University & College fees
I made a trip into the local University this weekend. My semester starts fresh next week, and although i am not enrolled at the University that's in my town, i do use the library. Unfortunately for me, this University is not really reknown for its Law faculty. It's Marine Biology program is world re known and after my visit to the library i truly do believe it.
It was quite evident the range of accents within my ear shot. I couldn't help myself, so many american accents, i had to ask these fresh young faces what they were doing here so far from home and what they were studying?
One thing became very clear...............COST.
A basic arts degree in Australia is now roughly 12,000 AU.....$9000 US. My degree...being a double roughly 16,000 AU. A law degree roughly 25,000Au......$20,000 US.
University study in Australia is so much more cost effective than the US, these kids were far better off spending 3 or 4 years in Australia gaining their degrees and heading back to the States.
One kid i spoke to from South Carolina was studying Pharmacology......"its way cheaper here in australia than back home, and i get a great holiday and you aussies are so cool"!!
Many from CA were studying Marine Biology as were a couple from Boston.
We here down under think we have it badly done by, its honestly nothing compared to the cost of college and university life in America. I am not up to speed on payback in the States but here in Australia its based on your yearly income, and you start paying back once you start earning over 35,000AU.....30,000US. It ranges from 1% to 8% of your weekly wage is taken by the government.
I rang the dean at UNI of NM to enroll in a "Victimology" 6 week certificate............was going to cost me 1800 US.....2100 AU.....nearly one years tuition here!!!! I laughed when he told me the price............he was not too happy!!!
I hope these kids have a great stay and take home happy memories.
5 Comments:
If the Au universities will pay for 3 times yearly airfare so she can come home, she's on her way to art school in beautiful Au! ;)
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Bingo! there we are sis! sign me up fer school, I'll get scholorshipped over there.. and i can bunk on yer floor, rite? can i bring some friends? we'll party ya sassy broad.. and laff fer months...
sign me up! I wanna BA in B.S. ok?
i should've moved to australia for university. uncle sam gave me six months grace period before he started hounding me for money. i currently make less than half of the mark you say is required to start paying back loans, if i were australian.
my education cost me upwards of US$ 60,000 and my current loan payments, after consolidation, are something like 30 percent of my monthly income.
considering that the job market is flooded with BAs, since most career jobs 'require' a college diploma, my bachelor's is the most expensive and most worthless piece of paper i've ever purchased.
you'll have to excuse me. i'm a bit bitter about the whole thing.
GEL~ thanks so much for your charming email :)
it would be wonderful if the AU gov could afford to fly students back and forth!!!
Magz ~ Sis...you'd be "dux" of the class in BS...LOL
ps...loved chatting with you on the phone yesterday, i haven't laughed so much in ages!!!
J ~ you have every right to be bitter. I don't know why there is such a disparity between the 2 countries. I also have friends here, who many years ago now...say 15, completed their degrees and to this day are not working in that related field. Only diff is they had to pay a fifth of what you paid.
J, I will reinforce what Michelle posted to you about you having every right to be bitter. My oldest will be attending college in the fall, maybe. She is "it all going for her" except the funds. My husband lost his job a few years back for close to 2 years, and a bunch of 'etcs" on my end like major surgeries...so the point is that just for our oldest we have no idea how in the heck we or her will be able to pay back loans of over $100,000 for 4 yrs at an "low cost" university.Add to that, her sister will be eligible for college in 2 yrs. THe "discount for 2 in college at the same time" does not take into account that parents who have survived life setbacks but are currently in the "cracks of this country's economic system."
Our daughters will continue to work hard, as do my husband and me. We work longer hrs than is healthy, as many people do in our country (USA). Yet, it should not be this *hard* to gain a quality educatioin! Like you, our daughters and us have already cut back to the bone. Only reason I even have a computer is that it's part of my livelihood, but it was very close to being sold for food. Best of luck to you and Michelle, thx for an excelelnt post.
WE can't afford for our kids to go to Au even thoughh it would be a wonderful experience. If we could, it had been considered, b/c education in your country is very good and yes, the people are very friendly! :)- We will find a way for them to attend college even if it's not by traditional means!!
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