstrated need. For example, they pay more than half of my tuition, and this summer they are also completely funding my internship in Egypt. Princeton’s generous financial aid also follows students who choose to study abroad for a semester or a year, but only at overseas universities who can demonstrate comparable rigor. I would never have been able to visit Egypt without their support.

We’ve also had a grade deflation policy in place since 2004, which gives all seniors enormous headaches when they graduate.

It is of course possible to waste a truckload of money on a mediocre university in America, but you could do that in most countries. It would be foolish to think of all universities in the US as having the same level of academics and cachet, and to choose one’s university based on its country, rather than the specifics of its programs and offerings. It is equally misguided to reject all universities in a country as being overpriced without a single word as to financial aid, which in the top-end, brand-name universities tends to be extraordinarily generous.

Even for an internet opinion piece, I would have preferred a little more research and knowledge, and less demagoguery and generalization.

]]> By: Sam http://matadornetwork.com/life/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/#comment-52541 Sam Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:26:52 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-52541 I might be mistaken, but is the United States not the leader in Nobel Prize laureates, all earned by people who studied at the undergraduate and graduate levels IN the United States? I might be mistaken, but is the United States not the leader in Nobel Prize laureates, all earned by people who studied at the undergraduate and graduate levels IN the United States?

]]> By: Olga http://matadornetwork.com/life/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/#comment-52289 Olga Wed, 15 Jul 2009 04:26:00 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-52289 Although the nominal price of college abroad is often less expensive than college in the States, universities in other countries often charge Americans and other foreign students more than they would citizens of their own country. That is because Americans and foreigners don't pay the taxes that support the reduced prices of public universities abroad. Conversely, an American attending a community or state college in America could get a better deal, since those institutions typically offer reduced rates due to the availability of public funding. And let's not forget the price of relocating and of flying to and from home for breaks, wedding, holidays, etc...when one goes to school in Trier but hails from Toledo. Although the nominal price of college abroad is often less expensive than college in the States, universities in other countries often charge Americans and other foreign students more than they would citizens of their own country. That is because Americans and foreigners don’t pay the taxes that support the reduced prices of public universities abroad. Conversely, an American attending a community or state college in America could get a better deal, since those institutions typically offer reduced rates due to the availability of public funding. And let’s not forget the price of relocating and of flying to and from home for breaks, wedding, holidays, etc…when one goes to school in Trier but hails from Toledo.

]]> By: Ryan http://matadornetwork.com/life/us-colleges-are-overrated-overpriced/#comment-52486 Ryan Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:38:42 +0000 http://matadorlife.com/?p=1594#comment-52486 I graduated a year ago from a state school and I could lean both ways on this subject. I did have a chance to study abroad and get a taste of a different style of education but that's not to say it was any better. The experience is exactly what the student makes it. I may bea good person to use in the author's argument--I procrastinated, consumed an absurd amount of drugs and would go snowboarding the day before an exam. However, that was my choice and that shouldn't reflect badly on my Uni. At the same time, I was an employee in my school's international programs office and had constant interaction with foreign students. I can't seem to recall even one of those students who said their classes were more challenging than what they were used to at home. Regardless, they were in the US and not at home so once again, it comes down to personal choice. I graduated a year ago from a state school and I could lean both ways on this subject. I did have a chance to study abroad and get a taste of a different style of education but that’s not to say it was any better. The experience is exactly what the student makes it. I may bea good person to use in the author’s argument–I procrastinated, consumed an absurd amount of drugs and would go snowboarding the day before an exam. However, that was my choice and that shouldn’t reflect badly on my Uni.

At the same time, I was an employee in my school’s international programs office and had constant interaction with foreign students. I can’t seem to recall even one of those students who said their classes were more challenging than what they were used to at home. Regardless, they were in the US and not at home so once again, it comes down to personal choice.

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