Search found 1343 matches

by srt7
Sun Mar 17, 2024 11:46 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: The best game-changing financial advice you ever received (or "discovered")
Replies: 120
Views: 11114

Re: The best game-changing financial advice you ever received (or "discovered")

Pay yourself first

LBYM (B stands for below not beyond)

Diversify your investments

Index funds

Bonus: Investing is boring (and that's a good thing!)
by srt7
Sun Mar 17, 2024 11:45 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Great news! No more [fixed real estate] agent commission
Replies: 163
Views: 15079

Re: Great news! No more [fixed real estate] agent commission

Okay, with all the posts about making real estate like eBay, just contact an attorney, done deal, As a decades long realtor I’ll chime in. Over the last 4 years, back of the envelope calculations , with buyers- average homes shown per buyer prior to purchase- about 20 with as many as 50 or more. Average offers made per buyer prior to purchase- conservatively 5, with as many as 20. Typical scenario with buyer at a given home: “We really like this home and would like to purchase” Me- “here are my concerns” - infrastructure is suspect- roof nearing end of life ( I’m trained in home inspection) hvac nearing end of life, windows very inefficient, cheap, basement is suspect with evidence of moisture, etc etc etc - “you should be aware that there...
by srt7
Sat Mar 16, 2024 1:20 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Great news! No more [fixed real estate] agent commission
Replies: 163
Views: 15079

Re: Great news! No more [fixed real estate] agent commission

Brofessor wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 6:06 am Just had to chime in.

Cell phones and the internet are disruptive technologies and innovation. Uber/Lyft disrupt taxis. Online banking disrupts brick and mortar. GPS disrupts paper maps. It is power to the people. The old dinosaurs will cling to power.

It is time for a massive disruption in real estate, but the power structures refuse to die. We need a brand new model and website for real estate. Something similar to Vanguard and Index funds. Cut out all the middle men.
Yes, it is in the interest of some people to cling on to the old ways. But as always the world has moved on and one either adapts or gets left behind.
by srt7
Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:06 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Great news! No more [fixed real estate] agent commission
Replies: 163
Views: 15079

Re: Great news! No more [fixed real estate] agent commission

TBH in the software driven world today, I don't see much value to having a seller's agent either. Definitely not worthy of 6%, that's for sure. Somehow I don't think we are going to see many 1-click purchases for real estate. Maybe for investment properties. But for most people, their home is their largest purchase ever, and they get to live in it. They'll still want to view the property in person. That's likely to still be facilitated by an agent, not software. Never said it needs to be a 1-click purchase. Buyers can definitely visit the property without any agent as code to lockboxes are already getting generated. We live in a world where an Amazon package can be dropped off inside the house by the driver. Why do we even need a lockbox? ...
by srt7
Fri Mar 15, 2024 10:54 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Great news! No more [fixed real estate] agent commission
Replies: 163
Views: 15079

Re: Great news! No more agent commission

Not to worry. Salespeople will always find a way to be compensated. Perhaps they'll charge sellers an upfront fee to market a house, 50% paid at time of listing and 50% paid at time of closing. Maybe sellers will get service options, some might generate a sale quickly, others in a year or two, depending on how much the seller is willing to pay. Competition can make things interesting and spark innovation. Business methods will change with new pricing methods. Maybe agents will start charging admission fees to enter "open houses". Perhaps folks will eventually long for the "good old days" of the 6% commission paid at closing. While I fully agree that sales people will survive through it I think you're looking at it with ...
by srt7
Fri Mar 15, 2024 10:50 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Great news! No more [fixed real estate] agent commission
Replies: 163
Views: 15079

Re: Great news! No more [fixed real estate] agent commission

Yes! About time!

Given the conflict of interest (higher the house price, the higher the commission) there is no such thing as a "Buyer's Agent". Glad they're doing away with these archaic positions.

TBH in the software driven world today, I don't see much value to having a seller's agent either. Definitely not worthy of 6%, that's for sure.
by srt7
Thu Mar 14, 2024 6:09 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Need Help Finding a Hobby
Replies: 76
Views: 5999

Re: Need Help Finding a Hobby

I mean, the only way I can think to do it is try a bunch of things and pay attention to what works for you. It just takes some sensitivity and awareness to what you're feeling. If you're just looking to fill some time though, I'd suggest starting with things that will have ancillary benefit. An exercise routine, learning to cook healthy meals, writing to friends, that kind of thing. Good to do anyway, and they have the potential to deepen into enjoyable hobbies in their own right. ETA. I too would like to waste less time on my phone. The trick might be to start by getting really disciplined about that. The dopamine reward from scrolling is like a sugar high and will wash out the motivation boredom produces and the subtler rewards from more...
by srt7
Wed Mar 13, 2024 11:47 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buying a new house
Replies: 12
Views: 1548

Re: Buying a new house

It depends. Do you value your time or money more? If former then go with Bridge loans. If latter then rent-back / rent for a while etc.
by srt7
Wed Mar 13, 2024 11:45 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: 20 Lessons From 20 Years of Managing Money - Ben Carlson
Replies: 13
Views: 3673

Re: 20 Lessons From 20 Years of Managing Money - Ben Carlson

dbr wrote: Tue Mar 12, 2024 8:21 am I like all the lessons. This should be in the Wiki.
I support this suggestion.
by srt7
Wed Mar 13, 2024 11:43 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: 20 Lessons From 20 Years of Managing Money - Ben Carlson
Replies: 13
Views: 3673

Re: 20 Lessons From 20 Years of Managing Money - Ben Carlson

I understand the world can be an unforgiving place and things will never be perfect but investing is a game where the optimists win.

I could definitely use this more.

OP - thanks for sharing!
by srt7
Tue Mar 12, 2024 11:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What's your primary credit card?
Replies: 117
Views: 10242

Re: What's your primary credit card?

Citi DoubleCash
by srt7
Sun Mar 10, 2024 7:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Dual majors and non big 50 colleges
Replies: 111
Views: 7178

Re: Dual majors and non big 50 colleges

Bachelor's --> Generalize (ex: Mechanical Engineering / Computer Science) to get your foundations right.
Master's / Ph.D. --> Specialize (ex: Robotics / Artificial Intelligence) to make $$$
by srt7
Wed Mar 06, 2024 3:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cars Dilemma, what makes a better choice
Replies: 17
Views: 3379

Re: Cars Dilemma, what makes a better choice

boglemtgt wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2024 9:20 am
firebirdparts wrote: Thu Jan 04, 2024 8:17 am If you bought a Tesla, evidently, this is clearly not a financial question. I'm not sure what kind of a question it is.
Yes I realized. One of the dumb decisions. :x
Not a Tesla owner but I do not understand why getting a Tesla would automatically be called a dumb financial decision.
by srt7
Wed Mar 06, 2024 3:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Are "Airport Sherpas" for Seniors a thing?
Replies: 7
Views: 1787

Re: Are "Airport Sherpas" for Seniors a thing?

Most major airports will have porters services. They will take care of everything including luggage check-ins, security checks and wheel-chair assistance.
by srt7
Sat Mar 02, 2024 9:06 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Let go from Megacorp at 42....can I retire?
Replies: 90
Views: 22214

Re: Let go from Megacorp at 42....can I retire?

Approved for retirement!
by srt7
Sat Mar 02, 2024 9:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Negotiating Full Size SUV
Replies: 23
Views: 3574

Re: Negotiating Full Size SUV

2025 Tahoe's and their other flavors are getting a solid interior upgrade (giant screens vs. buffet of buttons) so I'd think you should get good deals on the 2024s now.

2025 Tahoe: https://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/tahoe/2025/
by srt7
Fri Mar 01, 2024 10:43 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Real Stories of College Savings: what was your plan, and what happened?
Replies: 98
Views: 7341

Re: Real Stories of College Savings: what was your plan, and what happened?

Child 1 focused the college search on schools where they might receive merit scholarships. They chose a school where the merit scholarship reduced the cost to one we could afford. We had some savings, which we used for year 1. I transitioned from part time to full time work , and my income was used to pay for college. We did not borrow, and our child did not borrow. Child 2 received a scholarship, and child 1’s school increased aid for the year we had two in school. We paid from current income. Child 2 transferred schools after a year. The new school was within commuting distance of our home, so cost was just tuition . Again, we paid out of current income . We would have loved to have had a nice college savings fund, but life just didn’t w...
by srt7
Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:48 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: BMW named top pick in CR overall brand rankings
Replies: 55
Views: 5578

Re: BMW named top pick in CR overall brand rankings

tetractys wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 6:30 pm
Cash is King wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 12:16 pm First time for a back to back winner since 2017. Toyota does well on top auto pick by category. Cadillac and Ford made notable big moves in terms of reliability.
Didn’t CR lose all credibility 20 or 30 years ago?
Doubt they'd be around without credibility given the business they're in. No?
by srt7
Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:47 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: BMW named top pick in CR overall brand rankings
Replies: 55
Views: 5578

Re: BMW named top pick in CR overall brand rankings

whodidntante wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 7:23 pm I enjoy watching Toyota fanbois discredit a source they previously extolled. I don't know why, though. There is nothing wrong with 5th place.
Heh!! I was thinking the same.
by srt7
Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:41 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: BMW named top pick in CR overall brand rankings
Replies: 55
Views: 5578

Re: BMW named top pick in CR overall brand rankings

It's not surprising to me for 2 reasons. One, I've owned a CPO 5-series (F10) for 6 years and have paid a grand total of $1200 including oil changes. It's a blast to drive and makes me a proud owner. Secondly, Toyota has been collaborating with BMW on several of their cars.

Good for BMW to finally get the CR recognition they deserve! However, one shouldn't miss the # of models tested (BMW - 12; Toyota - 24).
by srt7
Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: BMW named top pick in CR overall brand rankings
Replies: 55
Views: 5578

Re: BMW named top pick in CR overall brand rankings

alfaspider wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 2:06 pm Too bad they beat most of their cars with an ugly stick. I don't care how good they are, I could never live with a car like the iX or M3/4. I have a reasonable tolerance for less than beautiful cars, but those cross the line.
I feel the same about Lexus since they introduced their ridiculous spindle grill. I don't care how reliable they are.
by srt7
Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:12 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to deal with/spend too much money?
Replies: 91
Views: 8902

Re: How to deal with/spend too much money?

4nursebee wrote: Tue Feb 27, 2024 5:24 am ...
One friend would likely try for a lawsuit of some kind if they knew our wealth. Many people in our lives seem to make poor financial decisions that have them where they are. They likely would not listen to unsolicited financial advice. We are not really willing to give money or things to people that make poor decisions.
...
Be careful. Money (or lack thereof) does weird things to people.

To your original question, if the decision to not have kids was due to affordability then perhaps it's time to reconsider now? Biological or adoption.
by srt7
Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Older, clean title vehicle or newer rebuilt vehicle?
Replies: 26
Views: 2372

Re: Older, clean title vehicle or newer rebuilt vehicle?

Easy. Older, clean title would be my pick.
by srt7
Tue Feb 27, 2024 1:06 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Talk me out of buying a Nissan Armada!
Replies: 29
Views: 1939

Re: Talk me out of buying a Nissan Armada!

It's only been a day. Give it at least a month for your nerves to calm down. Then reconsider if a large SUV is the solution and take it from there.
by srt7
Fri Feb 23, 2024 11:16 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Has passive investing broken the market?
Replies: 136
Views: 16402

Re: Has passive investing broken the market?

This again?

I mean how hard is it to wrap one's head around Index investing?

Are active investors really that incapable of understanding it?

If so then why would I want to trust my money with them?

:wink:
by srt7
Fri Feb 23, 2024 10:12 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: High Salary (>$500,000) careers
Replies: 244
Views: 28596

Re: High Salary (>$500,000) careers

Is it hard being a Software Engineer? I tried coding but it was frustrating not able to solve it. Yes, Software Engineering is hard. Not saying other high paying careers aren't but the low bar to entry and abundance of training (boot camps, You Tube videos etc.) create an illusion of ease and empowers otherwise normally risk averse people to give it a shot. Not to mention it requires the brain to be wired in a certain way to become an exceptional Software Engineer. The age of crazy high salaries for mediocre Software Engineers is done. Only the exceptional ones that are truly committed to their art will continue seeing 0.5MM+ BTW I'm not talking about the Colorado guy above who calls himself a Software Engineer but is more of a Solutions A...
by srt7
Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:14 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Advice for buying a car in 2024
Replies: 51
Views: 8438

Re: Advice for buying a car in 2024

I'm ready to get a new car. My paid-off 2015 Audi has had a great run, but it has a couple of issues that bug me but don't seem worth fixing on a car that is worth ~$6-7k (most A/C vents don't blow, which I was quoted >$1k just to diagnose, and there is a fairly large dent on the fender that would be >$1k to repair, among other issues), in a good year costs ~$2-3k just for ordinary maintenance, and is reaching the point where it could start needing very expensive repairs. This is all starting to feel particularly silly since this car, which is a small sedan, doesn't really fit my current needs. Not settled on a model yet, but likely a CPO or very low mileage/recent year car. Budgeting $40-50k, not sure whether I'll pay cash/finance/how muc...
by srt7
Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:05 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: High Salary (>$500,000) careers
Replies: 244
Views: 28596

Re: High Salary (>$500,000) careers

Is it hard being a Software Engineer? I tried coding but it was frustrating not able to solve it. Yes, Software Engineering is hard. Not saying other high paying careers aren't but the low bar to entry and abundance of training (boot camps, You Tube videos etc.) create an illusion of ease and empowers otherwise normally risk averse people to give it a shot. Not to mention it requires the brain to be wired in a certain way to become an exceptional Software Engineer. The age of crazy high salaries for mediocre Software Engineers is done. Only the exceptional ones that are truly committed to their art will continue seeing 0.5MM+ BTW I'm not talking about the Colorado guy above who calls himself a Software Engineer but is more of a Solutions A...
by srt7
Wed Feb 21, 2024 9:03 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Car Advice Needed
Replies: 34
Views: 3215

Re: Car Advice Needed

With a growing family I'd replace the car. But if you choose to repair then at least get a few quotes with a bonafide warranty to back it up. None of this handwritten stuff.
by srt7
Wed Feb 21, 2024 8:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Paying off credit card debt
Replies: 31
Views: 3055

Re: Paying off credit card debt

Option #1 is their best bet provided they have the discipline to pull through.
by srt7
Wed Feb 21, 2024 8:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Tech Compensation
Replies: 39
Views: 5178

Re: Tech Compensation

Growth is the key here. Whether it's at the same company or a different one it's imperative that a good engineer grows in their field. With growth comes more money. Of course, it also depends on one's manager. If they don't see your growth or perceived value then it's all for naught (with that manager). People don't work for companies, they work for their immediate manager. Choose wisely if you can.

Yes, it's entirely possible to have walked away from $1MM in unvested RSUs. I have great respect for those who have it in them to do so. Just like TC's, the rigor and expectations are from a different world which is not suitable for everyone.
by srt7
Fri Feb 16, 2024 10:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines
Replies: 32
Views: 2192

Re: Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines

mhc wrote: Fri Feb 16, 2024 9:55 am I live in northern Colorado. I am a retired engineer. My son attends Mines for engineering. He really likes it.

I have always heard Mines has a stronger reputation as compared to CU. My ex-co-workers out of state all new about Mines reputation. I was also once told by someone once that they would hire anyone from Mines.

As you know, they are different schools. Personally, I would choose Mines for its reputation, quality, and it's not in Boulder (sorry to those who like Boulder).
Thank you. If it were for engineering Mines would've been an easy pick. Given this is CS we are having to dig a little deeper.
by srt7
Fri Feb 16, 2024 10:28 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines
Replies: 32
Views: 2192

Re: Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines

Not sure if your kid is a super strong academically and committed to CS forever, but CSM is really limited if he wants to change major. CSM when my kid applied was a specific nerdy mining kind of school. He didn't go (for Chen) as the scholarship money wasn't good enough back then (2015) for what the school offered. Look at the first year retention numbers and the drop out rates and what the admission stats look like in comparison to your kid. Also look at how his HS credits would apply to CSM vs CU, and compare and contrast the 4 yr plan, but realistically, ask yourselves what it looks like if he changes major and loses scholarship money for GPA or major switch. Your language around the $$ is difficult to parse, as the COA would be the re...
by srt7
Fri Feb 16, 2024 10:25 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines
Replies: 32
Views: 2192

Re: Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines

Thank you everyone! In many ways your responses have confirmed my prior understanding and in other ways have brought new information to light which my son needs to go do some research on.
by srt7
Fri Feb 16, 2024 10:23 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines
Replies: 32
Views: 2192

Re: Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines

De-anonymized account to respond transparently. When I was a prospective student, I faced a similar choice between Purdue and Rose Hulman. Both great schools. I chose Purdue, while some high school friends chose Rose. As faculty, I landed at Mines with colleagues at CU. There's no wrong choice. Mines is a hair ahead of CU on some metrics (admission standards, certain magazine rankings), but not by enough that it should be a deciding factor. The key difference will be the environment and experience. CU Boulder is a large flagship university. Mines is a small polytechnic. There are advantages to both. Namely, I would say breadth of opportunity vs. depth of connections. When a student at a large flagship, I often felt lost in the crowd. As fa...
by srt7
Fri Feb 16, 2024 1:08 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines
Replies: 32
Views: 2192

Re: Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines

bmr12 wrote: Thu Feb 15, 2024 11:04 pm As a recently retired hiring manager, CSM has the best CS program in the state. Nothing wrong with CU if your students wants that broader University experience, however.
Thank you for this response. One of the questions my son had was if a hiring manager would prefer going to CSM first or CU Boulder if they had to hire. Per you it seems like that would be CSM.

Also any particular reason you'd say CSM has the best CS program in the state?
by srt7
Thu Feb 15, 2024 10:43 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines
Replies: 32
Views: 2192

Seeking advice: CU Boulder vs. Mines

Son got accepted in to BS Computer Science program at both CU Boulder and Colorado School of Mines. He's also received the same amount of initial scholarship (although he plans to apply for more). We are Colorado residents.

He is excited about both and is truly torn between them. He realizes that Mines is primarily an engineering school while CU Boulder offers a more broader university experience (if he wants to minor in Business etc.)

I am writing to seek advice and inputs from those who have graduated from either of these universities, perhaps hired graduates for internships/FTE positions or even in general know about them to chime in.

Thank you for your time.
by srt7
Tue Feb 13, 2024 11:48 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Should I quit or slog through
Replies: 62
Views: 7578

Re: Should I quit or slog through

... My work situation is stable, but I really don’t like what I do. I mean I really really don’t like it . It’s a relatively easy job at an easy company so it’s a shame to just give it up. Would love to just quit, but I also know that I’m not quite mentally ready to retire and would want to work for the next 5 to 10 years . If I quit to find my way to something I like I would obviously lose my income while searching, but will probably be able to get to the mid $100k’s within a year or two at some point if I really wanted to push myself. I sometimes think why would I bother to do that, I might be able to just make it on what I have saved and never go back to the corporate world. BUT, giving up an easy job to make less money doesn’t make sen...
by srt7
Sun Feb 11, 2024 10:31 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New Laptop Questions
Replies: 52
Views: 4789

Re: New Laptop Questions

OP - I currently have a personal 2020 MacBook Air (Intel i5 chip) and used to have a work issued 2022 HP EliteBook. The latter was not only more expensive but also noisy. It seemed underpowered and like it was trying hard. Thought it was the work security software so returned the HP and got a 2022 16" MacBook Pro (M2 chip). Zero issues with both my Mac's now.

Wife, son and daughter all have Lenovo ThinkPads and are very happy with them. I have a 10 year old one T460 that still chugs along nicely.

So for us it's either a Mac or a Lenovo (ThinkPads only). Definitely not a HP or Dell.
by srt7
Sun Feb 11, 2024 10:29 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: New Laptop Questions
Replies: 52
Views: 4789

Re: New Laptop Questions

OldSport wrote: Fri Feb 09, 2024 8:50 am
homebuyer6426 wrote: Fri Feb 09, 2024 8:41 am What is the reason you believe sensitive information will be less secure on a Lenovo compared to other brands?
I don't want to go off topic and get the thread flagged. Genuinely am interested if the HP Spectre or Elitebook are better. That's what I've narrowed it down to. It's possible the Spectre may not be as robust, and I'm concerned about that. I would hope the Elitebook are at least as robust as the 2015-2017 era Envys, which have been good to us.
I'll just add this here and let readers decide for themselves.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenov ... -questions
by srt7
Sun Feb 04, 2024 10:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bought the wrong house - Sell now or later?
Replies: 67
Views: 8292

Re: Bought the wrong house - Sell now or later?

gutrageous wrote: Sun Feb 04, 2024 5:38 pm ...
The positive is that the area we chose is fantastic, neighbors all seem nice (almost too nice ha), and DW still likes the house. On the DW front, which I'm aware is very very important, while she still likes the house, she's also much more adaptable and flexible than I am and would like a different house that "checked more of the boxes" for me. She still wouldn't be very happy to move again, but it wouldn't cause WWIII so to speak.

...
What's the issue again? :wink:
by srt7
Fri Feb 02, 2024 11:09 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: National Merit Semi-Finalist/Finalist - universities giving the most $
Replies: 50
Views: 3794

Re: National Merit Semi-Finalist/Finalist - universities giving the most $

LeftCoastIV wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2024 11:15 pm Looks a bit dated, but:
https://www.collegetransitions.com/data ... holarships

The whole college ranking system can really make it hard to sort out what is best for your kid. Whenever, there is a ranking, the natural thought process is “higher is better”, but do you agree with how the ranking was set up? Does it reflect which majors and programs are strong at a given school, etc?
100% in agreement here. Without fully understanding the methodology of a ranking system one should never prioritize the school for its rank.
by srt7
Thu Feb 01, 2024 8:07 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: college decision: UIUC or UF for ECE?
Replies: 339
Views: 31718

Re: college decision: $63k UIUC ECE or full-ride UF ECE?

an_asker wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2024 7:08 pm
yoga wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2024 12:25 pm On the topic of name recognition, I had to look up what UIUC stood for. I've never heard of this school. I'm a STEM major from the Northeast. I've been working as an engineer in the northeast for over 20 years. Moderate involvement in hiring at a megacorp but have never seen this school on a resume. We hire ee, cs, me, etc. Definitely heard of UF!
Oh boy! Maybe it is known only for its grad school? And/or only abroad? And/or the rankings have slipped in the last three decades?

When I was applying to grad school from India, Urbana-Champaign was one of the top picks for EE (not my undergrad major).
Heh! It is called Univ. of India Univ. of China for a reason after all :wink:
by srt7
Tue Jan 30, 2024 8:56 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: college decision: UIUC or UF for ECE?
Replies: 339
Views: 31718

Re: college decision: $63k UIUC ECE or full-ride UF ECE?

UIUC Grad here. The opportunities that student have at UIUC were night and day compared to what I experienced at my podunk undergrad school. I recommend she go to the best school she can. Undergrad will set her trajectory. A lot of posters anti-southern bias is coming through pretty clearly According to US News and world report University of Florida is ranked the #6 public university in the nation (28th overall). A far cry from “podunk.” By comparison UIUC is #35 nationally. So if you want to drop a quarter mill on a lower ranked university, by all means. But don’t delude yourself into thinking that’ll be the difference between a successfully career and an unsuccessfully career https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-univers...
by srt7
Mon Jan 29, 2024 10:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Thinking of moving to Denver
Replies: 59
Views: 6674

Re: Thinking of moving to Denver

We moved to Denver 5+ years ago and love it here. Our other options at that point were Seattle, Boston and Sacramento. Denver seemed like a good balance with a solid stamp of approval from Bogleheads so we went with it. Never had any issues with air quality. It's been just fine. The times when we had a rough patch back in 2020/21 it was way worse on the west coast. It's a semi-arid area so obviously not filled with moisture or abundance of water etc. Schools wise you have Cherry Creek High School, STEM School Highlands Ranch, Peak 2 Peak, Stargate, Jefferson etc. which are diverse and feed into top colleges in the country. Private schools include Kent, Colorado Academy etc. You can find more and compare to your current school here: https://...
by srt7
Wed Jan 24, 2024 5:28 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Just got laid off
Replies: 120
Views: 15992

Re: Just got laid off

Sorry to hear about your layoff. I know this might not sound like much but given you're in IT and have been in HigherEd space for 18 years, your next pay will most likely be higher so ... silver lining.

Also ... Do. Not. Sign. Anything. Think about it. You're getting 2 weeks of severance for 18 years of service AND getting advised to consult an attorney. It's a hint that the deal is not in your favor. Don't sign and loose 26 weeks of unemployment benefits.

Good luck! It will all turn out well.
by srt7
Wed Jan 24, 2024 5:12 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How much is owned real estate (primary/secondary homes) as a percent of your net worth?
Replies: 113
Views: 8869

Re: How much is owned real estate (primary/secondary homes) as a percent of your net worth?

carminered2019 wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2024 1:14 pm All my real-estate is 50% of my NW.
+1

Intentional diversification.
by srt7
Wed Jan 24, 2024 5:09 pm
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: 🎁 🎉Happy 100th Birthday to Taylor Larimore 🎊🎂
Replies: 429
Views: 41941

Re: 🎁 🎉Happy 100th Birthday to Taylor Larimore 🎊🎂

Happy Birthday, Taylor!!

Congratulations on becoming a centenarian!!
by srt7
Tue Jan 16, 2024 9:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Finding cost effective mid-tier colleges (Computer Science)
Replies: 164
Views: 25572

Re: Finding cost effective mid-tier colleges (Computer Science)

One thing to note is to look for rankings specific to the major and not the university in general. Here is a list for CS https://premium.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/computer-science-overall?_sort=rank&_sortDirection=asc&_mode=table While I wouldn't call them mid-tier there are plenty of great choices here within 50 rankings itself. I've highlighted the ones mentioned in the forum as well as CU Boulder but not sure how expensive it gets for OOS. 1. MIT 2. Carnegie, Stanford, UC Berkeley 5. UIUC 6. Cal Tech, Cornell, GA Tech, Princeton 10. U Washington 11. Harvard, UMich, Texas 14. Columbia, UCLA , UC San Diego , Yale 18. Johns Hopkins, Purdue, U Maryland, UPenn 22. U Wisconsin - Madison 23. Brown, Duke, UChicago, USC 27. Harve...
by srt7
Tue Jan 16, 2024 9:00 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Tax deferred vs taxable vs Roth conversion
Replies: 12
Views: 1021

Re: Tax deferred vs taxable vs Roth conversion

I recently started to think about it and given the unknown variable of future tax rates I felt comfortable switching over to Roth 401K offered by my employer. Now comes the process of converting the existing amounts in traditional 401K's in to Roth. Probably will do it little at a time each year to avoid a huge tax bill. But first step is done - future contributions are Roth 401K.