transputers again was: The dissolution of Commodore 2939

Here, college is pretty low-cost; IF you can make the academic qualification. The open studies in Theology and Law are considered "open"; i.e. you can enroll with just a high school diploma. (This has some free speech-religion overtones, so the administrations of those faculties are reluctant to "close" the intake. It just means they weed out the chaff during the first year.)

The qualifications for the rest are pretty stiff.

Seen from a western state, investing in a college education for a well qualified citizen has an expected return of around 4 times the investment just in the tax collected, and an expected rate of return of somewhere around 20%. It is a profitable investment. And they don't have to foot the entire bill; they put together attractive financing packages for large parts of it. So, seen from the state the return is even higher. If indirect effects are included the return is close to 10 times the investment. That is for the state. The expected return for a student is around 15-30 times the investment.

I live in a state that actively promote exchange of students, and buy education at foreign universites. They can negotiate pretty good rates as well.

They view it as an investment.

But you need pretty good grades from high school to qualify.

-- mrr