Higher Education: Is It Worth The Cost?

For the academic year just completed. the most expensive college in the country was Sarah Lawrence College, $54,410. Other notable institutions: Harvey Mudd College, $51,037 and St. Lawrence University, my alma mater, $49,680. Amazing, when I went to college in, well lets say the number one television show was All in the Family, a year of college was $15,000. Are these costs worth the expense? Do students get their value for these costs? The median annual salary for full-time workers with a four-year college degree was $55,656 in 2008, or nearly 40% more than $33,801 earned by a full-time worker with a high school diploma. So yes it is worth the expense.

But, can public and private colleges and universities continue to increase these costs? How close are we to the breaking point in affordability for higher education. The days of excessive and wasteful administrative and operation budgets are over for higher education institutions, just like in private business, institutions must change with the times. To provide the best possible education for your students is the priority we must set, not how many Deans, Assistant Deans, Vice Presidents, Associate Vice Presidents you have. The same holds true for public secondary and elementary education, but this is a topic for another day.

We have selected a fine movie for our Rink Rats first movie review, City Island. A lovely little film set in City Island, New York starring Andy Garcia and Julianna Margulies. A well written and acted film about a family dealing with hidden lives and agendas. We recommend City Island for its humor and wonderful story, rated PG-13, now in theatres but limited release.

The Rink Rats rating of 1 - 10 with 10 being Casablanca, we give City Island an 8.

Another bad side of growing old, your golf handicap. I just received my golf handicap for the month of May, a 13.9. 13.9!!! I remember when it was 3.5! Another indicator of growing old, you watch your nephew play goal in hockey and you actually think you could not get a shot past him for a goal. Oh my, what next.

Next Week: We discuss Facebook and Twitter, evil or good.

Until next Monday, Adios.


Claremont, CA
May 17, 2010