• bus_factor@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      I went to a top university in Norway. My tuition was about $80 per year. All in all various student discounts on everything from haircuts to car repairs to housing, my tuition was effectively negative. I spent a good chunk on books, but rarely used them, and honestly could have saved the money. Considering everyone gets a scholarship from the government for the first 7 years (would have been converted to a loan if I didn’t pass enough credits worth of classes), I effectively got paid to study. I still had student loans, because they were interest free while I was a student and cheaper than a mortgage after. I spent some on food and housing, and saved the rest. Like most Norwegians I was not in a hurry to pay it down. Student debt is generally low priority for Norwegians to pay down due to the cheap interest.

    • Gabu@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Your egocentrism is showing, USAian. I don’t even know where to begin dismantling your bullshit from how awefully absurd it is.

      tuition for prestigious education out of reach of the common person

      “Prestigious private education”? Are you joking? The people who take private higher education are effectively ridiculed, not to mention how private schools/colleges are always lacking – e.g. back in the day, when I compared my curriculum (actually prestigious public university) with all relevent private alternatives, they’d always be one year or more behind, which also means they’d finish their course with a huge gap in knowledge.

      in many countries there’s a modest fee the government will pay out

      Here in Brazil you can get upwards of two minimum wages. How is it that Brazil can afford this, but apparently the US couldn’t? Besides that, yes, you may need a side job – that’s what non-abusive internship/trainee positions are for. You work a few hours per day at a relevant position to your minor/major to get cash and relevant experience.

      They come back at you in the form of decades of tax rates.

      Except those decades of taxes ALSO pay for my healthcare (excellent, btw), bicycle infrastructure, to maintain parks, to protect local fauna and flora, for libraries, etc etc

        • Gabu@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          First, your formatting is completely broken.

          Second:

          The places where real power concentrates, where the old royalty gathers. Not the best in terms of scientific endeavours, but that’s not what those places are about anyway. It’s all about making connections.

          I.E. completely irrelevant. Got it.

          Double minimum wage in the USA is barely enough to cover rent in the cities

          The fix seems pretty obvious, eh?

          would add $553 billion

          I.E., even ignoring the fact that not all students would require this monetary assistance, less than the budget for the 'murican war machine. Seems fine to me.

          you’re quickly paying 85% of the $30k you’re receiving in tuition fees alone

          ??? Why would they be paying the tuition fees with free public education available?