What are some strange American customs?

[To Quoc Duc]

Because it's so expensive. If college expenses are $50,000 a year and the average income is $50,000, loans are generally required.

Why is it so expensive though?

I only pay about 12,000 canadian dollars a year for law school (in tuition)?

Undergrad was less than 10,000 a year...

The argument is that rather than everyone paying equally via tax, the only people who pay for the service universities provide are those purchasing them, i.e students. I prefer it this way.

[The lepearchauns]

Catfish noodling

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Although I admit that tuition costs in the US are too damn high (student loans truly hinder many young professionals after graduation), and that college education should be made more affordable, I still don't see it as strange if college age kids, provided they can juggle both study and part-time work, find jobs.

Honestly though, I can't imagine you'd have much free time left if you had to attend 5 classes a term (+ labs and discussion sessions etc) + studying/reading for them for hours + part-time job.

Life would suck...

no wonder people start skipping...

Not everyone's the same, sure. But some people manage it fine.

Ideally, people should be able to go to university without having to worry about a job too, devote their time to studying, but we do not live in an ideal society.

[Infected Mushroom]

Why is it so expensive though?

I only pay about 12,000 canadian dollars a year for law school (in tuition)?

Undergrad was less than 10,000 a year...

The argument is that rather than everyone paying equally via tax, the only people who pay for the service universities provide are those purchasing them, i.e students. I prefer it this way.

but paying for the education AFTER you have a stable job (and start to pay taxes) in tiny tiny bits and pieces year by year is much more manageable than having to RIGHT OFF THE BAT pay over 50,000 before you can even earn a proper living.

Also, it affects the students' capabilities to make the most out of their degree.

If I'm immediately burdened with having to pay 50,000+ every year I will be under a great deal more stress and I may have to take time to to do a part-time job. That kind of stuff is going to interfere with my learning and with the enjoyability of my college experience.

Whereas if it's through taxes (and it's in tiny bits and pieces over the rest of your life), it doesn't drop a massive weight on you immediately.

Also, if its through taxes presumably we can make the rich people pay more so the burden is less on those with economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

[Infected Mushroom]

Honestly though, I can't imagine you'd have much free time left if you had to attend 5 classes a term (+ labs and discussion sessions etc) + studying/reading for them for hours + part-time job.

Life would suck...

no wonder people start skipping...

Not everyone's the same, sure. But some people manage it fine.

Ideally, people should be able to go to university without having to worry about a job too, devote their time to studying, but we do not live in an ideal society.

what if we changed the social norm so that parents should be EXPECTED to pay for their sons/daughters' educational fees (including college) if they can?

Once this is adopted, it will become very very obvious to the government that education needs more funding to bring those tuition costs down.

I think the net effect of such a social transformation over time, is that more and more students will be able to go through college focused on learning and without having to work or borrow money.

Its just a restructuring of costs and responsibilities. The current generation would plan ahead and structure their lives financially to pay for their next generation's education (presumably they too would have enjoyed the same benefits)... and so on... and then each generation can enjoy college.

Jumpstarting the cycle is hard though...

[The Blaatschapen]

Why is it so expensive though?

I only pay about 12,000 canadian dollars a year for law school (in tuition)?

Undergrad was less than 10,000 a year...

The argument is that rather than everyone paying equally via tax, the only people who pay for the service universities provide are those purchasing them, i.e students. I prefer it this way.

Alright, then let those who use the services of pension, also pay for it.

Scratch that pyramid scheme money from my pay slip.

I also don't use highways, by virtue of not owning a car.

I'd like a refund for that as well.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Not everyone's the same, sure. But some people manage it fine.

Ideally, people should be able to go to university without having to worry about a job too, devote their time to studying, but we do not live in an ideal society.

what if we changed the social norm so that parents should be EXPECTED to pay for their sons/daughters' educational fees (including college) if they can?

Once this is adopted, it will become very very obvious to the government that education needs more funding to bring those tuition costs down.

I think the net effect of such a social transformation over time, is that more and more students will be able to go through college focused on learning and without having to work or borrow money.

Its just a restructuring of costs and responsibilities. The current generation would plan ahead and structure their lives financially to pay for their next generation's education (presumably they too would have enjoyed the same benefits)... and so on... and then each generation can enjoy college.

Jumpstarting the cycle is hard though...

IM, some parents send their kids to college very laboriously as it is. I don't think the change should be to expect the parents to pay for everything. I think the change needs to be in the educational system, lowering fees in some way, so that getting a higher education isn't so pricey.

[Kelinfort]

One rather odd one is Americans tend to brace bad news with positivity, before or after delivering it. It can be comforting, but often, it comes off as patronising or not genuine. Especially when people don't get to the point.

[Infected Mushroom]

what if we changed the social norm so that parents should be EXPECTED to pay for their sons/daughters' educational fees (including college) if they can?

Once this is adopted, it will become very very obvious to the government that education needs more funding to bring those tuition costs down.

I think the net effect of such a social transformation over time, is that more and more students will be able to go through college focused on learning and without having to work or borrow money.

Its just a restructuring of costs and responsibilities. The current generation would plan ahead and structure their lives financially to pay for their next generation's education (presumably they too would have enjoyed the same benefits)... and so on... and then each generation can enjoy college.

Jumpstarting the cycle is hard though...

IM, some parents send their kids to college very laboriously as it is. I don't think the change should be to expect the parents to pay for everything. I think the change needs to be in the educational system, lowering fees in some way, so that getting a higher education isn't so pricey.

Why is it so pricey to begin with anyways?

I mean, my law school tuitions are cheaper than American undergrad (if the 50,000 dollars a year in tuition is no exaggeration)...

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Another strange American custom is where college students have to work to pay for their own living expenses and tuitions (and borrow money).

I've always found it strange that most parents stop providing for their sons and daughters at such a young age.

I come from a prominent House, and I've never had to borrow money or work to pay off college expenses. Its all provided by my House.

I guess it doesn't tend to work that way in the USA...

Many parents don't outright stop providing for their kids when they're of college age. Tuition is highly expensive in the US so many students complement their income or allowance from their parents by getting part-time employed. I'm not sure what's so strange about that. Shouldn't teens learn the value of work?

Many students also tend to get student loans because, again, tuition expenses in the US for university, particularly for post-grad, is very expensive.

Not only that, but many parents who own their own businesses actually make their kids to go work either with them or with someone else

My dad was that way. I had to work with him since I was 15 in either computers or Sprinkler systems, but I could not be just laying on my ass doing nothing.

[Infected Mushroom]

Many parents don't outright stop providing for their kids when they're of college age. Tuition is highly expensive in the US so many students complement their income or allowance from their parents by getting part-time employed. I'm not sure what's so strange about that. Shouldn't teens learn the value of work?

Many students also tend to get student loans because, again, tuition expenses in the US for university, particularly for post-grad, is very expensive.

Not only that, but many parents who own their own businesses actually make their kids to go work either with them or with someone else

My dad was that way. I had to work with him since I was 15 in either computers or Sprinkler systems, but I could not be just laying on my ass doing nothing.

this sounds wrong though...

I think its too young to be working...

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Not only that, but many parents who own their own businesses actually make their kids to go work either with them or with someone else

My dad was that way. I had to work with him since I was 15 in either computers or Sprinkler systems, but I could not be just laying on my ass doing nothing.

this sounds wrong though...

I think its too young to be working...

Not really. I find it beneficial in retrospective.

I get it, child labor blah blah, but if it is a family business I think children should know the inner workings of the company when they are of enough age.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

IM, some parents send their kids to college very laboriously as it is. I don't think the change should be to expect the parents to pay for everything. I think the change needs to be in the educational system, lowering fees in some way, so that getting a higher education isn't so pricey.

Why is it so pricey to begin with anyways?

Wiki explains it better than I can.

I mean, my law school tuitions are cheaper than American undergrad (if the 50,000 dollars a year in tuition is no exaggeration)...

It's no exaggeration, nope. I've seen some tuition costs for 2014 reach the $45,000 mark. State universities tend to be more affordable, however, but tuitioncosts can reach the $30,000 a year range.

[The Blaatschapen]

Not only that, but many parents who own their own businesses actually make their kids to go work either with them or with someone else

My dad was that way. I had to work with him since I was 15 in either computers or Sprinkler systems, but I could not be just laying on my ass doing nothing.

this sounds wrong though...

I think its too young to be working...

I had my first job when I was 11.

Planting asparagus at a farm.

[Infected Mushroom]

this sounds wrong though...

I think its too young to be working...

Not really. I find it beneficial in retrospective.

I get it, child labor blah blah, but if it is a family business I think children should know the inner workings of the company when they are of enough age.

the problem with this is that that parents don't deal with their children ''at arm's length.''

There's an inequality of bargaining power inherent in the relationship.

Hence I find such employment arrangements problematic from the standpoint of traditional contract law principles...

[Infected Mushroom]

Why is it so pricey to begin with anyways?

Wiki explains it better than I can.

I mean, my law school tuitions are cheaper than American undergrad (if the 50,000 dollars a year in tuition is no exaggeration)...

It's no exaggeration, nope. I've seen some tuition costs for 2014 reach the $45,000 mark. State universities tend to be more affordable, however, but tuitioncosts can reach the $30,000 a year range.

This is unacceptable.

I don't like this.

[Atomic Energy]

That "cool nod" thing.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Not really. I find it beneficial in retrospective.

I get it, child labor blah blah, but if it is a family business I think children should know the inner workings of the company when they are of enough age.

the problem with this is that that parents don't deal with their children ''at arm's length.''

There's an inequality of bargaining power inherent in the relationship.

Hence I find such employment arrangements problematic from the standpoint of traditional contract law principles...

Except, these are not contractarian obligations. It is simply the parent telling them "okay you're coming to work with me". It's rather informal and non-contractarian because we're the kids, and we stay in the household anyways so they can just tell us not to go work any longer.

Of course, this arrangement works well with authoritarian leaders, other types of leaders might see themselves in a bit of a hassle.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Wiki explains it better than I can.



It's no exaggeration, nope. I've seen some tuition costs for 2014 reach the $45,000 mark. State universities tend to be more affordable, however, but tuitioncosts can reach the $30,000 a year range.

This is unacceptable.

I don't like this.

Hence why your idea of the onus for paying being on the parents isn't feasible in the US, IM.

[Infected Mushroom]

the problem with this is that that parents don't deal with their children ''at arm's length.''

There's an inequality of bargaining power inherent in the relationship.

Hence I find such employment arrangements problematic from the standpoint of traditional contract law principles...

Except, these are not contractarian obligations. It is simply the parent telling them "okay you're coming to work with me". It's rather informal and non-contractarian because we're the kids, and we stay in the household anyways so they can just tell us not to go work any longer.

Of course, this arrangement works well with authoritarian leaders, other types of leaders might see themselves in a bit of a hassle.

It just sounds like exploitation of labour of some kind.

I don't know...

[Infected Mushroom]

This is unacceptable.

I don't like this.

Hence why your idea of the onus for paying being on the parents isn't feasible in the US, IM.

In Canada though?

[Soldati Senza Confini]

Except, these are not contractarian obligations. It is simply the parent telling them "okay you're coming to work with me". It's rather informal and non-contractarian because we're the kids, and we stay in the household anyways so they can just tell us not to go work any longer.

Of course, this arrangement works well with authoritarian leaders, other types of leaders might see themselves in a bit of a hassle.

It just sounds like exploitation of labour of some kind.

I don't know...

It's not really exploitation of labor because it's the family business. Certain families simply have those dynamics.

Exploitation of labor of a son would be a very different case.

[Infected Mushroom]

It just sounds like exploitation of labour of some kind.

I don't know...

It's not really exploitation of labor because it's the family business. Certain families simply have those dynamics.

Exploitation of labor of a son would be a very different case.

I think all employment relations should be captured by a standard set of regulations.

These types of informal family arrangements involving teenagers and children just sound like they could be ripe with opportunities for exploitation.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Hence why your idea of the onus for paying being on the parents isn't feasible in the US, IM.

In Canada though?

Canada and the US are different countries, IM, with different economies and different approaches, and different social problems. This is not to say that I agree with the way tuition costs are so high in the US and how this can make higher education virtually inaccessible to some people. That certainly is a problem that needs fixing. But we can't really go on and apply what works in one country in another without first changing other things.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

It's not really exploitation of labor because it's the family business. Certain families simply have those dynamics.

Exploitation of labor of a son would be a very different case.

I think all employment relations should be captured by a standard set of regulations.

These types of informal family arrangements involving teenagers and children just sound like they could be ripe with opportunities for exploitation.

And that happens, and there's laws that protect minors against it.

However, informal family arrangements do happen all the time. They're not illegal, they're simply in a grey area of ethics.