There’s a question I have been asked regarding living here in the Philippines a time or two in the past. The shortest answer is, a heck of a lot less than an equivalent school in the US. But that’s not a very specific answer, is it? Also, you can always get into a veritably endless argument about what an ‘equivalent’ school is, are Philippine colleges and universities ‘up to snuff’, is a Philippine degree any good anywhere else … the list goes on.
Well I can tell you this. There is no Stanford or Harvard in the Philippines. There are, however, plenty of worthwhile schools and many are enough ‘up to snuff’ to sit the rest of the world.
Speaking of Harvard, for example, a great many top level Filipino lawyers have their law degree from the University of the Philippines, Ateneo Law and other ‘name brand’ schools here and have gone on to graduate work at Harvard without missing a beat academically. So, as with any endeavor, pick carefully.
But many just wonder about getting an undergrad degree at the lowest reasonable cost, and very important in today’s world, choosing a field of study that is relevant and might live on into the future. I mean how many folks are going to colleges with business programs today that teach 2007 or before methods of how to get rich on Wall Street investing in sub-prime mortgages and other banal ‘get rich without producing anything’ crap like that?
Here’s an interesting piece that might open a few eyes. Not only is the coursework about agriculture (building for the future and literally helping to solve world hunger and unemployment, but the cost is just about as reasonable as it can be. Zero. Walang. Free, Gratis.
They say there are no opportunities for young people in the Philippines. But they say wrongly, or so Dave opines:
How to go to college for free
By Neal Cruz Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 03:08:00 06/10/2009
So you can’t afford to go to college? Take a course in agriculture for free. There is a P100-million scholarship fund in the budget for students who will pursue a course in agriculture. The scholarship is good for the four years of the course, provided you don’t flunk any of your subjects.
This was revealed by Sen. Loren Legarda at the Kapihan sa Manila last Monday….
Read the rest of Mr. Cruz’s Go To School In the Philippines For Free article.
Hi Dave, I can support you in saying the shool fees are inexpensive here in the Philippines as compared to the US and yes in some schools you get what you pay for.
Currently we have my wife and two of her younger siblings attending school here in Tagum, my wife goes to the University of Mindanao at Tagum campus and is completing her BSN degree in nursing, her tuition runs roughly 12 -1500 US dollars per semester but you have to realize the semester here runs 5 months as compared to 3 months in the US and if my memory serves me although getting government support in the US is easier it also was running me about 4000 USD per semester for a BS degree at California State University at Northridge. And remember that was 25 years ago nowadays its just outragous and we did check and most all of her basic course credits transfer to a US university. Great subject thanks for covering this. BTW her younger siblings class fees run us about 2000 peso’s per shcool semester plus projects, thats a public high school, the fact is it cost more to transport them there then class fees –
.-= Tommy´s last blog ..sport fishing – does it exist ? =-.
Thos prices are very much in line … only a few very exspensive schools (Ateneo, UP, etc. differ all that much.
According to my US citizen nursing sister-in-kaw who has bene a nirse in the US for more thna 10 years now, with a BSN from an ‘average’ school here in the Philippines, BSN gradyates from the Philippines have little or no trouble geting accepted into MSN programs in the US. had that very question a month or two back from a US reader whose US wife is considering coming here to earn her BSN …since they want to lve in the Philippines for a while anyway, it could be a good deal, a 4 year BSN here will certainly be cheaper than a 2 year RN in most US schools, and academically it is many more credit hours of education.
AHEAD believes that one’s success in life lies primarily in the decision that one makes. Standing at the threshold of the future, college must be regarded beyond being merely a step above high school education. It must be treated as a pivotal point—one which could significantly alter the entire direction of one’s life.
Interesting subject.
I do believe that an expensive education at a very good school with a world class reputation will only carry you only so far in this world.
Self confidence, drive, ambition are really an inside job and they are the most imprtant ingredients in the educational process.
The local Community College here in NYC charges about 4500 dollars per year for its RN Program which lasts two years. I believe over 1000 people applied last year for one of the 75 slots available.
After getting the Associates Degree one can then finish a full time degree in a CUNY College for about another 7000 dollars a year.
The WSJ has had a no. of articles published over the last few weeks to do with Nursing; it seems as if the shortage of Nurses is coming to an end due to many women re-entering the work force because of the recession.
Interesting points, Joe.
A couple things come to mind, especially for those in the Philippines who might be deciding “should I send my child to school in the US or in the Philippines”?
First I agree thoroughly with your caution that a degree, even an exspensive name brand one is not a gold key to success. In my view the ‘standard practice’ of sending children to school continuously from pre-K through a bachelor’s degree is wrong. The child comes out of college with so little practical knowledge (particularly about who he/she really is, inside) that the degree may have been wasted, in that the student’s heart and enthusiasm may nor be in a totally different place. I’m a firm believer in a child getting some working expereince, or perhaps some self-reliance expereince like the military, a chuch mission, volunteer work with children or the elderly, etc., before they major and commit. Not a popular idea, perhaps, but it pays dividends.
Second, I wonder how long those prices can hold up in New York, California and a few otherstates with really cheap and adequate state and community colleges? Given NY’s current balance sheet, I see this shooting upward, but maybe not.
Third, many states have very strict residency requirements, in Colorado for example you have to prove physical presence in the state for 365 days, plus have a Colorado Drivers license and prove you have filed Colorado income tax. Mnay expats wouldn’t qualify for the in-state rates, and out of state rates are often wildly higher.
Fourth, I don’t think I am smart enough to really debate the WSJ, but I don’t think they really have a handle on nursing demand. As we baby boomers age, elder care type needs are going to mushroom tremendously. Hard to say.
One thing for sure. If I was a big Donald Trump style investor and wanted to build somehting for the future here in the Philippines, instead of yet another call center, I’d build elder care communities … especially catering to the Japanese … they have an aging population problem even greater than the US.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Joe.
I wond
Just as I thought.
The idea of putting up an elderly care communities to cater to foreign nationals retiring in the Philippines? I have been trying to convince my classmate who happens to be a VP in a nursing home company to put such a business in the Philippines. Considering the number of US retirees already in the Philippines, and the influx of Japanese and Korean nationals retiring in the Philippines.
Do you think this will sell?
But didn’t you mentioned in your other article that you will be out, once it will look like a retirement community in Florida? I hope you’ll stay…
Hi Simon,
Thanks for reading and for commenting. “Do I Think It Will Sell”. Short answer is yes,but. You can’r just ‘out up a nursing home’ and expect people will treack across the Pacific for it. US retirees are underatndably scared off by the trip itself and the isolation from family and friends. A lot of US seniors in the Philippines (like me) are here because they are most likely never going in a bursing home. My wife and I discussed this throughly before I made the decison not to take long term care insurance provided by my employer. My strategy and that of many folks my age I know is, our spouses and/or children will hire in help when our needs reach the pint we are too much of a burden.
Japanese are ahige market, but I think you have to start that work from the Japanese end. The average Japanese on the street is scared to death of crime in the Philippines, and when you rerad the headlines in the paper each day who can blame them .. Japanese tourist robbed, Japanese tourist shoot, each and every day it seems, while the government yawns and says, Hmm, how many OFW’s shall we ship out today?
I have some thoughts about how to mitigate both these problems … to soem degree .. but it’s not something I’m much interested in writing about. The elder care industry is actually a hige subejct of it’s own.
You certainly are right about Florida. If this place starts looking like Florida, I’m gone. If I wanted to retire in Florida, I’d be there now, driving slow in the fast lane and calling into Rush Limbaugh to complain how Obama is stealing senior citizen discounts and how he should be prosecuted for denying the rights of innocent flies. Spare me, please.
In the 90′s I put our two girls thru college here in Olongapo, the first met her husband there,who is from a well off famierly (damn I wish you’d put a spell check here!) and after 8 years is doing very well (and a fun grand baby girl). I don’t support her at all. The youngest is using her marketing education in Singapore, managing 3 stores. And making more in a month than she made in a year here. So no matter which way they go, it was worth the money. I finished school on the GI Bill in the Virgin Islands, don’t remember a lot of it, but then I only did it for my folks. But as stated above there are good worth while colleges here. And I say spend the money!
Use FireFox to surf, Paul, and then you will have a spell checker.
Thanks for your comment regarding the worth of education here. Indeed, it’s worthwhile, I think, for every kid one is in a position to help. It won’t always work out thr way we want it, first time, but my view is, what else am I going to spend my money on? Better than lottery tickets … except in Puerto Rico LoL.