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dc_dux · 09-10-2008, 10:50 AM

I think Obama's "rhetoric" on higher ed is that his proposed $4000/yr tax credit would make community college accessible to all and four-year state institutions more affordable....so your example of $100,000 increasing to $150,000 cost over four years might just be a bit high.

A more realistic case would put the cost of a state uni at more like $10,000/yr....increasing to maybe $12,500 over four years....so Obama's tax credit would go from covering 40 percent of the cost to a third. And I dont know how you can dispute that it would make a community college education virtually free.

I agree that his plan would probably not be as beneficial to a middle class kid who wants to go to Harvard or Williams instead of Univ. of Illinois or Univ. of Delaware.

Personally, I like the tax credit idea more than additional loan support because it takes the middlemen (lending institutions) out of the mix. And for kids from low income families, the opportunity for a community college or state uni education might not otherwise be available.

Although Obama also proposes federally backed student loan reform that is less clear to me.

BTW, I think McCains higher ed plan has something in it about reducing costs by cutting research earmarks to higher ed (cutting earmarks seems to be his "solution" for everything). WTF?

09-10-2008, 10:50 AM	#11 (permalink)
dc_dux Location: Washington DC	I think Obama's "rhetoric" on higher ed is that his proposed $4000/yr tax credit would make community college accessible to all and four-year state institutions more affordable....so your example of $100,000 increasing to $150,000 cost over four years might just be a bit high. A more realistic case would put the cost of a state uni at more like $10,000/yr....increasing to maybe $12,500 over four years....so Obama's tax credit would go from covering 40 percent of the cost to a third. And I dont know how you can dispute that it would make a community college education virtually free. I agree that his plan would probably not be as beneficial to a middle class kid who wants to go to Harvard or Williams instead of Univ. of Illinois or Univ. of Delaware. Personally, I like the tax credit idea more than additional loan support because it takes the middlemen (lending institutions) out of the mix. And for kids from low income families, the opportunity for a community college or state uni education might not otherwise be available. Although Obama also proposes federally backed student loan reform that is less clear to me. BTW, I think McCains higher ed plan has something in it about reducing costs by cutting research earmarks to higher ed (cutting earmarks seems to be his "solution" for everything). WTF? __________________ "The perfect is the enemy of the good." ~ Voltaire Last edited by dc_dux; 09-10-2008 at 11:05 AM..