College Partying and Tuition in America Infographic
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 by Chris Lesinski Check out this infographic that Kelly found on a Fast Company blog. It makes the ole "college is a waste of money" case. Take it with a grain of salt, though -- some flashy graphic design doesn't mean it makes a good point.
Never let anyone tell you that college is too expensive. Especially with student loan interest rates so low, college is the single greatest investment you will ever make in your whole life. Over the course of your career, it'll pay you back 100-fold -- that's what I call a lifehack. Comparing starting salaries and partying habits doesn't change that.
And take note of the negative tone for spending 9 hours a day "engaged with media and technology." We like to think that using your cell phone and a few social networks is a good thing -- it might even be your homework.
Reader Comments (7)
I think before everyone gets up in arms over the 10k difference in starting salary based on gender, look at this chart:
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-Degrees_that_Pay_you_Back-sort.html
If you look at degrees like engineering/science vs communications/social sciences , the starting salary is higher by around the same amount. The technical degrees are traditionally dominated by men, and while this trend is certainly changing, the majority of degrees handed out in this field are to men. SO if we factor that a higher number of women are getting degrees, but of the men who are receiving degrees, a higher percentage are getting technical majors( that pay more) than women, thus resulting in a higher average.
Happy Holidays!
This graphic is completely spurious. First of all, they need to stop pretending people pay full tuition to go to college. Between my parents' contribution and mine, it costs me about $8,000 a year to go to Yale (including books, room/board, travel, etc.) - and we're firmly middle class, so for the average family, comparing increased earning potential to a $47,500/year tuition is simply incorrect.
Saying students spend "a mere 8 hours a week studying" is also misleading. They're not including time spent in class or in lab, which would clearly more than double that 8 hours a week figure for time spent with academic pursuits. And how much time do students spend at work or volunteering?
I also take issue with the negative tone given to partying. First of all, let's not pretend college students are the only ones who party. The kids I know from my hometown who didn't go to college drink and party as much as I do, if not more. They're just doing it after work instead of after class. Professionals in the "real world" party too - both young and old - and I could just as easily put a positive spin on all of this by saying 10 hrs/wk are spent in social interactions or some such. Should students sit in the library all night, every night, in order to "get the most out of college"? No, of course not. Productivity is increased, not decreased, by taking time off from work to unwind, clear your head and have fun with your friends.
In fact, the worst part of the graphic is that they pretend the value of college is merely financial. College isn't just a thing you do to improve your finances - it's an experience. You meet diverse new groups of people from roommates to professors; are exposed to exciting new ideas and new ways of thinking; learn things that might not directly increase your salary but completely change who you are as a person; learn how to live with a roommate; often get access to great opportunities like study abroad that would never be open to you otherwise - I could go on. The point is that none of these things will be obtained if I say fuck college and use my tuition money to go buy a Ferrari.
@Elizabeth
Very well said.
The technical degrees are traditionally dominated by men, and while this trend is certainly changing, the majority of degrees handed out in this field are to men.
What the hell is wrong with Canadian studies? And how is that a joke degree?
I know from my hometown who didn't go to college drink and party as much as I do, if not more. They're just doing it after work instead of after class.
I think one thing that is totally overlooked on this infograph is online and distance education. Students taking classes online through an accredited university often save tons of money on tuition as well as housing. Plus, many of these students are employed full-time.