Investing in college : a guide for the perplexed

Author(s)

Bibliographic Information

Investing in college : a guide for the perplexed

Malcolm Getz

Harvard University Press, c2007

  • :
  • : pbk

Available at  / 2 libraries

Search this Book/Journal

Note

Includes index

Description and Table of Contents

Volume

: ISBN 9780674024649

Description

College education is one of the most important investments a family will make. But between the viewbooks, websites, insider gossip and magazine rankings, students and their worried parents face a dizzying array of options. What do the rankings really mean? Is it wise to choose the most prestigious school a student can get into? What are the payoffs of higher education, and, by the way, how do we pay for them? In a unique approach to these conundrums, an economist and award-winning teacher walks readers through the opportunities, risks, and rewards of heading off to college. Warning against the pitfalls of numerical rankings, Malcolm Getz poses questions to guide a student toward not necessarily the best college but the right one. Famous professors suggest quality - but do they teach undergraduates? Are smaller classes always better? When is a state university the best deal around? In a concise overview of decades of research, Getz reviews findings on the long-term returns of college education in different careers, from law to engineering, from nursing to financial management. Sorting through personal, professional, and institutional variables, he helps families determine when paying $40,000 a year might make sense, and when it merely buys an expensive rear window decal. He breaks down the formidable admissions game into strategies to improve the odds of acceptance, and he offers tips on tax breaks, subsidized loans, federal grants, 529 accounts, merit scholarships, and much more. Shrewd and sensible, "Investing in College" is an invaluable resource and a beacon of sanity for college-bound students and the families who support them.
Volume

: pbk ISBN 9780674030466

Description

College education is one of the most important investments a family will make. But between the viewbooks, websites, insider gossip, and magazine rankings, students and their worried parents face a dizzying array of options. What do the rankings really mean? Is it wise to choose the most prestigious school a student can get into? What are the payoffs of higher education, and, by the way, how do we pay for them? In a unique approach to these conundrums, an economist and award-winning teacher walks readers through the opportunities, risks, and rewards of heading off to college. Warning against the pitfalls of numerical rankings, Malcolm Getz poses questions to guide a student toward not necessarily the best college but the right one. Famous professors suggest quality--but do they teach undergraduates? Are smaller classes always better? When is a state university the best deal around? In a concise overview of decades of research, Getz reviews findings on the long-term returns of college education in different careers, from law to engineering, from nursing to financial management. Sorting through personal, professional, and institutional variables, he helps families determine when paying $40,000 a year might make sense, and when it merely buys an expensive rear window decal. He breaks down the formidable admissions game into strategies to improve the odds of acceptance, and he offers tips on tax breaks, subsidized loans, federal grants, 529 accounts, merit scholarships, and much more. Shrewd and sensible, Investing in College is an invaluable resource and a beacon of sanity for college-bound students and the families who support them.

Table of Contents

Preface 1. Introduction: The High Cost of Higher Education 2. Financial Returns: Does College Pay Off? 3. Career Opportunities: The Choices that Matter 4. College Rank: The Pitfalls of Prestige 5. The Learning Environment: What Your Money Really Buys 6. Sticker Shock: Will You Pay Too Much? 7. Payment Options: Something for Every Income 8. The Admission Game: Strategies for Success 9. The Choice: Comparing Offers Tables Notes Further Reading Index

by "Nielsen BookData"

Details

  • NCID
    BA81798200
  • ISBN
    • 9780674024649
    • 9780674030466
  • LCCN
    2006050886
  • Country Code
    us
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    Cambridge, Mass.
  • Pages/Volumes
    viii, 285 p.
  • Size
    21 cm
Page Top