Engineering Degree Online | The college textbook scam

Posted by bposton on November 10th, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

OK, it’s time for me to jump up on my soap box again… :-)

No, it’s not about diploma mills (but don’t get me started on that one…)

This tirad I’m about to start is about the ripoff regarding college textbooks.

Ripoff? Absolutely…

Get this - the basic introductory physics textbook for college students has remained pretty much the same in the past 100 years, or longer. So it really bugs me when a freshman physics student has to buy a new textbook that’s about $160., even though the one he used in high school probably has the very same material.

Students all over the US are struggling as it is. So add to that whammy of college costs increasing, now they have to beg, borrow and steal to afford the textbook that the good ‘ol professor tells then they need, and then NEVER uses it in class!!!

:-(   In fact, double :-( :-(

Here are the facts, my dorm room buddy…

There are thousands of textbooks published each and every year, and add them all up and it’s a $6.5 billion dollar a year business.

That’s “Billion” with a B

Don’t take my word for it. That figure comes from the National Association of College Stores.

Fact - The cost of the average college textbook increased 186 percent between 1986 and 2004, according to a study by the Government Accountability Office.

And why, pray tell did the costs go up so mucn? well, according to the GAO, it was “explained” that expenses of developing and bundling additional materials like CDs, DVDs, and websites that supplement the traditional pages kept going up.

Gimme a break…

So now, the sad fact is that the average book bill for the typical student is about $900 a year.

Of course it’s even more if you’re enrolled in like sciences or art history, which use required reading that is particularly expensive to produce.

Boy. these tirads make me tired… :-)

More in my next post
Ben

, , , , , ,

No Comments »

engineering degree online : A growing trend towards Technical Training - a case study

Posted by bposton on October 22nd, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

One reason why technical training is seeing a comeback is the increase in partnerships among community/technical colleges, high schools, and employers.

Here’s a great example of that in my home state of North Carolina:

There’s a company in Greensboro, NC called RF MicroDevices. They’ve hooked up with Guilford Technical Community College. Together they’ve developed several programs to help train student operators in “wafer fab”, which turn out integrated computer circuits.

“There’s no place else around here where someone can learn the skills necessary to perform efficiently in our facility,” says Ralph Knupp of RFMD. “Someone who graduates with a bachelor of arts would not arrive bringing the specific experience we need. So vocational training is critical for us to maintain our manufacturing strength in Greensboro.”

North Carolina is probably best know for our textile and furniture industries (High Point Furniture Market, for example). But we’ve seen those industries shrink dramatically in the face of foreign competition. So the state has relied alot on the community college system, which was started in 1958, to retrain displaced workers.

“We did a major study with industry and found that for two-thirds of all bio-tech jobs in this state, no four-year degree was necessary,” says Martin Lancaster, president of the North Carolina Community College system.

So I think there’s a hugh trend here:

First of all, families are struggling to afford the traditional college education. So they’re looking a technical training to learn a hi-tech skill or trade.

Second, employers are struggling to find qualified hi-tech labor. So that has increased the demand for skilled US workers in fields such as aviation mechanics, computer technology, electronics, global positioning, and trades ranging from culinary arts to construction.

It’s a combination that will only grow over time.

Ben

 

, , , , , ,

No Comments »