In myState one can get an associate's degree in high school through dual enrollment, then attend a state school, for less than $40k, including room & board. once you have an AA from a WA state community college you're kind of a shoe-in for the universities, they have quotas or something.
It seems the "norm" in my area is shifting from graduating high school and heading straight to $50k/year private liberal arts college on the other side of the country to graduate high school, live with parents for two to four years, go to community college, then state university, etc.
I was a CA/RA for a semester and in ROTC for a short time. That helps a lot. ROTC did not require a commitment for the first two years, but would pay a lot for time invested. I think it worked out to be about $18.50 for every hour of morning PT and class time. Nothing like getting paid to workout.
I was also blessed to have my parents help with half of my college costs. However, since they had savings, it kept me from getting aid and I did not try hard enough in high school to bother applying for grants. My brother did much better and received very little help in grants.
In Georgia the state will pay 100% of your undergrad tuition at a state school plus a small book stipend. All you have to do is be a resident, maintain a 3.0+ GPA, and complete school in 4 years. UGA is a good school and Georgia Tech is a great one. There are plenty of smaller state schools too of varying quality. Do other states not have programs like this?
The distinction between educating oneself and obtaining a degree is critical to understanding the value of a university education. It is worth remembering that the original university degrees were exclusively devoted to the professions of law, medicine, theology and the liberal arts (essentially critical thinking and effective communications in a time of wide spread illiteracy). There has never been a need for a degree in art history or ethnic studies, to name two modish examples. Anyone interested in these fields of study could adequately educate themselves by reading and discussing the relevant ideas with like-minded others. And it should come as no surprise that the corporate hegemony has no interest in compensating someone with such a degree. Aside from the rise of the MBA, particularly in the area of finance, and the technological demand for trained engineers; the only degrees that reliably guarantee ROI to diligent practioners are the M.D., the J.D., and, to a lesser degree, the M.Div. (trading stratopheric returns for guaranteed housing, food and a modest stipend as a servant of the servants of God). This is just as it was in the 13th century, and has been the case since. And people call the Medieval era the "Dark Ages." I scoff.
one can get an associate's degree in high school through dual enrollment, then attend a state school, for less than $40k, including room & board. once you have an AA from a WA state community college you're kind of a shoe-in for the universities, they have quotas or something.