[jcmanson]

Ok, I was just wondering. I know Lynchburg is fairly cheap, but $300?

[SuperJon]

I know people in a house like mine paying less than that.

Like I said, once we refinance the house, the payment should be down around $400. After utilities you're looking at $550 or so. There's 3 bedrooms. You're looking at maybe $200 a person to cover everything if I were to get roommates. I'm not living in an apartment on Timberlake or anything. Just an old house off of Campbell Ave in an old neighborhood.

[jcmanson]

Yeah I understand you can get a 2-3 bedroom place where each person is paying 300 or less, but I was thinking total rent rather than per person.

[ALUmnus]

Goodness, I feel like I'm reading the same post over and over again.

[blwall1416]

Super, you make a good point--free grad school while working at LU is a huge perk. I would recommend that to most anyone who just graduated from college, esp. considering how much grad school would cost without the LU job benefit.

But, if you choose not to use the grad school benefit, LU should offer more in salary.

If you choose this route, though, & you later decide you want to attend LU's grad school, you should have to pay for it out of pocket.

Kind of an "either/or" thing...free education or higher salary to start...but not both.

[SuperJon]

Super, you make a good point--free grad school while working at LU is a huge perk. I would recommend that to most anyone who just graduated from college, esp. considering how much grad school would cost without the LU job benefit.

But, if you choose not to use the grad school benefit, LU should offer more in salary.

If you choose this route, though, & you later decide you want to attend LU's grad school, you should have to pay for it out of pocket.

Kind of an "either/or" thing...free education or higher salary to start...but not both.

That's actually a really good idea.

[blwall1416]

That's actually a really good idea.

To me, this gives added value to education.

I can assure you that I had no intention of going to grad school once I finished undergrad. I only did it because it was free & it was one year after I started working here. But, I still think I would rather have had the salary option.

[RagingTireFire]

Super, you make a good point--free grad school while working at LU is a huge perk. I would recommend that to most anyone who just graduated from college, esp. considering how much grad school would cost without the LU job benefit.

But, if you choose not to use the grad school benefit, LU should offer more in salary.

If you choose this route, though, & you later decide you want to attend LU's grad school, you should have to pay for it out of pocket.

Kind of an "either/or" thing...free education or higher salary to start...but not both.

That's actually a really good idea.

No, it isn't. Free or reduced tuition is a benefit that is somewhat unique to educational institutions. It's something -- much like a dental plan or health insurance -- that you can either choose to avail yourself of or not. Sure, they might be able to pay you some more if they didn't give you those things but it wouldn't be enough to cover your cost of those same benefits if you were to purchase them on your own. Hence, the term "benefit".

Secondly, there's no incentive at all for Liberty or any other university to do that. There's enough of a demand for higher education that this benefit is enough of a selling point for people, somewhat regardless of the salary attached.

[blwall1416]

Sure, they might be able to pay you some more if they didn't give you those things but it wouldn't be enough to cover your cost of those same benefits if you were to purchase them on your own. Hence, the term "benefit".

That's why I said "either/or".

"Either" you take the free education benefit...

"Or" you take a higher starting salary. (If you choose this, you'll pay out of your own pocket for higher education).

[blwall1416]

Secondly, there's no incentive at all for Liberty or any other university to do that. There's enough of a demand for higher education that this benefit is enough of a selling point for people, somewhat regardless of the salary attached.

Also, this view creates a cycle of entry-level workers throughout various departments. They come in knowing they are only staying until they finish grad school.

[RagingTireFire]

Sure, they might be able to pay you some more if they didn't give you those things but it wouldn't be enough to cover your cost of those same benefits if you were to purchase them on your own. Hence, the term "benefit".

That's why I said "either/or".

"Either" you take the free education benefit...

"Or" you take a higher starting salary. (If you choose this, you'll pay out of your own pocket for higher education).

There's no way that any added salary -- even before taxes -- would come close to covering the cost of tuition on your own. It actually costs employers less to provide benefits than it does to provide salary.

Also, this view creates a cycle of entry-level workers throughout various departments. They come in knowing they are only staying until they finish grad school.

Colleges are clearly okay with entry-level workers performing entry-level jobs until they complete school. In fact, the whole point of grad school is to move on to a real job shortly after completing it.

[blwall1416]

There's no way that any added salary -- even before taxes -- would come close to covering the cost of tuition on your own. It actually costs employers less to provide benefits than it does to provide salary.

Colleges are clearly okay with entry-level workers performing entry-level jobs until they complete school. In fact, the whole point of grad school is to move on to a real job shortly after completing it.

I'm not saying the salary is equal to the cost of education. It's just a choice you have to make....would you rather have more money now, or possibly even more money later? You just live with your decision.

The other problem is, there are entry-level workers working in non-entry-level jobs, if that makes sense.

A workplace should do its best to create an environment that fosters loyalty. Why settle to keep cycling through new workers every year, when you could invest more in them to keep them around longer?

[Cider Jim]

In fact, the whole point of grad school is to move on to a real job shortly after completing it.

Wise words from the Tire Man.