Mar 16, 2009 -- Reducing college expenses with a 3-year degree program
When we think of college, we typically think of a traditional 4-year experience or even longer. But by cramming an education into 3 years, you can actually save a bundle by eliminating the cost of housing, meals and transportation for a fourth year.
That move will typically reduce the final cost roughly by a quarter. This is exactly what Clark did when he worked during the day through undergrad school and took classes at night over 3 years
More schools are now experimenting with this idea. For example, Hartwick College in upstate New York is offering a 3-year undergrad degree, according to The New York Times. It involves a modified schedule where you go to school for a fall term, followed by a January term (sometimes called a "minimester") and then a spring semester. This kind of scheduling saves you $40,000 at Hartwick over the course of your education.
State schools can also boost their bottom-line by adopting 3-year degree programs. After all, the state schools are already bursting with new students who have enrolled in pursuit of a cheap education. So a full-year calendar increases the capacity of a state school by 33% without the expense of having to build any new facilities. Now that's stretching taxpayer dollars!
Meanwhile, Clark also wants to salute a teacher named Abby Brown in a distant suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul called Marine on St. Croix. This sixth-grade teacher was spotlighted in The New York Times because she's developed a desk design where the children stand. It's said to increase concentration and alleviate boredom by allowing the students freedom of movement.
Way to think outside of the box, Abby!
Finally, the consumer champ has received a lot of questions from people asking why he stands during his HLN show. When the radio station where he works was being built, they hired a consultant to design the studio who believed that talk show hosts have more energy if they're forced to stand!