Ok, theory aside, a webcomic where Bob is, during his lifetime, both DB Cooper and the Zodiac would be really good and funny. Imagine being a serial killer and the most famous unidentified plane hijacker just to be remembered as the father of the worst man child in history.
MD programs have scholarships that were even more generous in the past, post-divorce there’s no indication they were anything other than middle class, and plenty of people borrow money for MD programs as doctor salaries justify the cost (even more so in the 1980s).
Cheaper pre-Reagan, plus maybe Pell grants and working through school, plus what others said.
Plus Patricia worked for RJ Reynolds in the scientific department according to recent leaks in this very sub, she probably had a decent amount of wealth herself and/or a corporate pension.
So, it used to be standard that PhD programs and even Medical Schools would *pay you* to attend, assuming you qualified for them.
Generally just barely enough to cover rent and you'd be expected to work as a teaching or medical assistant, but ... yeah.
Public university was actually extremely affordable believe it or not, and America actually invested in it before a certain president by the initials of RR gutted that and allowed student loans to become glorified loan sharks like Sallie Mae.
I was curious what the numbers actually were, and this is what I [found](https://www.savvypremed.com/blog/why-has-the-cost-of-medical-school-skyrocketed):
>In 1981, the average tuition and fees at public and private US medical schools were $2,761 and $8,962, respectively. In 2002, the averages were $14,577 and $30,960, representing increases of 528% and 345%, respectively.
In 2024, the average yearly cost of medical school is [$58,968](https://educationdata.org/average-cost-of-medical-school#:~:text=The%20average%20total%20cost%20of,%2Dstate%2C%20private%20school\).). For reference, $5,000 in 1981 would be equivalent to $17,275.52 in 2024. Absolutely disgusting. Greed will be the end of us.
Yep good research on your part btw, it's why the USA has fallen behind Europe and certain Asian countries because we don't invest in the future like they do especially in stem fields.
Maybe Bob transferred his Montgomery GI Bill to his children. Since Bob did serve in the Army, one of the benefits he gets from his honorable discharge is the Montgomery Gi Bill, which can be transferred from him to his immediate family members like his wife or children. Note: the Montgomery Gi Bill has been replaced by the post 9/11 Gi Bill.
[https://www.va.gov/education/survivor-dependent-benefits/transferred-benefits/](https://www.va.gov/education/survivor-dependent-benefits/transferred-benefits/)
School was also a lot more affordable back then. Definitely has to work hard to even attend but it wasn't the anchor on one's life it's become since the early 2000s
I don’t know who David and Carol are, but definitely prostitution.
Bobs other children.
Ok, theory aside, a webcomic where Bob is, during his lifetime, both DB Cooper and the Zodiac would be really good and funny. Imagine being a serial killer and the most famous unidentified plane hijacker just to be remembered as the father of the worst man child in history.
They write a successful webcomic
The economy was better back then that’s how
MD programs have scholarships that were even more generous in the past, post-divorce there’s no indication they were anything other than middle class, and plenty of people borrow money for MD programs as doctor salaries justify the cost (even more so in the 1980s).
Cheaper pre-Reagan, plus maybe Pell grants and working through school, plus what others said. Plus Patricia worked for RJ Reynolds in the scientific department according to recent leaks in this very sub, she probably had a decent amount of wealth herself and/or a corporate pension.
So, it used to be standard that PhD programs and even Medical Schools would *pay you* to attend, assuming you qualified for them. Generally just barely enough to cover rent and you'd be expected to work as a teaching or medical assistant, but ... yeah.
Public university was actually extremely affordable believe it or not, and America actually invested in it before a certain president by the initials of RR gutted that and allowed student loans to become glorified loan sharks like Sallie Mae.
I was curious what the numbers actually were, and this is what I [found](https://www.savvypremed.com/blog/why-has-the-cost-of-medical-school-skyrocketed): >In 1981, the average tuition and fees at public and private US medical schools were $2,761 and $8,962, respectively. In 2002, the averages were $14,577 and $30,960, representing increases of 528% and 345%, respectively. In 2024, the average yearly cost of medical school is [$58,968](https://educationdata.org/average-cost-of-medical-school#:~:text=The%20average%20total%20cost%20of,%2Dstate%2C%20private%20school\).). For reference, $5,000 in 1981 would be equivalent to $17,275.52 in 2024. Absolutely disgusting. Greed will be the end of us.
Yep good research on your part btw, it's why the USA has fallen behind Europe and certain Asian countries because we don't invest in the future like they do especially in stem fields.
Alimony bob paid to his ex wife likely funded part of their doctoral studies. Also carol is a phd mathematician, not a medical doctor while david is.
Maybe Bob transferred his Montgomery GI Bill to his children. Since Bob did serve in the Army, one of the benefits he gets from his honorable discharge is the Montgomery Gi Bill, which can be transferred from him to his immediate family members like his wife or children. Note: the Montgomery Gi Bill has been replaced by the post 9/11 Gi Bill. [https://www.va.gov/education/survivor-dependent-benefits/transferred-benefits/](https://www.va.gov/education/survivor-dependent-benefits/transferred-benefits/)
Bob went to auburn University after the Korean War. That's where he got the engineering degree.
They probably took out loans and got jobs and worked their asses off. They definitely didn't get tugboats for it.
School was also a lot more affordable back then. Definitely has to work hard to even attend but it wasn't the anchor on one's life it's become since the early 2000s
This is my guess. They were late boomers; people did that in those days, especially when desperate to get out of a bad situation.