U.S.C.

University of Spoiled Children.

No, not sour grapes.

I went to Lansing Community College because it was the least expensive option for the first two years at $8.50 a credit hour. Then transferred to Michigan State because it was the closest four year University and the least expensive option since I could live at home for free. The cost per credit hour was a staggering $21.50.

I had a VERY clear goal in mind. I was going to be employed when I graduated.

I would have very gladly gone to any state university had they been closer. I might not have become an engineer, but I would have been employable when I graduated.

The way I tried to explain it to my kids: You don't have to go to Harvard to attend a school that has more books in their library than you can possibly read. Harvard has approximately 18,000,000 volumes. You would have to read 12,000 books every day to deplete Harvard's library in four years.

Saginaw Valley State University is one of Michigan's newer universities. It is also the least expensive and has the lowest reported crime rate. They only have 240,000 paper books in the Melvin J. Zahnow library. You would only have to read 16 books every day to deplete their library in four years.

It reeks of pathos to peak at the age of 18, accepted by an "elite" university based on the corrupt machinations of your parents.