[dmichulke]

> at $300-400k in college tuition

I always wonder why it doesn't make sense to just have them learn German or French and then have them study in continental Europe. Living standard is the same, tuition cost is mostly non-existent and living abroad, if just for a year, will make you a better person.

Total cost for a bachelor + master is maybe 5 years with a cost of 1.5k per month maximum (this is considered rich for students), so you're at 18k per year or 90k total.

Educational arbitrage.

[HDThoreaun]

I had a few friends in high school go to French and English schools. Seemed to work out pretty well generally, although one had a hard time finding a job. Ended up getting a PhD from an ivy though

[swarnie]

By that justification you can skip the French/German stick with English and study at better universities in the UK.

Its not free but $25k a year for four years sure beats that 300-400k estimate.

[dmichulke]

In principal, yes.

As to my book,

- I'm not sure whether 1500$ is good enough in London

- you'll skip the foreign language learning (a time-wise plus AND a minus in terms of culture and, possibly, open-mindedness)

- we're still talking 100k$ of difference for a few ranks higher (top 10 instead of top 30 among maybe 500 good ones)

[nunez]

Isn't it harder to get a job in the US with an international degree?

[JumpCrisscross]

> learn German or French and then have them study in continental Europe. Living standard is the same

If you’re in a position to do this, the median European living standard is a huge step down. (You’ll also need to do extra work to make up for the network degradation.)

[r0ckarong]

> the median European living standard

Care to elaborate? What is so significantly better in the US?

[JumpCrisscross]

How many thirtysomethings in Europe are considering retirement? (Whose parents couldn’t do the same.)

I’m a bit of a mutt, but I hold Swiss and American citizenship. The European economic model is set up for stability, not massive accrual of wealth. One of the things that wealth lets you do is travel frequently to Europe, to see and experience its beautiful cities and culture. But in terms of living space, amenities, access to services, et cetera, an upper-middle class American commands resources on par with Europe’s rich. Rich Americans, on par with Europe’s remaining aristocracy.

[ornornor]

Switzerland is a bit weird in that respect and loves working even more than the US does. You’re not a good Swiss if you’re not working 0800–1800 and loving it.

The rest of Europe is much more chill with work. There is also much better healthcare/insurance and retirement safety nets so maybe people done feel as much of an urge to quit early?

[r0ckarong]

> The European economic model is set up for stability, not massive accrual of wealth.

The American system is set up for transfer of wealth not accrual. You can FIRE with a couple millions dollars and it takes just one or two events to take all of that from you without you having a choice. How many thirtysomethings in Europe are buried under hundreds of thousands of Euros in medical and student loan debt?

I think I'd rather pay of my half million mortgage while being protected in many many ways than facing complete wipeout just because "muh freedom".

[JumpCrisscross]

> American system is set up for transfer of wealth not accrual

Simply untrue when you look at the money made in stock options.

The transfer happens from the lower and middle to the elite; the same occurs in Europe, where the ultra rich pay almost no taxes after accounting for tailor-made subsidies. (To say nothing of Europe’s own mass of FIRE millionaires.)

> I'd rather pay of my half million mortgage while being protected in many many ways than facing complete wipeout

You’re not at risk of wipe-out from those risks in and above the upper-middle class, i.e the group who could reasonably support sending a child overseas for schooling. (Total emigration is a separate question.)