Student Loan Debt?

[paulsharvey]

How does your son do with taking on-line classes? Reason I ask is some friends just pulled their son out of college with one semester to go because he was failing his on-line classes. He's a pretty decent student, but for some reason he doesn't focus when it's all on-line. And to make it worse, IMO, he is required to be on campus even though he's a senior and the classes are on-line. So instead of graduating this semester, he and his parents now have this mess.

He hasn't ever done any online classes, so that is an unknown.

 

[hiddentacocatneddih]

Online is a good route.

I did 4 years of school in 2.25 by cramming and doing classes over summer. Take double the classes at a time. Only time off was 1 week for christmas. Only reason I couldnt finish quicker was the last couple classes had to be one after the other

a lot of state universities invested a lot into online after the plandemic

 

[ultrarunner]

Well I think it's easier if you find a job at a company that pays your school debt and gives you a signing bonus if you work for them for certain time.

We offer that and several CNA and LVN took advantage and became RNs.

Some hospitals will retire a portion of your student loan debt in exchange for years worked.

The best deal among the RNs I work with are the ones that served and used military education benefits to earn nursing degrees.

We have a doc that got a full ride as the top academic student from the inner city high school...

 

[jyoutz]

He hasn't ever done any online classes, so that is an unknown.

Most online class lectures are live and interactive with students asking questions. I’ve participated in many and instructed a few. They really aren’t much different than being there in person.

 

[milkman636]

A bit part of this conversation also was about his truck. He currently has a paid for 2003 Chevy 1500HD, 6.0 Vortex, that gets about 11-13 mpg. We have been telling him foe about a year, sell that dang truck and get something like a Nissian Frontier, Canyon/Colorado, Mazda/Ranger, or a small car.

Part of his problem; he loves his truck; and the bigger part, he thinks it worth $8k; but is really maybe a $4500 vehicle on a good day. He had it posted about 9 months ago, for $8k, and no intrwst; then he hit a deer (minor front bumper) and so.eone backed a tow truck into him, messing up rear bumper and the fiberglass bed. So, the value might have been $6500 before that, but definitely dropped since

I had a 2002 version of the heavy duty half ton that I probably should not have traded in, and i have a 2012 3500 with the 6.0L. IMHO that 6.0 setup from 2003 is as good of powertrain as a person can find for a truck. Knowing what I know now about their durability and longevity I'd keep it. I'd buy a setup like his in good condition again in a minute, even at 20 years old.

Commuting and stacking all the classes on two days a week to save on driving can be brutal also. I did it for a couple semesters way back in my college career to minimize commuting and have more earning time. It was brutal putting in 12 hour days on the varying subjects and having assignments and exams lining up on the same days. There's a certain amount of natural time management and better focus that occurs by spreading things out a bit over the week.

 

[MossRoad]

My son has $80k in an account for college. I told him that's it from me. If he spends it wisely, he won't pay a dime. If he wants to be frivolous and incur debt, that is on him. I taught him what way to go, but I can't make him go that way.

Assuming it keeps earning interest and he takes the least expensive housing options, that would easily get him through 4 years of any state school in Indiana debt free.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Assuming it keeps earning interest and he takes the least expensive housing options, that would easily get him through 4 years of any state school in Indiana debt free.

I didn’t mention, he will graduate HS with an associates already, that was paid for by grants from the state.
His fund has averaged 11.69%/yr since we started it, and he is still only 14. So he will have well over $100k when the time comes. He wants to be a pilot, that is his dream, and it is a very affordable one in fact.

 

[2manyrocks]

Most online class lectures are live and interactive with students asking questions. I’ve participated in many and instructed a few. They really aren’t much different than being there in person.

What I've seen is highly variable in production quality. When professors were forced on line during covid, it was evident that many were clueless when it came to decent audio and video quality.

I wonder why a college would force a student to live on campus, but then only offer on-line courses that are mandatory for graduation at this point? Many colleges have a lot of dorm space they need to fill for their own financial reasons, but to then tell a senior that his course work will be on-line?

 

[paulsharvey]

My sister is a professor at a state college (what useful to be called a community college), and she told me that now a lot of their non-lab classes are basically, choose your own method; ie, she teaches the class in person, while it's live uploaded, (with live interaction with the online folks), and it's also available recorded online for later watching or review. I didn't ask how those classes worked with tests?

Me, I learn Far better in person. It's not the same; but I've had to take a 2 day, MOT class, and it was online (always done in person before), and the discussion/questions/participation was crap compared to in person. It was fine, I have to take the same class every 4 years, and done it probably 5 times now, so it wasn't new info. They told us we had to keep cameras on the entire time,

When I took a few full on college math prereqs about, 7 or 8 years ago, I found them to be about useless. At the same time wife was taking same classes as RN prereqs, at a different CC, online (in person mid term and final), her professor taught the math; mine, he told us to YouTube it if you have questions. He didn't even post video lessons...

 

[paulsharvey]

BTW, even 22 years ago, I had a class or two that was simulcast to a remote classroom projector. The professor taught at the main campus, (were I went in person, but commuted), and a teachers aid type had it on a TV at the remote campus, where a group of students were at live, and could ask questions too a camera the professor saw. It was only in some very easy/simple general Ed stuff, like Macroeconomics and something else, maybe world geography, or intro to business,

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

In my son's college experience, I've found they watch a lot of recorded media, and the "professor" doesn't do much of anything. AI will eliminate teachers and profs easily... They have already given up on real instruction.

 

[paulsharvey]

In my son's college experience, I've found they watch a lot of recorded media, and the "professor" doesn't do much of anything. AI will eliminate teachers and profs easily... They have already given up on real instruction.

Some for sure have.

 

[2manyrocks]

If the classroom instructor is a yawner in person, being on line wouldn't improve that experience.

I also wonder about the financial viability of the current college model. Many colleges have substantial investment in their real estate and facilities, but if those are no longer needed because of on-line instruction, where does that end up?

 

[ultrarunner]

Soon it will all be AI... right?

 

[2manyrocks]

The premise of the Terminator movie franchise is machines with AI decided mankind needed to be wiped from the face of the earth.

 

[MossRoad]

I didn’t mention, he will graduate HS with an associates already, that was paid for by grants from the state.
His fund has averaged 11.69%/yr since we started it, and he is still only 14. So he will have well over $100k when the time comes. He wants to be a pilot, that is his dream, and it is a very affordable one in fact.

I've heard Purdue has a pretty good program.

 

[deserteagle71]

The premise of the Terminator movie franchise is machines with AI decided mankind needed to be wiped from the face of the earth.

To a lot of people, wiping mankind off the face of the earth is exactly what is needed to save the earth. Been going rounds with some tree-huggers on another forum who believe exactly this. Their premise is that mankind is just another form of locust, devouring everything in their path.

 

[jyoutz]

My sister is a professor at a state college (what useful to be called a community college), and she told me that now a lot of their non-lab classes are basically, choose your own method; ie, she teaches the class in person, while it's live uploaded, (with live interaction with the online folks), and it's also available recorded online for later watching or review. I didn't ask how those classes worked with tests?

Me, I learn Far better in person. It's not the same; but I've had to take a 2 day, MOT class, and it was online (always done in person before), and the discussion/questions/participation was crap compared to in person. It was fine, I have to take the same class every 4 years, and done it probably 5 times now, so it wasn't new info. They told us we had to keep cameras on the entire time,

When I took a few full on college math prereqs about, 7 or 8 years ago, I found them to be about useless. At the same time wife was taking same classes as RN prereqs, at a different CC, online (in person mid term and final), her professor taught the math; mine, he told us to YouTube it if you have questions. He didn't even post video lessons...

My agency does a couple of continuing education short courses (1-2 weeks) annually for professionals in my field. We do everything but the field portions online, with a mix of professors from 3 different universities: Northern Arizona, Utah State, and University of Idaho, along with agency program managers like myself teaching. It’s live and interactive between instructors and students, and I feel like the experience is identical to when we did these classes on-site.

 

[paulsharvey]

My agency does a couple of continuing education short courses (1-2 weeks) annually for professionals in my field. We do everything but the field portions online, with a mix of professors from 3 different universities: Northern Arizona, Utah State, and University of Idaho, along with agency program managers like myself teaching. It’s live and interactive between instructors and students, and I feel like the experience is identical to when we did these classes on-site.

So, I think a big part of this is your method of learning, and also probably a generational thing. I prefer to draw a picture/sketch to explain stuff; and learn better in a similar way. When helping 9 y/o daughter with math homework, I draw all over her homework. 12 y/o daughter, I got to Contasrnly tell her, "write it out, you can't solve a math problem looking at a screen"; but maybe other people can?

In online learning, I find people are very reluctant/slow to ask questions, and about 50% of the class won't understand, or ask.

That doesn't make it bad, it just makes it something I would have to work harder understand.

We do use Microsoft Teams a lot at work for meetings; and being able to share your screen, and highlight something, and say "what is this in the upper right corner mean" is nice; and you can instantly flip between aerial images and plans, which you wouldn't be able to do on paper

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I've heard Purdue has a pretty good program.

To be honest, a pilot certification is a pilot certification. They are all the same. However, he does want to go to Purdue