Jerry Eichenberger wrote on 02/21/13 at 08:36:28:


that's what he does, be happy it was guns and not abortion

srinath wrote on 02/17/13 at 14:09:05:


this happens a lot, people think "well I did it, it's not that hard" but all people are different with different ability and strengths. Like republicans seem to think that everyone should start their own company for the experience at least so they can feel the pain of government taxes, but some people, me being one, would be aweful at running a business, I'm not a sales person and trust me, all owners of businesses are sales people at heart.


people are egocentric, they think that their life experience is the one everyone else has too, which is why some arguments will never be able to be resolved

Jerry -
I welcome disagreement. Otherwise I'd stay in the cafe.  

The friend I mentioned says:
Associates in General Studies and Business Administration conc. Management.
Has certs in Business Administration and, as she puts it, a "slew of industry specific certifications".
She is a manufacturing engineer with 7 years engineering experience.

The girlfriend has an Associates in General Studies and Science with a minor in Psych.
She is a certified Pet Care technician.

Now to be fair:
http://www.mlive.com/business/index.ssf/2013/02/rick_haglund_jobs_college_rec...
It's guy says an engineer earns 3.5 million over 40 years. That breaks down to ~75k a year.
When I told my friend this she said that she is currently earning ~45k a year. That's a significant difference.
My argument there is that you can't trust most of the statistics people are posting regarding wages.

http://business.time.com/2012/04/17/here-we-go-again-is-college-worth-it/
Let's use old data first:
1 million more, over a life time, with a degree.
Let's say you jump right in. You work 18 to 65 years of age. 47 years.
1000000/47 = 21k
Assume gross because publications are more "kittens and rainbows" than "doom and gloom", tax that at 70%.  15k
15k. Against an average of 60k for student loans. I do believe that is a conservative value these days.
Pay it back, keep on keepin' on. That's an extra half a mil over the remaining 40 years of your life.

But then:
Quote:

800000/47 = 17k
Taxed. 12k.
Against 60k in loans.
You still come out ahead.

Quote:

Blah blah,
6k, taxes 4k.
Times the whole 47 years is 196k. Versus my conservative 60k you still come out ahead but it's only an extra 2k a year. Would it help? Absolutely.
But someone at my level is close to the estimate assuming I had completed my degree. Now there is no financial benefit at the end of the road. Spend money now to make less income. It's not financially sound.

All this is even assuming you'll be able to find that job and hold it for 47 years.

But that's me.
Go back into that article and it later mentions paying 200k for schooling. Compare that against the 196k more you'd make with the degree. Forgetting interest altogether you're losing money. It's no longer economically viable.

I'm 30 and it's time to face facts: I'll never be a neonatal neurosurgeon.


--Steve